|||
  • Home
  • THINGS TO DO
    • HERITAGE
      • TEWKESBURY ABBEY
      • TEWKESBURY TOWN MUSEUM
      • TEWKESBURY HERITAGE CENTRE
      • THE JOHN MOORE MUSEUM
      • THE OLD BAPTIST CHAPEL & COURT
      • HERITAGE & ALLEYWAYS TRAIL
      • THE BATTLE TRAIL
      • THE ARRIVALL
      • SUDELEY CASTLE, WINCHCOMBE
      • GLOUCESTERSHIRE AND WARWICKSHIRE STEAM RAILWAY
    • LEISURE
      • THE ROSES THEATRE
      • TEWKESBURY NATURE RESERVE
      • MARKETS
      • CYCLE ROUTES
      • TEWKESBURY RIVERSIDE & COUNTRY WALKS
      • TEWKESBURY FISHING
      • TEWKESBURY LEISURE CENTRE
      • TEWKESBURY BOAT TRIPS 2022
      • GUIDED WALKS OF TEWKESBURY
      • SHERDONS ADVENTURE GOLF
      • CROFT FARM WATER PARK
      • SUP GLOUCESTER
    • ARTS & CRAFTS
      • CONDERTON POTTERY
      • WINCHCOMBE POTTERY
    • SHOP
  • WHAT'S ON
    • TEWKESBURY MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL
    • SHOWBOROUGH HOUSE SCULPTURE GARDEN 2022
    • TEWKESBURY HIGH STREET FINE FOOD & CRAFT MARKET
    • CLASSIC VEHICLE FESTIVAL
    • OLD CHAPEL COURT CONCERTS 2022
    • TEWKESBURY BATTLEFIELD GUIDED WALKS
    • TEWKESBURY BIG WEEKEND
    • GUIDED HISTORY & HERITAGE WALKS OF TEWKESBURY
    • STROLL AROUND THE LANES AND ALLEYS OF TEWKESBURY 2022
    • FANTASY FOREST SUDELEY CASTLE
    • VIEW ALL FORTHCOMING EVENTS
    • TEWKESBURY LIVE
    • CEILIDH DANCE AND DISCO
    • TEWKESBURY VINTAGE JUBILEE PARTY
    • MIDWIFE, HERBALIST, SURGEON...WITCH!
    • PASTIME WITH GOOD COMPANY: AN INTRODUCTION TO EARLY RENAISSANCE DANCE WORKSHOP
    • PLANT HUNTING FOR BEGINNERS
    • SUMMER MOVIE NIGHTS AT PUCKRUP HALL
    • WOMEN'S AND MEN'S CYCLE TOUR OF BRITAIN 2022
  • STAY
    • HOTELS & LODGES
    • B&B, GUESTHOUSES & FARM STAYS
    • SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION
    • CAMPING & CARAVAN SITES
    • MOORINGS
  • EAT & DRINK
    • RESTAURANTS
    • TEA ROOMS & CAFES
    • PUBS
    • TAKEAWAYS
  • Home
  • SHOP
  • EXPLORE
  • INFORMATION
    • HISTORY OF TEWKESBURY
    • RIVERS OF TEWKESBURY
    • ACCESSIBILITY
    • THE WIDER AREA
    • NOTABLE LOCAL PEOPLE
  • HERITAGE
  • CONTACT
    You are here:
  • Homepage |
  • Information |
  • History of Tewkesbury

Tewkesbury

History of Tewkesbury

Tewkesbury

History of Tewkesbury


A walk through Tewkesbury will take you on a journey of the town’s history. The buildings, roads, alleyways, bridges and rivers tell the story of its past; a rich and varied heritage that shapes the town and its community today.

Tewkesbury - History of Tewkesbury

Marching into battle

Medieval Festival

Stepping back in time

The name Tewkesbury comes from Theoc, the name of a Saxon hermit who arrived in the area in the 7th century. Then it was known as Theocsbury and became Tewkesbury over the centuries.

Theoc is believed to have settled on the site of Tewkesbury Abbey but the building that exists there today has its roots in the 12th century. Consecrated in 1121, and credited with one of the finest Norman towers in the world, the Abbey will mark its 900th anniversary in 2021.

Trading its way to prosperity

The houses and shops throughout the town chart the Tewkesbury’s prosperity through a variety of trades. Medieval cottages exist alongside Tudor town houses and Georgian architecture. There was once a network of 90 alleyways around the town and 30 still exist today.  There is a lovely alleyways walking trail around the town - pick up a copy from the Tourist Information Centre.

Perhaps most famous for its mustard (Shakespeare’s Falstaff has the line “Wit as thick as Tewkesbury mustard”), other major industries over the years in Tewkesbury include brewing and malting, pin making and the framework knitting of stockings.

With the rivers to transport goods in and out of the town, Tewkesbury was a thriving commercial hub and a popular market town.

One of the town’s entrances over the River Severn is the impressive Mythe Bridge designed by Thomas Telford. A cast iron structure with a 170-foot span, the bridge opened to traffic in 1826.

A much older bridge is over the Avon close to the former flour mill. King John's Bridge over the Avon has its origins in the late 12th century as part of improvements to the main road from the cities of Gloucester to Worcester.

Forever in the history books

Tewkesbury’s place in the history books was secured in 1471 with the Battle of the Roses. The fighting in fields south of the town saw the House of York secure victory over the Lancastrians, a decisive result depicted in the Arrivall statue on the outskirts of town.

Every year in July, the battle is re-enacted at the internationally renowned Medieval Festival. 

Discover more about Tewkesbury's history at the Town Museum and the Heritage and Visitor Centre.

Heritage and Visitor Centre

Discover more about Tewkesbury’s history at the Heritage and Visitor Centre.


Visit our Website

Whats on

May 05th Showborough House Sculpture Garden 2022

Showborough House Sculpture Garden 2022

5th May to 19th June

Every year the gardens of Showborough House near Tewkesbury become a stunning backdrop for an exhibition by local artists.

Read more
May 21st Tewkesbury Big Weekend

Tewkesbury's Big Weekend

Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd May 2022

Looking for something to do on the 21st & 22nd May 2022 Well look no further than the Tewkesbury Big Weekend

Read more
May 21st Guided History & Heritage Walks of Tewkesbury

Guided History & Heritage Walks of Tewkesbury

Saturday morning 11am

Guided History & Heritage Walks of Tewkesbury with the Cotswold & Gloucestershire Blue Badge Guides

Read more
May 21st Midwife, Herbalist, Surgeon...Witch!

Midwife, Herbalist, Surgeon...Witch!

Saturday 21st May

Discover the role of women in medicine with a particular focus on pregnancy, birth and superstitions from the Medieval period through to the Stuarts.

Read more
Jun 02nd Tewkesbury Battlefield Guided Walks

Tewkesbury Battlefield Guided Walks

2022

Guided Battlefield Walks with the Tewkesbury Battlefield Society.

Read more
Jun 04th Tewkesbury Vintage Jubilee Party

Tewkesbury Vintage Jubilee Party

Saturday 4 June 2022 11am to 3.30pm

Celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee with fun and nostalgia in Tewkesbury.

Read more
Jun 08th Stroll around the lanes and Alleys of Tewkesbury 2022

Strolls around the lanes and Alley of Tewkesbury 2022

Alley & lanes of Tewkesbury

Explore Tewkesbury's Social Heritage with a walk around the lanes and alleys.

Read more
Jun 08th Women's and Men's Cycle Tour Of Britain 2022

Women's and Men's Cycle Tour Of Britain 2022

Wednesday 8th June and Friday 9th September

The Women's Tour - Stage 3 Wednesday 8th June The Men's Tour - Stage 6 Friday 9th September

Read more
Jun 10th Summer Movie Nights at Puckrup Hall

Summer Movie Nights

Hilton Puckrup Hall Hotel, Tewkesbury

Enjoy an evening under the stars with 3 classic film evenings held at Hilton Puckrup Hall near Tewkesbury

Read more
Jun 11th Ceilidh Dance and Disco

Ceilidh Dance and Disco

Saturday 11th June

6.30pm - 11.30pm Watson Hall. Barton Street, Tewkesbury Get your dancing shoes on for proper swing around the dance floor with the nations best Ceilidh musicians, then stay out late for the disco

Read more

30 alleyways exist in Tewkesbury today - there were once

90

Tewkesbury has two big anniversaries in 2021; 900 years since the consecration of the Abbey and 550 years since the Battle of Tewkesbury. The town will have plenty to celebrate

2021

The number of Tewkesbury's buildings listed as being of special architectural or historical interest totals more than

350

About Tewkesbury

  • Tourist Information Centre
  • Map
  • Places to Stay

Accommodation

  • Hotel
  • B&B
  • Self Catering
  • Camping & Caravan Sites
  • Moorings

I’m looking for

  • Places to Stay
  • Things to Do
  • Shopping

Where to Eat & Drink

  • Restaurants
  • Tea Rooms & Cafes
  • Pubs
  • Takeaways

Designed and built in Tewkesbury by Mosaique Creative and Marketing