St Eadburgha's Church & the Cotswold Way Walk
A mile south of Broadway's busy High Street, down a quiet country lane, the 12th-century Church of St Eadburgha sits in remarkable solitude — surrounded by open Cotswold countryside and completely free of tourist crowds. It is also the starting point for some of the finest walking in the entire region.
A Church Remarkably Untouched by Time
Dating back to the 12th century, St Eadburgha's Church is a building of genuine historic weight, with an interior that contains medieval and Jacobean woodwork that has survived largely unspoiled. The churchyard is peaceful and the surrounding countryside views are as good as anything you will find in the Cotswolds.
The church sits on the Cotswold Way long-distance trail, which runs 100 miles from Chipping Campden to Bath, threading through tiny villages and across open escarpments. Broadway is one of the trail's most celebrated access points, and St Eadburgha's marks the natural start of the uphill stretch toward Broadway Tower.
Walking to Broadway Tower via the Cotswold Way
The 4-mile circular walk from Broadway village up to Broadway Tower via the Cotswold Way is the single best way to experience the landscape around the village. The route climbs steadily through open fields and along the escarpment edge, with increasingly dramatic views back over the Vale of Evesham.
From St Eadburgha's, the path leads 2 miles uphill to Broadway Tower — a satisfying climb that rewards you with those famous 16-county views from the rooftop platform. You can also extend the walk onward to the nearby hamlet of Snowshill, home to the eccentric National Trust-owned Snowshill Manor just 3 miles from Broadway.
Snowshill Manor: The Eccentric Detour
Snowshill Manor, managed by the National Trust and just 3 miles south of Broadway, is one of the most unusual houses in the Cotswolds — an Elizabethan manor stuffed with the extraordinary collections of its former owner, Charles Paget Wade, who accumulated everything from Samurai armour to antique bicycles and musical instruments.
The manor's terraced Arts and Crafts garden is beautiful in its own right and makes a peaceful counterpoint to the curiosity-cabinet interior. It is the kind of place that demands a second visit.
St Eadburgha's Church & the Cotswold Way Walk on video
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