This is the most complete medieval Dominican priory surviving in England. After the friary was dissolved in 1538, the buildings were bought by a prosperous clothmaker called Thomas Bell. He converted the church into a house and used the rest...

Brunswick Square comes as a surprise. We expect a Georgian square to be built to a uniform pattern, every house wearing the same overcoat. Brunswick Square defied the aesthetic of the time. Around the gracious central garden are terraces of...

The residents of the newly-developed Brunswick Square had a church built for them in 1822. It was a plain Classical box built in brick and stucco to a design by Rickman and Hutcheson. That wouldn’t do for later congregations. At...

This pub’s overhanging upper floor gives away its age. Its sturdy timber frame has seen out the centuries. The core of it was built in the early 1500s. Whether or not it was built as an inn, it had become...

Visitors cross College Green to the main entrance of Gloucester Cathedral. This part of the green was the last resting place for many of Gloucester’s medieval burghers. Then after the great monastic church of St Peter became a cathedral, monastic...

This charming street leads from the busy thoroughfare of Westgate Street into the calm of College Green. Along its west side are the old timber-framed houses shown here, now shops and cafés. On the opposite side picturesque brick and timber-framed...

An indoor and outdoor playcentre suitable for toddlers to ten year olds. The indoor adventure zone includes soft play, ball pits and teampolines. The outdoor activities include a giant sandpit, pedal zone, animals, picnic area together with hilltop walks. Also...

Gloucester was founded in the reign of the Emperor Nerva (96-98 AD). Or so it seems, for the Roman town was named after him: Colonia Nerviana Glevensis. A colonia was a settlement of retired army veterans. So to celebrate the...

Few public houses have a history as long as this one. The present building dates from the 17th century, but there was an inn on this site in 1455. Then it was called Savage’s Inn after its owner Sibilla Savage....

A part of the University of Gloucester, this beautiful chapel is a fine piece of religious architecture that has been a feature of the city for centuries. It exudes some of the finer pints of the local artistic styles...

The beautiful Gloucester Cathedral has been a place of worship for more than 1,300 years. With its stunning architecture, the cloisters are regarded as one of the most beautiful architectural gems in Britain. Used as a film set for Harry...

The Victorians had a passion for museums. Gloucester acquired its imposing purpose-built museum in 1900, but the collection it was built to house was started in 1860. Now the museum and art gallery displays the city’s heritage from dinosaur remains...

Discover what life was really like in Gloucester over the last 500 years. On display is local history, home life, crafts, trades and industries. Children should enjoy the toys gallery and the Victorian classroom. The museum is housed in an...

Gloucester’s original park is close to the city centre. Its acres of green sward are popular for walking, picnicking and children’s play. During Gloucester’s annual summer festival the park hums with activity. Many events are held there. Facilities include a...

The Gloucestershire Archives are a fascinating collection of documents that have a history that goes back many hundreds of years. A great deal of the most important events to take place in the area, as well as the more...

Here’s the proof that Gloucester flourished in Elizabethan times. This fine town house would have been built for a prosperous merchant, living above his shop. The upper storeys are jettied out over the street and have ornamental panelling in the...

Ruins are all that remain of the medieval Greyfriars. This Franciscan friary was founded around 1230 by Thomas, lord of Berkeley Castle. The Franciscans were known as Grey Friars from the colour of their habit. Ironically the monastery was rebuilt...

The Guildhall was built in 1890-2 for Gloucester City Council. Architect George H. Hunt did not stint on the civic magnificence. When the building was outgrown by the council a century later, the upper floors were converted into an arts...

Britain’s most inland port was once thronged with ships unloading their cargoes. Massive Victorian warehouses and a steam crane conjure up those days so well that the docks are often used as a film set. Gloucester Docks has been transformed...

Henry VIII founded King’s School. When he converted the Abbey of St Peter into Gloucester Cathedral, he also replaced the monastic school with a cathedral school. It taught grammar and trained choristers. The school now spreads out over a slew...

The Abbey of St Peter was grand enough to have two cloisters. The smaller one gave onto the monastic infirmary. So we can picture it with a herb garden like the one it has today. The Little Cloister House is...

Why does this English priory have a Welsh name? Because the first Llanthony Priory was founded in Wales by a Norman baron. When the Welsh managed to expel the Norman invaders in 1136, the monks fled. So a new priory...

John Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester, was one of the victims of Queen Mary’s purge of Protestant clergy. It is a harrowing story. Hooper was so convinced a Protestant that Mary had him burned alive before his own cathedral in 1555....

At the heart of the historic docks is this waterfront complex of cafés and speciality shops. Its covered courtyard gives access to Phillpotts Warehouse, which now houses the Edinburgh Woollen Mill. The warehouse was built in 1846 by canny corn...

Immerse yourself in Britain’s canals without getting wet. Hands-on displays illuminate life and work on the waterways. Learn how to drive a barge through a lock and see how canal families fared on the barges. Housed in a Victorian warehouse...

The world’s first museum dedicated exclusively to art inspired by nature in all forms, styles and media. Spanning 1500 years, the collection has been created by over 600 artists and originates from over 60 countries. All housed in a fine...

Gloucestershire County Council has an impressive home. The original building opened in 1816. It was designed by Sir Robert Smirke for the county magistrates. His giant Ionic portico remains. So do his polygonal assize courts at the rear, which are...

Sphinxes guard the entrance to this military museum. Why? The sphinx of Egypt is a battle honour won by the Gloucestershire Regiment. Inside is displayed the long and distinguished history of this regiment and the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars. Follow the...

This old church lies in the heart of the city. Many generations have worshipped here and left their mark on its fabric. Here you see a tall Tudor east window. At the opposite end of the church a Norman doorway...

This is a remarkable survival of a Tudor school building. It was founded by wealthy mercer John Cooke, who was four times Mayor of Gloucester. His widow Joan entrusted the school and its endowments to Gloucester Corporation in 1539....

This church is a curiosity. Its nave was rebuilt in 1825-6 by James Cooke. He was a local mason, but he chose to support the nave with cast-iron columns. Cast-iron was coming into favour at the time for more utilitarian...

St Mary’s Gate leads from the cathedral close into St Mary’s Square. It was once the great gate of the Abbey of St Peter. Here the poor would cluster, waiting for the charity all monasteries were bound to give. So...

This disused church is usually closed, but its fine 15th-century tower and spire can be admired from the street. And if you peep inside the porch, you find that the church is older than it looks at first glance. A...

All that can be seen today of this monastery is one wall of its church. It has a tale to tell though. The monastery was founded in about 890 by Aethelflaed, the daughter of Alfred the Great. The round arches...

Located at Leyhill Prison, the Totworth Visitor Centre is a popular attraction in the area, offering a range of creative and interactive exhibits. The centre has a craft gallery exhibiting a range of local and international craft works, as...