Moreton-in-Marsh
Moreton-in-Marsh is in the Cotswolds. The town lies at the crossroads of the Fosse Way, the ancient Roman road, and the A44. It's next to the River Evenlode, a tributary of the River Thames.
Understand
The town and nearby countryside are low lying and flat given how the town is considered to be in "Cotswold Hills Country". The "Moreton" from the town name means "Farmstead on the Moor".
The town's architecture is typical of the area, buildings being constructed of local cotswold stone.
Get in
By road
- The town lies on the A44 east-west main road running between Oxford and Aberystwyth, passing through Chipping Norton to the E and through Evesham to the W.
- The town lie son the A429 main road running between the M4 motorway (near Chippenham) to Coventry to the north.
By train
- 1 Moreton-in-Marsh station, Station Rd, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0AA. Great Western trains from London Paddington via Oxford, Hereford via Great Malvern and Worcester.
By bus
- Pulham Coaches Service 801 runs Moreton-in-Marsh – Stow-on-the-Wold – Bourton-on-the-Water – Northleach – Andoversford – Cheltenham Royal Well
- Pulham Coaches Service 803 runs Bourton-on-the-Water – Upper Oddington – Longborough – Moreton-in-Marsh
By bicycle
- National Cycle Route 48. Lincoln to Exeter will run through the town; the route is under construction, Cirencester-Northleach and Moreton-in-Marsh-Southam completed (10-mile section through Bourton-on-the-Water under construction as of 2017).
- National Cycle Route 442. Passes through the town.
Get around
Map of Moreton-in-Marsh
The town is small enough to see on foot.
See
- 1 Batsford Arboretum (about 1½ miles north-west of Moreton-in-Marsh). Daily 10AM-5PM. 55-acre arboretum and botanical garden containing around 2,900 trees, with a large collection of Japanese maples, magnolias and pines. £7.
- 2 Wellington Aviation Museum, British School House, Broadway Road, GL56 0BG, ☏ +44 1608 650323. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. Small museum about Second World War RAF Moreton-in-Marsh. £2.
- 3 Chastleton House, Chastleton, near Moreton-in-Marsh, ☏ +44 1494 755560, chastleton@nationaltrust.org.uk. Maintained by the National Trust since 1991, when it was acquired from the last representative of the family who had owned the house since it was first built. It is one of England’s finest and most complete Jacobean houses, filled not only with a mixture of rare and everyday objects, furniture and textiles collected since its completion in 1612, but also with the atmosphere of 400 years of continuous occupation by one family. The gardens have a typical Elizabethan and Jacobean layout with a ring of fascinating topiary at their heart and it was here in 1865 that the rules of modern croquet were codified. Since acquiring the property, the Trust has concentrated on conserving it rather than restoring it to a pristine state.
- 4 Sezincote House, near Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 9AW (3½ mils W of Moreton-in-Marsh), enquiries@sezincote.com. House: May-Sep Th F 2:30-5:30PM; garden: Jan-Nov Th F 2-6PM. House (including garden) £10; garden only adults £5, children £1.50.
- 5 Bourton House Gardens, Bourton on the Hill GL56 9AE (2 miles W of Moreton-in-Marsh), ☏ +44 1386 700754, info@bourtonhouse.com. Apr-end Oct Tu-F 10AM-5PM. April: £5; May-Oct £7; (under 16’s free).
- 6 The Four Shire Stone. Stone marking the point where the boundaries of Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire met. In 1931 the county boundaries were "re-organised" and now the store only marks the meeting of Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Oxfordshire (though the name was retained!).
Do
- 1 Cotswold Falconry Centre, Batsford, Moreton in Marsh GL56 9AB (1½ miles W of Moreton-in-Marsh), ☏ +44 1386 701043, info@cotswold-falconry.co.uk. Daily 11 Feb-12 Nov from 10:30AM. Flying displays & aviaries. Adult £10; child £5; concessions £7.50.
- Diamond Way (60-mile-long distance walk centred on Moreton-in-Marsh). Rates: easy.
- 2 The Moreton Show (Annual Agricultural Show), Moreton-in-Marsh Showground, Batsford Rd, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0AB, ☏ +44 1608 651908, post@moretonshow.co.uk. Annually in early Sept.
Buy
- 1 Tuesday morning market, High Street, Moreton in Marsh GL56 0AZ, ☏ +44 1386 840138. Nov-Mar: 9AM-3PM; Apr-Oct: 9AM-3:30PM. On Tuesday morning, there is a local market on the High Street. A great place to pick up some fresh produce or cheap power tools, some doilies or wool sweaters. Wonderful people watching, as all the old ladies and handsome old chaps are out and about.
- 2 Tesco Express (Convenience Store), 13 Manchester Court, High St, Moreton-In-Marsh GL56 0BY, ☏ +44 345 026 9414. M-F 6AM-11PM, Sa Su 7AM-11PM. ATMs.
- 3 Co-op (Supermarket), High St, Moreton-In-Marsh, GL56 0AH, ☏ +44 1608 650508. Daily 7AM-8PM.
- 4 Warners Budgen, High St, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0AH (Near the rail station), ☏ +44 1608 651854, moreton@warnersretail.co.uk. M-Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM. ATMs, small supermarket. Fair selection of locally brewed bottled beer.
Eat
- 1 The Black Bear Inn (pub & food), High St, Moreton in Marsh GL56 0AX, ☏ +44 1608 652992. Daily 10:30-11PM. A typical (perhaps less atmospheric than usual) English pub with surprisingly good food. Reasonably priced meals and pints.
- 2 Sitara Restaurant (Indian restaurant & take-away), The Lion House, High St, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0LH, ☏ +44 1608 651015, info@sitaramoretoninmarsh.com. Daily 5:30-11PM.
- 3 ASK Italian (restaurant & take-away), Former Marsh Goose, High St, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0AX, ☏ +44 1608 651119. Su-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-11PM. Free Wi-Fi.
- 4 The Spice Room (Indian Restaurant), 3 Oxford St, Moreton in Marsh GL56 0LA, ☏ +44 1608 654204.
- 5 Locojo's (pizza take-away), 2 Oxford St, Moreton in Marsh, ☏ +44 1608 650378, food@locojos.co.uk. M W Th 5:30-9PM, F Sa 5:30-9:30PM, Su 5:30-9PM.
Drink
- 1 Inn on the Marsh (pub & food), Stow Rd, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0DW, ☏ +44 1608 650709. Su M 7PM-11:30PM, Tu W noon-3PM & 7-11:30PM, Th-Sa noon-3PM & 6PM-midnight.
- 2 The Cotswold Tea Room, 4 High St, Moreton in Marsh, GL56 0AH, ☏ +44 1608 238123, hello@cotswoldtearoom.co.uk. M 9AM-5PM, Tu 9AM-4PM, W Th 9AM-5PM, F 9AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 10AM-4PM. Specialising in gluten-free foods.
- 3 The Marshmallow (Tea Room), High St, Moreton in Marsh GL56 0AT, ☏ +44 1608 651536, themarshmallow999@gmail.com.
Sleep
- 1 The Manor House Hotel, High St, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0LJ, ☏ +44 1608 650501, info@manorhousehotel.info. AA 4*
- 2 The White Hart Royal Hotel, High St, Moreton in Marsh GL56 0BA, ☏ +44 1608 650731, reservations@innmail.co.uk. AA 3*
- 3 The Bell Inn (Hotel, Restaurant & Bar), High St, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 OAF, ☏ +44 1608 651887, info@thebellinnmoreton.co.uk. Bar: M-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-11:30PM, Su 11AM-10:30PM; food: Tu-F noon-2:30PM & 5:30-8:30PM, Sa noon-4PM & 5:30-8:30PM, Su noon-3PM.
- 4 The Swan Inn (B&B, Restaurant & Bar), High St, Moreton in Marsh GL56 0LL, ☏ +44 1608 650711, info@swanmoreton.co.uk. Free Wi-Fi. Single occupancy from £60, double from £80.
- 5 Redesdale Arms (Hotel & Restaurant), High St, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0AW, ☏ +44 1608 650308, info@redesdalearms.com.
- 6 Horse and Groom, Bourton-on-the-Hill GL56 9AQ, ☏ +44 1386 700413. Attractive Cotswold inn with five rooms, great dining. Dog-friendly. B&B double £120.
Connect
- 1 Post Office, High St, Moreton In Marsh GL56 0AH (In Budgen store). M-F 8AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-6PM.
Go next
- Adlestrop is one of the more attractive of Cotswolds villages, the more so on account that it is far less frequented by mass tourism than many other neighbouring towns and villages. The novelist Jane Austen was a visitor (her uncle was the church rector) and is thought to have drawn inspiration from the village and its surroundings for Mansfield Park. Also associated with the evocative Edward Thomas poem.
- Stow-on-the-Wold 4½ miles to S
- Chipping Norton 8½ miles to SE
- Bourton-on-the-Water 8 miles to S
- Evesham 15 miles to NW
- Stratford-upon-Avon 16½ miles to N
- Burford 14½ miles to S
| Routes through Moreton-in-Marsh |
| Evesham ← Broadway ← | NW  SE |
→ Chipping Norton → Oxford |
| Warwick and Leamington Spa ← Wellesbourne ← | N  S |
→ Broadwell → Stow-on-the-Wold |