A deeply historical area, with Chippenham itself surrounded by many of the old stone-built villages, it’s no surprise that a day out nearby may well involve a museum or a historical house.
Located in the county of Wiltshire just a few miles from the M4, Chippenham perhaps not the most well-known place, although it not far from several better-known ones. Bristol lies just 20 miles to the west and Bath is 12 miles to the southwest of this old market town. Chippenham is also neatly sandwiched between the Cotswolds and the North Wessex Downs areas of natural beauty, while at the same time being only a little over an hour from Central London. Although the town was believed to have been founded in early Saxon times, evidence of settlement in the area dates to before the Roma arrival.
Chippenham Railway Station runs Great Western Railway services, with regular trains to Bristol Temple Meads, Westbury and London Paddington, which typically takes just under an hour and twenty minutes. The town also lies about four miles south of the M4’s Junction 17, giving business travellers coming to an apartment or aparthotel in Chippenham some good options for their journey.
Visitors to serviced apartments in Chippenham will find the town a bit of a dark horse which, although much smaller and less well known than some of its illustrious neighbours, is successful commercially, with a beautifully compact town centre and a night life that has seen it awarded Purple Flag status, meaning that a night out in the town is not only enjoyable but also recognised as being safe. Chippenham has always been a market town and, unlike many historical market towns, is still renowned as such today. Every Friday and Saturday, street markets can be found in the Market Place and along the High Street, while there is also a farmers’ market held once a fortnight.
The town’s main shopping areas, in addition to the High Street and the Market Place, include the Borough Parade and Emery Park shopping centres. Plus, there are also two out of town retail parks, Hathaway Retail Park and Methuen Park. As well as shopping, tourism and the annual folk festival also bring income into the town. If you’re in Chippenham for a short stay at the end of May or start of June, this is usually when the festival happens to coincide the Whitsuntide weekend.
A deeply historical area, with Chippenham itself surrounded by many of the old stone-built villages, it’s no surprise that a day out nearby may well involve a museum or a historical house. Chippenham Museum & Heritage Centre, Lacock Abbey with the Fox Talbot Museum & Village and Bowood House & Gardens are some of the closest, although there are easily a dozen options within about 10 miles of the town.
But, if you’re staying in Chippenham accommodation and aren’t a history fan, that’s just fine too, because there are not only excellent nights out in the town itself but also plenty of beautiful countryside close by. Both Bristol and Bath are in easy reach and have their own attractions, while Situ also have city apartments available in these locations.
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