Everything To Know Before Your Visit To Shipston-on-Stour
11 March 2024
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Tucked away in the Cotswolds lies the charming market town of Shipston-on-Stour, repeatedly recognised as one of the best places to live in the UK. With its strong sense of community, top-ranked schools, and abundance of festivals and events, Shipston-on-Stour combines old-world charm with modern amenities.
A Slice of Traditional English Life
As you wander the streets of this former wool town, you’ll find no shortage of staples like butcher shops, fishmongers, pubs, and a cottage hospital. Shipston-on-Stour has successfully rebranded itself into a sought-after residential and commercial hub, thanks to thriving local businesses and schools that appeal to young families.
Must-See Sights in Shipston-on-Stour
With its historic charm, cultural attractions such as galleries and studios, and opportunities for shopping and dining, Shipston-on-Stour is an enjoyable Cotswold getaway. Whether you’re visiting or thinking of relocating, this town has something for everyone.
Looking for places to explore in Shipston-on-Stour? Check out these spots for a fun-filled weekend or day!
The High Street
The heart of Shipston-on-Stour is its High Street, where you can admire the blend of historic buildings that reflect the town’s heritage. It’s perfect for a leisurely stroll to soak up the local atmosphere.
St Edmund’s Church
St Edmund’s Church is a magnificent historic church that has stood at the centre of town since it was built in the Mediaeval period. By exploring this iconic church, one can truly connect with the enduring role it has played as a foundation for the community.
Local Independent Shops
One of Shipston’s greatest charms is the collection of independent shops lining its streets. These local businesses showcase everything from artisanal foods to antiques and art crafted by regional artists.
Wandering from shop to shop introduces visitors to talented local entrepreneurs and small-scale commerce that has helped shape the culture and economy of the town for ages.
Beyond sourcing locally made goods, the shop owners pride themselves on providing personalised service that builds lasting relationships with regulars and tourists alike. Spending an afternoon perusing these indie shops offers a taste of what day-to-day life is like in Shipston.
Top Events and Activities in Shipston-on Stour
Despite the town’s small size, there is no shortage of events and activities taking place year-round. From sheep shows to gin tastings, Shipston-on-Stour knows how to keep things exciting no matter the season. But with so many options, where should a first-time visitor start when planning a trip to experience the top events?
Shipston Proms Music Festival
The Shipston Proms Music Festival is a highlight of the town’s cultural calendar. Spanning multiple days in the summer, the festival features performances from local and regional musicians across various venues in Shipston-on-Stour.
From classical concerts to rock bands jamming out, there is impressive musical talent on display for all tastes during the Shipston Proms. It’s a great way to experience the vibrancy of the town’s arts scene.
Wool Fair
In keeping with Shipston-on-Stour’s history as a wool town, the annual Wool Fair carries on the tradition of celebrating sheep and wool. Taking place over a weekend in July, the Wool Fair features sheep shows, spinning and weaving demonstrations, competitions for the region’s top fleeces, as well as plenty of food and crafts for attendees to enjoy.
Beyond the festivities, though, the Wool Fair recognises the wool industry’s integral role in putting Shipston on the map.
Gin and Whisky Tastings
Shipston-on-Stour has cultivated a reputation for its specialist gin and whisky tastings over the years. Multiple venues host regular events where attendees can sample an array of gins and whiskies while learning about the subtleties of different types and flavours.
Expert guides lead the tastings and offer fascinating insights into the distillation process. With a wealth of award-winning local distilleries nearby, it’s no wonder these tastings have become a signature on Shipston’s event lineup.

Top Spots To Take Your Pets
If you’re visiting or moving to this charming Cotswold town with pets, rest assured there’ll be no shortage of activities for your four-legged family members. Shipston-on-Stour makes it easy to have fun with dogs by your side. Here are some of the top pet-friendly spots to check out:
Shipston Promenade
Also known as the Harry Edwards Riverside Walk, this scenic trail follows the River Stour through meadows and woodland. It’s a peaceful place to walk your dog off-leash.
The George Townhouse
With a pet-friendly policy, the lounge area of this timeless inn welcomes dogs to relax by the fireplace after a stroll through town. You can also pop in for breakfast, lunch, or dinner; they cater to meaty and plant-based diets alike, and their flavourful dishes are the talk of the town! Looking for a pub? This inn has it all, with your choice of beers, ales, and whiskeys. In fact, it was named Warwickshire’s Pub of the Year in 2022!
The Red Lion
The Red Lion has earned a reputation as the most dog-friendly pub in town. When you first step through the old wooden doors into the warm and cosy bar area, you will likely be greeted by a few happy tails wagging as local dogs relax by the fireplace or scurry about, hoping to make new friends.
Schools in Shipston

Whether you’re looking for entertainment options, a strong sense of community, excellent schools, or charming yet affordable properties, Shipston-on-Stour checks all the boxes.
Shipston-on-Stour offers outstanding options for families moving to the area. Shipston High School is consistently rated as one of the top state secondary schools in Warwickshire, providing exceptional education opportunities, making it an ideal location for families. From stimulating nursery programs to exemplary exam results, the schools encourage curiosity and growth at every age.
How Wigwam Can Help Your Move to Shipston-on-Stour

Are you looking for secure and affordable self storage solutions in the Shipston-on-Stour area? Located in the heart of Blackwell Business Park just minutes from major transportation routes, we offer a range of storage units perfect for both personal and business use.
With units varying in size from just 9 sq ft up to much larger spaces, we have options tailored to your needs whether you’re storing extra belongings during holiday travel or starting your entrepreneurial journey in Shipston-on-Stour. You’ll have peace of mind knowing your items are safe and secure.
Get in touch to learn more about our Shipston-on-Stour storage facility!
Customer Reviews

location. Good access in opening hours using the App. (Be prepared to check mail filter if the initial email giving access to the App and hence to your store does not seem to come through.) Clean, well lit. Kasey gave a very helpful introduction and registration process.

I've never used self storage before so it was all new to me but Wigwam have made it so intuitive and simple to use. You download the app which gives you easy Bluetooth access to the entire building. I've only used the facility out of office hours and it was all so easy. There are flat bed trolleys, a pump truck and a sack truck to make moving your items hassle free. Safe, secure storage, easy to use, accessible until 10pm and reasonable prices. Top marks all round.
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Lenny called as soon as I emailed and was extremely helpful on making this process quick and easy so i could get into the unit the next day.
there was an issue with the app when i went to use the unit but i emailed Lenny and he rang back within 5 mins and managed to resolve the issue very quickly.
would recommend and thanks to Lenny for making the process smooth.
Units are clean and well maintained with easy access.
Many thanks!! 😊
Peter & Heather
Set up went well and app appears to work well and is easy to use.
Cheers
Containers are amazing excellent lighting and very clean.
Thank you Lenny 👍xx

Wigwam are highly recommended by me!
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The signing up process was easy, and the service from the staff was speedy, friendly, helpful and professional.
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Thank you!


The customer service is second to none, and facilities utterly perfect.
11 out of 10.

I was very impressed everything is via the app and that side of things is very responsive and I have had no issues so far.
They even play the radio in there.
Holly was an absolute star, we were panicking as we were in the middle of our house moving and needed a quick storage area. Less then an hour after our first call we were already putting boxes to our Storage.
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Customer service is top notch 👌
They talked me through the entering and exiting the facility. Jess was outstanding dealing with all the paperwork quickly and me being forgetful and dim.
Thank you very much, hopefully I won't set any alarms off again




My one suggestion is to extend the timers on the doors when entering the storage unit as sometimes it enough time to unload big deliveries onto a trolley and get back to the unit building before the doors close!
All in all, AMAZING company! Couldn’t recommend more :)


All the staff are very helpful and friendly highly recommended
Access is available 6am to 10pm

System 4 Stars
Sarah 5 Stars

The whole experience was excellent.
TheWigwam staff saw the shipment into the storage unit for us and made it all as simple as is possible when moving home and countries at the same time.
The storage building is well organised, clean, tidy, secure and access was available everyday for a significant number of hours.
Most of all ,the staff were kind, concerned, helpful and friendly. as anyone using the storage facility will learn.
Mary Welstead

Staff were very helpful on the phone setting everything up and compared to other units in Alton Wigwam are very reasonably priced.
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Much Appreciated ☺️
I’d highly recommend them to anyone!

Great service for a great price. Highly recommend.










Very happy client so far, thanks to Lenny and team 🙏😃


The units are easy to access, they are spacious and clean. I have a lot of camping equipment plus all my Xmas decorations (I have a lot) in the winter we will also be storing our hot tub. We also have lots of stuff that was the children’s when they were growing up. It has given us the spare room back at the house.
Staff are always polite friendly and very helpful.





The staff are extremely friendly and helpful. Thank you Lenny for dealing with our emergency fast and supportive,

For full disclosure, we've only just rented the unit and filled it up, but the experience so far has been great. Response times to emails and helpfulness of staff has been excellent.
Thankyou
I would highly recommend .

Would highly recommend.
Beautifully clean facilities, fully automated access. Ample parking and menouvering space for cars and vans.
So easy to use the storage unit.
Thank you to Wigwam self storage Lincoln.
5*****
My wife and I moved back and forth between Cheltenham and other European countries during our two months long trip, Mr.Harrison( Kasey) supported us friendly and professionally.
We will definitely use it again next time.
See you !
We needed sudden storage after selling our parents’ house. I stopped in at the Bromsgrove branch and found it unmanned, (which I now know is normal).
I rang the number and spoke to an extremely helpful employee who offered me immediate, remote access to the building and let me see inside two different sized units.
After that, the set up was extremely quick!
I applied in the morning and was able to drop stuff off the same day. Everything is activated by an app on your phone but staff can be contacted by phone if needed.
On my second visit (after lots of rain) I did notice a pool of water not far from my unit. I rang up and by next day it had been sorted. No recurrence.
I am really happy with the unit and the excellent service.
Lift so you don’t have to struggle in and out with your things lots of parking too
The best thing that made me hire space is the ladies in reception they were so accommodating and helpful so thank you
I hired storage for my daughter to store all her Uni belongings while she was away for the summer.
Sasha provided excellent friendly service. Always at hand to help with any questions from the beginning to the end of our contract.
Great value for money.
Thank you Sascha.
Helen was efficient, proactive, enthusiastic, engaging and more importantly had a great sense of humour.
You could not ask more of a person or company.
Thank you.
Highly recommend this company
Would definitely recommend.

