Cheltenham

Cheltenham (or Cheltenham Spa) is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, England, near Gloucester and Cirencester. The town has a population of 110,013 (2001 census) and the people of the town are known as "Cheltonians". The town motto is: Salubritas et Eruditio ("Health and Education").

The town is located on the edge of the Cotswolds and has an image nationally of being respectable and wealthy. Cheltenham has been a health and holiday spa town resort since the discovery of mineral springs there in 1716. The town is famous for its Regency architecture and is said to be "the most complete regency town in England". The small River Chelt flows under and through the town.

Cheltenham is well known for being the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horseracing, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Cheltenham Town football club, Cheltenham College and Cheltenham Ladies' College. The town hosts several festivals of culture, principally the annual Cheltenham Festival of Literature.

On April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, the borough of Cheltenham was merged with Charlton Kings urban district to form the modern non-metropolitan district of Cheltenham. Four parishes - Swindon, Up Hatherley, Leckhampton and Prestbury - were added to the borough of Cheltenham from the borough of Tewkesbury in 1991.

Most of the town centre lies within a conservation area of outstanding national importance. Regency town houses , characterised by intricate ironwork balconies and painted stucco facades, line the historic Promenade, squares and terraces. With its award-winning gardens, impressive range of stylish shops and restaurants, and its festivals of horse racing, music and literature, Cheltenham has a cosmopolitan ambience to beguile the most jaded spirit. Check out our all-year-round calendar of major events and festivals, or see What's On this month. Use our search engine to locate local attractions and places to visit that match your special interests.

Travellers on the Romantic Road can choose from many attractions and places of interest along the way. The Road for Today passes Sudeley Castle at Winchcombe, famous for its award-winning gardens. Further along, visit the remains of the 13th Century Hailes Abbey or the GWR (Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway) at Toddington.

On the Road for Tomorrow, Keith Harding's World of Mechanical Music in Northleach offers a unique experience in sound, featuring an award-winning collection of musical boxes, automata and mechanical instruments. The Romantic Road will also take you to Painswick Rococo Garden and Prinknash Abbey, home of Benedictine monks who founded the Prinknash pottery.