Bourton-on-the-Hill

Bourton-on-the-Hill is a small village on the edge of the Cotswold escarpment above Moreton-in-Marsh, best known for the dramatic gradient of its main street — the A44 climbs steeply through the village, and the stone cottages lining the road stack up the hillside in a composition that makes this one of the most visually striking villages in the northern Cotswolds. The views from the top across the vale towards the Malvern Hills are outstanding on a clear day.

The church of St Lawrence has a fine Perpendicular tower and contains some good medieval stonework. Nearby Sezincote House, built in the early nineteenth century in a Mughal Indian style with onion domes and chhatris in local Cotswold limestone, is open for tours on certain days. It is widely believed to have influenced the Prince Regent's design for the Brighton Pavilion — a remarkable story of Cotswold stone dressed in the architecture of the Mughal empire.

The Horse and Groom pub at the top of the hill is well regarded for its food, its wine list and its terrace views. Batsford Arboretum, which holds one of the finest private tree collections in Britain, is within walking distance, and Moreton-in-Marsh is a mile down the hill. The village is a good starting point for walks across the high wolds towards Blockley and Chipping Campden.