As you climb eastwards out of Winchcombe it would be easy to miss the little hamlet of Charlton Abbotts. It’s off the little road from Winchcombe to Sevenhampton, a little signpost the only thing to tip you off to its existence.

The much extended but impressive Tudor manor house, surrounded by its outbuildings, a few cottages and a tiny church are all you will find in this little place. It’s the extraordinarily beautiful surroundings that make it so special. That and its history.

As its name suggests, Charlton Abbotts belonged to Winchcombe abbey, and it was here that the monks had a lepers’ house, a refuge indispensable in medieval times. Whether any traces of it are still left is doubtful, but an ancient, thatched cottage is believed to occupy its site.

When you know the purpose for which the monks used this place it gives it a little extra magic. Despite the terrible ravages of the dreadful disease, they did their very best to protect and look after the unfortunate victims, and they chose a stunningly beautiful piece of countryside in which to care for them.

The little church, dedicated to St Martin is ancient, but we know it was in ruins in the 18th century and remained so until around 1887, when it was restored, giving it, amongst other things, the tiled floor we see today and the stained glass in the chancel.

Our travel reference Herbert Evans writes in 1905, “Hard by is a spring of beautifully clear water, collected into a circular basin large enough for a bath, whence it flows northwards to the river Severn; at no great distance is another spring, which finds its way southwards to the Thames. A true watershed.