Fretherne: Church, Waterways and Hock Cliff

Fretherne combines a listed village church with waterways, walking routes and unusual insights into the history of the surrounding area. St Mary the Virgin Fretherne is open to visitors on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm. Those wishing to combine their stay with culture, nature and a family-friendly discovery will find various reasons here for a day trip.

Church, monuments and places of remembrance

The Church of St Mary in Fretherne is an Anglican church and is listed as a Grade II* building. Tours can be arranged through the Churchwarden. In front of the church stands the Fretherne War Memorial, which is also listed as a Grade II building. It commemorates six local people who lost their lives in the First World War and also refers to 25 other local people who served in the First World War. This gives the site not only an architectural connection with Fretherne's history, but also a personal one.

The historic buildings also include Luffinghams, a listed former Grade II hall house in Fretherne. The building is probably late medieval and dates from the late 15th or early 16th century. It has four bays with cruck-frame construction. The former Fretherne Court also remains present in the village landscape through its historical connection: a section of its stone boundary wall is listed as Grade II and extends for more than 600 m along Fretherne Lane. The former carriage entrance is also part of the former site.

Hock Cliff, paths and the landscape along the Severn

A public footpath 50 m west of Fretherne Church leads to Hock Cliff. There are ammonites and the fossil locally known as “devils toenails”, which can be collected there. This provides families with a specific opportunity for discovery that differs from a visit to the church and monuments. Fretherne Church is also close to the Severn Way.

In the area around Fretherne, the remaining tidal zones of the Severn Estuary south of the village are designated as a Special Area of Conservation and protected because of their internationally important wildlife. Those wishing to get to know the character of the landscape more closely can combine this nature-related aspect with walking routes in the surrounding area, without limiting the day to a single attraction.

In the area around Fretherne, the walking route from Saul Junction to Patch Bridge is 3.5 miles long and can be walked in either direction. After Cadbury’s factory, the route reaches Fretherne Bridge. This allows the day's planning to be based around a clearly named route. Saul Junction remains popular with boaters; there are many walking routes along the picturesque waterways.

Waterways and regional history

In the regional area around Fretherne, the Stroudwater Canal was built between 1775 and 1779 from Framilode on the River Severn to Wallbridge in Stroud. Along a section managed by Fretherne and Saul Parish Council, volunteers have cleared dense reeds and improved the towpath. The canal therefore represents both the region's transport history and today's waterside routes.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Fretherne, you can therefore consider which focus suits your trip: a visit to the church and historic buildings, the fossils at Hock Cliff or longer walks between Saul Junction, Patch Bridge and the waterways. For a stay with children, different day lengths can be planned by considering the trip to Hock Cliff separately from the 3.5-mile route. This leaves room for culture, nature observation and regional history, without having to combine every activity into a fixed programme.

Discover more places

If you would like to compare other places besides Fretherne, you can also discover Nailsworth, Todenham, Berkeley, Minchinhampton, Stonehouse, South Cerney, Dymock and Notgrove.

To the main travel overview: Gloucestershire.