Welcome to the South Cheltenham Local History Website
Cheltenham became fashionable following the discovery of the natural mineral waters in 1716 and in the 19th and early 20th centuries its spas, promenades, parks and avenues, appealed to those seeking healing and relaxation. The area once known as South Town serviced the more affluent districts and, with its abundance of independent traders, remains a vibrant community. Click on a coloured area of the map below to read the history of the shops and businesses. For a more general history of the area use the South Town and Tramroad links on the menu bar.
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Why The Area MattersSouth Cheltenham has a mixed industrial, commercial and residential heritage reflecting the organic way in which it evolved in the 19th century. There is a very diverse mix of housing including the former mansions of the rich, the middle-class terraces and workers cottages, all within just a few streets.
The area also includes many small, privately owned shops and businesses, some having been in the same family for generations. There are three main shopping areas, Bath Road, the Suffolks and Tivoli, each with its own special character. The variety of cafes, pubs, restaurants and speciality shops makes this is a very popular part of Cheltenham. |
Who Do You Think You Are?The magazine "Who Do You Think You Are?" featured this project in their July 2015 edition. Click on the image below to see what they said.
How you can contribute...The website is being expanded and updated all the time. If you would like to get involved in researching the history of the area, have any local memories, or can supply photographs, we'd love to hear from you via our contact page link here.
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Guided Walks
You can read details of our new free self-guided tour of The Suffolks area by clicking the image below.
Alternatively, look out for notices of our other popular local historian-guided walks, or use our contact page link here to enquire about future walks.
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About the website
This website belongs to Cheltenham Connect. Thanks are due to local historians Marilyn West, Brian Torode, Jill Waller, Karen Wilson, Vic Cole, Eric Miller, Michael Dower, Wendy Ellyatt and Stuart Manton. Resources include Cheltenham Local Studies Library, The Gloucestershire Archives, Find My Past, The British Newspaper Archive and the Gloucestershire Echo. Images are credited where possible.
The Cheltenham Old Town Survey (1855-57) map is used by permission of Gloucestershire Archives, Cheltenham Borough Council and Cheltenham Local History Society.
The website designer was Graham Boston and local illustrator Jane Farrar produced the maps.
All of the photographs and text are copyright protected. If we have inadvertently used a photograph to which you claim copyright please contact us.
The Cheltenham Old Town Survey (1855-57) map is used by permission of Gloucestershire Archives, Cheltenham Borough Council and Cheltenham Local History Society.
The website designer was Graham Boston and local illustrator Jane Farrar produced the maps.
All of the photographs and text are copyright protected. If we have inadvertently used a photograph to which you claim copyright please contact us.