Village news, events and neighbourly stories
Mist on the water, rope-worn coping stones and a volunteer with a windlass in his hand — we spent a morning on the Kennet & Avon to mark two centuries of trade, decay, restoration and dog-walking. Plus a short waterside walk you can do before lunch.
We've been eyeing up the villages around us again — the menders, the pub buy-outs, the school-run barriers and the minibuses. Here are five schemes that might just work in Great Bedwyn, plus one thing we're quietly rather good at and happy to share.
Toddler groups, yoga mats, quiz night and the Monday clean-up: Great Bedwyn's village hall runs on volunteers and tea. Here is what a week actually looks like inside the building — and how you can book it or join something.
On Remembrance Sunday 2026, the names on Great Bedwyn's war memorial are more than an inscription. They are a quiet map of village families, farms and streets — and the stories are still being tended by neighbours today.
From the school nativity to midnight mass, carols by the tree and a village hall market, here is how Great Bedwyn marks Christmas in 2026 — and the volunteers who make it happen.
Great Bedwyn's station is more than a stop on the timetable. We trace its Brunel-era roots, the canal that came before it and the people who worked the line — plus a walkable heritage route for a dry winter afternoon.
A practical, dog-friendly guide to seven short winter walks that begin and end in or near Great Bedwyn, with honest notes on mud, distances and where to find a pub or a hot drink afterwards. Perfect for grey mornings, low sun and the sort of boots that have seen better days.
A closer look at the volunteers who keep Great Bedwyn's village shop running in 2026, from the early-morning paper run to the after-school rush. It is a story about rural retail, small kindnesses and the quiet work that turns a shop into a hub.