Local shops in Cirencester, please select an area to find the business you require.

Shopping in Cirencesters couldn’t be better with almost 330 shops available within a short radius of the town centre. From designer boutiques to stores stocking every day essentials through to some very smart cafés and restaurants, there is a wealth of variety to suit every shopper. To make things easy we’ve split the town into 5 colour-coded areas with each section being headed with a map showing the relevant streets covered.

Cirencester is well known for being the capital of the Cotswolds, being centrally located and featuring a wealth of local stone architecture dating back over many centuries. But what isn’t appreciated is that almost 2000 years ago this town was the second largest city in England, and a hugely important Roman fort, with a population of over 10,000 people.

The Roman roots to the town are very apparent, not just in the historical name of Corinium Dobunnorum but also because of many of the landmarks which date back to the era. However by 407AD the Romans had left and the town population dwindled almost to nothing. Five hundred years later the town was starting to re-establish itself as a central hub for the wool market in the Cotswolds. The Middle Ages saw rapid growth again with the establishment of an Abbey, a number of Manors, two hospitals and a school founded in 1461.

Henry VIII brought down the abbey in the town, much to the appreciation of the locals who struggled with the unpopular Abbot of the time. The population stabilised at around 4000 and several schools were established in the wealthy town. However the wool trade took a tumble in the 1800s and the industrial revolution failed to take hold in the community. A canal and later several local railway stations (since closed) helped, but not enough, so Cirencester failed to develop as much as Gloucester, Cheltenham, Bath and Bristol.

What at the time seemed like failure turned out to be a blessing, as much of the architecture in the town and it’s historical street layout was, by default, preserved through the lack of industrial development. Therefore, today, Cirencester’s biggest industry is tourism, attracting thousands of visitors every year from all over the globe to see the fine Church of St. John the Baptist, Cirencester House, the seat of the Earl of Bathurst with its spectacular landscaped gardens, the Roman Amphitheatre site and the many museums and attractions. Although Cirencester is a reasonably substantial town today with a population of around 20,000, it’s community is still very close-knit and supportive, something which bolsters the appeal of this very special Gloucestershire town as a unique shopping centre.

For more information about the Cotswolds please visit www.cotswolds.com