Bradford on Avon
Discover Bradford on Avon
Bradford on Avon is a small country town in England between Bath and Trowbridge. The handsome buildings which climb up the hills from the 'broad ford' (and, since Norman times, the bridge) across the river are mostly Georgian, the legacy of a few hundred years of prosperity as a centre of a textile industry making fine woollen cloth from Cotswold sheep. Built in the same fine oolite limestone as Bath, the town was already a settlement in the Iron Age, and people have been living there ever since. The foundations of a large Roman villa - the centre of an estate many miles across - were uncovered in 2003 in the grounds of the town's secondary school, and it has one of England's few surviving Saxon churches and a magnificent medieval Tithe Barn, crowned with one of the largest stone roofs in the country. Towards the end of the Georgian period the industry and its money moved north to Yorkshire and Lancashire, and building largely stopped for around 100 years. The old textile mills were taken over in the 20th century by the rubber industry, making goods like tyres (and the small-wheeled Moulton bicycles, briefly famous in the 1960s and 70s as town runabouts), but that too eventually moved away. Today Bradford on Avon is largely a residential town with a population of 9,400 (2011).
What to Experience in Bradford on Avon
Taste of Bradford on Avon...
As of Dec 2025, Bradford and its approach roads have 4G from O2, and 5G from EE, Three and Vodafone.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsTrains from Bristol run every 20 min and take 25 min via Bath, Freshford and Avoncliff. They continue to Trowbridge, Warminster, Salisbury, Romsey and Southampton. From London Paddington change at Westbury, two hours. 51.3448-2.25271 Bradford-on-Avon station is central, south of the river. It has a staffed ticket office and machines. There's a sheltered waiting area but no toilets or cafe. There's step-free access to both platforms. First Bristol Bus D1 runs hourly from Bath, taking 40 min, and continues to Trowbridge, Westbury and Warminster. Everything in Bradford on Avon is within walking distance of the centre. Take advantage of the canal walks and soak up the atmosphere. For scenic views take an energetic walk to Tory. The church here is the perfect spot for getting scenic shots across the town. Bradford on Avon has many small independent shops. There is a small concentration of shops around "The Shambles" located between Silver and Market Street....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Everything in Bradford on Avon is within walking distance of the centre. Take advantage of the canal walks and soak up the atmosphere. For scenic views take an energetic walk to Tory. The church here is the perfect spot for getting scenic shots across the town. Bradford on Avon has many small independent shops. There is a small concentration of shops around "The Shambles" located between Silver and Market Street. Bradford has two banks side by side: HSBC and Lloyds Bank. It also has a Stroud and Swindon building society. For a self-catered visit, there is a Sainsbury's supermarket on the edge of town. As of Dec 2025, Bradford and its approach roads have 4G from O2, and 5G from EE, Three and Vodafone.
Where to Stay
As of Dec 2025, Bradford and its approach roads have 4G from O2, and 5G from EE, Three and Vodafone.
Money & Budget
Bradford on Avon has many small independent shops. There is a small concentration of shops around "The Shambles" located between Silver and Market Street. Bradford has two banks side by side: HSBC and Lloyds Bank. It also has a Stroud and Swindon building society. For a self-catered visit, there is a Sainsbury's supermarket on the edge of town. As of Dec 2025, Bradford and its approach roads have 4G from O2, and 5G from EE, Three and Vodafone.
Safety Information
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Bradford on Avon
canal side living in wiltshire uk
Trainspotting on a Thursday afternoon.
Bradford-on-Avon is a town and civil parish in west Wiltshire, England, with a population of 9,402 at the 2011 census. The town's canal, historic buildings, shops, pubs and restaurants make it popular with tourists. The history of the town can be traced back to Roman origins.
The Town Bridge at Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire, England
canal side living in wiltshire uk
Trainspotting on a Thursday afternoon.
Bradford-on-Avon is a town and civil parish in west Wiltshire, England, with a population of 9,402 at the 2011 census. The town's canal, historic buildings, shops, pubs and restaurants make it popular with tourists. The history of the town can be traced back to Roman origins.
The Town Bridge at Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire, England
canal side living in wiltshire uk
Trainspotting on a Thursday afternoon.
Bradford-on-Avon is a town and civil parish in west Wiltshire, England, with a population of 9,402 at the 2011 census. The town's canal, historic buildings, shops, pubs and restaurants make it popular with tourists. The history of the town can be traced back to Roman origins.
The Town Bridge at Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire, England
canal side living in wiltshire uk