Gloucestershire

County in England

Coordinates:	51.84, -2.15
OS grid ref:	SO 89 16

Gloucestershire sits in the south‑west of England and is known for a striking variety of landscapes: the honey‑coloured stone villages of the Cotswolds AONB, the ancient oaks and mining heritage of the Forest of Dean, and the broad floodplain of the River Severn, famous locally for the Severn Bore. That mix of hills, woods and waterways gives the county a distinctly rural but visually dramatic character.

Its historic centres include the cathedral city of Gloucester, with Roman origins and a Norman cathedral that has doubled as a film location, and the Regency spa town of Cheltenham, noted for its festivals and the Cheltenham Festival horse racing week. Market towns such as Stroud reflect a long textile and crafts tradition, while the Forest of Dean keeps a strong local identity tied to woodland industries.

The local economy blends agriculture and tourism with advanced manufacturing and public‑sector employers; Cheltenham is a major centre for defence and intelligence work, while waterways such as the Gloucester Sharpness Canal and road links like the M5 support trade and commuting. Socially the county ranges from close‑knit rural communities to prosperous commuter areas, giving it a mix of traditional village life and contemporary economic links to neighbouring cities.

Local Authority Districts within Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire postcode districts

GL1, GL2, GL3, GL4, GL5, GL6, GL7, GL8, GL10, GL11, GL12, GL13, GL14, GL15, GL16, GL17, GL18, GL19, GL20, GL50, GL51, GL52, GL53, GL54, GL55, GL56

Most populated places in Gloucestershire

Places in Gloucestershire

Bishop's Cleeve Built-up area
Bourton-on-the-Water Built-up area
Bream Built-up area
Chalford Built-up area
Charlton Kings Parish
Cheltenham Built-up area
Chipping Campden Built-up area
Churchdown Built-up area
Cinderford Built-up area
Cirencester Built-up area
Coleford Built-up area
Donnington Parish
Dursley Built-up area
Fairford Built-up area
Gloucester Built-up area
Lechlade Parish
Lechlade-on-Thames Built-up area
Lydney Built-up area
Minchinhampton Built-up area
Mitcheldean Built-up area
Moreton-in-Marsh Built-up area
Nailsworth Built-up area
Newent Built-up area
South Cerney Built-up area
Stonehouse Built-up area
Stratton Built-up area
Stroud Built-up area
Tetbury Built-up area
Tetbury Upton Parish
Tewkesbury Built-up area
Winchcombe Built-up area
Wotton-under-Edge Built-up area