Malmesbury sits on a limestone knoll in north Wiltshire, where a tight loop of the River Avon wraps around the old town at the edge of the Cotswolds. Its skyline is dominated by the ruined and rebuilt Malmesbury Abbey, a site with monastic roots going back to the early medieval period and strong associations with figures such as Aldhelm, William of Malmesbury and the early English kings; the town also lays claim to being one of England’s oldest boroughs. Winding streets, a traditional market place and many historic buildings give it a distinctly medieval character loved by visitors and local walkers alike.
Historically a wool and cloth centre, the local economy is now a mix of agriculture, small independent traders, tourism and light industry; the internationally known engineering firm Dyson has major facilities in Malmesbury, which has brought modern employment alongside the town’s heritage economy. Community life remains lively with markets, local festivals and active preservation groups, making it a compact but culturally engaged market town with easy access to broader Cotswold and Wiltshire attractions.
Postcode districts covering Malmesbury
Most populated places nearby
- Bristol 23.3 miles37.6 km
- Swindon 13.6 miles21.8 km
- Gloucester 18.9 miles30.4 km
- Cheltenham 21 miles33.9 km
- Bath 18.4 miles29.7 km
- Kingswood and Fishponds 19.3 miles31 km
- Stroud 11.8 miles19 km
- Trowbridge 18.9 miles30.5 km
- Chipping Sodbury 12.8 miles20.7 km
- Chippenham 9 miles14.4 km
- Yate 14.2 miles22.9 km
- Melksham 14.9 miles24 km
Neighbouring places
- Malmesbury Built-up area 0.3 miles0.4 km
- Brokenborough Parish 1.4 miles2.2 km
- St. Paul Malmesbury Without Parish 1.5 miles2.5 km
- Lea Built-up area 1.9 miles3.1 km
- Corston Built-up area 2.4 miles3.8 km
- Lea and Cleverton Parish 2.4 miles3.9 km
- Easton Grey Parish 2.8 miles4.5 km
- Shipton Moyne Parish 2.9 miles4.6 km
- Little Somerford Parish 3 miles4.8 km
- Norton Parish 3.1 miles5 km
- Crudwell Built-up area 3.2 miles5.2 km
- Charlton Parish 3.2 miles5.2 km
Example postcodes in Malmesbury
SN16 0AB, SN16 0FA, SN16 9TX, SN16 9UD, SN16 9XU, SN16 0AD, SN16 0AN, SN16 9BB, SN16 9BP … See all
Transport links
- Bristol Airport 30.1 miles48.5 km
- Southampton Airport 54.7 miles88 km
- Kemble Railway Station 6.9 miles11.1 km
- Chippenham Railway Station 8.8 miles14.1 km
Hotels in Malmesbury Ad
Schools in Malmesbury
- Malmesbury C of E Primary School Primary
- Malmesbury School Secondary
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Malmesbury Primary
Local points of interest
- Westonbirt Arboretum Gardens 5.6 miles8.9 km
- Cotswold Hills Hill 7.1 miles11.4 km
- Stanley Abbey (Wiltshire) Historic site 9.3 miles15 km
- The New Lawn Stadium 9.4 miles15.1 km
- Hartham Country house 10.6 miles17.1 km
- Loxwell Abbey Historic site 11.2 miles18.1 km
- Kingswood Abbey Historic site 11.6 miles18.7 km
- Dyrham Park Historic site 13.8 miles22.2 km
- County Ground Stadium 14.3 miles23.1 km
- Burderop Park Estate 15.3 miles24.6 km
- Avebury Stones Archaeological site 15.4 miles24.8 km
- Burderop Wood Forest 15.6 miles25.2 km