Woodchester

Woodchester is a Gloucestershire village in the Nailsworth (or Woodchester) Valley, a valley in the South Cotswolds in England, running southwards from Stroud along the A46 road to Nailsworth. The parish population taken at the 2011 census was 1,206.

Woodchester is approximately at the midpoint, about two miles south of Stroud. It is divided into North and South Woodchester, with a side valley between the two settlements. There are pubs in both North and South (The Royal Oak in North and The Ram in South) and a post office with a shop in North Woodchester. There was a post office (called Woodchester) in South Woodchester but it closed, along with the shop, in June 2008. Woodchester is notable as the location of Woodchester Roman Villa. The village's parish church of St Mary's was designed by Samuel Sanders Teulon.

The nearby Woodchester Mansion is regularly open to the public and stands in a landscaped valley. This valley is now owned by the National Trust and is open daily. There are three waymarked walks. The car park is at Nympsfield near Coaley Peak, not at Woodchester as some visitors suppose.

Education is provided by the Woodchester Endowed C of E Primary School under Headteacher Mr Soutar, which serves around 135 pupils. Following the Ofsted inspection on 6 June 2007, the school was rated Good, point two on a four-point scale. The school has secured the Healthy Schools award.

Governance
The village falls in the 'Amberley and Woodchester' electoral ward This ward starts in the north at Woodchester and stretches south to Amberley. The total ward population taken at the 2011 census was 2,116.