Thornbury is a thriving market town roughly 12 miles north of Bristol.
Thornbury is an ideal place for commuters who need easy access to the motorway. The town is just off the A38 and has access to the M4, M5, M32 and M48 from the junctions at Almondsbury, which is just a short drive away. Gloucester, Cheltenham, Bristol, Stroud and many more towns and cities are within easy reach by car. The local bus services are very good in Thornbury too, with plenty of services into central Bristol and beyond.
Thornbury has an excellent choice of well-regarded schools, including The Castle, which is one of two local secondary schools. It has a Good Ofsted rating and a popular sixth form. There are five primary schools, which all achieved a Good Ofsted rating, excluding St Mary’s Church of England Primary School, which achieved an Outstanding one.
Thornbury has a bustling centre with a buzzing high street with independent shops and national chains. There’s Thornbury Garden Shop, full of plants and flowers, Wildings with a range of interiors and gifts, and L E Riddeford, which is a traditional food shop.
The town also has the St Mary Centre, which is host to a great mix of retailers and also has a farmers market every first and third Thursday of the month. National chains include WHSmith, Greggs, Holland & Barrett, Specsavers and ALDI. There are also banks, and some independent shops too.
There are many pubs, coffee shops and independent restaurants in Thornbury. Ronnie’s of Thornbury is well-known for serving exceptional fine dining dishes using the best local ingredients. It opened in 2007 and earned itself an amazing reputation locally, before going on to win 2 AA rosettes. Casa la Cucina Italiana is a fantastic Italian, and Thai Basil is another great local option, serving up authentic Thai food in a relaxed setting.
Thornbury has several good local pubs. The Royal George is family-friendly with delicious food and beers and The White Lion has a good beer garden to enjoy in warm weather. The Swan is steeped in character as it’s an old coaching house that dates all the way back to 1633.
Locals can access healthcare at several GP surgeries and there are three pharmacies in the area.
There’s a lot of open space and beautiful countryside surrounding Thornbury. The local Mundy Playing Fields were donated to the town by Mrs Violet Mundy in 1937, and they have a children’s play area and sports ground. There’s also Thornbury Golf Club, and Thornbury Leisure Centre, which has a gym, pool, squash and tennis courts.
The area is well-known for Thornbury Castle, which is an impressive Tudor building that was begun in 1511. It’s said that King Henry VIII stayed here with Ann Boleyn in 1535.
