Newbury Area Guide

Newbury enjoys an idyllic location in the very heart of rural Berkshire, perfectly positioned at the crossroads of Southern England. A beautiful market town steeped in history and surrounded by areas of outstanding natural beauty, you can walk in almost any direction from the town centre and be immersed in rolling countryside and canal-side splendour within minutes. And yet Newbury is less than an hour from London by train, and a little over an hour from the Welsh border by car. You can also venture here easily from both north and south. With the Kennet & Avon Canal passing through Newbury town centre, and the glorious award-winning Victoria Park, Northcroft Park and Goldwell Park bringing calming and invigorating green space to the town, you can truly take time to breathe when you visit Newbury.

Highlights and attractions

A visit to Newbury isn’t complete without experiencing some of the town’s top attractions. Newbury’s most famous must-do's include race days at first-class Newbury Racecourse and a tour of magnificent Highclere Castle, the real life Downton Abbey. There’s much more to see, experience, and enjoy in this beautiful market town however, from exploring the Kennet and Avon Canal aboard a narrow boat, to learning the fascinating history of Greenham Common at its Control Tower Museum.

Whether it’s a gourmet three-course meal, coffee and a slice of cake, or a large glass of wine that takes your fancy, Newbury town centre has a fabulous selection of pubs, restaurants, cafés, and takeaways to satisfy your cravings. More than 60% of Newbury’s town centre hospitality venues are independently owned, bringing original and unique cuisine to this historic market town.

Road and rail communications are excellent, with easy access to the A34 and M4 linking with London, Heathrow Airport and the west country, and there are direct train services from Newbury into London Paddington. There is a wide choice of highly regarded schools in the area including Horris Hill, Cheam, Elstree, Thorngrove, Downe House, Bradfield College and St Gabriel's.