© Avening Parish Council 2025
“Preserve, Conserve, Enhance”
Avening
Avening is a village dating back to the Saxon period. Located in a
wooded valley two miles north of the town of Tetbury, in
medieval times it grew around the church and later around the
mills that were built for the wool industry.
The Norman Church of the Holy Cross, consecrated in 1080,
replaced an earlier Saxon church, and was built at the
instigation of Queen Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror.
Much of the present character of Avening originated in the 17th
century with the development of the cloth mills and the cottage
industries connected with them. The cloth industry was a major
factor in the growth of Avening until well into the 19th century,
giving it an industrial rather than agricultural outlook.
Avening has a population of over 1000, making it the largest
village in the South Cotswolds.
Avening Conservation
Statement 2008
Avening is a large, busy village whose
character has been profoundly
influenced by the exceptionally
attractive valley in which it has
developed.
The village, which is typical of the Stroud
Valleys' "cloth settlements", has grown
along a complex network of roads and
lanes that radiate outwards from the
valley floor to climb the surrounding
hillsides.
The conservation area comprises the
two older parts of Avening, including
the landscape setting of certain parts of
the village.
Avening Defence Line
Survey 2012
An HER project focusing on a section of
the GHQ Line Green defence around
Avening, including the tank ditch and
‘pill boxes’. The GHQ lines were static
linear defences constructed under
General Ironside in preparation for the
expected German invasion. These lines
were constructed in June 1940 but by
the beginning of 1941 they were no
longer regarded as being of value and
large lengths fell into disuse. Written by
Emma Slater MA.
Holy Cross Church -
Standing Report 2012
This Standing Building Report was
produced for the main assessments of
the Standing Building until as part of the
Landscape Archaeology Masters at
Bristol University. This report presents
the results of a detailed survey of the
12th Century Holy Cross church,
Avening. It is elaborating on a previous
study of the Church which was
produced in 2008 by Emma Slater MA.
Sections of this report are currently
being used on the Holy Cross website.
Parish Boundary Maps
Current and historic maps showing the
Avening Parish boundary.
(C) All rights reserved
Parish boundary map
Historic map
Post code map of Avening
If you need to find your way around the
village, this handy post code map will
help.
Listed buildings
If you need to find your way around the
village, this handy post code map will
help.
List view
Map view
Wider Parish
Boundary Commission electoral map
Cotswold District Council
Interactive map
Biodiversity audit
2025
The Parish Council commissioned a
biodiversity auditin 2025 - the report
can be seen here: