Our 2024 Cotswolds group gathered at the St. Edward’s Church doors

Christmastime in the Cotswolds

December 12-19, 2024

For the first time, we brought Go and Write! to England during the Christmas season on an adventure to awaken our creative souls, an intimate writing retreat that focused on writing in the peaceful Cotswolds: a perfect combination to be inspired by greatness and reconnect with our literary selves.

Broadway Village, just a short stroll from Abbots Grange

For an entire week before Christmas in 2024, we inhabited the ancient halls and walls of a place that time—and the Vikings—forgot.

Abbots Grange was all decked out for the holidays, while the fire crackled and blazed to keep us warm as we wrote and shared stories beneath the giant tree.

We had exclusive use of this former monastery for the week-long retreat, and Broadway Village at Christmastime is a special place as lights gleam from every tree and shop along High Street.

The ubiquitous – and festive – red phone booths of England

Abbots Grange

The English have afternoon tea down to an art form

After arriving at Abbots Grange, we gathered in the Great Hall for a traditional English tea service, with tea and coffee as well as traditional minced meat pies or carrot cake to nibble, while we got to know each other.

We’ll hosted the group for a seasonal dinner at The Porch House, where we could actually see “witch marks” on the ancient fireplace.

The Porch House in Stow-on-the-Wold, England’s oldest pub, 947 AD

Join us on our next adventure.

Sure, you can write anywhere, but you can also write in a 14th century manor house in the Cotswolds, maybe even a little in Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford, too.

See our Current Retreats if you’d like to join us on your own writing adventure.