Highnam

Highnam is fundamentally residential, so you won't find major attractions within the village boundaries, but it's worth a brief detour if you're curious about local history and architecture.

The Church of the Holy Innocents is the real reason to stop here. Built in the 1850s, it's a striking Victorian Gothic structure that feels surprisingly ambitious for such a modest community. A local landowner funded the project, and it shows in the genuinely impressive stonework and interior craftsmanship. The ecclesiastical design is worth examining closely if Victorian church architecture interests you.

The landscape around the village offers some pleasant walking opportunities if you'd like to burn off some energy. What many visitors appreciate is that Highnam maintains an authentic, working character rather than presenting itself as a tourist destination.

Highnam works best as a pause rather than a full day out. Gloucester city center is just a few minutes away by car and has museums, restaurants, and shops worth exploring. From here you're also well-positioned to reach the Forest of Dean to the north or continue south toward Cheltenham and the Cotswolds proper. It's one of those places where spending ten minutes genuinely reveals something worth knowing about.