The Colony

Founded in 1898 by followers of Leo Tolstoy's philosophy, it was established as a place where residents would reject private property and live communally, inspired by the Russian writer's ideals about simple living and rejecting material excess.

The colony operates very differently today than it did at its founding. The original shared ownership model has evolved into privately owned homes sold at market rates, and what began as a radical experiment in communal living has transformed into an ordinary residential settlement. The vision never quite took hold—even Mahatma Gandhi, who visited in 1909, regarded it as having failed in its original Tolstoyan mission.

Still, it's worth visiting if you're interested in Victorian-era idealism and how communities adapt and change over time. The modest homes and peaceful setting retain something of its alternative heritage, even though the revolutionary spirit has long since faded. You won't find dramatic architecture or major attractions here, but you will find genuine insight into social history and the gap between utopian ambition and practical reality.

The hamlet sits in Miserden parish, roughly between Stroud and Gloucester. Stroud is your nearest town with proper facilities and makes a good base for exploring this corner of the Cotswolds more broadly.