Journal · June 2026 · 4 min read
Things to Do in Newbury, Our Nearest Town
Newbury is the nearest town to the cabin, and a good one. It grew rich on the wool trade five hundred years ago, sits on the Kennet and Avon Canal, and still has a proper market and a handsome old centre.
It is the place to come for lunch, a rainy afternoon, or to stock the fridge. Here is what we would point you towards.
The Wharf and the canal
Start at the Wharf, where the Kennet and Avon Canal runs through the middle of town. The free West Berkshire Museum sits right here, in a cloth hall built in 1627 and the old canal granary, telling the story of the town from the Civil War battles to the Greenham Common peace camp. From the Wharf you can pick up the towpath in either direction, or book a short narrowboat trip in summer.
Shaw House
On the edge of town stands Shaw House, a strikingly handsome Elizabethan manor finished in 1581 for a wealthy clothier and visited by Elizabeth the First herself. Recently restored, it opens at weekends through the warmer months, with afternoon teas, outdoor theatre and family events in the grounds.
Markets, racing and the arts
Newbury holds a street market on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, good for local cheese, bread and flowers. The Corn Exchange in the Market Place is the town's arts centre, with film, comedy, theatre and music most weeks. And Newbury Racecourse, just south of the centre, holds flat and jump meetings through the year, often with live music on the bigger race days.
For families
If you have children with you, Victoria Park by the canal has a splash park, a boating pond and a bandstand in summer. The Living Rainforest, a short drive north at Hampstead Norreys, keeps a warm green glasshouse full of tropical plants and creatures, which is exactly where you want to be if the weather turns.
Make it your weekend.
Squirrels' Nest is a cosy one-bedroom cabin in the heart of it all, minutes from these walks, pubs and days out.