Guidebook for Frome
Drinks & Nightlife
Always lively. Casual dining in a converted chapel with wood-fired oven and cocktail bar.
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At The Chapel
28 High StAlways lively. Casual dining in a converted chapel with wood-fired oven and cocktail bar.
A bar in a modern art gallery. Open during the day for coffee and light meals, but also on Friday nights for drinks.
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Roth Bar & Grill
Dropping LaneA bar in a modern art gallery. Open during the day for coffee and light meals, but also on Friday nights for drinks.
A local live music venue which often books international names.
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Cheese & Grain
Justice LaneA local live music venue which often books international names.
Small, below-the-radar, local venue for opera and classical music. An unusual and privately owned performance space.
Cooper Hall
Jack's LaneSmall, below-the-radar, local venue for opera and classical music. An unusual and privately owned performance space.
The Three Swans
16-17 King StA favourite local pub.
Sightseeing
Catherine Street
Catherine StreetCobbled street, once the town's high street, lined with pretty shops.
An insight into medieval peasant life, which you can follow with a stroll along the Kennet and Avon canal and a walk around the town.
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Tithe Barn
Pound LaneAn insight into medieval peasant life, which you can follow with a stroll along the Kennet and Avon canal and a walk around the town.
This is my secret tip. It is one of the most scenic short rail journeys in England.
Limpley Stoke Hotel
Woods HillThis is my secret tip. It is one of the most scenic short rail journeys in England.
Parks & Nature
What could be more sublime than a secret walled garden, fragrant with flowers in summer, in a bucolic setting overlooking meadows. Serves light refreshments and pizza from a wood-fired outdoor oven. Summer opening.
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The Walled Garden at Mells
Selwood StreetWhat could be more sublime than a secret walled garden, fragrant with flowers in summer, in a bucolic setting overlooking meadows. Serves light refreshments and pizza from a wood-fired outdoor oven. Summer opening.
The Mendip landscape is untamed, although some is farmed. You can try adventure sports at Cheddar Gorge or just park the car where you see you a footpath sign and head off.
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Mendip Hills AONB
The Mendip landscape is untamed, although some is farmed. You can try adventure sports at Cheddar Gorge or just park the car where you see you a footpath sign and head off.
This is a day trip - Westonbirt is the other side of the M4, in the Cotswolds. Some 2,500 varieties of tree and miles of pathways. It is absolutely stunning at any time of year. Good visitor cafe, too.
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Westonbirt, I-Arboretam Yomnotho
This is a day trip - Westonbirt is the other side of the M4, in the Cotswolds. Some 2,500 varieties of tree and miles of pathways. It is absolutely stunning at any time of year. Good visitor cafe, too.
Arts & Culture
This is a sweet local museum, which will keep you entertained with the town's history for an hour or so. On a rainy day, I'd suggest starting here, then heading to Bath, for a selection
of museums which I can personally recommend.
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Frome Museum
North ParadeThis is a sweet local museum, which will keep you entertained with the town's history for an hour or so. On a rainy day, I'd suggest starting here, then heading to Bath, for a selection
of museums which I can personally recommend.
Frome's annual Festival takes place from 1-10 July 2016. You can download an app to book performances,or just wander through the town while all the town's artists' studios are open to the public. The Art Car Boot sale on the final weekend is always a highlight.
Frome Festival
25 Market PlFrome's annual Festival takes place from 1-10 July 2016. You can download an app to book performances,or just wander through the town while all the town's artists' studios are open to the public. The Art Car Boot sale on the final weekend is always a highlight.
Much loved local art gallery, above Seed (see shopping). Small, but there's always interesting curation here. Along with Seed, the coffee shop next door and museum across the road, it adds up to a rainy morning's bolthole.
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Black Swan Arts
2 Bridge StMuch loved local art gallery, above Seed (see shopping). Small, but there's always interesting curation here. Along with Seed, the coffee shop next door and museum across the road, it adds up to a rainy morning's bolthole.
Shopping
One of my favourite shops in a town characterised by independent retailers. Seed's clever owner has an eye for British design and craftsmanship.
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SEED
3 Catherine HillOne of my favourite shops in a town characterised by independent retailers. Seed's clever owner has an eye for British design and craftsmanship.
Assembly
8 Catherine HillMenswear store on a historic cobbled street.
Small but beautifully formed source of galvanised metal buckets and troughs, vintage furniture and gifts.
Elizabeth Lee Interiors
Small but beautifully formed source of galvanised metal buckets and troughs, vintage furniture and gifts.
Mary Kilvert is an illustrator and craftswoman who makes collectable hand-felted sheep to commission. This is her signature store at the top of cobbled Catherine Street, where she sells prints of her illustrations, wallpaper designs, a selection of gifts and her sheep.
Mary Kilvert
15 Catherine HillMary Kilvert is an illustrator and craftswoman who makes collectable hand-felted sheep to commission. This is her signature store at the top of cobbled Catherine Street, where she sells prints of her illustrations, wallpaper designs, a selection of gifts and her sheep.
All independent bookstores deserve support and Hunting Raven is no exception. The window displays are always enticing.
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Hunting Raven Books
10 Cheap StAll independent bookstores deserve support and Hunting Raven is no exception. The window displays are always enticing.
As the name suggests, this is a haunt for vintage lovers. Lark has moved, just across the street from where the map will indicate. It is a tiny jewel of Twenties, Thirties and mid-century style.
Lark Vintage
As the name suggests, this is a haunt for vintage lovers. Lark has moved, just across the street from where the map will indicate. It is a tiny jewel of Twenties, Thirties and mid-century style.
No visit to Somerset is complete without buying cheese to bring home. Here, you are buying direct from the dairy, and what you are buying is the most incredible cheddar.
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Westcombe Dairy
No visit to Somerset is complete without buying cheese to bring home. Here, you are buying direct from the dairy, and what you are buying is the most incredible cheddar.
The local auction house. A fortnightly Wednesday auction, with viewings on Monday and Tuesday. Best for car drivers, rather than those arriving by rail, to take your spoils home.
Dores & Rees
Vicarage StreetThe local auction house. A fortnightly Wednesday auction, with viewings on Monday and Tuesday. Best for car drivers, rather than those arriving by rail, to take your spoils home.
Food Scene
This is the latest pub to undergo refurbishment, in Bradford-on-Avon, which is so lovely you'll want to visit anyway. Good coffee, wines, local beers and the food is memorable. Because they offer a selection of 'small plates' you can get a very affordable lunch.
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The Bunch Of Grapes
14 Silver StThis is the latest pub to undergo refurbishment, in Bradford-on-Avon, which is so lovely you'll want to visit anyway. Good coffee, wines, local beers and the food is memorable. Because they offer a selection of 'small plates' you can get a very affordable lunch.
You will need to drive cross-country for a little under an hour to reach this unusual restaurant in an un-tarted-up orangerie overlooking a walled kitchen garden, which supplies the kitchen with produce. Excellent for vegetarians, the menu is always interesting.
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The Ethicurean
You will need to drive cross-country for a little under an hour to reach this unusual restaurant in an un-tarted-up orangerie overlooking a walled kitchen garden, which supplies the kitchen with produce. Excellent for vegetarians, the menu is always interesting.
Go for tea on the terrace overlooking a deer park, lunch, cocktails or dinner. A little over half-an-hour away, through tiny Mendip villages.
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The Pig - near Bath
Go for tea on the terrace overlooking a deer park, lunch, cocktails or dinner. A little over half-an-hour away, through tiny Mendip villages.
Best coffee in Frome. Drink it to a rockabilly and blues soundtrack while owner, Chris, regales you with local news.
Crocker & Woods
27 Catherine HillBest coffee in Frome. Drink it to a rockabilly and blues soundtrack while owner, Chris, regales you with local news.
Food, crafts, plants, artisan bakery. The town becomes packed so early is best, from 10am.
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Archangel
1 King StFood, crafts, plants, artisan bakery. The town becomes packed so early is best, from 10am.