Cheltenham claims to be ‘the most complete Regency town in Britain’, and the architecture is wonderfully grand, with refined townhouses, stucco facades and genteel gardens galore.
Visitors have flocked to this elegant city ever since the 18th century, when its spa waters were in high demand. A local farmer, William Mason, noticed some pigeons pecking at salts deposited by the natural spring. Observing that they were looking rather healthy, he became convinced that the spa had healing properties and starting selling the water for half a penny a glass.
