Cheltenham

Cheltenham, borough in Gloucestershire, western England, on the River Chelt. Cheltenham is a spa and residential town situated on the western edge of the Cotswold Hills. Today it is also an important manufacturing centre with an emphasis on the aerospace and electronics industries, and the location of the headquarters of several major financial organizations as well as The Countryside Agency, and the Gloucestershire police force. The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), which monitors global electronic transmissions, is the largest employer in the district. Also known as an educational centre, it is the location of Cheltenham College (1841), a private school for boys, and Cheltenham Ladies' College (1853). The Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education became the University of Gloucestershire in 2001; it has three campuses in Cheltenham. Annual festivals of music and literature are held in Cheltenham, and Prestbury Park in the site of Cheltenham racecourse where the National Hunt Festival is held annually in March. It stages the Gold Cup, which is one of the most prestigious British horse races over jumps.

Cheltenham has broad, tree-lined streets and many fine Regency buildings. Originally an Anglo-Saxon settlement, it was the site of a church as early as 803, and by the 13th century was noted for its busy fairs and markets. In 1718 mineral springs were discovered there, and after a visit by George III and Queen Charlotte to take the waters, the town began its growth as a fashionable health resort. Royal patronage led to a building boom and there are now 2,200 listed buildings (those that cannot be altered without notification). Cheltenham is one of the most complete Regency towns in the country, and has one of the largest conservation areas. Edward Jenner, who discovered the smallpox vaccine, lived in Cheltenham, and Gustav Holst the composer was born in the town. Population 110,025 (2001).