💷 Free entry
Tyndale Monument
Free Victorian tower on the Cotswold edge above North Nibley, built to honour Bible translator William Tyndale, with 121 steps and far-reaching views to the Welsh hills.
✦ We visited
Go on a clear day if you can — the view to Wales from the top is the real reason to make the climb, and mist closes in across the valley quickly. The walk up through the beech wood is pleasant in any weather and the tower looks more striking up close than it does from the village.
The Tyndale Monument stands on Nibley Knoll above the village of North Nibley, near Wotton-under-Edge, marking the approximate birthplace of William Tyndale — the 16th-century scholar who first translated the New Testament into English and was executed for it in 1536. The 34-metre tower was built in 1866 and contains a spiral staircase of 121 steps up to a viewing gallery.
Climbing the tower is the point of the visit. From the top you can see across the Severn Vale to the Welsh hills on a clear day, with the Berkeley Peninsula below and the Cotswold escarpment curving away in both directions. A topograph at the summit names the landmarks. Children who like a physical challenge with a reward at the end tend to respond well: the climb is steep enough to feel like an achievement but manageable for most primary-school-age children.
The path from North Nibley village to the monument follows the Cotswold Way national trail uphill through woodland, taking about twenty minutes at a walking pace. It is good honest exercise rather than a gentle stroll, and the spiral staircase inside the tower is tight, so the descent needs a little care. Dogs are welcome on the footpath.
The monument is open at any reasonable time during daylight and there is no admission charge. If the door is locked, directions for collecting the key from a nearby cottage are given on the notice board at the base of the path. The surrounding land is managed by the National Trust. The monument works well combined with a walk to Stinchcombe Hill, a short drive away, or as part of a longer stretch of the Cotswold Way.
Good for: history, outdoors. Ages: 3–4, 5–7, 8–11, 12+.
Good to know
Is the Tyndale Monument free to visit?
Yes, there is no admission charge. The tower is generally open during daylight hours; if locked a key is available from a cottage in North Nibley village, with directions given on the notice board at the base of the path.
How many steps are there to climb?
There are 121 steps in the spiral staircase up to the viewing gallery at the top. The climb takes about five minutes at a steady pace and is manageable for most primary-age children.
Where exactly is the Tyndale Monument?
It stands on Nibley Knoll above the village of North Nibley, about two miles north of Wotton-under-Edge, reached via the B4060. The path from the village follows the Cotswold Way national trail uphill through woodland for about twenty minutes.
