Cheltenham Leasing

Did You Know?

Cheltenham is a town in Gloucestershire, home to the renowned Cheltenham Festival, 4 days of horse jump racing culminating in the Gold Cup, held annually in March at Cheltenham Racecourse.

History shows that by 1850 Cheltenham had become the largest town in the county of Gloucestershire. Among the early visitors to Cheltenham were Samuel Johnson, the Duke of Wellington and the novelist Jane Austen.

By the 1840s, Cheltenham had become not just a popular place to visit, but also in which to live. By 1840, the town boasted some rather fine Regency houses. Of note, the town's Ladies' College opened in 1854.

It was during the early years of the 19th century that Cheltenham also acquired its links with horse racing. The town's earliest organised flat race meeting was held in 1815 on Nottingham Hill.

Cheltenham owed its existence as a spa town to pigeons? It is said that in 1715 someone noticed a particularly healthy looking flock of the birds pecking at a field on the edge of the settlement. When the ground was investigated a mineral spring was discovered, the water’s salts the attraction for the birds as they would thereafter be for visitors. The town crest includes three pigeons to honour this debt..

Cheltenham stands on the small River Chelt, which rises nearby at Dowdeswell and runs through the town on its way to the Severn. It was first recorded in 803, as Celtan hom.

Though little remains of its pre-spa history, Cheltenham has been a health and holiday spa town resort since the discovery of mineral springs there in 1716. Captain Henry Skillicorne, is credited with being the first entrepreneur to recognise the opportunity to exploit the mineral springs.