The Model Village
The Model Village
4
10:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 3:45 PM
About
Grade II listed 1/9th scale replica of the village of Bourton on the Water, open every day except Christmas Day.
Duration: < 1 hour
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- Sarah H1 contributionLimited Car ParkingA wonderful place to visit. We enjoyed the outside and paid a pound to view the world of miniatures - little rooms/scenes behind glass to peer into. Tip; take 20p's to see the moving exhibits! Finding somewhere to park was very difficult. We circled the numerous small car parks and bays for about 45 minutes trying to find a spot. In the end we got a free short stay parking bay, when someone pulled out. We would have liked more time but had to do the whole visit in an hour and a half.Visited October 2023Travelled with familyWritten 8 October 2023
- RhagnarSpennymoor, United Kingdom315 contributionsThat's our hotel.There a quite a few model villages but this, as far as I know, is the only one that is an actual copy of the village it's in! If a building in the village is changed the model of it has to be changed the same way. I wondered if it worked the other way round. Our hotel was only half built in the model. What if we got back there to discover it had been half demolished??? The model buildings are very accurate and easy to walk around. There is another quirk. The Model village has a model village, which has a model village, which has a model village. Well it has to to remain accurate. I'll let your head get round that one.Visited June 2023Travelled with familyWritten 11 October 2023
- nfitzieEssex, United Kingdom59 contributionsA good little visitWe visited 7 years ago and went again with our second son. The miniture village is a copy of the town itself so it has a few new additions. We didn't stay too long and hour but the children had fun walking around and looking at all the propertiesVisited October 2023Travelled with familyWritten 24 October 2023
- Amanda ALuton, United Kingdom16 contributionsCute Model Village but doesn't take long to look round.Haven't visited a model village in years so decided to take a look. We stayed probably half an hour, we did think it was a bit of a cheek that there was an additional charge to see some other bits inside but the village itself is quite cute. Don't expect it to entertain for a couple of hours though.Visited October 2023Travelled with familyWritten 30 October 2023
- moafacColchester, United Kingdom8 contributionsAverage, but needs more maintenanceThe model village is interesting in that it is a representation of the village it is in. That said, it is in generally poor condition and whilst there is some renovation and some new models, the care and maintenance of the village appears to be lacking, especially when you consider the footfall and revenue that must be associated with such a place in this location. It was reasonably priced (which in itself is unusual for the Cotswolds) and we did spend a good half an hour looking round. Kids will probably love it.Visited January 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 4 January 2024
- RosRDGReading, United Kingdom30 contributionsOr your typical model village - Bourtons model villageThe model village is a great representation of the village it is in enjoyed walking around the village after spotting the shops. But …. It was a waste of money in my opinion, in and out in 20 mins. A lot of broken houses, not much in way of ‘decoration’ where were the people etc. some of the houses that did have stuff inside you couldn’t see because the windows were steamed up. Disappointing that you then have to pay an extra £1 per person to see the dolls houses/models inside and as such if you don’t pay you can’t go into gift shop. Wouldn’t recommend or go again.Visited January 2024Travelled with familyWritten 29 January 2024
- tartnjohnOlney, United Kingdom3,555 contributionsGone downhill but efforts being made to improveHaving visited a number of years ago, I was looking forward to seeing how things have changed - and they certainly have but not all for the better unfortunately. Many of the models are badly damaged, weatherbeaten or physically and are difficult to identify to the buildings they represent. Admittedly, many are undergoing restoration and the difference between the new and old is staggering. Not sure if the brand new bricks/stone will be weathered but at the moment, it is a hotch potch. We went at a particularly busy period and many of the visitors clearly had no respect for the layouts, with children and adults happy to walk in amongst the models (probably suggesting that much of the damage is by the tourists and their less than controlled children). I was really disappointed with the damage but have hope when I see that significant steps are being taken to repair and bring things back to a semblance of the village I saw 10 years or so ago. To those who run the village, perhaps if what I observed in this visit, is becoming the norm, a price increase allied to introducing some form of security presence would be worthwhile. A sign of the time I guess.Visited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten 1 April 2024
- Becky CCirencester, United Kingdom11 contributionsWorth a visit…you feel like a giant!I loved the model village! The care and attention to detail of all the buildings is amazing. The restoration works looks like as though they’re getting the same love and attention and it looks great. It was great to wander round the town, then wander around it again in miniature and see it from a totally different perspective….not something you get to do every day! The lady at admissions was great and we really appreciated her refreshing attitude when we asked about carers rates.Visited April 2024Travelled with familyWritten 12 April 2024
- Dee#2 contributionsDisappointedRun down and needs refurbishment the village was obviously once a very nice little model village but now over the years has become badly run down and could do with some work to refresh it. The model village building need cleaning to lift the look of the buildings and the place does need some general tidying up . It’s not expensive to go around but that really is no excuse to let it get a run down feeling as you go though to view. Uneven floors that need attention and repair , walls need repairs but no signs of the repairs on this side of the village however pleased to say a area on the opposite side of the village has some houses cover in plastic with a sign stating repair work taking place but no working being carried out at the time of our visit. Also as we went in we were ask seniors is it and informed well you look it - how lovely what a lovely greeting. Maybe alter this perhaps we do adults or seniors tickets and explained price difference not presume and offend, some may look older but not be . Also having a car park meter installed at the time we arrived we were informed by the people installing it there was no charge for the parking due to the parking meter not being activated as of yet . When it came to me to pay for our tickets for the model village we were informed by yourselves we had to pay for the parking so we did no problem however shame on you for not asking the next people to pay for the parking of their car on your car park . I know this happened as I waited for my husband to put his parking ticket on his on his car . Over all not a good experience 😔but could have been so much better .Visited April 2024Travelled with familyWritten 27 April 2024
- Shirley WEdinburgh, United Kingdom4 contributionsSo much better than imaginedWe made a slight detour to visit this model village. It is out of this world, we couldn’t believe how amazing it is, the detail is incredible and the houses have all aged naturally. The strange thing was after walking around, I started to feel like I was a giant and had outgrown the houses, it was mind blowing. Better than you can imagine. Loved it.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 27 April 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.0
1,935 reviews
Excellent
633
Very good
701
Average
376
Poor
143
Terrible
82
Cameron B
Sevenoaks, UK51 contributions
Aug 2020
Couldn't honestly recommend for people to go, whilst it is interesting to see a model of the village you are in, and the models I can only imagine take some effort to maintain, the cost of £10 for what takes at best 10 mins to view for me was disappointing. Barely even acknowledged as we entered, just the card machine thrust at you, a conveyor belt of people going past the houses and then the cheek to charge a further £1 if you want to see more of the museum.
A cash cow for poor parents trying to entertain their children.
A cash cow for poor parents trying to entertain their children.
Written 4 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, thank you for taking the time to write a review. Most visitors do tend to spend longer in the village, so sorry that it only took 10 minutes. We are working tirelessly to improve the Model Village. This is unfortunately costly and has been neglected by the previous owners. The extra miniature museum has an additional cost as it is owned by the man that helped create them, it is just housed in the Model Village.
Written 19 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Wentworth1
England138 contributions
Feb 2020
For the time it takes to visit this attraction, it is poor value for money particularly as there seems to be so little maintenance taking place: one of the first buildings you see has a hole in the roof with many of the other buildings having broken tiles. It all feels a bit run down. There are some additional models to see, but they are an extra charge. An attraction like this needs to be regularly maintained - it would be worth the owners visiting the Babbacombe model village to see the difference.
Not somewhere I would return to or recommend anyone bothers to visit.
Not somewhere I would return to or recommend anyone bothers to visit.
Written 24 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to comment on your recent visit. We are battling the elements to improve the maintenance of these 80 year old stone built structures, which are a bit different to those at Babbacombe (which we have visited!) It's an ongoing project, but as they were all built at the same time, they all deteriorate at the same pace. Rest assured we are working hard on those structures that require attention - every day, sometimes in the workshop in inclement weather, other times in the model village itself.
Written 25 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jo H
Northampton, UK15 contributions
Aug 2020
We paid £10 for two tickets and finished walking round in about 8 minutes. Completely overpriced, staff seem uninterested and waved the card machine in front of you quickly to get the line moving. The village looks a bit tired with a few buildings 'currently under maintenance' , which ruined the atmosphere a bit.
Good Covid precautions and one way system, however I don't recommend visiting. Save your money!
Good Covid precautions and one way system, however I don't recommend visiting. Save your money!
Written 10 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to review your visit. Maintenance is an ongoing task, and essential to the upkeep of the village, sorry if that spoiled your visit.
Written 19 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
16Nathan
Reading, UK50 contributions
Jan 2020
The model village while having some nice features is not value for money at the moment of writing. The models look in poor condition and look neglected. However were still impressed with the scale and accuracy of the work, including a model of the model village.
The village does have some renovation being carried out on it,with new buildings being built from scratch, but some general maintenance could still be done while this work is being carried out. I appreciate that some of the models are old, but for example the model church which you could see inside, has some of the model people just left lying on the floor and the inside looked liked it not been cleaned for decades, but this could be sorted quite quickly.
Annoyingly as well there is another section to the village that you could see but have to pay extra to go into, I would advise the owners to either include this in the ticket price, or add a bit extra to the ticket price to include entry into the other part.
I
The village does have some renovation being carried out on it,with new buildings being built from scratch, but some general maintenance could still be done while this work is being carried out. I appreciate that some of the models are old, but for example the model church which you could see inside, has some of the model people just left lying on the floor and the inside looked liked it not been cleaned for decades, but this could be sorted quite quickly.
Annoyingly as well there is another section to the village that you could see but have to pay extra to go into, I would advise the owners to either include this in the ticket price, or add a bit extra to the ticket price to include entry into the other part.
I
Written 5 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maureen B
Buckingham, UK253 contributions
Mar 2020
Staying in Bourton visited this beautiful little model village, reasonably priced admission. loved the trees pruned in size to the buildings. Housed in a building paid £1 extra to visit beautiful intricate models, children where very excited to look into the rooms and having parents explain all about the models, lovely. Under stand from other reviews it has been taken over by new people, keep up the good work. Some exhibits undergoing restoration did not detract from the experience should be realised by visiters this is a neccessary to preserve it for the future.
Written 13 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Maureen, thank you for your lovely review, and for your appreciation of the extensive work we are undertaking to some of the buildings in the Model Village. So glad you and the children got so much from your visit.
Kind regards
Andrew
Written 14 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ell
North Yorkshire, UK69 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
I came with my mum, dad and little sister as we enjoy visiting model villages. Really interesting and detailed model village. Price to get in was reasonable. We paid an extra pound each to get into an exhibition there and it was worth the money. Highly recommend to anyone visiting or in the area! Thank you!! 😊👍
Written 27 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lady Traveller P
Wellington, UK196 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
I would like to say this visit was value for money, but I can't. This visit cost £16.50 for 2 adults, 1 senior and 1 child. There were hand sanitizer available. However socially distancing was very hard. In my opinion they should restrict entry for a few minutes to free up the back log as people cannot pass each other and it is a one way system. In all we were in there not much more than 30 minutes, which is why I can't say it is value for money.
Written 26 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jane Smith
1 contribution
Sept 2020 • Couples
Was well made and detailed, but for £4.50 each we felt it was overpriced. Finished it in 15 minutes and a fair few of the buildings were being renovated. Also had no toilets, not any full size ones anyway. Choir boy inside one of the churches looked intoxicated. Was however impressed with the model village inside the model village, inside a model village, still thinking about this now to be honest.
Written 14 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
yamfan
Hartlepool, UK103 contributions
Jul 2020
Couldn't visit Bourton without visiting the famous model village. It doesn't take long to look around but is reasonably interesting as it is a model of Bourton itself.
Grounds are very well maintained. Was very quiet when we visited as it was raining but the measures they had in place to maintain social distancing seemed to be fine to keep you feeling safe
Grounds are very well maintained. Was very quiet when we visited as it was raining but the measures they had in place to maintain social distancing seemed to be fine to keep you feeling safe
Written 30 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review.
Written 19 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nick T
Lewes, UK31 contributions
Jul 2020
We visited as a family of 2 adults and a child, and paid £12+ to gain entry which lasted approximately 15 minutes, compared to other attractions it's expensive.
Yes, it's very clever and initially has a novelty factor, but as others have said it is showing significant signs of wear and tear. Yes, there is restoration going on but it looks like this should have started 5-10 years ago.
As you walk around in a one way system your length of stay was pretty much determined by those in front of you, and that group as well as the one behind us were all saying that they felt it expensive for what there actually is there.
Yes, it's very clever and initially has a novelty factor, but as others have said it is showing significant signs of wear and tear. Yes, there is restoration going on but it looks like this should have started 5-10 years ago.
As you walk around in a one way system your length of stay was pretty much determined by those in front of you, and that group as well as the one behind us were all saying that they felt it expensive for what there actually is there.
Written 26 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your feedback, we agree that that the restoration isn't moving as fast as we would like. Restoration has been ongoing however the previous owners didn't put as much effort in as was needed. We are working very hard to correct it now!
Written 19 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Is the spire that featured in the film Hot Fuzz still there?
Written 31 March 2024
Hi, I'm afraid that we can't accommodate pushchairs in the Model Village, because the paths are just too narrow. There is space outside the entrance for you to leave your pushchair while you visit.
Written 1 September 2020
I don't think animals are allowed in.
Written 3 July 2017
Emily R
Didcot, United Kingdom
Do you have a quiz you can do when walking round?
Written 21 March 2017
Just to update this question and responses, we do have a quiz book available at the entrance, great fun for the children....and for the slightly older as well in some cases!!
Written 1 September 2020
Are dogs allowed ?
Written 16 September 2016
Dogs are not allowed in the model village.
Written 27 September 2016
Adult entry price still only £3.60,same price last seven years.
Written 29 July 2017
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