Frome guidebook

Gentle Street, Frome 

Steep, cobbled streets and hundreds of period buildings lend Frome a real sense of character, and hark back to its days as a market town with a flourishing cloth industry.  

A range of specialist shops and delightful restaurants and cafes, particularly around the Cheap Street and Catherine Hill areas, add to the feeling of charm and quaintness. 

And Frome's market town heritage lives on with a twice monthly Farmers' Market, a twice weekly General Market, and a selection of Saturday and Sunday markets which include Antiques and Crafts, and Collectibles.

Frome also has a thriving arts scene, based around the Black Swan Arts and Crafts centre, the Merlin and Memorial Theatres, the busy town library, and Frome Museum which celebrates the town's industrial and social history.

There's even an annual Frome Festival - a ten-day celebration of music, theatre and the arts - which attracts big-name stars such as Van Morrison and Paul Merton.

But it’s not just the cultural activities that bring visitors to Frome; the town has some interesting architectural features such as a bridge lined with shops that's a contemporary of Bath's famous Pulteney Bridge, and some fine parish churches.

Nearby there are several well-known places to visit such as Glastonbury, Longleat Safari Park, the country's smallest city of Wells, celebrity hangout Babington House, and the beautiful city of Bath.

Property in Frome

The town has a good mix of period character properties and modern residential estates, providing a wide choice for buyers of all requirements and budgets. 

Here's a brief look at the main residential parts of Frome:

1. Bath Road area

The desirable north side of the town, located on either side of the road to Bath, is home to a selection of sought-after residential estates.

To the west of the Bath Road is the Packsaddle area, rising to Innox Hill, where bungalows with views are very much the choice of the more mature homebuyer - Packsaddle Drive, Leys Lane, and the cul-de-sacs radiating from Mendip Lane provide peaceful settings for many sizes and prices of this property type.

Two further estates lie behind the green Frome Community College campus to the east of the Bath Road.

The Stonebridge area, around Stonebridge Drive, is predominantly occupied by young families and single people, and has a good supply of rented property.

Next to Stonebridge is the Prowtings estate, served by Brunel Way, with a greater proportion of bigger, detached homes.

In Clink, on the other side of the Clink Road leading out of town to the east, modern developments mix with expensive farmhouses.

2. The Conservation Area

The charming buildings of Old Frome are located just west of the town centre, mostly in Selwood Road, Horton Street, Castle Street and Naishs Street.

Properties here ooze history and character, and wandering through the steep, winding streets allows residents and visitors to feel as if they're leaving the stress of the modern world behind.

Partly car-free, the area is populated by artisans and specialists and those who truly appreciate a well-preserved, old-world atmosphere.

3. Keyford

To the south of the centre is the Keyford district which has a good selection of affordable, modern properties alongside plenty of older stock.

The area around Butts Hill is now on its way up, with redevelopment promising a bright future. New apartments will soon be available in two separate developments either side of the area.

4. Critchill

Around Critchill Road, to the south west of the town, there is a wide range of properties in terms of age, size and price, making it comparable to the Clink area on the other side of town.

A prevalence of three-bedroom semis, built in the '70s and '80s, attracts a high proportion of families.

5. Wallbridge

The Wallbridge area, in the town's south-east quarter, has a predominance of desirable Victorian properties, rubbing shoulders with some extensive contemporary developments. 

Addresses such as Alexandra Road and Victoria Road are home to fine 19th-century family dwellings, many of which have been lovingly restored to their original glory.

Wallbridge is also the location of Frome's railway station.

Villages Close to Frome:

Frome is surrounded by many historic and picturesque villages, all with close-knit communities.

Nunney: This large village just to the south of Frome has some beautiful period property, a thriving community spirit and good facilities.  It also attracts tourists who come to see its castle and to watch the annual duck race!

Mells: Stone-built country residences can also be found in Mells to the west of Frome, which is home of the nursery rhyme, Little Jack Horner, and the setting for an annual daffodil festival.

The picturesque village has two parts – Mells is set alongside the Mill Stream at the bottom of the valley; Little Green and Mells Green are on the hillside overlooking it.

Great Elm: The smaller village of Great Elm has property ranging from large period farmhouses to a row of more modern, terraced homes.

Lullington: This little village is a short distance out of Frome and consists of period property set around a green.

It has an enviable setting next to the Orchardleigh estate – the location of Orchardleigh House and its golf club – and has easy access to the A36 for convenient commuting.

Living Here

Transport:

River Frome 

Train: Frome's railway station, located in the Wallridge area, offers a range of services including London Paddington, Bath, Bristol, Westbury, Yeovil and Weymouth. 

Road: Frome is well placed for road access to several towns and cities: Bath (via the A36 or A362); Warminster (on the A362 in the opposite direction); Chippenham (via the A361 and A350); and Bristol (the A362, then A37).

It takes around 25 minutes to drive to Bath and around 45 minutes to Bristol.

Bus: There is a good local bus service in and around Frome, and regular bus and coach services to destinations including Bath, Bristol, Wells and London.

Air: Bristol International Airport is only 50 minutes away by road.

Shopping:

Frome has a good selection of small independent outlets, many of them located in the charming Cheap Street which has a little stream running though it, and in the pretty, cobbled street of Catherine Hill.

Both have a delightful range of individual shops with a slant towards antiques, arts, crafts, jewellery and gifts, and there are a few places around which offer refreshments and a break from browsing.

There are some larger stores such as WH Smith, Boots, Woolworth and Argos in the busy, more mainstream, retail areas of Market Place and Westway Precinct, as well as further independent outlets.

The town has a Tesco Express and Marks & Spencer Food Store, with some bigger supermarkets on the outskirts.

Regular markets are held in Frome's Cheese and Grain Market Hall in Market Yard; these include a Flea Market, an Arts and Crafts Market, and a Farmers' Market.

Bristol's Broadmead Shopping Centre is less than an hour away and has a great selection of high street stores; Bath also has a good range.

Eating and Drinking:

Frome has a good choice of eating and drinking establishments from basic cafes through to upmarket restaurants; similarly, pubs come in a variety of styles and some serve food.

There is the usual range of takeaways in town (Chinese, Indian, pizza, burgers, kebabs, and fish and chips).  

Frome also has some good quality bakeries and delicatessens around the shopping districts for daytime snacks.

There are lots more pubs and restaurants in the villages surrounding Frome, or slightly further away in Bristol and Bath.

Entertainment and Leisure:

Frome has two theatres, The Merlin and The Mermaid, which stage local and touring productions, and an independent cinema.

The Cheese and Grain at Market Yard has a lively performance area and holds various musical events; it also has a bar and cafe.

Black Swan Arts is a venue for contemporary arts and crafts.  It has two galleries which host a diverse range of exhibitions, a craft shop and three craft studios, and the popular Tashens Café with courtyard.

Frome Museum celebrates local industrial and social history, and also houses the town's library.  In summer months, on the first Sunday, the museum arranges a walking tour around the historic parts of Frome.

Sports:

Frome Sports Centre, Princess Anne Road, has two swimming pools, a fitness centre and gym, squash courts, an all-weather pitch, indoor bowls, netball and five-a-side facilities, a climbing wall, and a range of exercise classes.

Sports clubs in the town include rugby, football, cricket, tennis, cycling, running, diving, canoeing and water polo.

Frome Golf Club is at Critchill Manor and offers a range of memberships. 

There is also the Orchardleigh Golf Course around two miles north west of Frome towards Radstock which offers short term memberships. 

Parks and Open Spaces:

Victoria Park is located in Frome town centre and provides a large, scenic space to relax in.  The park has a good-sized children's play area, tennis courts, bowling greens, petanque ground and a putting green.

Sunday afternoon musical concerts are held from the thatched bandstand during summer months.

The Mary Bailey Playing Field is also centrally located. It has a purpose built skate park, recently upgraded play facilities, and is regularly used for ball games.