Sheepscombe is a small village in the civil parish of Painswick, in the Stroud district, in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Sheepscombe is located some 6.5 miles (10 km) south-east of the city of Gloucester, 6 miles (10 km) north-east of the town of Stroud, and 1.5 miles (2 km) east of the village of Painswick. It lies in a narrow valley, hidden behind the Cotswold scarp, and just off the A46 and B4070 roads.^[1][2]

Quick Facts OS grid reference, Civil parish ...

Sheepscombe
St John the Apostle Church, est. 1820
Sheepscombe Location within Gloucestershire
OS grid reference	SO896113
Civil parish	Painswick
District	Stroud
Shire county	Gloucestershire
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Police	Gloucestershire
Fire	Gloucestershire
Ambulance	South Western
UK Parliament	Stroud
List of places UK England Gloucestershire 51.791364°N 2.155852°W / 51.791364; -2.155852

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The first record of the village dates from around 1260, with the original name of Sebbescumbe – the name possibly comes from the names of early local settlers named Ebba or Sebba. 'Combe' means valley. Variations of the name over the centuries have included Sebbescumbe, Sciapp'scombe, Sheppescombe, Sheppiscombe, Shepescombe, Shepyscombe, Shipscombe and Shepscombe.^{[citation needed]}

Since the early 17th century, Sheepscombe was involved in cloth making like many of the Cotswold towns in the area and its near neighbour Painswick. It enjoyed its industrial heyday during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and the last mill closed in 1839. Following this, Sheepscombe suffered from increasing poverty and a falling population.^[1]

The village church, St John the Apostle, was built and opened in 1820. It was designed by John Wight, and later expanded in 1872 by Francis Niblett. It is constructed of limestone ashlar with a stone slate roof to coped gables. English Heritage has listed the church as Grade II for its special architectural and historic interest.^[3]

The school was opened in 1822, a modernised building opening on the same site in 1882. Many of the houses in the village, at the northern end, date from the late 17th and early 18th centuries.^{[citation needed]} The village pub is the Butcher's Arms.

During the early part of the 20th century, Sheepscombe was still a rural, agricultural village, but today it has become, like many Cotswold villages, an expensive and select place to live. Most of its inhabitants are of the professional middle classes, who pay considerably for the privilege of living there. Situated at the bottom of a steep valley, Sheepscombe is a relatively inaccessible village, and not easy to live in for those without a car.^{[citation needed]}

Sheepscombe is the childhood home of the actor William Moseley^{[citation needed]} and Mike Sadler, one of the original founders of the SAS.^[4]

For the purposes of local government, Sheepscombe is within the civil parish of Painswick, the district of Stroud and the county of Gloucestershire.^[2] The civil parish of Painswick also contains the neighbouring villages of Slad and Edge.^[5]

For parliamentary purposes, Sheepscombe is within the UK constituency of Stroud. Before Brexit in 2020, it was in the European constituency of South West England.^[2]