The Somerset market town of Frome is well-known and acclaimed for its independent spirit and vibrant food and arts scene, as well as its popular monthly market. Set within a steep valley, the town dates from around the 7th century when the Abbot of Malmesbury, St Aldhelm, founded a monastery here (sadly now long gone).
When you look at the history of Frome, it turns out it was much feted centuries ago, too – then for its fairs and markets, and booming cloth trade. In the 1720s, Daniel Defoe described the town as ‘likely to be one of the greatest and wealthiest towns in England’.
During the Napoleonic Wars, Frome was famous for its blue woollen army uniforms, dyed using woad grown on the edge of town. Metalworking, printing and brewing kept the town flourishing after the cloth trade collapsed, thanks to the introduction of modern machinery at the end of the 18th century.
By the mid-to-late-20th century, Frome had fallen into decline once more and almost lost what had made it so special. But its revival of the last couple of decades has put it firmly on the map again, drawing people from far and wide, not only for its independence but also for its community, energy, enthusiasm and solidarity.
This is a place where the town crier is also the town cheesemonger, and where a newly formed, stylish side of female Morris dancers are often glimpsed performing with their bells, hankies and sticks. And this happy renaissance has been further fuelled in the last year or so with the arrival of yet more interesting people, shops, events and businesses, from oyster parties at Rye Bakery to a magical theatre (The Lucky Chance), owned and run by a major UK director.
One of the most noticeable changes to Frome life recently is the clothing and textiles scene coming full circle. Behind the doors of old weavers’ cottages, merchant’s houses, and industrial buildings, along the town’s sinuous streets and hidden down alleys, there is much going on.
A cottage industry that once defined Frome in the 18th century is thriving today. Stitchers hold darning and natural-dye workshops, tailors and seamstresses work away in their textile ateliers, and makers ensconced in studios bring fabric to life. Buildings that still hint at the town’s textile past, such as Silk Mill Studios & Gallery, are now arts and events spaces hosting clothes swaps and fashion fairs.
To complement this hive of activity, vintage and antiques stores have appeared in the last year to add to those already here. It’s a town that’s becoming all about slow, sustainable fashion… and a whole lot more.
Shop
Found by Mitzi
You may not notice Mitzi McNeil’s shop straightaway as, at first glance, it looks like the home of a discerning collector. Then you’ll see a little sign on the door. This is Mitzi’s home, but it’s also an antiques shop that’s open by appointment, occasional days a week, and during The Frome Independent Market. The period property on Paul Street, a narrow, historic, paved walkway, would have once been a store along with the rest of the terrace, as you can see the matching shop windows all still present. Pieces for sale include 19th-century Japanese woodblock prints, 1950s lamps, mid-century vases and jugs, and vintage Moroccan wares. foundbymitzi.co.uk
Frome Reclamation
This family-run architectural salvage yard and Frome institution is tucked away behind buildings close to the railway station. Collectors, house renovators, builders and interior designers travel miles to browse the array of pieces on offer. There are the regular flagstones, fireplaces and radiators you would expect, but there’s also fabulous folk art and antiques, such as extraordinary pieces from country houses (think a monumental 18th-century housekeeper’s cupboard). fromerec.co.uk
Neighbour Utility
The word ‘Frome’ comes from the Old English word ffraw, meaning ‘brisk-flowing water’, as the early town grew around the River Frome and its springs. Still today you can see a rill flowing down the historic pedestrianised Cheap Street. A few feet from this leat is Neighbour, a gorgeous homeware store run by husband-and-wife makers Dan and Nicole Dennett. This cosy newcomer is beautifully curated and stylishly laid out, with artisan pottery and bespoke furniture by sister company Folkhaus, as well as vintage kitchenalia and other finds. You can linger here for a coffee, too. neighbourutility.com
Sherlock and Pages
Luke Sherlock and Agathe Cavicchioli opened this bijou bookshop just over a year ago at the base of Catherine Hill. Writer Luke is also known as the English Pilgrim and has a huge following
on Instagram (@englishpilgrim), where he shares his passion for historic architecture and landscapes, especially churches. Both Luke and Agathe are environmentalists and the books in their store lean towards nature, conservation, history, heritage, art and folklore. If you’re lucky, you may get to meet resident pooch, Mona the Lagotto Romagnolo, on a visit, too. sherlockandpages.com
The Vintage Bazaar
As well as the monthly Frome Independent, the now-famous artisan market where you’ll find a good helping of brocante offerings each month, every spring and autumn, The Vintage Bazaar comes to the town’s largest venue, the Cheese & Grain. The longstanding fair attracts people from far and wide for its rails of vintage fashion, textiles, haberdashery and kitchenalia. At the most recent fair, Frome local Pearl Lowe had a stand selling a selection of exquisite vintage pieces. This spring, the bazaar is on Saturday 26th April. thevintagebazaar.co.uk
The Iron Gates
Evidence of the dominant clothiers family, the Sheppards, can be found around Frome, and one of their buildings was The Iron Gates on King Street: a beautiful Grade II*-listed property with parts dating to 1700. In recent years a pet shop, the building now houses a collection of artists, makers and vintage shops. Fittingly, one is all about clothing. Run by a group of fashion dealers, The Vintage Collective is packed full of rails of coats, frocks, jackets and jumpers, with pieces ranging from a vintage St Michael shirt to a Gucci suit and a Frank Usher dress.
Across the hallway is one of the newest additions to Frome shopping, Paddy’s Vintage, run by Paddy Magnall, a regular at The Frome Independent Market, who decided to expand into the shop last August. He sells a good mix of pieces from various periods, including folk art, prints, glassware, ceramics and furniture, among more quirky, collectable and decorative items. theirongates.com
Eat
At The Station
Head to Frome’s railway station and not far from the tracks is a cluster of brilliant places to eat. There’s Rye Bakery with its store, pizzeria and wine bar, then there’s The Cheese Lord (run by the town crier), Lungi Babas street food and thali, Owen’s Sausages & Hams, and JJ’s Doubles Trinidadian street food. If you time it right, there may well be live music or an oyster party, too. atthestationfrome.com
The High Pavement
This small-plates restaurant on a historic raised pavement just off Catherine Hill is always full, as locals and visitors to Frome tuck into the superb offering of Moorish tapas. The menu is constantly changing – think whipped cheeses, copious spices, charred lemon and rosemary, crispy aubergine and chickpeas, rounded off with a fine sherry. thehighpavement.co.uk
Visit
Frome Museum
Down in the centre of town by the river, in a distinctive four-storey listed property that was built in 1865 for the Frome Literary and Scientific Institute, you’ll find Frome Museum. Here there are two exhibition galleries charting the history of Frome, with artefacts from the wool, metalworking and printing industries, alongside arts and crafts, plus a fully stocked vintage chemist’s shop. Open Tuesdays to Saturdays from mid-March to mid-November. frome-museum.org
Heal, Somerset
If you’re keen to enjoy the Somerset countryside and its nature, take a tour of this magical rewilding site near Frome. Wildlife, including otters and beavers, is gradually returning to these fields as the land slowly recovers from years of intensive agriculture. The site, which was taken over a couple of years ago, is open for visits every day, plus there are tours on rewilding and wildlife spotting.
For several nights this March and April, the event ‘Out of the Darkness’ will be held in the fields, a night soundscape performance taking place after dark. Visitors will walk by torchlight into a special place in the site, take a seat and journey into a thrilling soundscape of night creatures, blending the ancestral with the present day in a glorious and unforgettable composition. healsomerset.org.uk
Stay
42 Acres
In the countryside close to Frome is 42 Acres, a regenerative estate comprising 173 acres and offering retreats and self-catering accommodation. This is a place to slow down and connect with nature, as there is a wild swimming lake, miles of woodland, meadows and parts of the ancient Selwood Forest to explore. Beavers, boar and deer roam the estate, and the land one day hopes to welcome white storks and wild cats as part of a rewilding project.
Centred around a 13th-century converted hermitage, accommodation ranges from the Tiny Boat – a two-person converted boat moored on the lake – to an 11-person farmhouse and bell-tent camping in the summer months, all run by renewable energy. The interiors are calming and light-filled, places to truly disconnect. Guests can also pre-book experiences, from foraging to forest dining and even relaxing in a woodland sauna. 42acres.com
Don’t miss
Nunney Castle
In the nearby village of Nunney, you’ll find the ruins of the moated Nunney Castle. Built in the 1370s by Sir John de la Mare, a knight for Edward III, the castle was modernised by a wealthy Londoner in the late-16th century before coming under attack by Parliamentarians during the Civil War. english-heritage.org.uk