Soap-on-the-Wold

We love a premier, and the premier of a shop that stocks College Green soaps has to be the best kind of all!

So we were thrilled to be invited to brand new gift shop Grey Heron, in Stow-on-the-Wold, to have a sneak preview of all the lovely things on sale before its opening on Monday 30 April.

Nikki and Don have spent the last few months touring the West Country to hand pick the loveliest of items for their store.

We first met them at our January Stroud Farmers' Market stall, and they've been as far as St Ives and Penzance to source their wonderful finds. 

Grey Heron can be found in Talbot Court - just off the main square

and opposite the Stow Flower Shop in Stow-on-the-Wold.

On the way there we popped into the beautifully quaint The Porch House to ask directions, and found out that it was England's oldest inn!

While we were browsing the unique Grey Heron stock we bumped into the lovely Dorcas of Dorcas de Marco Ceramics who makes some amazing pottery (and who coincidentally has a Stroud Farmers' Market stall the same week as us - but of course we're both too busy to have met up until now!) We really loved these little salt bowls - perfect to have on the worktop while cooking.

You can find everything in Grey Heron from soaps (of course)

to Cornish blankets and glass,

silk scarves,

lovely bags woven from recycled bottles,

a vast array of pottery and ceramics,

and all kinds of beautiful gifts over two floors.

Don says that they particularly liked College Green soaps because of their "brilliant combination of ingredients, great fragrances, and the care gone into their creation." 

All of us at College Green wish them the very best of luck in their new venture!