The fine two-storey south porch to the church built in 1480The Church of St Peter and St Paul in Northleach is known as The Cathedral of the Cotswolds and is a wool church. The church dates from the early 12th century, and was built on the foundations of on an earlier building, also believed to have been a church. The church was built with stone dug from the quarry in the town itself and what is now the Market Square. The 12th century version was simple, consisting little more than an aisle. That the chancels were a later addition is immediately apparent from the south eastern quoins visible in the Bicknell Chapel. Other changes have also left their mark. The scar on the steeply pitched roof of the tower wall indicates that the south aisle was widened twice. The overall style of the present church is known as the Late Medieval "Glass Cage" type in which the structure of the church is of less importance than the large, traceried stained-glass windows.

The present chancel was built in the 14th century, followed by the nave, aisles and sacristy in the 15th century. The finely decorated two-storey south porch, with a pinnacled bell-cote surmounting it, was added circa 1480. The overall style of the present church is known as the Late Medieval Glass Cage type in which the structure of the church is of less importance than the large, traceried stained glass windows. The church features an array of brasses commemorating the wool merchants and benefactors whose wealth was derived from the local wool industry and invested in the church.

The modest size of the town of Northleach belies its former importance. The Abbey of Gloucester owned the area from AD 800, granting the town a charter in 1220 to hold a weekly market. The town was transformed by the wool trade and in 1340 to 1540 it flourished as the centre of a large sheep-rearing area

Added by Wertypop