Minchinhampton is a town four miles south-east of Stroud in Gloucesterhsire. The parish encompasses Minchinhampton common, a nationally important limestone grassland plateau with breathtaking views over the Severn estuary. It has many wild flowers, rare butterflies and birds; many interesting archaeological features, and is one of the largest open spaces in Gloucestershire.

A special mix of wildflowers and grasses grow on the calcium-rich and nutrient-poor soils of the limestone of the Cotswold Escarpment. The Common includes large areas designated by English Nature as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI's).

The Common has a rich variety of plants and animals and has developed over centuries, encouraged by the way that the area has been grazed by cattle and sheep. Grazing keeps the turf short, which allows delicate wildflowers like cowslips, wild thyme and orchids to thrive without being smothered by vigorous and tougher grasses, thistles and docks. Large areas have never been ploughed or sprayed with fertilisers and pesticides.

The huge variety of wildflowers and grasses in turn, coupled with the warm micro-climates presented by the variable topography, creates a wonderful habitat for animals, especially birds, butterflies and other insects. The sheltered species-rich grassland on the slopes at the edge of the commons are particularly favourable for butterflies, almost half of all the species that are found in Britain occur on the Commons.