Free gutter clearance and free biocide on every Stow roof clean. Exposed, damp, listed and conservation-area cottages handled correctly.
There's an old couplet about this town: "Stow-on-the-Wold, where the wind blows cold." It's etched on the wall of St Edward's Hall in the Market Square, and it tells you everything you need to know about why roofs up here struggle. Stow is the highest town in the Cotswolds, standing 800 feet up on the top of an open hill where eight roads meet, with the Roman Fosse Way running through. Down in the sheltered valleys of Bourton or the Swells the weather passes over; up on the wold it sits. Wind, cloud and damp linger across the rooftops far longer than they do lower down, and that constant moisture is the single biggest reason Stow roofs carry such heavy growth.
Moss, lichen and gloeocapsa algae live on exactly one thing: damp. Stow's exposed hilltop, its long damp season and its tight market-town streets give them all of it. The shaded sides of the Square, the narrow medieval alleys the locals call "tures" — built deliberately narrow and winding to funnel sheep to market — and the north-facing pitches along Sheep Street and Digbeth Street barely see direct sun, so the slate never properly dries out. By the time someone calls us, a north-facing stone-slate pitch in the old town is usually a thick green-black mat sitting in the stone, with rust weeping off old valley metal and gutters packed with washed-down growth.
Then there's the material, and in Stow it matters more than anywhere. The town is built almost entirely from oolitic Jurassic limestone — honey-coloured ashlar walls and traditional Cotswold stone slate on the roofs, much of it on cottages dating back to when Stow grew rich on the medieval wool trade and the great sheep fairs. Genuine stone slate is porous and textured, split into thin pieces and laid in graded courses with hundreds of small slates and deep laps. Unlike a smooth modern tile it never really dries in a shaded position, so once moss takes hold it mats into the laps and stays there. Put a porous heritage roof on the most exposed, damp hilltop in the county and you get a roof that greens up faster than almost anything we see.
This is why method matters more here than equipment. You cannot pressure-wash a Cotswold stone-slate roof — the force splits the slates, strips the surface and drives water under the laps, and a cracked stone slate has to be replaced with a reclaimed one to match. So on Stow's heritage roofs we remove the moss by hand, working off a roof ladder that spreads the load, and then treat with biocide. It is slower than blasting a modern tile, but it's the only way to clean a stone roof without taking years off its life — and on a covering this costly and this protected, that's the whole point.
Not every roof in and around Stow is heritage stone, mind. On the newer Local-Plan housing toward the edges of the town, and out on the approaches off the A429, you'll find modern concrete interlocking tile and the odd Welsh-slate or plain-tile roof on later additions. Those are a different job — they can take a more robust clean where it suits — but on this hilltop they green up just as readily, so they get the same bulk-removal-then-biocide treatment so the result actually lasts. Whether it's a 17th-century stone cottage on the Square or a modern house on the town edge, the cause is the same hilltop damp, and so is the cure.
Each one has its own approach. On a hilltop town this old, method matters far more than equipment.
The roof that makes Stow look like Stow — graded courses of porous limestone slate on the stone cottages around the Market Square, Sheep Street, Park Street and Digbeth Street. Brittle, irreplaceable except with reclaimed stone, and never to be pressured. The conservation guidance for the town is explicit that these should stay as Cotswold stone. We hand-clear the moss off a roof ladder, with biocide kept off the lime mortar and old leadwork.
Found on some cottages and outbuildings in the town and out toward Maugersbury, Broadwell and the Swells. Often a century or more old and fragile when wet — scraped by hand, never pressured, with extra care around the bedded ridges, hips and valleys where the tiles are oldest and most likely to crack on this exposed, frost-prone ground.
On some of the later Georgian and Victorian properties and additions around the town. Durable but unforgiving — slate gets hand-clearing of the laps, a low-pressure rinse where appropriate and a neutral biocide. We keep everything off old lead flashings and weathered ridge mortar, which heritage roofs up here rely on to stay watertight against the wind-driven rain.
On the newer Local-Plan housing toward the edges of Stow and the approaches off the Fosse Way — Marley and Redland interlocking tiles. The textured surface grips spores and the hilltop damp keeps everything wet, so they mat up heavily. We remove the moss by hand first, then biocide, with a sealant on the right surfaces to slow regrowth further.
From the stone heart of the town out to the surrounding GL54 villages — same hilltop damp, slightly different roof on each.
The heart of the town around St Edward's Hall, the old market cross and stocks, ringed by tall stone townhouses and threaded with the narrow medieval "tures" — shaded, listed, on porous stone slate that gets hand-scrape only.
The old approaches off the Square lined with stone cottages, inns and townhouses — north-facing pitches that hold damp long after the rain has gone, where heavy moss calls for a careful, slow hand-clean.
The streets dropping away toward St Edward's Church and its famous yew-tree door — historic stone houses and cottages, much of it inside the conservation area, all on heritage stone slate that we treat by hand.
The quiet stone hamlets just east and north of the town — small, shaded Cotswold cottages on stone slate and clay, often second homes and holiday lets, where moss takes hold quickly in the cold, damp upland air.
The two Swells villages in the valley below Stow, covered by the same neighbourhood plan as the town — classic stone-slate and clay cottages in a damp, sheltered river setting where growth thrives on shaded pitches.
The newer housing around the edges of Stow and the homes strung along the A429 — a mix of modern concrete tile, Welsh slate and later additions, all greening readily in this exposed hilltop position.
Stow-on-the-Wold sits inside a designated conservation area and is packed with listed buildings — one of the strongest, most consistent examples of the Cotswold vernacular anywhere in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The whole point of the place, the reason people travel to see it, is the unbroken run of honey-stone buildings around the Market Square, the medieval tures, and the traditional stone-slate roofs that tie it all together, from St Edward's Church and St Edward's Hall down to whole terraces of merchants' cottages along Sheep Street and Digbeth Street. Those roofs need a completely different hand to a modern tile, because force cracks old stone slate and drives water into structures that have stayed watertight for centuries precisely because nobody blasted them.
For listed buildings, cleaning sits in a careful zone. Straightforward removal of biological growth normally doesn't need listed-building consent, because you're not altering the fabric of the building. Anything that touches the lime mortar, the lead, or the original stone-slate fixings usually does — and we'll tell you upfront if a job crosses that line so you can speak to Cotswold District Council's conservation team before booking. The local design guidance is firm that original Cotswold stone-slate roofs should be repaired and replaced like-for-like with the same material — not artificial tile or blue slate — which is exactly why our job is to clean and protect that slate rather than ever put it at risk. We keep biocide off lime mortar by sheeting and rinsing the edges, and where old lead flashings have weathered to a soft grey patina we'll usually recommend leaving them rather than scrubbing them back to bright metal.
It's worth remembering why Stow looks the way it does. The town grew up at the junction of the Fosse Way and seven other roads, and it grew rich on the medieval wool and cloth trade — Daniel Defoe famously reported 20,000 sheep sold here in a single day at the great fairs. The narrow tures off the Square were built deliberately tight and winding to funnel those sheep to market. In 1646 the last pitched battle of the first Civil War was fought on the wold just outside the town, the defeated Royalists driven back into these very streets and held prisoner in St Edward's Church. That history is the asset: it's why a clean, honest stone-slate roof matters so much to a property's value in Stow, and why a green, streaked one stands out for all the wrong reasons.
At quote stage we check whether your property looks listed and glance at the Historic England map before the survey. It costs us five minutes and can save you a planning headache — and on a Cotswold stone roof, getting the method right the first time is the difference between a clean that lasts and a repair bill in reclaimed slate.
We come out, look at the roof, the access and the gutters, and tell you exactly what's needed and what it costs. No hard sell, no pressure to book on the spot — and on the older stone-slate and listed cottages around the Square and Sheep Street we flag anything that touches conservation rules first.
Heavy moss is removed by hand from a ladder, tower or roof ladder, gutters cleared at the same time. On Stow's porous Cotswold stone slate and fragile old clay, the bulk growth has to be lifted off by hand — never blasted — before the biocide can reach the spores beneath.
An approved biocide is applied at the correct dilution. It kills algae, lichen and remaining moss spores at the root, without high-pressure water touching the slates — which matters even more on this exposed, damp hilltop where regrowth comes back fast.
The biocide keeps working after we've left, preventing regrowth for up to two years. Most customers don't need us back for a top-up before then.
A Stow roof clean keeps us on the ladders most of the day regardless — heritage stone slate is slow, careful work — so it makes sense to pull the gutters through while we're up there. And the biocide is what holds the result for two years, which counts for a lot on the dampest hilltop in the Cotswolds. You pay for neither; both come as standard.
The free gutter clear is more than a nicety here. On an old stone cottage, a gutter packed with washed-down moss and grit pushes rain down the wall instead of away from the house, and damp in the fabric of a porous limestone building is exactly what you don't want on this wind-driven, frost-prone ground. We clear what comes off the roof as we go, so you're not left with a clean roof and blocked gutters. And because the biocide carries on working long after we've packed up, most Stow customers get two seasons or more before they'd even think about booking us back — at 800 feet up, that's the part that earns its keep.
Get my Stow-on-the-Wold quoteStow throws up everything from irreplaceable Cotswold stone slate on listed Market Square cottages to modern tile on the town edge, and the heritage roofs take slow, careful hand-work rather than fast pressure — which is part of why we won't quote a flat rate over the phone. Every roof's different. But to be straight with you, most roof cleans are £550–£950. A standard cottage or semi sits in that range; larger, steeper or more delicate roofs (graded stone slate, heavy moss, awkward access, big detached houses) go up from there.
What moves the price:
Always included, never an add-on: a free gutter clear while we're up there, and the biocide that keeps moss off for up to two years.
How we quote: a free no-obligation survey, a written price the same day, no deposit, pay only when it's done. See our full roof cleaning cost guide →
No — but only because we never put high pressure near it. The traditional Cotswold stone slate on the cottages around the Market Square, Sheep Street and Digbeth Street is porous, brittle and often centuries old, laid in graded courses on old timbers. Pressure-washing it splits the slates, strips the surface and forces water under the laps — and a cracked stone slate has to be replaced with a reclaimed one to match. On those roofs we remove the moss by hand off a roof ladder, then apply biocide — never a lance turned up high. The modern concrete tile on the newer houses around the town edge can take a more robust approach where it suits, but it's the biocide that stops the regrowth either way, not the force of the water.
Because the town is the most exposed, dampest roofscape in the Cotswolds — there's even an old couplet about it, "Stow-on-the-Wold, where the wind blows cold." Stow stands on top of an 800-foot hill, the highest town in the Cotswolds, where wind, cloud and damp sit over the rooftops far longer than down in the sheltered valleys. North-facing pitches and the shaded sides of the tight market-town streets barely see direct sun, so they stay wet, and wet is exactly what moss, lichen and gloeocapsa algae feed on. Add porous, textured Cotswold stone slate that holds damp and gives spores something to grip, and you get a roof that greens up faster than almost anywhere in the county — which is why the free biocide treatment earns its keep up here.
Up to two years, often longer, because the biocide carries on killing fresh spores after we've left. Stow is a hard spot for moss — sitting 800 feet up with weather rolling straight across the hilltop, the damp season is long and north-facing stone-slate pitches around the Square and Sheep Street colour up faster than open south-facing ones. Pressure-washing on its own buys you about a season; the moss is back the next autumn because the spores are still in the porous stone. The biocide is the difference between cleaning the surface and treating the cause.
Yes, when applied properly. We use approved biocides at manufacturer-specified dilutions, applied in dry conditions so the active ingredient bonds to the roof rather than running off. Pets are kept indoors during application and for an hour after; planted borders and cottage gardens are sheeted and watered down before and after. On the edges of Stow, where gardens run straight out onto open wold and grazing land, we're careful about run-off, and we've never had an issue with ponds, wildlife or stock in years of doing this.
Yes, and this is the work we take most care over. Stow-on-the-Wold sits in a designated conservation area packed with listed buildings — from St Edward's Church and St Edward's Hall on the Market Square down to whole runs of stone cottages along Sheep Street, Park Street, Digbeth Street and the medieval tures. On those roofs we hand-scrape only — never pressure — and we keep biocide off lime mortar, old leadwork and the original stone slate by sheeting and rinsing the edges. Straightforward removal of moss and algae usually doesn't need listed-building consent because you're not altering the fabric; anything touching mortar, lead or the original slate fixings does, and we'll flag it before we start so you can speak to Cotswold District Council's conservation team first.
Genuine Cotswold stone slate is porous limestone split into thin slates and laid in graded courses, with hundreds of small pieces and deep laps. The conservation guidance for Stow is clear that original stone-slate roofs should be repaired and replaced like-for-like with Cotswold stone, not artificial tile or blue slate — because the material is part of what makes the town what it is. High pressure splits those slates, blasts out the bedding and drives water underneath, and once a stone slate cracks you're into reclaimed-slate territory to repair it, at serious cost. So on Stow's heritage roofs we hand-remove the moss off a roof ladder and treat with biocide — never a jet wash. It's slower, but it's the only way to clean a stone roof without taking years off its life.
On Stow's stone-slate and old clay roofs we avoid standing on the covering wherever we can — those slates crack underfoot. We work from a ladder or scaffold tower with a long-reach lance, and where we do need to get onto the pitch we use a roof ladder hooked over the ridge to spread the load and keep weight off the individual slates. On the tall, steep gables common on the older Market Square and Sheep Street cottages, that careful approach matters even more. We'll tell you in advance which method we're using on your property and why.
Yes, and a fair bit of our Stow work is exactly this — holiday lets, second homes and B&Bs where the owner isn't always on site. Stow lives on tourism, and a green, streaked roof costs you bookings in a town people choose for its looks, so kerb appeal is the whole point. We can quote from photos and a survey, work between changeovers or while the property is empty, and deal with you remotely if you're not local. Send the postcode and a couple of photos and we'll take it from there.
Three reasons that matter, in order. Slate and tile life — moss holds moisture against the surface, accelerating freeze-thaw damage, and on genuine Cotswold stone slate that replacement cost is serious money and often needs reclaimed materials to match. Gutters and downpipes — moss sheds and washes into the gutters, blocking them and pushing water down the wall instead of away from the house, which on an old stone cottage means damp in the fabric. Value and kerb appeal — in a town where buyers and holiday guests pay a premium for the honey-stone look, a green, streaked roof drags the whole property down. Cleaning costs a fraction of replacing slates or repointing ridges.
Spring (March–May) and early autumn are ideal — dry enough for the biocide to bond, and it sets the roof up before the cold, damp months when moss grows fastest, which on an exposed 800-foot hilltop is a long season. We clean year-round, though; the biocide works whenever it's applied in dry conditions, and up on the wold we plan jobs around weather windows rather than rushing them in the wet.
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Roof cleaning TewkesburyThe Guys did a fantastic job on my roof and worked nonstop all day to get the job done and left everything clean and tidy after themselves, highly recommend and would look to use again 👍, made a massive difference to the house.
The Guys did a fantastic job on my roof and worked nonstop all day to get the job done and left everything clean and tidy after themselves, highly recommend and would look to use again 👍, made a massive difference to the house.
Would strongly recommend. Swift with good work quality and kept the surrounding areas tidy. Looks like a new roof! Would 100% recommend.
Would strongly recommend. Swift with good work quality and kept the surrounding areas tidy. Looks like a new roof! Would 100% recommend.
Blake and Daniel cleaned my patio and path at the front and did a great job. They were friendly and professional and explained well what they were going to do. I also had a bad dark patch which came up really well which others had failed to remove. I would definitely recommend them if like me you have a patio or driveway that badly needs a thorough clean
Blake and Daniel cleaned my patio and path at the front and did a great job. They were friendly and professional and explained well what they were going to do. I also had a bad dark patch which came up really well which others had failed to remove. I would definitely recommend them if like me you have a patio or driveway that badly needs a thorough clean
100% recommend this team . From start to finish was kept informed.On the morning a text to say what time they will be there and arrived on time . Worked from 9:30 till 7:30pm on the roof and jet washing all the area after. Very professional and had all the kit even a drone to show you the results of the whole area . The difference is amazing and looks like a new roof . Really happy with the results and so many comments from neighbours too saying how good it looks . You will not be disappointed .
100% recommend this team . From start to finish was kept informed.On the morning a text to say what time they will be there and arrived on time . Worked from 9:30 till 7:30pm on the roof and jet washing all the area after. Very professional and had all the kit even a drone to show you the results of the whole area . The difference is amazing and looks like a new roof . Really happy with the results and so many comments from neighbours too saying how good it looks . You will not be disappointed .
Had our drive re sealed and repaired amazing job by Blake and Dan thanks very much for your hard work it looks amazing highly recommended company
Had our drive re sealed and repaired amazing job by Blake and Dan thanks very much for your hard work it looks amazing highly recommended company
What can I say other than WOW !! Massive thank you to Blake and Dan for all of your hard work, so professional and such an amazing job! Left everything spotless so pleased, highly recommend to everyone. Extremely happy
What can I say other than WOW !! Massive thank you to Blake and Dan for all of your hard work, so professional and such an amazing job! Left everything spotless so pleased, highly recommend to everyone. Extremely happy
Blake and team did a great job of cleaning and resealing our roof. They worked hard and communicated well by proactively keeping us updated at every stage. We are happy with the end result and the transformation was epic!
Blake and team did a great job of cleaning and resealing our roof. They worked hard and communicated well by proactively keeping us updated at every stage. We are happy with the end result and the transformation was epic!
We had excellent service from start to finish. The guys were very professional, discussed everything over the phone initially then a visit with the drone to allow accurate quarter and expectation management. On the day they were considerate with the neighbours, did a wonderful job with the roof and gutters and cleared up so well that everything looked far better than when they started. Cannot recommend more highly.
We had excellent service from start to finish. The guys were very professional, discussed everything over the phone initially then a visit with the drone to allow accurate quarter and expectation management. On the day they were considerate with the neighbours, did a wonderful job with the roof and gutters and cleared up so well that everything looked far better than when they started. Cannot recommend more highly.
Great guys. Amazing job on the drive and always answers the phone. Recommend 100%
Great guys. Amazing job on the drive and always answers the phone. Recommend 100%
Really impressed with Aquapro Roof cleaning. Very professional guys that done such a good job, that it looks like I’ve had a new roof installed, (after 40yrs of dirt and moss). Blake talked me through everything in detail, and answered any questions I had. Showed me the end result with his drone footage and left house clean and tidy. Highly recommended.
Really impressed with Aquapro Roof cleaning. Very professional guys that done such a good job, that it looks like I’ve had a new roof installed, (after 40yrs of dirt and moss). Blake talked me through everything in detail, and answered any questions I had. Showed me the end result with his drone footage and left house clean and tidy. Highly recommended.
Great service, lovely & friendly team. So happy with the patio.
Great service, lovely & friendly team. So happy with the patio.
Free gutter clean and biocide treatment with every roof clean. Cotswold stone slate, listed and conservation-area cottages handled correctly — by hand, never pressure. Fully insured, no-obligation quote, written the same day.
