The Cotswolds are a corner of wild nature and “typical” England. The most “English villages” Part 1: The Cotswolds (Gloucestershire) The main attractions of Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds
The Cotswolds - a mountain range - the north-western frame of the London Basin. Located in west-central England, mainly in the counties of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. One of the officially recognized areas of “outstanding natural beauty” in the UK. These places are not called the Heart of England for nothing: ancient traditions and traditional architecture have been preserved here. This area, 25 miles wide and 90 miles long, is a Cotswold conservation area. Here picturesque hills, fields and streams are interspersed with ancient villages, where the spirit of England of the 17th and 18th centuries is still alive.
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The Cotswolds are famous for their beautiful plains and hills, outstanding countryside and river valleys, meadows and beech forests, ancient villages on limestone cliffs and historic small settlements. The picturesque Cotswolds are a country of rolling hills, lovely cottages made from local soft stone and secluded manor houses. Honey-colored houses are covered in roses and honeysuckle, curiosities shops will beckon and old country pubs will remind you of a way of life that has changed little over the past centuries in the beautifully preserved villages of the Cotswold Hills. Here you can see typical England frozen in time as it was approximately 300 years ago .
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Particularly picturesque are Stow-on-the-Wold, Broadway, Birford, Chipping Camden, and the quaintly named villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter, but wander along the lush green paths and you're sure to encounter other unexpected beauties.
Visitors come from all over the world to see the Cotswolds and its quaint villages
Nowadays it is mainly a tourist destination, but it was once a thriving place with a wool trade and then a weaving industry. It was she who made the Cotswolds famous. The stone houses were built hundreds of years ago and provide a unique insight into what England was like in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Most of the stone buildings were built from limestone quarried from the nearby hills. This limestone is still quarried here. Cotswold is the name of one of the types of English sheep, “cote” is a sheep pen, “wold” is the name of local pastures, which gave the name to the area.
A resident of the Cotswolds - a "cotsoler" - even today does not recognize such a novelty in construction as baked brick. The uselessness of this building material in the Cotswolds has been proven by centuries of practice: everything from churches to farms, from fences to pubs - everything was built here and is still being built from local shell rock - “oolite” - “egg stone” with a lumpy, caviar-like surface
Dilapidated roofing tiles made from the same oolite are replaced with exactly the same ones. Local masons have their own specification of construction parts: for the roof alone they require about thirty types - “Long Bachelor”, “Shorty Wife” and the like.
In a stone quarry, stone is still cut by hand - oolite is very soft and does not withstand mechanical cutting and blasting. Completely dilapidated Cotswold buildings are being dismantled literally “pebble by stone” and slabs that are more or less usable are being put into new use.
They say that a cotsoler can create anything from stone - except perhaps pudding. Nowadays many artificial materials have appeared, and the stone is now mined in a single quarry, it is clear that prices have increased.
"The most beautiful village in the Cotswords" William Morris (1834-1896) called Bibury (Arlington is called on one side of the Colne River, and Bibury on the other...).
Several films were filmed in Bibury, such as Bridget Jones's Diary and the Miss Marple films based on the stories of Agatha Christie.
Chipping Campden is a charming, historic wool trading town also located in the Cotswold region of Gloucestershire. Chipping Campden was once called the most beautiful village in England. It's easy to see why. One of the main attractions is the High Street. Filled with beautiful honey-colored stone buildings (14th to 17th centuries), it is often described as the most perfect High Street in England.
May 17th, 2014 , 08:13 pm
We continue our journey through the pearls of the Cotswolds. From Castle Combe - the most beautiful village in England - we go to Malmesbury - a place saturated with history, and then we reach the capital of this fabulous region - the town of Cirencester.
These days, Malmesbury has only 5 thousand inhabitants. But this tiny town or, if you like, village is very rich in history. Let's start with, perhaps, the most important attraction - Malmesbury Abbey or Cathedral.
The monastery at Malmesbury was founded back in 676 by Aldhelm. Later, the city began to grow and develop around the abbey. It is here, in the cathedral, that the legendary King Æthelstan is buried.
I still don’t understand if this is the same Athelstan, who is one of the main characters in the Vikings series. It seems to be more or less a coincidence in time, but for some reason Athelstan is a monk in the series. However, let's not get distracted. There are very few historical sources about this era, but in short: in 937, Æthelstan won the famous Battle of Brunaburg, after which he united those lands that are now called Great Britain into a single kingdom.
The chief historian of 12th-century England, William of Malmesbury, later wrote a lot about Athelstan, who, by the way, spent his entire life in the Malmesbury monastery. Inside the cathedral there is a stained glass window with the image of a famous historian, but I didn’t take a photo of it, so no luck. In any case, the stained glass window was installed only in 1928, so it has no historical value. And this is what the abbey looks like today.
This is about a third of the monumental structure that was built in the 14th century. The spire and the Western Tower collapsed over time, and part of the building also did not survive the century. This is what the abbey looked like in the 14th century (what has survived is highlighted in white).
In the abbey itself, in addition to Athelstan's tomb, there are two more important monuments. Firstly, a very cheap and very good bookstore, and secondly, a very cheap and very tasty pastry shop where they sell locally made pies - three times cheaper than in any other place. Local residents hang out right inside the cathedral - take coffee and pie, sit and relax))
Well, now, having refreshed ourselves, let's go on a short walk in Malmesbury - let's see what else they offer.
A market cross, somewhat similar to the one in Castle Combe - . In the Middle Ages, this structure was installed in cities that had a market, and it meant a trading area. Market Cross in Malmesbury was built in 1490, using stones from the abbey, which collapsed shortly before. It is considered the best preserved structure of its kind; in 1949 it was recognized as a first-level architectural monument.
Malmesbury Town Hall
There is a small museum inside.
The cottages in Malmesbury are absolutely stunning.
I especially liked this green one
In general, the streets of this seemingly tiny village are full of everything. I also found a hotel
And a tavern
And just shops
Another famous resident of Malmesbury is the historian and philosopher Thomas Hobbes, the author of "Leviathan" - a book that changed all political thinking of our time, as well as Hannah Twinnoy - a barmaid, famous for becoming the first British woman to die at the hands, or rather the paws, of a tiger)
Well, we leave Malmesbury and go to the nearby village of Cirencester.
A beautiful building right at the entrance to the village
Cirencester is considered the capital of the Cotswolds, as it is the largest "town" in the region - it is home to 19 thousand inhabitants.
In Roman times there was the second largest city in Brittania called Corinium. The first was Londinium (London), and it remained so). Well, or almost)
Cirencester's main square. It would be very beautiful if it weren’t spoiled by cars parked everywhere. The Cathedral of St. dominates the square. John Baptist
There is an exhibition of strange hares inside the church.
I was generally lucky on this trip to see sculptures of all sorts of strange animals. Superlambanans in Liverpool, pigs in Bath, and now hares in Cirencester)
The houses in Cirencester's main square are very colorful, in the truest sense of the word.
Fleece Hotel.
Located in a typical English house. Adore.
Another shot of the houses on the square
And we'll go for a walk through the streets of Cirencester
Tavern "Black Horse". I have already talked about this whole topic of pub names, in which for some reason there is always an animal and a color - . It is notable for the fact that the building was built from Cotsuld stone.
Some more buildings made from local stone
Also of the “market cross” type, although less impressive than its counterparts in Malmesbury and Castle Combe.
Well, since we're talking about the streets
A little cathedral to reinforce the theme
Curving in an arc along the outskirts of London, the M-25 ring road passes, beyond which, forming the outskirts of the English capital, are the inland counties, which are the heart of good old England. Beyond the web of suburbs, however, there is much to see. The north-west inland counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire are the most attractive, nestled in the picturesque Chiltern Hills, a band of chalk uplands whose wooded ridges rise above the town of Luton next to the M-1 highway, and, extending further to the southwest, disappear at the River Thames near the town of Reading.
The hills provide the perfect setting for the homes of the capital's rich, but for the average visitor the most obvious destination is Henley-on-Thames - a charming old town famous for its Regatta and offering the traveler a wide choice of hotels to stay. Henley is also a great base from which to further explore the area. The village of Cookham is the leader among the surrounding settlements with its famous Stanley Spencer Gallery, however, the town of Reading is also of some interest as the location of two of the most prestigious music festivals in Europe.
The Chiltern Hills are crossed by the Ridgeway, an ancient road that has existed since prehistoric times. It has now become a national hiking trail that provides excellent opportunities for long walks, although its most interesting part extends further west along the Thames Bridge over the chalk downs that bisect the border between Berkshire and Oxfordshire . Here the Ridgeway passes through a whole chain of prehistoric ones, the most unusual of which is the giant chalk horse, which gave its name to The Vale of White Horse.
The valley is dotted with charming little villages, with stops in both Woolstone and the flatter Uffington, but both villages are no match for the university town of Oxford, with its wonderful architecture, museums and vibrant student population. population. Getting to know the city may take several days. This area is considered the highlight of the program and is also located not far from Woodstock - a small attractive town adjacent to one of the most famous country palace complexes, Blenheim Palace.
North-east of Oxford, at a considerable distance from the Chiltern Hills, lie the flat landscapes of North Buckinghamshire. Although modest Buckingham is a pleasant enough place, it is also close enough to Stowe Gardens, which has a remarkable collection of sculptures, monuments and other “artistic” oddities. If you head east from Buckingham, you'll soon reach Woburn, home to Woburn Abbey, another unsurpassed majestic architectural masterpiece, and the Safari Park of the same name.
Another short drive from here to Bedfordshire - a flat area that is almost entirely occupied by agricultural land. Of course, this is not a county worth crossing England to visit, but Bedford is of some interest, as these places are associated with John Bunyan and can be useful in terms of the availability of hotels and restaurants.
Once you reach Bedfordshire you are on the eastern border of the Midlands, but if you head back towards London you will cross into Hertfordshire. Here the main destination for visiting is Saint Albans - an ancient and remarkable town that has preserved traces of the culture of the Roman Empire, which is lost among numerous transport junctions and highways and is cut off from the “outside” world by new satellite towns that have grown up in the suburbs of London .
Among these new towns are Welwyn Garden City and Hemel Hempstead, which at first glance are unremarkable, but in fact have several “surprises” for tourists, the main one of which is one of the most remarkable old family estates - Hatfield -House (Hatfield House).
In the area called the Cotswolds, which is located in the eastern part of Gloucestershire, there are numerous evidences of its former prosperity, and these are not only the beautiful houses, mansions and churches that were built in these places in the Middle Ages at huge expense, received from the sheep wool trade, but also stunning local villages, as picturesque as most English villages, nestled around cities, their buildings and structures are a kind of continuation of urban architecture.
However, at the height of the tourist season, some of them turn into a real swarm of bees due to the large influx of visitors. The situation regarding the influx of tourists in the south of the region in the villages located around the trading city of Cirencester, which was one of their strongholds during the Roman conquest, is much calmer. The city itself continues to be an important transport hub.
To the west, the terrain is slightly rugged, ranging from low elevation to quieter, flat terrain that extends to the town of Cheltenham, an elegant Regency spa town (1810-1820) now more famous for its horse racing. The town's reputation as a bastion of conservative women who graduated from various prestigious institutions of higher education and were nicknamed "blue stockings" is a thing of the past. Nowadays, the city has established a reputation as an entertainment center with numerous, some of the best restaurants in the region, various nightclubs and other entertainment venues.
However, this is just an “external gloss”, designed to attract an idle public, ready to easily part with their money for the sake of all kinds of pleasures. – a great place to stop to explore Gloucester, which has a beautiful cathedral and a superbly restored harbour, as well as the town of Stroud, which, judging by reviews, has a wonderful Museum Park.
The valley in which Gloucester sits comfortably stretches along the banks of the Severn River in a north-easterly direction towards Worcestershire. The wonderful stone and brick houses of the Cotswolds are gradually giving way to the old half-timber and half-red-brick thatched houses which, together with the remarkable character of the absolutely provincial town of Tewkesbury, serve as a hallmark.
Oxfordshire is crossed by five motorways - the M25, M4, M40, M1 and A1 (M) - making it easy to reach from all directions, but drivers will need a more detailed map of the area to explore the countryside. . Intercity bus routes, laid mainly along highways, reliably connect all major cities, but local bus service between small settlements is either completely absent or very irregular.
From Paddington Station in London the main line provides services to Oxford, Henley-on-Thames and Reading, and from St Pancras Station in London there is a service to St Albans and Bedford, these main lines are supplemented by a number of local services, of which The most important line for tourists is the line between Henley-on-Thames and Cookham.
To get to the Cotswolds, you can use the Oxford line, which passes through the town of Moreton-in-Marsh, located in the heart of the Cotswolds. There are direct lines to Cheltenham and Gloucester, which are also important transport hubs. Buses run from these cities to almost all places.
However, it should be remembered that bus services in the Cotswolds and surrounding areas are not very regular, especially on Sundays. Traveling by car would be ideal for exploring the area, while the M-5 motorway can be used to travel further afield.
Top attractions in Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds
1). Chiltern Hills(Chiltern Hills) - Extend southwest of Luton to the River Thames, which flows near the town of Reading. They are covered with forests and offer a beautiful forest landscape. The town of Henley-on-Thames, home to the famous Regatta, is the most convenient stop for further exploration and exploration of the surrounding area;
2). (The Vale of White Horse) - Takes its name from the figure of a huge prehistoric horse carved into the chalk rocks on the slopes of the Berkshire Downs;
3). Radcliffe vault(Radcliffe Camera) – A monumental vaulted structure with a domed roof, located in Oxford, which is famous for its beautiful ancient buildings, but the most impressive of them is the Rotunda, built in the Italian style;
4). Restaurant Le Petit Blanc– There are several excellent restaurants in Oxford, but the pinnacle of culinary art is crowned by the cuisine of Le Petit Blanc, the creation of the French chef Raymond Blanc;
5). (Saint Albans) – A very attractive town located on the northern tip of London, which has beautifully preserved Roman mosaics and a wonderful cathedral;
6). Falkland Arms, Great Tew(Great Tew) – An excellent pub in a charming village in the heart of the Cotswolds;
7). Chipping Campden(Chipping Campden) - In Gloucestershire. Possibly the most attractive town in the Cotswolds, with its honey-coloured stone houses surrounding the wonderful church of St James.
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The Cotswolds are one of the most picturesque corners and a vivid symbol of rural England - these landscapes are now so popular among landscape masters all over the world. Small villages with houses that look like something out of a fairy tale, beautiful gardens, endless meadows, buildings three hundred years old - all this attracts those who want to see the real England.
Geographically, the Cotswolds are a hilly, limestone region in Gloucestershire. The word "cotswolds" also refers to a type of local sheep, which apparently gave the area its name. The area is an hour and a half away by car or train from London. The train departs from Paddington Station and travels to Kemble and Strode Station (South Cotswolds) or Moreton-in-Marsh Station (North Cotswolds).
The rural Cotswolds are surrounded by large cities such as Stratford, Oxford, Bath, Cheltenham, and the ancient city of Gloucester. Small towns - Cirencester and Tewkesbury and very small villages, but no less interesting: Bourton-on-the-Water, Burford, Chipping Campden, Stow-on-the-Wold, Arlington and Bibury.
Attractions
The main attraction of these places is rightfully considered to be the gardens and gardens, which have already become a symbol of rural England - in landscape design, this area has long been the progenitor of an entire style. Rural England, and the Cotswolds in particular, is conducive to romantic walks and leisurely relaxation. The relative proximity to London makes it possible to quickly change the environment and pace of life.
In the Cotswold villages there are many antique shops and hotels located right in old mansions with historical architecture, so collectors of vintage items will be very interested here.
Bibury village
William Morris, an English poet and artist living in the Victorian era, called Bibury "the most beautiful village in the Cotswords." This village is located a few miles from the town of Cirensester, the “capital” of the Cotswolds.
Every house in Biburi is a relic. In the Cotswolds, it is not customary to build from brick - all buildings here have long been built from local shell rock “oolite”, with a lumpy, caviar-like surface.
The local stone quarry still cuts stone by hand - oolite is very soft and does not withstand mechanical cutting and blasting. Completely dilapidated Cotswold buildings are being dismantled literally “pebble by stone” and the more or less usable slabs are being put into new use.
Biburi will be familiar to film fans from the landscapes from the film Bridget Jones's Diary, as well as the streets from the films about Miss Marple based on the stories of Agatha Christie.
Why else go to the Cotswolds?
1. Walk and enjoy rural landscapes and river valleys, meadows and beech forests, ancient villages on limestone cliffs and historical small settlements. It is here that you can see typical England frozen in time as it was approximately 300 years ago.
2. Come to the town Tetbury, Gloucestershire, where the heir to the British crown, Prince Charles, opened a store of organic products and goods for home and garden. The store was named Highgrove 2 (10 Long Street, Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8AQ) - the same as the royal family's farmland, where organic vegetables and fruit, herbs, grains and spices have been grown for almost thirty years.
3. Look into the village Bourton-on-the-Water and visit the car museum and bird park. Interesting local attraction: Model Village is an exact copy of Bourton-on-the-Water itself, only nine times smaller.
4. In the market town Stow-on-the-Wold wander through the antique shops and art galleries: in those scattered in the alleys around the market square, you can find real treasures.
5. Visit the city Cheltenham, known as a water resort since the 18th century. In the city's Pittville Park there is a mineral water drinking room with a fountain. There is a local museum nearby where you can learn about the history of this English health resort and local celebrities.
Sights of England-
The Cotswolds or Cotswold Hills (eng. Cotswold Hills, Cotswolds) are a mountain range in the west-central part of England, which falls mainly on the counties of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. The Cotswolds stretch in a narrow, 25 km, strip along the left bank of the Severn River for approximately a hundred kilometers. England's most famous river, the Thames, originates on its eastern slopes. The Cotswolds are an officially designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The rural Cotswolds are surrounded by large cities such as Stratford, Oxford, Bath, Cheltenham, and the ancient city of Gloucester. Small towns - Cirencester and Tewkesbury and very small, but no less interesting villages: Bourton-on-the-Water, Burford, Chipping Campden, Stow-on-the-Wold, Arlington and Bibury.
The Cotswolds are one of the most picturesque corners and a vivid symbol of rural England: small villages with houses surrounded by greenery, beautiful gardens and meadows - providing an opportunity to look into good old England. In the Cotswold villages there are many antique shops and hotels located right in old mansions with historical architecture, so collectors of vintage items will be very interested.
Why go to the Cotswolds?
1. Visit an amazing place called Biburi village(Bibury) - which is a few miles from the town of Cirensester. William Morris, an English poet and artist who lived in the Victorian era, once called Bibury “the most beautiful village in the Cotswords.” Each house in Biburi is truly unique. Since ancient times, all houses here have been built from local shell rock - oolite, with a lumpy, porous surface. In the local stone quarry, stone is still cut by hand - oolite is very soft and does not withstand mechanical cutting. By the way, several films were filmed in Bibury: “Bridget Jones’s Diary” and a series of films about Miss Marple based on the stories of Agatha Christie.
2. Take a walk and enjoy rural landscapes and river valleys, meadows and beech forests, ancient villages on limestone cliffs and historical small settlements. It is here that you can see typical England frozen in time as it was approximately 300 years ago.
3. Come to the town Tetbury, Gloucestershire, where the heir to the British crown, Prince Charles, opened a store of organic products and goods for home and garden. The store was named Highgrove 2 (10 Long Street, Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8AQ) - the same as the royal family's farmland, where organic vegetables and fruit, herbs, grains and spices have been grown for almost thirty years.
4. Look into the village Bourton on the Water and visit the car museum and bird park. Interesting local attraction: Model Village is an exact copy of Bourton-on-the-Water itself, only nine times smaller.
5. In a market town Stow-on-the-Wold wander through the antique shops and art galleries: in those scattered in the alleys around the market square, you can find real treasures.