The Cotwolds

The Cotswolds in South West England is a spectacular part of the country, and is a very different area from Cornwall, the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, etc. It definitely has its own unique identity. From its idyllic wonderful dry stone walls, which are art form in themselves, to the delightful sandstone houses and buildings throughout this beautiful area, the Cotswolds have become one of the most popular areas for our clients to tour and base themselves in the last two years.

When touring most of our clients will stay in The Broadway which nearer to Cheltenham and Stratford upon Avon than Bath for example.

It does not matter which direction you travel in, arriving in this place is spectacular. Oxford, which is on the outskirts of the Cotswolds, has some of the best architecture in the UK. Thirty nine colleges make a huge campus city which Oxford has become over the centuries .

Travel 9 miles from here to Woodstock, which is home to Blenheim Palace, the birth place of Sir Winston Churchill. With its wonderful grounds, Blenheim Palace today is still the home of the Churchill family. It is currently the home of the Twelfth Duke of Marlborough, Charles James Spencer-Churchill. The land is now owned by the King since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. The Churchill family has paid rent for the land for the past 300 years. Blenheim Palace sits on 2,000 acres. The palace itself has 187 rooms and is bigger than Buckingham Palace.

St Martin's Church Bladon is the final resting place for Sir Winston Churchill, who was buried next to his parents and brother in St Martin’s Churchyard at Bladon. In contrast to the service at St Paul’s Cathedral, the burial was private with only relatives and close friends in attendance. Lady Spencer-Churchill died on 12 December 1977 at the age of 92 years old. She was buried with her husband at St Martin’s Church, Bladon.

Stow on the Wold is a wonderful small town in the heart of the Cotswolds. It has a long history and had a special importance in the English Civil War. The Battle of Stow on the Wold, fought at nearby Donnington in 1646, saw the defeat of the last royalist field army. St Edward’s Church was used as a prison for the defeated Royalist troops, as it was the only lockable building in the town. Some of the damage sustained at this time can still be seen today and in the churchyard is the tombstone of Captain Hastings Keyte, who died at the battle. St Edward's church is also famous for its ‘Tolkien esque’ North Door flanked by two ancient yew trees, supposedly the inspiration for the 'Doors of Durin' in the Lord of the Rings.

Tetbury is in an area of outstanding natural beauty and the second largest town in the Cotswolds. It is the home of King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom. Tetbury was an important market for Cotswold wool and yarn during the middle ages. Today, it is better associated with boutique shops, great food, and its royal connections.

Castle Combe is a location we visit every time we are in the Cotswolds. Inside the church there is a knights Templar tomb from the 13th century.  The village has featured regularly as a film location, most recently in The Wolf Man, Stardust and Stephen Spielberg’s War Horse. It was also used in the original Dr Doolittle film.

The village has a rich history and the houses are made up of the honey coloured Cotswold stone, typical for a village of this area. Within Castle Combe you’ll find a Market Cross and St Andrew’s Church which dates from the 13th century. The church houses a faceless clock which is reputed to be one of the oldest working clocks in the country.

Bath is a tremendous city which dates back to the Roman times. After the invasion of Britannia (England) in AD43 they arrived in Bath in AD78 and built their Roman city and fortress. Bath's most famous attractions include the Roman Baths, the Royal Crescent, the Bath Abbey and the Jane Austen's house and visitor Centre, as well as its many shops, restaurants, and cultural events. The city is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised for its significant cultural and architectural importance.

These are just a few of the numerous beautiful hamlets, villages, towns and cities across the wonderful area which is known as the Cotswolds.

For more information please contact ian@tet.tours