Make the most of The Cotswolds historic places
26 November 2020
Latherham House is nestled in the heart of the beautiful, Regency spa town of Cheltenham, on the edge of the stunning Cotswolds. Whilst visiting many historic buildings the area has to offer may not be possible for now, the ancient landscape of The Cotswolds is awash with places and monuments that reflect over 4000 years of history, many of which can be visited with fewer restrictions in place. History is all around as you soak up this stunning part of the country.
Rollright Stones
The Neolithic/ Bronze Age stone circle on the Oxfordshire/Warwickshire border is a thing of wonder, even in the 12th Century, it was first mentioned in an account entitled the Wonders of Britain. This ceremonial stone circle was erected around 2,500BC, and at present there are seventy-odd stones of heavily weathered local limestone set in a rather irregular ring about 31m across. Stones have been removed over the years, taken away to make bridges and the like, but they are no less mysterious today and Rollright Stones can be visited and as an open air site remain generally accessible for a £1 entrance fee payable online.
The Cotswold wool merchants
At the height of the Cotswold wool industry the beautiful town of Stow on the Wold was famous for its huge annual fairs where as many as 20,000 sheep were sold at any one time. Today, visit towns like Stow to see the legacy of the merchants’ houses, almshouses and churches built by the wealth of the wool merchants. William Grevel ‘the flower of the wool merchants of all England’ is commemorated in a 15th Century brass in the ‘wool church’ of St James, Chipping Camden where you can also see his splendid Grevel House on the High Street opposite the 14th Century Woolstaplers Hall where the fleeces were sold.
Canals and mills
Clothmaking was also a big part of The Cotswolds, particularly in the 18th Century when the Cotswolds Canals brought coal to the Stroud Valleys and the textile mills. View the quaint weavers’ cottages, mills and clothiers’ townhouses in places like Castle Combe or Bradford on Avon. There are also guided walks by Stroudwater Textile Trust, mill open days or take a stroll, cycle or boat trip along the canals.
Blenheim Palace
The magnificent Vanbrugh jewel might be closed for now but the splendid Park and Gardens are still open to the public through pre-booked tickets. Discover the stunning and historic formal gardens and landscaped grounds throughout Autumn and Winter, created over the centuries by designers such as Henry Wise, Achille Duchene and Capability Brown. There are many walks to enjoy taking in the Formal Gardens, The Lake, The Queen Pool and more, including a new Tree Trail, with some stunning views, plenty of wildlife to spot and all the colours of Autumn to enjoy.
An uncommon common
Cleeve Common offers stunning wide open spaces and breathtaking views and has been attracting visitors for over 200 years. Today it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and although privately owned is open to the pubic to visit. The Cotswold Way runs across the Common, cyclists and horse riders can explore on the various permitted byways, there are lots of trails to follow for walkers and runners on the Cleeve Common website. There is even a Golf Course and over 1000 acres of scenic beauty, geology, wildlife, archaeology and history, including an Iron Age hill fort, the curious circular earthwork, ‘The Ring’, Huddlestone’s Table and the Washpool.
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If Cotswold life appeals, Latherham House in historic Cheltenham is where to make your next best move. Located on Clarence Street in the heart of the Spa town, the collection 67 homes offers the finest in later living. To discover more please call our sales team on: 01242 312198 or email: [email protected]. Prices start from £299,000 and rental from £1000 pcm.