THE COTSWOLDSA couple of weeks ago we visited our home town of Winchcombe in the County of Gloucestershire. This area in south west England, is known as the Cotswolds. Loved for its outstanding natural beauty, glorious landscapes of gently rolling hills, its elegant towns with distinctive regal architecture and the most enchanting little Cotswold villages that typify the perfect English rural scene.
Winchcombe is an old Saxon town which nestles comfortably at the foot of the north-west hills and is steeped in history. It has an ancient castle (Sudeley), to which Queen Katherine Parr, (widow of King Henry VIII) bought her court on her marriage to Sir Thomas Seymour. Katherine is buried in St Mary’s chapel at Sudeley.
Most buildings in the Cotswold are built from the yellow limestone which is quarried locally, it is often described as yellow or honey stone, so, even on a dull, rainy day, cottages looked bathed in sunshine.
Here are a few photographs I took
13 comments:
Hi Marion, we were in the Cotswolds in October, and lived in Wyk Rissington. We had rent there a Holiday Cottage. First day we go to Stoke an Trent and visit 8 Potterys and I’ve bought a lot of porcelain, because I collect Tea-pots. Then we see Stonehouse-Garden in Wyk Rissington, a private garden with 8000 qm. Sudeley Castle Gardens (I love all the jew), Winchcomb (were I baught a Classic Salat bowle) and The Slaughters, Snowshill Manor, Morton in Marsh (were we have had a Cottage 2 years ago), Minster Lovel and Hidcote, Cirencester and Chipping Campden, Cheltenham Spa and Chestleton House, Burton on the water, Burford and Burford Garden-Center (I love it), Broadway and Bibury with the Arlington Road. And all my lovely Pictures I made I show now the girls in a German Garden-Forum.
Each year, when I am in Britain, I buy Garden Books, because they are so good and I most buy in Publisher outlets.
Sigrun
Oh Marion, the last of your pictures, is it in front of the Tourist Office, where the Police-Museum is?
Sigrun
Marion, Your pictures and post are fascinating! I love seeing these and enlarged them for a better look! We just watched the Public Broadcasting tv special on Henry and all his poor wives. It was interesting but sad really. I enjoyed your comments about Edvard Grieg over at knitting kat. What you said about visiting his home and final resting place was very intersting and I will remember that for a long time....smile. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences!
Great photos of a lovely town. In 1993, we visited Winchcombe with my cousins from Bristol. We were looking for the house in which my father's relatives had lived, just outside the town. We found the house, too.
We then had a delicious lunch at The Royal Oak pub, which may have been in Greet or Gretton. Do you know it?
I love England with a passion, especially the villages like Ledbury, Ludlow, Chipping Camden, Chippenham, and so many others. Cheltenham is lovely, too. Have you been to Bibury?
Is it possible that in a past life I lived in England, as I truly love all the old villages, cottages and scenery.
Oh well maybe one day I will get to visit :)
I’ve been experiencing problems with blogger and have not been able to access my site. Its still quite temperamental, so I’m answering comments left individually, I’d hate to go on merrily and then loose all my text.
Hello Sigrun...
I was so thrilled to read your comments, you have certainly visited many places in the Cotswolds. All the names you mention are so familiar to me. I know Stoke on Trent too, although from many years ago. When I worked in tourism, I arranged many trips to the potteries there, I know you can get some very good bargains, did you look around the Wedgewood factory? Oh! and did you visit the Bass Brewery there? that’s another popular place where you not only see the brewing process of the beer, you have time to take free tasters too.
So you’ve actually been to Sudeley Castle... Yes, the gardens are truly beautiful. I would take the children there on regular visits during the summer, the gardens are a delight. They held various festivals there too, like air balloons competitions, the sky would look so beautiful with so many colourful balloons floating overhead, they also had antique fairs, classic car & old machinery rallies. So many events.
The Slaughters, Upper & Lower, how I love these exquisite little villages, Bibury with its trout farm, my children loved to feed the fish there and the gorgeous cottages in Arlington Row,. All quite, quite enchanting and with lovely sounding names
I loved Broadway too, it was about 5 miles drive from where we lived, all those thatched cottages, a real chocolate box village.
Hidcote Manor (National Trust), with its beautiful formal gardens and superb hedges. We loved to visit there,. In summer, plays would be performed outdoors. A fabulous setting, my very favourite was seeing ‘Wind in the Willows’. During a break in the performance, wicker picnic baskets would be opened up and the contents tucked into as people sat in their own little groups on the grass. You could always count on a few champagne corks being popped too. I have a recollection that the plays were performed on what was called the ‘theatre lawn’.
I can well imagine that you have a terrific collection of photographs. I do wish you had a blog Sigrun and you could share these with us.
I gather that you visit Britain each year, do tell me where you next trip is planned to.
Oh gardening books. I love them. I have so many, each time I buy one, I vow it will be the last, but it never is.
I have enjoyed your reading your comments so much, its been quite a nostalgic for me. thank you.
Oh! I mustn’t forget! You are absolutely correct, the old stocks are right outside Winchcombe’s Tourist Office/Police Museum. This little town is where I did my everyday shopping.
Cheltenham Spa - A beautiful Regency town! This is where my office was, so I would drive from my village (more about that in my response to Alice) over Cleeve Hill and down into Cheltenham, you have probably done the same journey. Marion
Maggie, Val & Sharon. I’m pleased that you enjoyed your brief visit to the Cotswold. It certainly has tons of history and I guess you take it a bit for granted when you live in such an historic place.
Maggie, I agree, Henry VIII was quite a lad wasn’t he? All those poor wives. I’m pleased that Katherine Parr outlived him and found happiness in beautiful Sudeley with Thomas Seymour.
Val - Who knows about past lives, but I hope you manage to visit Britain one day.
Sharon - You take us on some lovely walks too, this is what is so great about blogging, we can share so much. Marion
Alice.... Well, I haven’t quite caught my breath after reading your comment. This is quite remarkable. Let me tell you what my address was when I lived in the Cotswold.... **** Market Lane, GREET, Winchcombe.
We were actually still living there when you visited in 1993. Greet is just a little hamlet, no shop, no church, just a pub - The Harvest Home and then about half a mile along the Gretton Road is the Royal Oak pub where you had lunch. The Royal Oak used to be a typically old Cotswold pub, inglenook fireplace, little nooks and crannies where you’d sit. Local farmers would come in for a ‘pint’ with their loyal sheepdog, who would sit patiently at their master’s feet, whilst the world was put to right. It then had a re-furb, but thankfully it still retaines its country rustic feel.
Alice, I’m longing to know where your father’s relatives lived. When I bought my house in Greet, I bought it from people who were moving out to Australia to family they had out there!!!!! No it can’t be! can it????? Marion
Hi Marion, yes, I see Wedgewood, but I found nothing there. I was disappointed! No, I have not visit a brewery, because I was very tired after visiting 8 potteries. But in years ago we go two times to Worchester to buy porcelain at Worchester Pottery, I like it very much and have 'Worchester herbs' , a nice pattern. With butterfly’s and flowers and herbs on it.
Sudeley all my German friends love because of my pictures from all the yew, how many times go past that the yews are so big?
We are member of the NT and visit all properties that we can reach in a holiday.
May be, when I have time I create my own blog!
At Cheltenham I bought some tea at Whittard of Chelsea, I like Earl Grey very much. I celebrate Tea time each day. My friends love to drink tea at my home with self-made scones, Strawberry jam and cream.
Next year I become 50 years old and my wish is to go to Britain in summer. Normally we go at Easter or in autumn holidays, because of my garden, I can not leave him alone in summer. And I have three cats. They go in a cattery for a lot of money each year.
We want to go next year first to Sissinghurst, and then look around and may be going to Cornwall, were we have spent our holidays in 1999 in October with our daughter. In 2003 I was in summer in Cornwall with a group but without my husband, sorry. The gardens are so beautiful, but more I like the gardens in Kent. I like Roses very much, but also perennials. My favourites are Hostas and Geraniums, and Roses.
See you!
Sigrun
Just beautiful photos Marion....I love these villages and cottages...they look so familiar to me, but Have never been there...hope to visit someday!
Chocolate box pretty - those English villages are hard to beat for beauty and charm.
I like so much Englad and I miss it so much.
I used to go there twice a year. Not anymore.
Well, maybe one day...
paula
oh i love these pictures so much..
beautiful place...
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