Cotswolds

The Cotswolds are to the north and west of Oxford. The name comes from "cote" which is a sheep's pen, and "wold" which means rolling hills. Ever since prehistoric peoples cleared the forests, this area has been used for raising sheep. Historically, wool for fabrics was the most important product, but with the Industrial Revolution and the advent of automated weaving (wool from the Cotswold breed is not suitable for machine weaving) and modern fibers, most sheep are raised for their meat. There are currently 40 million sheep in the Cotswolds, with 300 breeds, most of which are cross breeds and modern hybrids. The towns in the Cotswolds were "market towns" where the merchants sold their products to buyers from all over Europe and the Middle East.

The area was in severe recession until after World War II, when motor travel allowed it to be "discovered" and tourism became the primary industry. Houses are now so expensive that ownership is mostly by wealthy Londoners who use them for weekend homes. In 1947, local planning and preservation laws came into effect and strict guidelines dictate what styles and materials are acceptable for additions and new construction.
















Driving this area would be difficult if you don't know it well and the driver would be at a disadvantage, so we hired a driver/tour guide. Philip of Cotswold Roaming picked us up at the Oxford park-and-ride lot in a van and escorted us on a seven-hour trip. We went through many villages and small towns, all of them picturesque and several with streams running along the main street. These places are Burford, Tayton, the Barringtons, Great Rissington, Bourton-on-the-Water, the Slaughters, the Winsrush Valley, Naughton, Snowshill, Chipping-Campden (where we had lunch at Badger Hall), Broadway, Stanton, Stanway, Stowe-on-the-Wold, Chipping Norton and Woodstock. Most of them we just passed through, but in several we stopped for a short walk and in three we had a longer stop for sightseeing, photo-ops, and a bit of shopping. Some of the more famous of the towns are crowded with "tourists," but "discerning travelers" like us visited several out-of-the-way villages.

We saw several charming churches; the church was the center of village life and everyone attended. The lowliest people (like shepherds, servants, etc) always sat in the back, and they would tie their dogs to the posts at the end of the pews. You can still see the ridges worn into the posts as the dogs pulled on their leads during the service.













It was a long day but very enjoyable. And, yes, many of the houses are just as adorable as the famous pictures, with their thatched roofs and cottage gardens.

We finished the day with dinner at The Golden Ball (Luscombe's) in Lower Assendon. This is a restaurant (or GastroPub) on the site of a former pub. they have a new chef, Luscombe, and he turns out a delicious meal.