Hidden Cotswold Tour 27th July 2023
At 10 am I was outside Simply B’s to be greeted through the window by John and his cup of coffee. It was a hearty welcome and I knew we would get on.
Once loaded up I drove straight to Daylesford Farm Shop and the Wellness centre to see about a massage for Saturday.
Chastleton House
Chastleton House was our first proper stop and we walked to have a look at the front and then we tackled the style to have a look at the garden and the side of the house. Carefully avoiding all the cow pats!
Chastleton House was built between 1607 and 1612 as a statement of wealth and power by prosperous wool merchant, Walter Jones. Owned by the same increasingly impoverished family for nearly 400 years, Chastleton has remained a time capsule and hidden treasure-trove for generations.
Blockley
We parked up opposite the bowls club in Blockley and went to have a look at the Church. I was glad to hear that they had watched the Father Brown series and so recognised the church.
We stopped in the cafe for a cup of coffee, John and Kay shared a slice of banana bread. Which they declared to be delicious
During the eighteenth century when the wool industry was in decline Blockley turned to silk production. By 1884 six silk mills powered by the fast-flowing Blockley brook provided work for about 600 people preparing silk for ribbon-making factories in Coventry. The Church is also well known from its role in the TV Series Father Brown.
Chipping Campden
In Chipping Campden we parked up near the church. We wandered around the church and then into the back of the church yard to get a view of the ruins of Baptist Hicks ex Manor House.
Next, it was time for lunch and we decided on the Bantam tea rooms for a sandwich. We chose a table and were served by a waitress who was either having a bad day or just didn’t like being a waitress.
Despite a few hiccups we eventually all got food which was better than the service. Thank you for treating me to lunch.
Chipping Campden is one of the loveliest small towns in the Cotswolds and a gilded masterpiece of limestone and craftsmanship. The main street curves in a shallow arc lined with a succession of ancient houses each grafted to the next but each with its own distinctive embellishments.
Dover's Hill
From Lunch we drove up to Dover’s Hill as I knew that they would love the view from the top. The views were spectacular with the light and the clouds. Kay got her ‘Money-Shot’ of a resting flock of sheep in the foreground with the rolling Cotswold hills in the background, framed by some trees. (I need your version!)
My photograph, on the other hand, was sadly not in the same league as Kay’s ☹
(I need your version!)
A natural amphitheatre on a spur of the Cotswolds, with views over the Vale of Evesham Dover’s Hill was the site of the original English Olympic Games, which began here 400 years ago in 1612. The tradition continues with the annual Cotswold Olimpicks – a fun-packed day for all ages. Of course, there’s much more to this historical amphitheatre than just fun and games. This mixture of grassland and woodland includes the site of a Roman vineyard and is also home to a variety of birds, insects and wild flowers
Hidcote Gardens
As this was day one of 4 days I was being a little bit too relaxed about timing and realised that we did not have time to visit both Hidcote and Stanway House. I plumped for Hidcote gardens as the sun was out and we should take advantage of this. I left them to wander around the gardens. I was delighted that they both loved the gardens and were buzzing when they came out.
Hidcote is one of the best-known and most influential Arts and Crafts gardens in Britain, with its linked “garden rooms” of hedges, rare trees, shrubs and herbaceous borders. Created by Lawrence Johnston, it is owned by the National Trust and is open to the public.
Cotswold Lavender
We were now up against time as Cotswold Lavender closed at 5pm.
So, driving as fast, sensibly and safely as possible we drove to Snowshill and the fabulous fields lavender. We were there in time to have 20 minutes in the fields. I am glad to say that the lavender did not disappoint and they managed to get some good photos.
The Cotswold village of Broadway is often referred to as the ‘Jewel of the Cotswolds’ and the ‘Show Village of England’ because of it’s sheer beauty and magnificence. The ‘broad way’ leads from the foot of the western Cotswolds escarpment with a wide grass-fringed street lined with ancient honey coloured limestone buildings dating back to the 16th century and earlier.
Donnington Brewery
As a final treat I drove to Donnington Brewery just to see and enjoy the setting of this beautiful place.
I was very happy to see one of the black swans there, as that is not always the case, along with some white swans. Even Patrick the Peacock was there looking down on us from a roof top. Sadly, I was not able to encourage him to call out.
Some of the brewery’s buildings date from 1291.
Like many mills in the Cotswolds, where the wool trade was so dominant, the one at Donnington probably started life as a cloth mill. However, in about 1580, it was rebuilt by the Lord of the Manor of Donnington and used for milling corn. Thomas Arkell bought the 13th-century watermill in idyllic countryside in 1827 and Richard Arkell began brewing on the site in 1865.
Today, the mill wheel is still used to drive pumps and machinery to brew their beer the same way 150 years on.
Route
From Donnington Brewery it was short journey back to Stow and to their accommodation.
It was a great day out , which I thoroughly enjoyed and I am rally looking forward to showing you more of the Cotswolds tomorrow and feeding off your woderful enthusiasm.