Chapter 35: The Cotswolds

Today, we drive into The Cotswolds to see if they are as wonderful as everyone says. We choose Bourton-on-the-Water, in Gloucestershire, the primary destination of most visitors as the guidebooks tell us. We begin with the popular Model Village, an amazing re-creation of the real village, carefully modelled on a 1/9 scale. It is rather fun to then walk through Bourton-on-the-Water and recognize the buildings we have just seen in small scale.

Apparently, every building in Bourton-on-the-Water is built of Cotswold Stone, most in the classic Cotswold style: golden stone, stone mullions and dormers, with the typical steeply pitched roof, essential to maintain the weight of the roof tiles. Earlier buildings have small windows, because glass was expensive and windows were taxed.

The Model Village in Bourton-on-the-Water was built by local craftsmen in the 1930s and opened on Coronation Day, 1937. It has been attracting tourists ever since. It really is quite remarkable.

My grandson crouches down to look into the window of the miniature bakery, where we buy him a real treat soon after.

My grandson has great fun in the village, peering into doorways, listening to the choir singing in the Baptist Church.

Built from stone from the same quarry as the stone which was used in building Bourton-on-the-Water, the stone is gradually aging as the years go by as the village building stone has. The model village has its own stone mason employed to keep the buildings in good repair, and to update buildings, such as changing signs on models of shops that change their names in the real village.

One curious aspect of the Model Village is that in one corner of the Model Village is a miniature of the Model Village, with its own miniature of the Model Village---and so on. As it decreases in size it becomes an incredible 1:6561 size! (To me, that is mathematically amazing.)

If I get down on my knees and crouch as low as possible, the photos seem to be of real buildings, not miniatures.

The Model Village uses real flowers, plants and trees, not of the Bonsai type, but carefully nurtured to appear tiny.
Above, the model of The Mad Hatter shop in Bourton-on-the-Water; below, the real McCoy.

Above, the Motor Museum model; below, the real Motor Museum.

Below, left, is the tower of the local church, after which the 1/9th copy in the Model Village is modelled.

The Bourton-on-the-Water Church of St Lawrence was originally a wooden structure from 709 AD; it was eventually replaced by a Norman structure in 1110 AD and rebuilt in the mostly neo-classical style we see today.

I don't think I have ever seen a skull and crossbones over a church door, but this is what I find over a door into St Lawrence Church. It is also the first time I have noticed the town funeral parlour located right beside the local church, which, of course, makes sense for many reasons.

I see few homes, even newer ones, that are not made with famous Cotswold limestone, which ages into the predominant honey colour that is so pleasing to the eye.

We eat lunch at one of the dozen or so restaurants, The Croft. All of the food we choose is excellent. I have Bangers and Mash, huge sausages with onion gravy.

Outside one pub a group of local Morris Dancers is busking for the crowd. Walking in the street behind the pub I wondered what the clacking of sticks I could hear meant, so I came to the front to watch the men dancing. They have finished the stick dance and are now performing a handkerchief dance. Here there are six dancers, a "fool" and a "beast." Morris Dancing is famous in The Cotswolds, and has been since the 13th century. Some believe it originated in Spain as Moorish Dancing.

Around one corner I spot the local Baptist Church.

The River Windrush flows gently through the centre of the village. The depth of the entire river here is no more than ten inches, so as the day warms up, more and more children are seen wading. Downstream, families of ducks and large trout gobble up the bread we toss to them. Steve has inadvertently bought nine stale baguettes for 90p, but we realise that bread cannot really be good food for ducks or fish, and we end up tossing about eight loaves away. I chuckle as I play with the idea of "loaves and fishes" with the variation of "loaves for fishes."

At first, these blue objects puzzle me, so I snap a photo as we walk into town from the large car park at the edge. It is only after I load the photo into the computer and look more closely that I realise that these are recycling bags, likely knocked accidentally into the river from one of the numerous shops upstream. The town is, in fact, remarkably clean and tidy, a state that, sadly, is not achieved by many British towns and cities. In many ways, Bourton-on-the-Water (and Stow-on-the-Wold) are very much like Nova Scotia's Annapolis Royal or Mahone Bay: preserved mainly to serve the tourism industry. But when it has been done well, as in Nova Scotia and in The Cotswolds, it is not too objectionable.

Bourton-on-the-Water is arguably the largest tourist attraction (trap) in The Cotswolds. Visitors of every nationality seem to arrive during the day, and it becomes crowded quickly. There are dozens of specialty shops. For my grandson, his parents make one purchase: a 4 x 8 mat upon which is printed a town with streets and buildings; it reminds me of similar linoleum our mother bought Petey and me when we were boys, upon which to play with our Dinky Cars.

Some of the quaint signage, this one on the oddly named The Old New Inn, behind which is the model village.

I have always loved cars, so we visit the Motor Museum, and find classics such as this 1950 MG TD. I recall as a teenager that when we bought Maurice Dimock's house in Wolfville, his garage was chock-a-block full of automotive artefacts such as are on display here. I also found dozens of old licence plates and other items that I sold eventually, or gave away to classic car buffs. Of course, family and friends will recall that growing up in Wolfville, we owned Austins, Austin-Healeys, Triumphs, and MGBs.

My grandson is as amused with the cars in the Motor Museum as I am; he especially likes this Mini (driven by the Beatles). His grandmother in Nova Scotia wore these 60s-styles clothes, and his Aunty Tessa still loves the "retro" look.

Although I have a well known phone phobia and rarely use the darn things, I do love the disappearing traditional red phone booths for which England is famous. I pause at this one before we leave Bourton-on-the-Water.

We drive to nearby Stow-on-the-Wold, which we drove to once before. The Market Square Cross with St Edward's Hall in the background.

The typical town-centre cross in Stow-on-the-Wold, with St Edward's Parish Church in the background.

The Market Square in Stow-on-the-Wold, a (poor) panorama from in front of The Kings Arms Pub.

I suspect I am not the first visitor to assume that this was a church, but in fact it was built as the community hall, the meeting place and library. It is called St Edward's Hall, built from the 11th to 15th centuries.

The figure of St Edward is visible on the bell tower of St Edward's Hall, the centre of the Market Square.

A few years back, in 1645, King Charles 1 stayed here before the Battle of Naseby. In fact, in March 1646, the last battle of the English Civil War was fought here, near Stow-on-the-Wold. Stow is built on a 700-foot hill, at the intersection of eight major roads, including the Roman Fosse Way.

Honestly, I think this Kings Arms Pub is superior to a local establishment near home with the same name.

Probably not traditional art, if art at all, but my former students will know why I am so pleased with these pigs over the mantel.

Perhaps this is what is known as "the Crooked House;" I am unsure, but the asymmetrical lines are wonderful. A great deal is known about the craftsmen builders of The Cotswolds, although I have not seen mention of the absence of the level and the plumb-line.

Stow-on-the-Wold is marketed as a shopping mecca for those seeking crafts from The Cotswolds--especially pottery--and has numerous antiques shops and art shops. One outfitter sells Stetsons, in English styles, and I am sore tempted to buy a leather cap at £49, but it comes only in extra-large. Even my head, especially lacking in hirsuteness, is not "literally" that large!

If I ever become wealthy I shall return here to shop more in this tapestry gallery. I had bought a William Morris reproduction, "Pomona," as a large pillow case. Now I buy a cushion cover, an Indian elephant. These products are made from traditional European Jacquard woven tapestry. How is it that now retired, I tend to buy the kinds of things my grandparents would have purchased? It is a mystery to me.

Although we choose not to eat here, there is something intriguing about a pub or inn that has been operating here since 947 AD. The board says this is England's oldest pub, and the eighth best. (What a curious claim to fame: who gets to be called the BEST?)

Many of these towns--perhaps those that are tourist "honey-pots," have a sweet shop, with rows of candies and sweets of every type. I like to look, but do not eat candy or chocolate.

St Edward's Church in Stow-on-the-Wold. Very typical of so many British churches, it is, nevertheless, worth visiting, if only for its quietness next to the bustling Market Square.

Nothing better illustrates the age of churches like this as ancient trees growing practically into the stone walls.

The Cotswolds are noted for their gardens. I select a few images from Stow-on-the-Wold.

We drive a few miles to Lower Slaughter, which is bisected by the River Eye. St Mary's Church is quiet and peaceful, built on a Medieval foundation. Lower and Upper Slaughter are names based on the Anglo-Saxon, "slough" or muddy place, much to our relief, imagining more sinister possibilities.
This photo is copyright P.A.Woodward
Lower Slaughter is compared to Bourton-on-the-Water, but without the shops, tourist attractions, and tourists! Or parking.

This photo is copyright Pam Bromphy.
We have read about Lower Slaughter in my book about the most beautiful villages in the UK; we agree that it is picturesque, but we do not find a place to park for very long. We see other visitors, but they seem to have walked here from nearby Bourton-on-the-Water.

An example, from Lower Slaughter, of a typical dry-stone wall, famous in The Cotswolds for centuries. Made without mortar or cement, these walls last hundreds of years with minimal maintenance. They remain dry because air circulates in the walls, keeping the limestone dry.

Cotswold houses maintain the characteristic style known throughout this area. This row is near Little Barrington.
This photo is copyright Pam Bromphy.
Twice I have passed Bliss Mill with its 165-foot chimney, on the edge of Chipping Norton, and failed to get a photo, so I have used a stock photo. Bliss Mill was a textile or tweed mill, built in 1872 by the town's benefactor, William Bliss. It was in use until 1980, after which it was converted to luxury apartments. (One can be had for a measly £495,000 this week!)

I take these shots at Little Barrington, near Burford. The beauty of the Cotswolds is apparent, but once again, the high hedges along many of the roads, and the British penchant for driving fast, preclude much stopping. My daughter comments that the British should consider putting in stopping places for tourists with cameras, travelling in cars.

Now, my time in England is growing short, but I have a chapter or two more to write, and possibly a trip or two more to make. And there is always the hope that things will work out and I might get the opportunity to visit again next year.