England Travel » Cotswolds

Malmesbury – England’s Oldest Borough

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:22:54 +0000

Malmesbury is a small town situated on the southern edge of the Cotswolds and in the north western corner of the county of Wiltshire, a county with its many historic monuments the most famous being Stonehenge.

Malmesbury is a hill top town almost surrounded by two branches of the river Avon. It has an Abbey which once boasted the tallest spire in England even taller than the one still standing 80 miles away in the opposite corner of the county on top of Salisbury Cathedral. The town also has one of the country's finest Market Crosses built for the poor folk of the town to shelter from the rain on market days.

Malmesbury today is very much as it was a thousand years ago, mainly stone built and tiled cottages set upon a street pattern that goes back probably another thousand years before that. The town is said to be one of, if not, the oldest Borough in England once having its own mint producing silver coins for King Stephen as well as being for a short period the Capital of all England.

King Athelstan was buried here and he granted to the free men of Malmesbury a charter gifting them 500 acres of land on the south side of the town as a reward for their assistance in his struggle against the Danes. This resulted in an institution know as the Warden and Freemen being formed to look after and control this land and they are still in existence to this day.

So as you can see Malmesbury is steeped in history and its character has been protected as far as is possible making it a very popular destination on the tourist trails amongst the natives and those from all corners of the world. There is an abundance of places to stay in and around the area from which to explore the town and all its history can be found in written form available from the towns Athelstan Museum and its Norman Abbey.

By: David Forward

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Best Village in England – Stow on the Wold Cotswolds

admin — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:33:55 +0000

Stow on the Wold Cotswolds is a perfect base for a trip to the heart of England.

This lovely wool town is centrally located in the Cotswolds. It is big enough to have plenty of hotels, bed and breakfast, shopping and sights to see....but small enough for lots of "village charm".

The Cotwolds is a beautiful part of England with many stone villages and hamlets to explore. It is one of my favorite places in England. There are many sights to see and Cotswold walks to take. Make your getaway a walking holiday and hike on the paths between the villages.

The landscape is beautiful green rolling hills dotted with limestone brick villages and hamlets....picture perfect!

Stow on the Wold Cotswolds has several hotels. Two favorites are the Wyck Hill House Hotel and The Royalist Hotel. There are plenty of Bed and Breakfast. B&Bs are a great way to get to know the English people...and other travelers. Two Bed Breakfast Cotswolds to check out are Cotswolds Garden Tea Room B&B in a 17th century building and Corsham Field Farmhouse which is in the countryside, very close to town.

There are many shops and antique stores for browsing, most centered around the The Square.

My favorite thing to do in the Cotswolds is to explore all the wonderful, charming towns and hamlets in the countryside. One lovely nearby town is Burton on the Water. This is a very popular Cotswolds stop for tour groups so try and go early or late in the day and avoid weekends. There are several tourist sights to see in this Cotswold village. Take the easy walk between the quaint nearby hamlets of Upper Slaughter and Lower Slaughter. These are just a few of the wonderful villages to explore in this great area of England.

Stow on the Wold Cotswolds in the "heart of England" is truly the best place to visit on England vacations.

By: Karen K Fish

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Five Reasons to Visit Bourton on The Water

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:58:05 +0000

The Cotswolds is a region of southern England, popular with visitors from both within the UK and those arriving from overseas, because of it's attractive rolling countryside and unspoiled villages dating back hundreds of years.

There are numerous of these unspoiled villages to explore, typically with a few streets of 300 year old houses built in the yellow stone that is the 'trademark' of the region, an old church, and often a river flowing slowly through the centre of the village. If you are lucky you will also find a pub in the village, with creaking beams bearing witness to hundreds of years of happy customers.

Among these villages one stands out in particular as being attractive to visitors - Bourton on the Water. Bourton has all the characteristics already mentioned, and also several extra attractions that make it an interesting place to stay. These include:

1) A riverside walk, with the river lined by parkland and crossed by several low bridges. This is the perfect place to take a promenade, while the children splash in the water.

2) Lots of carefully maintained gardens in front of the cottages help ensure the village is very photogenic from almost all angles

3) The model village. In the 1930's some local craftsmen spent several years building a perfect scale model of the village, so careful in detail that it also includes a model of the model.

4) Cotswold Motoring Museum contains a good selection of cars from throughout the 20th century, and also lots of the equipment used by people who went travelling with their caravans. A fascinating insight into a different, slower moving, world.

5) Birdland. A well maintained bird zoo that will bring hours of entertainment to you and your children. Watch the penguins being fed, see flamingos and owls, or watch a display by the birds of prey.

It is true that the village is rather handed over to tourism, but in the case of Bourton on the Water it is justified and does not detract from your visit.

You will see plenty of other villages during your visit to the Cotswolds, including nearby Lower Slaughter and Upper Slaughter, but in years to come when you remember your visit it is perhaps Bourton on the Water that will have made the greatest impression.

By: Marcus Smith

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