Lesser-known sites in the Cotswolds

(Part 3 of 3) — We spent six weeks in England, July-August ’03, mostly exploring the Cotswolds area (May ’04, pg. 82 & June’04, pg. 84). We were based in Cirencester.

Try not to miss two castles in the area. Berkeley Castle (£5 seniors) is a comfortable one-hour ride west from Cirencester, and while you are there you can visit the Edward Jenner museum. Edward II was murdered there in 1327 and you can see the hole and nearby dungeon where he was kept.

Kenilworth Castle (£3.40 seniors), to the north of Cirencester and southeast of Birmingham, is another very worthwhile visit.

If you are in the vicinity of Gloucester (to the northwest), spare a few moments for a visit to Odda’s Chapel in Deerhurst, a tiny Saxon chapel now built into a medieval timber-framed farmhouse. A donation of 50p for parking in the lane is requested.

In Toddington, a little to the west of Cirencester, we boarded the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire railway for the round trip of 20 miles to Cheltenham Racecourse (£7.50 seniors). Plenty of small children with their families were on this pleasant ride through the Cotswold countryside. The steam train runs most days except in January and February. There are restaurant facilities on board and also at the Toddington station.

We were very disappointed to find that the famous Corinium Museum in Cirencester, which is said to house one of the finest collections from Roman Britain, was closed for refurbishing until September 2004.

A few miles north, however, Chedworth, the Roman site with its nymphaeum and mosaics (under the protection of the National Trust), made up for it. We enjoyed a short film there on how the remains were discovered and excavated.

For those who enjoy ruins, visit Hailes Abbey to the north and, a little farther afield (and nearer modern times), the ruins of Lord Lovell’s 15th-century home at Minster Lovell (northeast of Cirencester and east of Burford).

All visitors to the Cotswolds gravitate to Burford, and the main street is thronged with happy shoppers. Just around the corner is the church where, in 1649, some soldiers in Cromwell’s army were imprisoned after they mutinied and refused to go farther until their demands were met.

While you are in the vicinity, take a short trip to nearby Swinbrook, where in St. Mary’s church are the graves of authoress Nancy Mitford (“Love in a Cold Climate”) and her sisters, Unity and Pamela. We were surprised to see fresh flowers adorning the graves.

Not far north of Cirencester, we were at Broadway Tower on an overcast afternoon, but it is said that on a clear day you can see 14 counties from there. The tower is built on an ancient beacon site. There are 71 steps to the top but 73 on the way down, or so the lady in charge of tickets informed us, but we did not have the time to ascertain this for ourselves. You can picnic in the surrounding park for free, but it is £3 ($5.60 ) seniors and £4 adults if you climb the tower itself.

As a change from sitting in the car, we hiked around Sherborne Estate (in care of the National Trust) near the River Windrush, a little north of our base. There were three walks of different lengths, the shortest being a half hour. We did the medium-length walk, about 1½ hours.

At Bourton-on-the-Water, less than an hour’s drive north, we came across the Lassington Oak Morris Men, who danced for visitors by the side of the Windrush. The dances they perform are from medieval Britain and often illustrate local legends. This company makes the rounds of the Cotswold area throughout the year.

VALERIE PACHECO
Zephyrhills, FL