Gail South
England~Cotswolds~November, 2001
Tues., Nov. 6, 2001
Had a good flight (daytime) from Newark to Heathrow, picked up my car and got to Tredington House about 11. Mary & Frank were waiting up for me, but I think they were happy to get to bed. English breakfast (full—I had had nothing but airline food for a whole day) at 7:30 and then drove around the northwestern edge of the Cotswolds for most of the morning.
First stop was Tewkesbury and its beautiful abbey. A group of schoolchildren was having matins and the organ was amazing. It is one of the largest churches in Britain with some remains of a Benedictine monastery as well as Norman touches. Lots of memorials (as is typical of churches here). This is not a “Cotswold town”, being almost entirely half-timbered. The Avon River joins the Severn here and the barges along the river bank were very tempting—I still think that would be a neat vacation.
Overbury—“perhaps the prettiest village in Worcester”. St. Faith church: a man lit up the church—very pretty. The most characteristic feature of this church is its setting: a magnificent magnolia tree in the foreground, the walled cloister on the left and the stream rippling down to the pond on the right under an old Cotswold wall near the memorial lynch gate give prominence to this 11th c edifice. The 15th c tower dominating the skyline by its castellated parapet houses a ring of 6 bells. A significant feature of the interior is where the roof has been raised above the level of the 12th c clerestory window openings. This was done when the aisles were widened in the 14th c.
Ashton-under-Hill—St. Barbara church—one of only 2 churches in England dedicated to St. Barbara. It is hidden from the road by weeping ash and a magnificent beech. Through the unusual lynch gate the church footpath passes the chancel, a fine example of late Gothic architecture, n the 14th century porch which shields the Norman doorway. The 15th century font is the first sight inside. The chancel has an unusual step down and a window in the north wall depicts St. Barbara by her tower.
Emley Castel
Broadway—tourist center—lots of shops
Chipping Campden
The stone houses really do appear golden. Lots of little villages, each with its own “wool church” built by wealthy merchants. Had supper at The New Inn, by the Severn River. I had a nice table by the fire—trout stuffed with “prawns” (tiny canned shrimp) and a young Rioja.
Wed., Nov. 7
Set off for Gloucester and the cathedral, begun in 678 when King Ethelred of Mercia assigned to Osric, prince in the province of the Hwicce an area of land within the former Roman town of Glevum to build a religious house dedicated to St. Peter. It later became a Benedictine abbey, then a charge of William the Conqueror. Henry III was crowned there. After the deposition of Edward II in the 13th it was greatly expanded. The tower was built in the 1450’s. Henry VIII dissolved the monastery and the church became a Cathedral in the diocese of Gloucester. Now the cloisters are host to Harry Potter. Beautiful nave with massive Norman columns and early English vaulted roof. Great East window (1350’s) is the largest of any in Britain (22 feet high and 38 feet wide). Nice art by Paul Mason and Alf Lohr.
Walked around the town a bit. I don’t understand the new “Docks” area. The center of town is closed to traffic. Lost the car and then found it again. Backtracked toward Tewkesbury and stopped at a lovely museum, Nature in Art in a beautiful old manor house, Wallsworth Hall, in Twigworth, just north on A38. All of the art was inspired by nature, mostly animals. Headed east on a scenic road stopping at a great four-star town, Northleach, with a beautiful wool church from the 15th century. This one was filled with “brasses” commemorating these people. Nice display and better than the statues so many of these churches hold.
Circled around on beautiful back roads to tiny, really truly unspoiled villages: Turkdean and Notgrove. On to touristy-but-nice Bourton-on-the-Water, with its 7 bridges. Paid L2 to visit the Perfumery Exhibition—an interesting history of perfume. They make it here. I wasn’t overwhelmed enough to buy any. Two not-to-be-missed villages: Upper and Lower Slaughter. I walked all around both villages. There is a quaint mill with an operating water wheel in Lower, as well as a pretty parish church, St. Mary’s. Thru Stow-on-the-wold and back to try and find an open pub (they all seem to be dark til 6:30 and I’m hungry at 6). Ate at Swan at Coombe Hill. Good curried parsnip soup and Stilton stuffed chicken.
Thu., Nov. 8
Three of the church tour leaflets took me through a lot of pretty towns:
Small churches of Tewkesbury:
Tredington: St. John the Baptist--this is my hosts’ church, recently renovated with restored and painted “bosses” on the ceilings and a beautiful Norman chancel arch. Its timber-framed tower and spire stand out.
Stokes Orchard: St. James the Great—locked when I arrived, but the man soon came to open this 12th century church with paintings of St James covering the walls. Pilgrims heading to Compostella scratched crosses in the entry door.
Elmstone Harwick: St. May Magdalene--locked
Staverton: St. Catherine—pretty little ancient church used for worship for over 700 years. Its cruciform shape evolved over the centuries.
Boddington: St. Mary Magdalene—locked
Swindon Village: St. Lawrence—locked—A very important building with many reminders of its Norman origin. There are only 2 Norman octagonal towers in the country—this is one of them. Each side is somewhat different in size and there are 12 dramatic figures carved above the door to the tower.
Churches around Tewkesbury:
Odda’s Chapel—pre Conquest chapel from 1056 in the reign of Edward the Confessor, now being restored. It was a farmhouse for centuries and some of the half timbering remains. Very simple and somehow “holy”
Deerhurst: St. Mary’s Priory. The only surviving Anglo-Saxon monastic church in England. Begun in the 800’s. Beautiful arch and original Saxon font (found as a drinking trough at a local farm). The original wall is shown in one corner. Some nice brasses on the floor.
Tirley—St. Michael—locked
Chaceley—St. John the Baptist—the retired vicar gave me a very complete tour. Church has a pretty 12th c Norman chancel arch and interesting head “corbels” which he said were probably of the mason’s relatives or girlfriends.
Forthampton: St. Mary the Virgin—locked—town stocks and whipping post outside
Churches below Cleve Hill:
Teddington: St. Nicholas--pretty arch—many of these churches have been enlarged and built around original old Saxon churches.
Alstone—St Margaret
Oxenton: St. John the Baptist---locked—had a brief but exciting hailstorm here
Woolstone: St. Martin de Tours has a sharply leaning tower very evident on the inside of the church.
Little Washbourne: St. Mary’s—the tiniest church I’ve seen—it was full of painters, carpenters, etc., working to restore it
Bishop’s Cleve: St. Michael & All Angels—locked
Lunch at the Old Hobnail Pub—lamb sausages w garlic smashed potatoes--in Winchcombe, a pretty market town with a wonderful example of 15th c Perpendicular church architecture, St. Peter’s church. There were also 40 “grotesques”—half of them demons and half local dignitaries (are they one and the same??). An unusual 16th c almsbox with 3 locks (to prevent unauthorized emptying) has been vandalized by 20th c rogues. There’s an imp carved among the flowers on the oak screen closing off the choir vestry.
Had dinner (steak and salad) at a 2 ½ week old restaurant, The Pig Sty, at the Old Glouscester Inn. Very nice and a good value. The house wine was a 2000 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo .
Fri, Nov. 9
Said goodbye to Mary and Frank Juckes at Tredington House and headed south. Rode around Cheltenham during rush hour (during which my passenger side mirror mysteriously disappeared), finally finding my way out to the beautiful Barrow Wake—a steep bare part of the Cotswold escarpment with gorgeous views to Gloucester cathedral and beyond and an explanation of the geology of the area. There was ice on the puddles and frost on the grass—as usual there were people walking dogs. Then to Little Witcombe and a brisk walk up a farm path to the ruins of a Roman villa—excellent choice for a country home.
Next, a beautiful ride on a one lane country road following the Duntisbourne Valley. Whitstone with its 1100 St. Bartholomew’s church; Duntisbourne Abbots and St. Peters. Duntisbourne Leer has a very picturesque ford where cars go across the river/stream. Daglingworth’s parish church had four absolutely wonderful Saxon pre-conquest sculptures: a crucifix (about which the info says “1000 years ago people did not like to think about Jesus suffering, so the work has him almost kingly"), a St. Peter with keys, a Christ triumphant, and a smaller crucifixion. Into Cirencester to get petrol. I plan to go into this city tomorrow and will certainly get lost. Stopped at the very unimpressive Roman amphitheatre.
Back to Coates, a tiny straggling village and Tarlton, with thatched roof cottages and Rodmarton, a pleasant upland village. Stopped to see the churches in Avening (which the vicar had recommended for the 11/11 service). Had steak and kidney pie at the Three Bells Pub. Also checked the church in nearby Horsley (this is where Jerry and I would go—it seemed very vibrant). Up thru the rather busy town of Nailsworth to Inchbrook and the Laurel B&B. It’s right on the busy A46, but I’m staying in the new cottage annex (the Raj room) which is lovely and quiet. It reminds me of a Greek room. Plenty of hot water and a shower (Tredington only had a tub). I went into town to get some supplies and decided to eat in and go to bed early.
Sat., Nov. 10
Amberly—pretty town with a huge common on top of the wold—all taken up with horses, cows, sheep, and a golf course—go figure.
Cirencester, the town I visited briefly yesterday, is the largest of the truly Cotswold towns, but not a city like Cheltenham or Gloucester. I was able to park (L1.10) close to the center of this busy market town and went to visit the parish church of St. John Baptist, one of the largest in the country and the largest in the Cotswolds. It was actually very “cathedral-like”. It is another historic wool church. A cup made for Anne Boleyn is housed in a glass display case. There is also a glass hourglass handily situated next to the pulpit. Walked through the town. Some nice windy streets. Coxwell St. has the homes of wealthy wool merchants on one side and those of poor weavers on the other. Several consignment shops, but no purchases. The Corinium Museum was very interesting. This was the 2nd largest city in Britain (after London) in the Roman times and the museum does a good job of chronicling the history. It’s hard to understand how civilization just came to an end with the demise of Rome and how it took so many centuries to come back (when we hesitate to speak of civilization regarding 3rd world countries we might do well to look at the Dark Ages and compare. Maybe civilization can come and go—it seems as if broad human intercourse—war, commerce, religion—is necessary for the development of societies). There had been a craft fair noted in a brochure. It was in “Corn Hall” and wasn’t as good as the ones in Bicentennial Park.
I stopped at “information” and got directions to Chedworth Roman Villa, an excellent stop. It wasn’t discovered until 1864 by Lord Elgin (whenever did this man find the time?). His workmen excavated the remains of the foundations and capped them with tiles (??). Many of the mosaic floors are intact, and they have erected buildings around them for protection. There was also a very good explanation of the “hot wet bath” and the “hot dry bath”. In both cases, they slathered themselves with scented olive oil and progressed from tepid to very hot rooms, scraped off the dirt sweated out and collected in the oil. Then they plunged into cold baths. The latrine was also interesting. It had “streams” running thru, some used to flush and others to soak the “sponge on a stick” they used instead of TP.
PHEASANTS EVERYWHERE IN THIS COUNTRY!!
Stopped near a footpath by a field of sheep in pretty Yarmouth for a picnic lunch. There are lots of recreational walkers here. Stopped at Prinknash Abbey on the way home. This is a modern Benedictine community with vibrant stained glass in the church. There is no entrance fee (except to the Bird Park, which I skipped). They make money from sale of cider, incense, and beautiful ceramics. I got a plate called “Temptation” and a bottle of dry cider.
Back to the Laurels. I’m going to go to a “programme of Choral Music and Readings to mark the Ceremonies of Remembrance” -- “For the Fallen” by the Cappella Singers at the parish church at Minchinhampton at 7:30 after dinner at a pub, The George Inn—chicken. The concert was long and solemn—nothing patriotic or rousing.
Sun., Nov. 11
Coaley Peak Picnic Site—views to Wales and Nympsfield Long Barrow (finally!) Also Uley Long Barrow (Hetty’s Tump)—got my knees muddy crawling into this 5000 year old tomb. Wotton-under-Edge—got there just in time for the parade, complete with band marching into the courtyard of the parish church of St. Mary the Virgin, also Brownies, Cub Scouts and lots of formal appearing adults. At the last minute, I decided to join the service and am very glad I did. It was a lovely service—good hymns (and a good organ), readings (The Fallen, again), and a decent sermon. Then everybody paraded back to the town center to lay poppy wreaths at the war memorial. It is a pretty town and I walked around and into the Perry and Dawes Almshouses (where the rules were prominently posted). Talked to 2 girls about Meagan’s age in the little chapel there about the state of the world, etc. Left W-U-E and drove toward Badminton.
Had a nice and rather expensive traditional Sunday lunch (pate, roast beef & Yorkshire pudding, chocolate cake with chocolate syrup and heavy cream) at the large Cross Hands Hotel. On to Malmesbury and its abbey, now the parish church. The porch is very pretty and exquisitely carved. There was a service going on. I listened in, then walked around the town. Visited the parish church of St. Mary the Virgin at Tetbury. It seems to be a comfortable town, but I was too tired to spend much time (plus it was dark and pretty deserted).
Home—had single malt with my hosts, Lesley and Richard, their daughter, 2 dogs, 2 cats and a black rabbit.
Mon., Nov 12
Rainy day. Ampney Crucis—nice town with a pretty church and an amazing 600 year old stone cross in the churchyard. Fairford—the Church of St Mary’s was a find. It is the only parish church in the British Isles possessing an almost complete set of 15th century stained glass windows—the real kind, designed to tell a story before people had books and could read. The main one was beautiful with a centerpiece of an enthroned Christ surrounded by the saved. Below him is St Michael weighing souls. The chosen ascend to the left, while the damned are herded into a very vivid hell. Some of the windows depict saints and other, topped by all sorts of garish devils, depict persecutors of the church. I took a nice walk to the millpond and saw a fox in a field. Lots of ducks used to being fed. My hosts had recommended Lechlade and an antiques shop there. It was a collection of dealers and lots and lots of “stuff.”
Had a good lunch by a roaring fire at the New Inn, then took a long roundabout walk by the Thames. Very nice, down Shelly’s Walk, over the bridge, following the towpath, over the Ha’penny bridge and back.
ADVENTURE
Decided to stop at a lovely waterside pub to have a glass of wine and kill some time before my 9:15 pm flight. The owner saw me reading the paper and told me another plane had crashed into a residential part of Queens. We called Virgin and they said I should come on in. Returned the car to Hertz about 6—they didn’t notice the smashed mirror. Mass confusion in the airport and many flights cancelled. Went to check in and my passport was gone!! Sweating profusely, I returned to the Hertz counter. They called, but no luck. They suggested that I go back to car return. I did. No luck, but they spotted the mirror and nicked me L41—hope my credit card will reimburse me. It is now going on to 8 pm. I’m back at the departure terminal and find airport info just as they are closing. They had my passport—found by a police officer. I had to go back to the arrival terminal to sign for it. Back to departure where Virgin Air told me that the flight was closed as it was to take of at 8:15!! Somehow they got me on. It was nearly empty (the passengers who checked in on time got another flight diverted to JFK), so I snagged a whole middle row and slept 4 hours.