Cirencester - Day 1

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Today two little piggies went to slaughter. Well, actually, we started our day in Lower Slaughter, a pretty village just off the Fosse Way (A429) beside the River Eye. The rather gruesome sounding name derives from an Old English term ‘slohtre’ meaning wet land.

Around 10.00am we found we had managed to arrive before the hordes so we were able to park the car and have a wander around the village known for its picturesque old mill and St Mary’s Anglican Church. A mill has been recorded on the site of the current mill since the Domesday Book of 1086 and the parish church dates to the 13^th-century although much of the current structure was constructed in 1867. With the weather fine and warm again this morning we decided to ramble along to Upper Slaughter also situated on the River Eye a mile from its twin, Lower Slaughter. The Anglican parish church in Upper Slaughter is dedicated to Saint Peter.

We rambled back to the car and headed off to Stow-on-the-Wold. Another day, another toilet story, ha, ha. We found the public toilets and we were annoyed that we had to put money in a slot to unlock the loo!! The fee was 40 pence, no change given, so 40p to pee!! Not so bad BUT we only had one 50p coin and then pound coins. Fortunately we are a resourceful pair and decided that we could tag team. As I exited, I held the door open and Bernie entered. Another couple solved the problem by both going in at once!! What I object to the most is that if I’m paying to use a loo I expect the facility to be well-maintained. Unfortunately this toilet smelled like, well, a toilet. One that could not have been cleaned this morning or maybe even this week?? Yucky.

Like the Slaughters, Stow is located on the Fosse Way and at nearly 800 feet it is the highest village in the Cotswolds. It is at a point where several roads meet so it has always been an important trading town. Stow’s St Edward’s Church is known for its door framed by a couple of very old yew trees. The Market Square is also large and impressive – it’s just a shame that it is so full of modern cars that detract somewhat from the beautiful old buildings all built in the local Cotswold stone.

We bought some lunch at the Cotswold baguette which we ate sitting on a shaded bench in the churchyard. After lunch we strolled around a little more and found The Porch House, reputed to be the oldest pub in England. On our way back to the car we found a gelato shop. Not knowing what ice-cream options we might have later on we decided that we had better declare it gelato o’clock a bit earlier today.

Our next stop was National Trust property Chastleton House and Garden. This property’s slogan is ‘Preserved as it was found, not as it once was…’. Since taking it on the National Trust has chosen to preserve the home as it was left by the family in 1991 rather than attempt to restore it to its glory days of the 17^th-century.

Chastleton remained in the same family for nearly 400 years and was originally built by a successful merchant. The soldiers, authors, inventors and artists who followed suffered mixed fortunes. The home was always enjoyed by its occupants, but few had the means to modernize and repair the rambling house. Its last occupants were very involved in their work, interests and hobbies and they had little time, inclination or money for household maintenance. The house is an interesting snapshot in time. Not as grand as some NT properties, but still an insight into life in earlier times.

Then, for something completely different, we drove over to visit Sezincote House and Garden. This rather unexpected moghul palace-inspired mansion with minarets and an onion dome is still privately owned and lived in as a family home. It is only open to the public from Wednesday to Friday so today had to be the day to visit if we wanted to see it. Weekends are for weddings as it is a very popular wedding venue!

We booked online this morning to take a tour of the house at 3.30pm. We allowed plenty of time to drive over from Chastleton because you never know what might go wrong on English roads to snarl up the traffic. It was fortuitous that we had time to spare as we had to walk down to the house from the car park and it’s too hot at the moment to be rushing!

Because the home is privately owned no photography was allowed inside the house during our tour. Our guide told us that the house was built in 1805 by Sir Charles Cockerell of the East India Company. Having spent time in India he was inspired to recreate that architectural style on his English estate. It is said that in 1807 a visit to Sezincote inspired the Prince Regent (the future King George IV) to change his plans for the Royal Pavilion at Brighton.

In 1884, Sezincote was bought by James Dugdale and it remained in the Dugdale family until 1944 when Sir Cyril and Lady Kleinwort took over the house and estate in a somewhat dilapidated state. In the 1950s, the Kleinworts restored the exterior and interior of the house to their 19^th-century splendor. Today the house and its estate are managed by their children and grandchildren.

After our tour of the house we explored the gardens that were designed by Humphry Repton. The exotic themes continue in the gardens which feature a spectacular Orangery Pavilion, a Persian Garden, the Surya Temple and the Indian Bridge.

As we were walking back to the car, the cows in the fields were going crazy. There was a paddock either side of the driveway and the cows were having a moo-off across the drive. It was like a cow argument and at one stage a cow tried to jump the fence, presumably to have a better go at her mates across the drive?? Anyway, the mad cow didn’t get out of the paddock and we made it to the car without a run in with a batty bovine!!

As it was on our way back to Cirencester we stopped in at Bourton-on-the-Water hoping that as the afternoon was drawing to a close it might not be too busy?? It was heaving with people so we decided we might pop back another morning before the crowds arrive! Undeterred by this experience we programmed the SatNav for Bibury, yet another picture postcard Cotswolds village on our way back to the B&B. We were luckier here. We still had to share the village with some other tourists, but not too many of them! The iconic shot here is of the 17^th-century weaver’s houses on Arlington Row.

Tonight we tried the Thai restaurant for dinner. It was OK, but we are spoiled with our local Thai restaurant at home being so good. Most others that we try don’t quite live up to expectations.



Steps: 20,392 (13.58 kms)

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