Stow-on-the-Wold

Since the sun was shining and I was feeling a bit cooped up in the house, we decided to explore the Cotswolds around us. We drove out to Stow-on-the-Wold, which is about a 40-minute drive northeast from our house.

The Cotswold Visitors Guide says about Stow-on-the-Wold: "In the north Cotswolds, all roads seem to lead to the hill-top town of Stow - the ancient Jurassic Way and the Salt Way met here and an Iron Age fort was built c.700 BC. The Roman Fosse Way from Cirencester to Leicester passes through Stow, although the town is mostly off to on side, reflecting its establishment as another of the planned market towns for which the Cotswolds is renowned. The town square is large and impressive (it has know markets with over 20,000 sheep crowded there), with various houses, shops and inns around the edge, all built in the local stone. The medieval cross is a reminder of the market's heyday - placed to encourage traders to do business fairly under the sight of God. Stow had a special importance in the English Civil War; it was close by, at Donnington, that the last battle was fought in March 1646. St Edward's Church in the town centre was used as a prison for the defeated Royalist troops. At nearly 800ft, Stow is the highest of the Cotswold towns. These days Stow is famous as a centre for the antiques trade."

Since we arrived at about lunchtime, we ate lunch in "The Old Bakery Tearoom", which is owned by a Christian family, not that we knew that until we sat down and read their testimony, which was printed in a leaflet at each table. We each had a sandwich (Jeff: bacon and Stilton; me: homemade Coronation chicken) and carrot, coriander and sweet potato soup.

After lunch we just perused the little shops around the village, mostly food shops, bakeries and gifts. We saw a fantastic looking caramel slice (Millionaire's bar), bought it and shared it while sitting on a bench in the town centre enjoying the sunshine.

The village centre

The cross that would remind the traders to trade fairly

Cute shops

About to enjoy the caramel square

Enjoying the caramel square and the sunshine

Since it was only 3pm when our parking ticket expired at Stow-on-the-Wold, we drove down the road about 10 minutes to Bourton-on-the-Water, which is known as the "Venice of the Cotswolds". We only stayed there an hour, just long enough to have a quick stroll through the village and have a cream tea (of course!).