Ancient Cotswold Places
The Cotswolds was once well-known for being a large contributor of wool to the European wool trade. Soon after the industrial revolution, when the cloth trade moved to the north of England, the Cotswolds was left unspoilt, peaceful and avoiding major industrialisation. There are numerous historical Cotswolds attractions to discover, whether you’re planning on exploring for a weekend or coming to the Cotswolds for a day. If you’re visiting England and planning on touring interesting places of history, then make sure you make time for the Cotswolds. There are many historical Cotswold sites with ancient buildings, unusual architecture and masses of well-known history in the area. There are not only old market towns to find but quaint hidden villages, Cotswold castles and enormous stately homes.
Chipping Campden – Hidcote Manor Garden
The beautiful Hidcote Manor Garden is in the village of Hidcote near Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire. It is believed to be one of the most well-known gardens in England, renowned for its influential designs of art and crafts. The gardens boast magnificent rare trees, colourful shrubs, herbaceous borders and perfectly sculptured hedges – a vision that can only be inspired by experience. It was originally created by Lawrence Johnstone in 1910 and is now owned by the National Trust and open to the public. The design and creation of the garden has had an extraordinary influence on many famous garden designs, inspiring enthusiastic gardeners to create something special. Snowshill Manor
Snowshill Manor was once owned by Charles Paget Wade whose hobby from a young age was collecting unusual items, crafts and antiques. The manor is near Stow-on-the-Wold in the north Cotswolds, and is well-known for being a home of unusual objects and antiques. It is believed that Charles Paget lived in a small cottage in the garden, giving the manor space to his collection of over 22,000 items that he cherished. Snowshill Manor is now owned by the National Trust and the house is still home to Charles’ remarkable collection.
Broadway Village – Broadway Tower
Broadway Tower was designed by James Wyatt in 1794, commissioned by Lady Coventry who wanted to know if she could see the beacon hill and the tower from her house. A trip to Broadway Tower will show you beautiful far-reaching countryside views where you can see as far as the Welsh Mountains, across the Vale of Evesham on a clear day. Broadway Tower is near the village of Broadway in Worcestershire and is considered an iconic Cotswold landmark. The 200-year old tower stands high on top of the Cotswolds escarpment and is the second highest point of the Cotswolds. It has 3 floors, each floor having a museum and has become an increasingly popular tourist attraction.
Sudeley Castle
The stunning Sudeley Castle is near Winchcombe in Gloucestershire and is well-known not only for the beautiful architecture of the castle but for the striking award-winning gardens in the castle grounds. Sudeley Castle is a family home but also a popular attraction in the Cotswolds, especially in the summer when visitors can walk the colourful gardens. Sudeley Castle is well-known for its royal connections through the last thousand years because kings and queens have resided there and walked the grounds. The most famous royalty were Elizabeth I, Richard III and Lady Jane Grey. It is also known to be the only English castle that has a queen buried in the grounds. The last wife of Henry VIII, Katherine Parr is entombed in a pretty 15th century church in the gardens of the castle.
The Secret Cottage Tour
The Secret Cottage is a private family-run tour company that has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with our guests. Wherever you want to go in the Cotswolds, there are extraordinary views all around, but if you want to experience the best private Cotswolds day tour, then book the Secret Cottage Tour. If you’re visiting England and staying in London, then you can get a direct train to our nearest train station in Moreton-in-Marsh directly from London Paddington. We will pick you up from the train station in our 7-seater luxury Mercedes minibus and take you on a wonderful 6-hour tour of the north Cotswolds. We also invite guests into our home The Secret Cottage, giving you a tour of our 400-year old thatched cottage and some delicious homecooked food. Guests are given a hot drink and pastry in the morning, a tasty homemade buffet lunch and a traditional Cotswold cream tea in the afternoon. Make sure you book your tickets soon so you don’t miss out! Read our 5-star reviews on Trip Advisor to discover why booking a private Cotswold tour will give you the ultimate experience.