Oxfordshire, the Cotswolds & Gloucestershire

OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS & GLOUCESTERSHIRE crowds behindanddiscover alegion ofrarely visited villagesjustburstingwithcharm. villages. tothehillsonfoot,however, ortake andit’seasytoleave Get onyourbike the serious crowdsinthesummermonthsandshamelesspeddlingofnostalgia inmany while higgledy-piggledyTudor character canbefoundinriverside Tewkesbury. draw thecrowds. Nearby,Gloucester’s magnificent cathedralisthetown’scrowningglory, and tothewestofregion theRegencygrandeurandgenteel atmosphere ofCheltenham ofhere pile,BlenheimPalace, Churchill’sextraordinary Just north issetingloriousgrounds, bythelaughteronly broken ofunrulystudentswhoensure there’s alwayslively nightlife. buildings inOxford,themuseumsare andthehushedreverence fullofancient artefacts is east, theweightofacademicachievement seepsfromthevery wallsofthebeautifulcollege gorgeous viewsinevery direction. sibly picturesque thatchedcottages,flower-strewn gardens,gracefulstonechurchesand probably thearea’s withimplau- villagesoverflowing biggestdraw,theirpicture-postcard the lush,rollinghillsofregion. Littlechangedsincemedievaltimes,theCotswoldsare andadiverseold-world Englishcharmbythebucketload across rangeofheadlineattractions ofBritain,Oxfordshire,One ofthemostvisited theCotswoldsandGloucestershire parts offer Gloucestershire the Cotswolds & Oxfordshire, 342 © LonelyPlanetPublications This high-qualityaccommodationandgloriouscountrysidecanmean wealthofattractions, However, theregion hasfarmore thanbucolicviewsandruralretreats tooffer. Tothe

HIGHLIGHTS

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AREA : 2222 SQMILES Gloucester The Cotswolds Cheltenham Blenheim Palace Oxford Great Tew and villages of theregion. Formore informa- and discover someof thelesser-known vistas is anidealwaytoget awayfromthecrowds theCotswolds Walking orcyclingthrough lonelyplanet.com ties fordayhikes, butifyou’re lookingfor The WALKING mountain-bike trails. many dirt-trackoptions,andsomededicated marked roads crisscross the region orfollowtheway- legs. Plentyof quietcountrylanesandgated western escarpment offering achallenge tothe Cotswolds idealforcycling,withonlythesteep make gradientsandscenicvistas the Gentle CYCLING thischapter.throughout or specificsuggestions forwalksandrides theOutdoorActivitieschaptertion, see ( p83 ) the westof theregion the dleways inthe boxedtional CycleNetwork(see text, p88 ).

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& GLOUCESTERSHIRE GLOUCESTERSHIRE & OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS COTSWOLDS THE OXFORDSHIRE, OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS & GLOUCESTERSHIRE most famous university townsand yetremark- international as oneof standing the world’s ford isaprivileged aware place,highly of its andelite, closeted Bookish, conservative, Ox- % OXFORD October. bus tours April and fromOxford between 308300; www.cotswold-roaming.co.uk) (excludingLondon) for£6/18/34. ern Britain insouth- of forunlimited use passes itsservices bus, Stagecoach offers bus one-/seven-/14-day /oxfordshire). Stagecoach Company Bristol andScotland. dington andEuston,Hereford, Birmingham, have frequent connectionstoLondonPad- aretrain stations and inOxford andBanbury most routes Themain atlocaltouristoffices. for You canpickupbusandtraintimetables Getting Around .oxfordshire.gov.uk/countryside. ing andcyclingroutes inthecountyatwww p353). (see youcanhireyour ownwheels bikes inOxford stock, BurfordandHenley. If youdon’thave the main waymarked route the county is through make Oxfordshire goodcyclingcountry.The andlibraries. tourist offices scribed inleafletsavailable frommostlocal are de- divided upintomanageable sections anancientroyalforest.through Theroutes 37-mile route fromWoodstock,which runs Thames, andthe from Bourton-on-the-Water toHenley-on- Way walkers maybeinterested inthe As nationaltrails, wellasthelong-distance Activities oozing thegentle charm of middleEngland. and asmattering of quainttraditionalvillages fromthelimestonehills, White Horse, carved Near here isthemysterious giantUffington ever-so-stylish Henley each RoyalRegatta year. Thames, anelegantriverside townthathoststhe Henley-on-Winston Churchill, andaffluent 344 Alternatively, You’ll findinformationabout allwalk- The mainbusoperators are the The quietroadsandgentle gradientsalso 01865 /pop143,016 Oxfordshire Cycleway Oxfordshire , ascenic65-milewaymarked trailrunning XODHR • Ofr OXFORDSHIRE ••Oxford

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Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( Oxford Bus Oxford Bus % 01865- and and cally in importance whenHenrycally inimportance IIbanned was akey Saxontownthatgrew dramati- Isis here, fromtheLatin River CherwellandtheThames(called Strategically placedattheconfluenceof the History restaurants, trendy bars andexclusive shops. an increasingly urbanecityflush withchic andhistoricpubsisworld-class museums that finearchitecture, thecelebrated libraries, the real-world majority. Buttingupagainstall academic elite are stillfaroutnumbered by lines inCowley,andtodaytheuniversity’s production Morris motorcarwasrollingoff story; longbefore Mensa bornthe wasever changed insidethehallowedwallssincethen. leges date backalmost750years andlittlehas aura of studiouscalmdescends.The oldestcol- inside theirjealouslyguardedquadranglesan andthrongsof spite people, therushing traffic attracting hordesof touristseach year. Yet de- wrapping aroundwindingcobbled streets and sity, theireleganthoney-coloured buildings is palpable assoonyouget thebus. off ofachievement andthewhiff intellectual ideals pursuit of of excellence,theweight academic population. It’sthekindof placewhere the ably restrained foracitydriven byitsstudent were bothproduced intheCowley factories Morrisandthe Morris Minor The Bullnose Morris beganproducing cars here in1913. real industrial boomcamewhenWilliam beyond theacademic core. thecity’s However, lands, andworktradesuddenly expanded in 1790created alinkwiththeindustrialMid- 18,000 students. today there are 39colleges catering forover added inthe19thand20thcenturies, and centuries. Newercolleges, such asKeble, were being addedineach of thefollowing three in the13thcentury,withatleastthree more its owntraditions.Thefirst colleges were built up intocolleges, each of which thendeveloped the kingordered thattheuniversity bebroken theboxed1355 (see text, p348 ). Thereafter, nating intheStScholastica’s DayMassacre in ing enmitywiththelocaltownspeople,culmi- Oxford’s Augustinian abbey in droves. Sorbonne in1167.Studentssoonflocked to Anglo-Norman studentsfromattending the The newstudentsmanaged tocreate alast- Yet theuniversity isonly partof Oxford’s Thirty-nine colleges make uptheuniver- Meanwhile, thearrivalof thecanalsystem Tamesis lonelyplanet.com ), Oxford shopping. and activities restaurant listingsaswellentertainment, accommodationandjobs. gigs, performances, h need. could ever stocksanybookyou Broad St)‘TheKnowledgeRetailer’ you trawlthroughspeciallychosentitles. stafftohelp well-read andover-educated’ St) ‘Ridiculously Tiny shopburstingwithfirsteditionsandrare books. Oxford isfairlycompactandcaneasilybe Orientation runs off theproductionlinetoday. to theeastof thecitywhere BMW’snewMini lonelyplanet.com John Radcliffe Hospital John Radcliffe SERVICES MEDICAL Coin Wash LAUNDRY Oxford Online Oxford City Daily Info RESOURCESINTERNET Virgin Mices ACCESS INTERNET Police EMERGENCY QI Little Bookshop Blackwell BOOKSHOPS Information packed withcheap placestoeatanddrink. istheedgystudentandimmigrantarea Carfax, cinema,whileCowleyRd,southeastof house town, withslickbars andrestaurants andanart- cho, inthenorthwest,istrendy, artsyendof and architecturally significantinthecentre. Jeri- thecity,withmostimportant throughout tothecentrelocated close of town. whichbus andtrainstations, are conveniently central landmarkandisashort walkfromthe covered Towermakes onfoot.Carfax agood tourism website. tourism Headington) Three miles east ofthecitycentre. 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345

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The ' s medicinal plants. and were foundedin1621forthestudyof lonelyplanet.com seating space forupto2500 readers.seating million items on118 milesof shelving andhas libraries.Itholdsmorecopyright thanseven braries intheworld, andoneof England’sthree .uk; cnrBroadSt&Parks Rd) Oxford’s Bodleian Library&Radcliffe Camera of thesurroundingbuildings. you canclimbtothecupolaforgood views college ceremonies andpublicconcertsbut ignorance. TheSheldonian for isnowused century paintingof thetriumphof truthover of themainhallisblanketed byafine17th- back,whileinside,theceiling a semicircular in Rome,ithasarectangular frontendand Inspired bytheclassicalTheatre of Marcellus time aUniversity Professor of Astronomy. major workof ChristopherWren, atthat 12.30pm &2-3.30pmMon-SatNov-Feb) h www.sheldon.ox.ac.uk; 15-16BroadSt;adult/under16yr£2/1; The monumental Sheldonian Theatre Oct-Apr) under 16yr£2.60/free; dens beautiful andexcellentlylabelled Ql...... Post Office...... Police Station...... Mices...... Mices...... Oxford Castle...... New College...... Science...... Museum ofOxford...... Modern ArtOxford...... Merton College...... Magdalen College...... Howard C&SonsPunts...... Church ofStMarytheVirgin.... Christ ChurchCollege...... Christ ChurchCathedral...... Carfax Tower...... Bridge ofSighs...... Bodleian Library...... Ashmolean Museum...... All SoulsCollege...... Virgin...... Tourist Office...... lcwl...... C2 Blackwell...... Museum oftheHistory SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION 10am-12.30pm & 2-4.30pm Mon-Sat Mar-Oct, 10am- 10am-12.30pm &2-4.30pmMon-SatMar-Oct,

( % . Thegardensare theoldestinBritain Bodleian Library 286690; www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk; adult/ 286690; www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk; OXFORDSHIRE ••Oxford h Sheldonian Theatre is oneof theoldest publicli- 9am-6pm May-Aug, 9am-4.30pm 9am-6pm May-Aug, (

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277299; 10.30am, 11.30am, 2pm & 3pm Apr-Oct, 11am,2pm&3pm 10.30am, 11.30am,2pm&3pmApr-Oct, Oxford landmarkandoneof thecity’smost century tower inthebeautiful and surrounding buildings, climbthe14th- third-largest dome. in grandPalladian style,andboastsBritain’s 1737and1749 cular librarywasbuiltbetween cir-photographed buildings.Thespectacular era 11 years of age. for childrenhour andisnotsuitable under tion House Humfrey’s libraryand17th-century Nov-Mar) to visitors, but areasthese isavailable. audiotour (£2.50)to ceiling. Aself-guided architecture andhasasuperbfan-vaulted masterpiece of 15th-centuryEnglish Gothic first examinationroom.Itisrenowned asa h the westsideis the five classicalorders of architecture. On Orders of Five On theeastern sideof thequadis gle stunning Jacobean-Gothic For excellent views of the Radcliffe Camera Camera For excellentviews of theRadcliffe Just southof thelibraryis Most of therest of thelibraryisclosed The oldestpartof thelibrarysurrounds , which dates fromtheearly17thcentury.

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(admission £2; Convoca- h 58 66 65 64 63 62 61 60 59 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 Tower 347 tours B2 B2 B2 C3 B2 B2 B2 B2 C2 B1 B2 D3 A1 B1 C2 B2 B2 B1 B2

& GLOUCESTERSHIRE GLOUCESTERSHIRE & OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS COTSWOLDS THE OXFORDSHIRE, OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS & GLOUCESTERSHIRE sion £2) and the the first of thecollege quads. The charming 14th-century and providing aplanned residence forthem. and tutors together intoaformal community to adoptcollegiate planning,bringingscholars colleges. Founded in1264,Merton wasthefirst 10am-4pm Sat&Sun) St;admissionfree; Merton .merton.ox.ac.uk; to Logic Lane Stfollowthewonderfullynamed From High College Merton Epstein’s of disturbing statue Lazarus. glass,much ofstained itoriginal,andSirJacob chapel here isfullof treasures includingsuperb ample of thegloriousperpendicular style. The ford toacceptundergraduates andisafineex- This 14th-centurycollege wasthefirst inOx- free; Oct-Easter £2, .uk; cnrHolywellSt&NewCollegeLane;admissionEaster-Sep Venice, to Sighs From theBodleianstrollunder New College (about noon). notopenuntilafter themorningservices does &CatteSts;tower admission£2.50/1.50; High the Virgin 348 Jul &Aug,9am-5pmSep-Jun) Just off thequad isa13th-century Civil Law to Mayor William Richard Gowers,MA,Civil LawtoMayorWilliamRichard Oriel. ibly, ittook600yearsfortheuniversity toextend theolive branchandawardaDoctorate of ontheanniversary andpayapennyforevery oftherioteachyear. studentkilled service Incred- under thecontrolofuniversity. EdwardIIIsenttroopstoquelltheriotingandeventuallydead. King decidedtobringthetown shovelsers armedwithpickaxes, andpikes. Bysundown63studentsand30townspeoplewere andanuneasytrucewascalled. day thestudentshadclaimedvictory took toeachother’sthroats,withhundreds more rushingtojointhebrawl.Byendof and yearsofsimmeringdiscontent andfrustrationsletloose. Soonstudentsandtownspeople for hundreds ofyears. riots of10and11February 1355changedeverything, however, andleftabitter scaronrelations abandoned Oxfordtoestablishnewuniversities inCambridge andStamfordrespectively. The brawlsescalatedand drunken intofull-scaleriotsin1209and1330whenbrowbeaten scholars an uneasyrelationship blow-ins. grew Name-calling betweenthetownspeopleandbookish The firstreal wave ofstudentsarrived inOxfordthe12thcentury,andrightfromstart ST SCHOLASTICA’SDAY MASSACRE , a1914copyof thefamous bridge in XODHR • Ofr OXFORDSHIRE ••Oxford To prove itsauthority,theuniversity ordered themayorandburgesses (citizens) toattend a The morning,however, next thefurioustownspeoplereturned withthehelpoflocalvillag- Celebrations forStScholastica’sDaygrew scufflespilledintothestreet nastywhenadrunken , the oldest medieval library in use. Itis libraryin use. , theoldest medieval Old Library

( % New College h 279111; www.university-church.ox.ac.uk; cnr 11am-5pm Easter-Sep, 2-4pm Oct-Easter). 2-4pm Oct-Easter). 11am-5pm Easter-Sep, , Merton College Merton

one of Oxford’s originalthree (admission by guidedtouronly;admis- . OnSundaysthetower

( % 279 555;www.new.ox.ac Mob Quad

( % h 276310; www h 2-4pm Mon-Fri, 2-4pm Mon-Fri, of Bridge here was 9am-6pm chapel

All SoulsCollege chapel. posters advertising candlelitconcertsinthe EliotandLouis MacNeice.lege includeTS Other literary giantsassociated withthecol- hours here whilewriting est public museum. Established in 1683, it is in1683, it is Established est public museum. free; ( ties isondisplay at themammoth A vast,ramblingcollection of artandantiqui- ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM for ruiningtheOxford skylinewhenerected. las Hawksmoor in1710,theywere lambasted towers onthenorthquad.Designed byNicho- areobvious, though, thetwinmock-Gothic sundial designedbyChristopherWren. Most abeautiful17th-century ries. Italsocontains front quadislargely unchanged infive centu- 1440s and,unlike otheroldercolleges, the academichonourshighest inthecountry. today fellowship of thecollege isoneof the in 1438asacentre of prayerandlearning, and academic research institution.Itwasfounded St;admissionfree; High students, unique innotacceptinganyundergraduate One of thewealthiestof Oxford’s colleges and % said thatProfessorsaid JRRTolkienspentmany If you’re visitinginsummer,lookoutfor Much of thecollege façadedates from the h 278000; www.ashmol.ox.ac.uk; Beaumont St; admission 278000; www.ashmol.ox.ac.uk; BeaumontSt;admission 10am-5pm Tue-Sat, noon-5pm Sun) All Souls h ( % 2-4pm Mon-Fri) 2-4pm Mon-Fri) 279379; www.all-souls.ox.ac.uk; The Lordof the Rings lonelyplanet.com is primarilyan ,

Britain’s old- Britain’s Ashmolean

. examples of neo-Grecian architecture. inoneof best to CharlesI,andhoused Britain’s ably well-travelled John Tradescant,gardener ontheextensivebased collectionof theremark- lonelyplanet.com daring escapes andcruelpunishments. ofcrypt and heartales theinmates’ grisly lives, an11th-century motte andbailey,see medieval and prison.Youcan explore theremains of the plores the1000-yearhistory of Oxford’s castle Castle; adult/under15yr£6.95/5.25; ( Newly openedin2006, OTHER ATTRACTIONS Saturday of themonth). ofseries children’s workshops (usuallythefirst children. alsorunsanexcellent Themuseum here, makingitafascinatingplaceforadultsand musical instrumentsandshrunken headslurk charms, Noh masks,totem poles,furparkas, cloaks, necklacesof teeth, blowpipes,magic torian explorers’ prizedtrophies.Feathered andmysteriouscases drawers withVic- stuffed insideare glass wildest dreams. Inthehalf-light armchair every adventurer’sdisplays tosatisfy 4.30pm) ( the mainexhibitionhall, fossils toatoweringT-Rex skeleton. and lion exhibitsrangingfromexoticinsects natural historycollectionof more thanfive mil- alone. thereal However, drawisthemammoth h ( and asoaringglassroof, the with slender,cast-ironcolumns,ornate capitals inagloriousVictorianGothicbuilding Housed RIVERSMUSEUMS &PITT UNIVERSITY rooms andhallways. a manageable thesumptuous route through studythefloorplanwellandchoose erwise, exhibition runsuntilDecember2008.Oth- fromthevast collection.The of highlights exhibitionoffersMuseum’ acrosssection ies are a‘Treasures closed of theAshmolean redevelopment andassomegaller- phase, the Ashmolean isundergoing asubstantial impossible totake itallinatonce. However, andMichelangelo), it’s ing worksbyRaphael extensive displaysof Europeanart(includ- verware; pricelessmusicalinstruments;and art;rarenese andsil- porcelain,tapestries % % % Hidden away through a door at the back of adooratthebackof Hidden awaythrough Bursting withEgyptian, IslamicandChi- noon-5pm) 270927; www.prm.ox.ac.uk; admissionfree; 260666; www.oxfordcastleunlocked.co.uk; 44-46Oxford 260666; www.oxfordcastleunlocked.co.uk; 272950; www.oum.ox.ac.uk; Parks Rd;admissionfree; is

a treasure-trove of weirdandwonderful is worthavisitfor OXFORDSHIRE ••Oxford Oxford Castle Unlocked Oxford Castle h University Museum University Pitt Rivers Museum Pitt Rivers

its architecture 10am-5pm) h noon- ex-

cobblers andbarbers. haven of traditionalbutchers, fishmongers, countryside amblewhere thedestinationof www.museumofoxford.org.uk; StAldate’s;adult/under16yr Rd andfollowthesignposts. take bus2or7fromMagdalen Stto Bardwell Blackwell Tours ( choice isthebusyboozer the .cherwellboathouse.co.uk; BardwellRd;deposit£60) head forthe around Magdalen Park. Deer Alternatively, dens andChristChurch Meadow orupstream punt downstream Gar- aroundtheBotanic ( is atMagdalen Bridge, from weekends. and£12perhouronper hourweekdays people includingthepunter. Theycost£10 mid-October, 10amtodusk,andholdfive spires floatby. Pimmsasyouwatch thedreamingquaffing includes anafternoon puntingontheriver, ums, thequintessential Oxford experience Apart fromvisitingthecolleges andmuse- Punting the T-shirts andexpensive brogues,don’tmiss and forthebestpicnicingredients, funky ( climb Oxford’s centrallandmark, and ablackboard byEinstein. used collection of historicscientificinstruments free; Science its university, whilethe Sun) £2/50p; don. Nearby,the outsideLon- best contemporary artmuseums free; 30Pembroke St;admission www.modernartoxford.org.uk; ways of history, Oxford tour (2pm Friday). Oxford tour (2pm Friday). day), an‘Inklings’ tour(11.45amWednesday) andahistoric tours includingaliterary tour(2pmTuesday, 11amThurs- Broad St;adult/child£7/6.50; Apr-Sep, 10am-4.30pm Mar & Oct, 10am-3.30pmNov-Feb) &Oct, 10am-4.30pmMar Apr-Sep, % % % The mostcentrallocationtorent punts Punts are available frommid-March to For goodviewsover thecityyoucould Far removed fromOxford’s mustyhall- h h is dedicated tothehistoryof thecityand 202643; High St;deposit£30) 202643; High 241382; Mill Lane) 241382; Mill 792653; adult/under15yr£1.90/95p; covered market covered h

( noon-4pm Tue-Sat, 2-5pmSun) 10am-5pm Tue-Sat, noon-5pmSun) % ( 10am-4.30pm Tue-Fri, 10am-5pmSat,noon-4pm 10am-4.30pm Tue-Fri, % 277280; www.mhs.ox.ac.uk BroadSt;admission Cherwell BoatHouse 333606; [email protected]; 48-51 Modern Art Oxford Modern Art . Toget totheboathouse Museum ofOxford Museum

( h h 8.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat) Museum of the History of oftheHistory Museum . Fromhere youcan May-Oct) Runs1½-hour May-Oct) hasasignificant Howard C&Sons (

% h isoneof the Victoria Arms Victoria Carfax Tower Carfax 515978; www

( ( 10am-5.30pm % % 252761; 722733; fora 349 , a ,

& GLOUCESTERSHIRE GLOUCESTERSHIRE & OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS COTSWOLDS THE OXFORDSHIRE, OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS & GLOUCESTERSHIRE 9 Hythe Bridge St;dm£14-18; 9 HytheBridge Offers boat trips alongtheIsistoAbingdon. boattrips Offers lounge full of andbattered picnictables sofas. painted withcartoon-like muralsandhas a placeisbrightly scruffy halls, thisslightly the laid-back, party-centralattitude of student storage.luggage arooftop terrace, andfree internetTV, and are new,there’s adecentlounge withsatellite upto12people,the bedsandduvetssleep and simplerooms town. Thebasicbutbright inthecentregood-quality dormsright of newest backpacker accommodationoffers packers.co.uk; 13Park EndSt;dm£14-18; sidering over thecity’scheapest B&Bs. cheery, ifalittlefunctional –wellworthcon- All roomshave ensuite andare and bright brary, garden,laundryandachoice of lounges. loads of facilitiesincludingarestaurant, li- dorm accommodation,private roomsand option intown,theYHA offers top-notch dm/d £20.95/55; YHA Oxford BUDGET and Headington roads. Abingdon,B&Bs alongtheIffley, Banbury andpayforhelp. tourist office so bookinadvanceorjointhequeueat tember beds fillupquicklyinallpriceranges, Mayterns are and Sep- thenorm.Between floralpat- bracket inparticular,suffocating and underwhelming,inthemidrange Accommodation inOxford isoften overpriced Sleeping Bros Salter Oxford InformationCentre City Sightseeing 350 around town. tours fromthebusortrainstationsanyof20stops Runshop-on,hop-offbus 10-15min 9.30am-6pmApr-Oct) oxford.com; adult/under16yr£9.50/4.50; (adults only£6.50,7pmWednesday). ing tours(£5/3,1.30pmschoolholidays);andpub familywalk- andSaturdayJunetoOctober); 7.45pm Friday Morse tours(£7/3,1.30pmSaturday);ghost(£5/3, 10.30am,11am,1pm&2pmSaturday);Inspector to Friday, colleges (adult/under16yr£6.50/3,11amand2pmSunday 10am-4pm Sun)Runs1½-hourtoursofOxfordcityand .visitoxford.org; 15-16BroadSt; Folly Bridge; boat trips £8.60; boattrips Folly Bridge; Central Backpackers Backpackers Central Oxford Backpackers If you’re of stuck,you’llfindaselection XODHR • Ofr OXFORDSHIRE ••Oxford ( ( % % niw 727275; [email protected]; 2ABotleyRd; 243421; www.salterssteamers.co.uk; ( % 790522; www.citysightseeing

( % ( % ) h Byfarthebestbudget ni ( 721761; www.hostels.co.uk; h % 242288; www.centralback mid-May–mid-Sep) mid-May–mid-Sep) 9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat, 726871; www ) Championing ni h every every Oxford’s ) and although alongwayfromthecentre,and although it’s immaculately kept andelegantlydecorated, is rything inthisVictorianmerchant house modern interior awaitsatthisfriendlyguest- oxford.co.uk; 225IffleyRd;s£60-85,d£80-90; there’s a conservatory for guestuse. there’s aconservatory thelargethrough windows,anddownstairs streamsfunky fabricsadornthebigbeds,light and excellentbathrooms.Giantpillowsin line roomswithplush, contemporary décor foritsspacioustop-of-the- worth theeffort a littleoutof thecentre, Tilbury Lodge iswell Tilbury Lane; s£50-60,£d£70-80; patio gardenforbreakfast. and and there’s alovely conservatory bright redand deep furnishings, allhave ensuite rooms are withpalecream bigandbright in lovingly set tendedhouse gardens.The 282 AbingdonRd;s/d£45/64; most B&Bsof thisprice. and beautifulfurniture, it’sallaclassabove and trendy bathrooms flockwallpaper,mosaic but elegantdécor. Withcrispwhite linen,pale offers fourexcellent-value roomswithsimple decorated andsparklingclean,theBeaumont mont; 234AbingdonRd;s£50-72,d£58-72; Beaumont MIDRANGE and tinybathroomsforthenumberof beds. upto18 bar,dormssleeping It hasalicensed wow factor ismatched bytheplush interiors, rooms created outof the vaulted cells. The andslinky former Victorianprison withsleek ina Oxford’s newesthotel set isspectacularly .com; 3OxfordCastle;d£140-150, ste£195-350; o TOP END silky bedspreads andplentyof cushions. contemporary stylewithpaleneutralcolours, loaded withperiodcharacter butdecked outin roomsarewell worththetrip.Thebig,bright .co.uk; 374BanburyRd;s£45-60,d£85-90; bathrooms. but luxuriousmoderndécorandlimestone their ownsofa andbreakfast elegant table, and stylish extra-large bedroomseach have wonderful retreat fromthecity.Thesleek gardensandmakesin beautifulsecluded a This lovely isset arts-and-crafts-stylehouse Burlington House Orchard House Cornerways Tilbury Lodge Malmaison

( % Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com 241767; www.oxfordcity.co.uk/accom/beau ( %

( % (

240135; [email protected]; 240135; [email protected]; % ( % (

% 862138; www.tilburylodge.com;5 249200; www.theorchardhouse 268400; www.malmaison-oxford 513513; www.burlington-house pn pni ) A thoroughly A thoroughly n pn ) Although Although Newly re- niw ) pn Eve- ) )

) luxury, this 17th-century boutique hotel is a luxury, this17th-centuryboutiquehotel isa mixofthe right period charm andmodern ping withcharacter andskilfullyblendingjust -hotel.co.uk; 1BanburyRd;r£155-195; h bed andminicinema. Governor’s Suite, complete withfour-poster If you’re planningareal bender,goforthe darkwoodsandgiantbeds. sultry lighting, lonelyplanet.com an extensive menu, chilled surroundingsand andcurry loversetarians inhordes.There’s restaurantBangladeshi attractsvegans, veg- thisaward-winning Indianand curry house, £7-8; give luscious cakes. intothose from therange of vegetarian dishes;orsimply fish pie,falafel, choose orwholesome salads; a favourite hang-out.GoforMoroccanlamb, healthy ingredients make thequirkyJericho a choice of mealswithvaguely delectable paper, longcoffees withacrossword,and it’s wellworththewait. in town.Don’tletthequeueputyouoff– rice dishesandsushi(Thursday only) night the fanfare and dishes upthebestnoodles, places afirmemphasisonthefoodratherthan and intimate, thistinyJapanese restaurant £6-8; cakes. andscrumptious quesadillas as goatscheese soups, doorsteps of bread andsuch goodies up abumpercropof hearty bulgingsalads, old cinemaposters, thisfunkylittlecaféserves inthecoveredcase market andplastered with h Georgina’s BUDGET cho orCowleyforamore quirkyselection. dining butfew originaloptions.Head toJeri- has alovely square pedestrianised foralfresco the centre of town.Thenewcastlecomplex but aglutof predictable chain restaurants in There’s plenty of choice for food inOxford, Eating marble bathroomsandflat-screen TVs. while thechic bedrooms have handmadebeds, mismatched furniture make thepublicareas, collection, abuzzingbar-restaurant andoddly Aneclecticart wonderfully quirkyplacetostay. Aziz o Jericho Café Jericho Old Parsonage Hotel lunch &dinner) 8.30am-5pm Mon-Sat) h h

( lunch Tue-Sun, dinnerThu-Sun) % lunch &dinner) ( Edamame % 794945; 228 Cowley Rd & Folly Bridge; mains 794945; 228CowleyRd&FollyBridge; 249527; Ave mains£5-8; 3,Covered Market;

( % Relaxed mealsover thenews- OXFORDSHIRE ••Oxford 310840; 112WaltonSt;mains£5-7;

( Hidden up a scruffy stair-Hidden upascruffy % Feted as Oxford’s best

( % 246916; 15HolywellSt;mains 310210; www.oldparsonage pni

Small,simple ) Drip- Asian dishesandgiantbentoboxes. Cowley Rd;mains£5.50-7; of the week. night hearty meats pullinginthe crowds every with stone-baked and pizzas,simplepastas rant inJericho. Thefoodisrustic,though, restau- thescene atthisslickItalian work set pipe- and exposed woods, moodylighting h getand you’lleven live jazzthrownin. ComeonaWednesday indeed. very difficult gravy justtheright canbe mash andselecting choosing sausages, aspeciality thetasty tween and hasavery simplemenu,butdecidingbe- h and delicately prepared dumplings. aromatic Thaicurries,sizzlingmeatdishes thesceneforwonderfully hangings set massive tables, chairscarved andornate wall of Thailandisalwayspacked. Elaborately andunsurprisingly,thislittleslice affordable, impeccable,theprices delicious, theservice St;mains£5.50-9.25; Bridge in anice-bath. classic posters onthewallsanda baldclown It’s asortof hip,bohemian hang-out,with for Sundaybrunch cocktails. aslate-night Coco isaCowleyRdinstitution,aspopular ofsuperb selection Mediterranean food,Café & dinner) Coco Café MIDRANGE authentic-mooing competitions. and regular sillyhat,cow-dunkingandmost- You’ll alsoget copiesof the ice cream, intown. browniesanddesserts Clarendon St); ( generous ricedishes,or & dinner) ( ofselection innovatively filledbaguettes. Clarendon St); ered Market); ( leges, lookoutfortheever-popular rolling outthedoor. portions generous toensure enough you’llbe % % % Branca Big Bang o At allothertimesheadforfunky For more heartyfare trythe For aquickbite enroute col- between lunch &dinner) lunch &dinner) 516652; 201400; 100GloucesterGreen; mains£5-5.50; 200867; baguettes£2.30-2.80) Chilled out, clued-in and serving a Chilled out,clued-inandserving for bowlsof steaming noodlesand (

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& GLOUCESTERSHIRE GLOUCESTERSHIRE & OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS COTSWOLDS THE OXFORDSHIRE, OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS & GLOUCESTERSHIRE as the ‘Bird & Baby’, this atmosphericplace as the‘Bird&Baby’, and intellectual conversation. butisgood foraquietafternoonevening, pint spector Morse. Itgets pretty crowdedin the was afavourite detective retreat In- forTV than anactualpub, thistinyolde-worldeplace Mon-Sat, noon-10.30pmSun) mellow crowd. and theirliterary friendsandstillattractsa favourite hauntof JRRTolkien,CSLewis potch of nooks andcrannies.Itwasoncethe apubsince1650and isstillahotch-has been Mon-Sat, noon-10.30pmSun) pubquizzesandacousticsets. nights, and outdoorcourtyardshostregular poker who manage tofindit,itslow-ceilinged bar students, professionals andtheluckytourists the bestloved intown.Packed withamixof pubisoneofalleyways, thistinymedieval Sat, noon-10.30pmSun) Tavern Turf PUBS centre of town. ending upinthechain pubsandbars inthe to drinking venues, sothere’s for noexcuse Oxford hasplentyof choice whenitcomes Drinking honey-glazed parsnips andcurlykale. squash andchickpea toporkbellywith tagine ranges fromsuch delicaciesasspicedbutternut villa. pretentious restaurant inanorthOxford isset of townbutworththetrip,thissmartun- h while youwaitforatable. tempt youtochill bythebarwithacocktail tions, isalwaysheaving andatworst will take reserva- Itdoesn’t food tothemasses. joint dishes upMediterranean brasserie-style modern artandbeautifulpeople,thisdesigner dinner) Quod TOP END yellowfintunaandNewEnglandlobster.sels, traditional haddockandchips toShetland mus- simple butheavenly plates of from everything up restaurantOxford’s serves finestseafood dinner) 352 Lemon Tree Lemon Tree Fishers White Horse White Eagle &Child lunch &dinnerWed-Sun,MonTue)

XODHR • Ofr OXFORDSHIRE ••Oxford The food is loosely MediterraneanThe foodisloosely and Nautically themed and generally buzzing, Nautically themedandgenerally buzzing, Bright, buzzinganddecked Bright, outwith ( %

( % 202505; 92 High St;mains £9-17; 202505; 92High

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% ( 243235; 4BathPl; % 311936; 268WoodstockRd;mains£9-19; Hiddenawaydownnarrow 728318; 52BroadSt; 302925; 49StGiles More alarge cupboard Affectionately known h ’ 11am-11pm Mon- ; h h Slightly out Slightly h noon-11pm 11am-11pm h lunch & lunch & lunch & North African tapas (£3to£5). North Africantapas andfillingupontheSpanish cocktails withhipyoungthingssipping most nights warm colours andacoolvibe. It’sbuzzing themed barhasgiantwindows,lowlighting, Mon-Sat, noon-10.30pmSun) crowd withitsproudlyindievibeand unpre- derfully grubbyplacethatattractsan eclectic super cool with big leather sofas, tasselled super coolwithbigleathersofas, tasselled outdoor seating inOxford. outdoor seating menuandthebest alengthycocktail nights, on thebabygrandfromTuesdaytoSaturday andladsonthepull.There’slighting live blues leathersofas,one isallneutraltones,deep low have this blownintothecastledevelopment, The bestof of thenewset chain pubsthat &Sat) midnight Sun-Wed,10am-1amThu,10am-2pmFri the Abingdon boysplayedtheirfirst gig. where it’ssupposedly pergrass andRadiohead, Adorned withgiantportraitsof John Peel, Su- this hipbaralsohasalive-music venue upstairs. lampsandboldlypatternedstandard wallpaper, midnight Mon-Sat,noon-11pmSun) impressed bythepestle-wielding barstaff. coolpuntersas effortlessly tryhardnottolook cho’s finest.GuestDJsplaychilled funkyjazz in town,thistrendy retro-look barisoneof Jeri- someof thebestcocktails weekends andserving Raoul’s BARS Moroccan lanterns, drapesandcandles, ahip Na is a smallcave-like place with plentyof one of out, Po thebest betsintownforanight up to£6; reggae, glamrockandpunk. plays anythingfromfunk,souland discoto thrashing rockers, whiletheclubdownstairs anything fromsinger-songwriters toguitar- tentious attitude. Live gigsupstairs feature £6; adventurous. suggestions here forsomethingalittlemore music.Trythe a lotof middle-of-the-road cattle-mart clubsinthecentre of townand club sceneisfairlylimited, withseveral Despite a large studentpopulation, Oxford’s NIGHTCLUBS Entertainment Sun) Po Na Zodiac Living Room Jericho Kazbar Kazbar h Oxford’s bestlive-music venue isawon- 7pm-2am Mon-Thu, &Sat,7-10.30pm 7pm-3amFri ( % h

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( % Tavern % 553732; 32WaltonSt) 10pm-2am Tue-Thu, &Sat) 10pm-3amFri ( % 420042; 190CowleyRd;clubadmissionupto 202920; 25-27CowleyRd; ( % 249171; 13-15 Magdalen St;admission 249171; 13-15Magdalen

( % 260210; OxfordCastle; 311775; 56WaltonSt; ThisfunkyMoroccan- Packed tothegillson Chilled out and Chilled outand lonelyplanet.com h 11am-11pm h h 10am- Still noon-

3500; www.getlive.co.uk/oxford; St) George oxfordorchestra.co.uk) .oxfordphil.com) THEATRE andreggae.funk, indie,OldSkool,house some big-nameDJsandlive Expect events. theregularcrowd and,inbetween clubnights, lonelyplanet.com to 4am,while theGatwick Express (£27,two 4am to10pm,hourly midnight half-hourly The Heathrow Express (£19,70minutes) runs £13, 1½hours). Palace Rd(return 10minutesto/fromBuckingham every Oxford Tube Oxford Espress Megabus and night. atallhours of theday and cheaper services fierce, withthree companiesoffering cheap Competition ontheOxford–London route is BUS Getting There&Away Oxford Philomusica Music Oxford Contemporary City ofOxfordOrchestra oneof groups: around townorcontact these .com. Alternatively, watch outforposters .musicatoxford.com orwww.oxfordtickets You’ll findthewidestrange of atwww events excellent placetoattend aclassicalconcert. acoustics, andtwoorchestras, Oxford isan With ahostof buildingswithgreat spectacular CLASSICAL MUSIC and Oxford Castle. venues, includingcityparks,theBMWplant spearean, showsinavarietyof non-traditional .co.uk) atthe strut theirstuff Blockbuster productionsandageing popstars features alternative independentproductions. tre quirky studentshows, whilethe Taylor Theatre Burton .com; BeaumontSt) Oxford Playhouse The city’smainstage forqualitydramaisthe £1, 1¾hours). Palace Rd(onewayfrom half-hour to/fromBuckingham (return £13,1½hours). coachstation 15 minutesto/fromVictoria Runs uptoevery .ocmevents.org) Creation Theatre Creation

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% 0870 606 hosts closing time atthepub. preparedfax. Be to joinalongqueue after as wellonStGilesandatCar-bus station, There are and ranksatthetrain station taxi TAXI Oxford’s bussystem. month £5/16/44)allowsunlimited travel on run alongAbingdon Rd fromStAldate’s. RdfromMagdalenBanbury St,and1635 2and7goalong go toCowleyRdfromCarfax, 1and5 haswornyououtbuses If sightseeing BUS Cowley Rd;perday/week£10/27) can hire bikes from tourist office,showsalllocalcycleroutes. You The BICYCLE Getting Around Didcot Parkway. (£18.70, 1½hours) butrequire achange at (£17.20,1¼hours)run toBath andBristol also (£14.70, twohours). Hourlyservices Worcester (£16.40,1½hours) andHereford (£20,1¼hours),hourly trainstoBirmingham Paddington (£18.80,onehour);androughly toLondon services There are half-hourly TRAIN minutes, 10minutes) every costs£2. 60p. Thereturn busjourneytotown(1015 Three carparksare freetheothers touse, cost car parksonmajor routes leadingintotown. thefive touse Parkstrongly advised &Ride parking inOxford are anightmare. Drivers are and ashortage of parkingspaces,drivingand Thanks toacomplicated one-waysystem CAR &MOTORCYCLE Oxfordshire days. forseven (£18), which allowsunlimited bustravel in journeys it’sworthbuyingaGoldriderpass half-hour. Ifyou’re planningalotof bus (£7,3½hours) everyCambridge roughly to in Oxfordshire andrunstheX5service (£12, 2¾hours). (£8.90,twohours) toBath andBristol service (£10.20,twohours),Birmingham andone two hoursevery 10pmto4am. hours) runshourly5.15amto8.15pmand A multi-operatorPlusPass (perday/week/ Stagecoach serves mostof thesmalltowns Stagecoach serves National Express hasfive direct to buses Cycle into Oxford Cyclo Analysts map,available fromthe . ( % 424444; 150

353

& GLOUCESTERSHIRE GLOUCESTERSHIRE & OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS COTSWOLDS THE OXFORDSHIRE, OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS & GLOUCESTERSHIRE magnificent 55m Capability Brown.Tothe front,anartificial Capability parklands, partsof which were landscaped by pressive, retire tothelavish gardensandvast don Church. Spencer-Churchill, are buriedinnearbyBla- ClementineChurchill andhiswife, Lady theboxedBlenheim in1874(see text, p55 ). and writingsof Sir Winston,whowasbornat Exhibition Anne. Queen and marblesculptures of Marlborough and significant collectionof books, aWillisorgan intended as a picture a gallery butnowhouses totheopulent proceed of thefirst duke inbattle. Fromhere you ceilingsadornedwithimagesby 20m-high the through paintings inelaborate giltframes. Youenter furniture ostentatious tapestries, andgiantoil duke andduchess. (pronounced Now aUnescoWorldHeritage Site, Blenheim decisive of victoryattheBattle Blenheim. byagratefulAnneafter his Queen borough, granted toJohn Churchill, Duke of Marl- wereThe landandfundstobuildthehouse Nicholas Hawksmoor 1705and1722. between designedbySirJohn Vanbrughfantasy and park openyear-round) h .com; adult/under16yr£14/8.50,park&gardenonly£9/4.50; heim Palace One of England’sgreatest stately homes, Blenheim Palace the It alsohouses on localhistory,art,archaeology andwildlife. sion free; clad cottages andeleganttownhouses. isfullofthe village itself picturesque creeper- opulent countrypileof theChurchill family,but city. Thebigdrawhere isBlenheimPalace, the stock makes awonderfuldaytrip from the tial ruralretreat, thecharming village of Wood- Conveniently toOxford yetaquintessen- close % WOODSTOCK 354 and priceless the three publicroom,andonto and mostimportant The From thelibraryyoucanaccess If the crowds in the house becometooop- If thecrowdsin house withstatues, isstuffed Inside, thehouse 10.30am-5.30pm mid-Feb–Oct, Wed-SunNov–mid-Dec, 01993 /pop2389 XODHR • Wosok OXFORDSHIRE ••Woodstock h Oxfordshire Museum Oxfordshire , which isdedicated tothelife, work State Rooms State 10am-5pm Tue-Sat, 2-5pmSun) ( % Great Hall Great blen China Cabinets 08700 602080;www.blenheimpalace is a monumental Baroque Baroque is amonumental tourist office tourist -num) ishometothe11th Long Library withtheirplush décor , avastspacetopped ( Saloon %

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wasoriginally % , thegrandest hasdisplays 813276). Churchill Blen- tain much oftain theirperiodcharm. Downstairs here are andstylish yetmanage sleek tore- in alovely therooms Georgian townhouse, brasserie isoneofbrasserie thebestspotsintown.The with thewarmglowof thispopular gaslight, andlit mospheric 17th-centurystonehouse £8-15; leather sofas andcheaper snacks. fare (mains£9to£14)andagoodbarwith modernBritish there’s bistroserving abright St;s/d£70/130; 19Market -woodstock.co.uk; withDVDplayer.TVs no lackof modernstyle,andfacilitiesinclude of town.There’s plentyof periodcharacter but ofselection ensuite inthecentre roomsright lovely offers 18th-centurystonetownhouse a St; s£45-65,d£70-100; house.com; 15High Oxford ifyou’re travelling onabudget. tion, butit’snotcheap. Planaday trip from Woodstock hasagoodchoice of accommoda- Sleeping &Eating and temple. glorious walksleadtoanarboretum, cascade terfly Fora quieter house. and longer stroll, to amaze,adventure playgroundandbut- setting and agoodchoice ofsetting facilities. town with aninteresting ascenic museum, butworkadaycommutertivities it’sapleasant and festival each year. Outsidethesummer fes- bursts intoaction foritsworld-famous regatta kindof butwell-heeled placethat conservative chichi residents, shopsandaffluent Henley isa afewwith elegantstonehouses, Tudorrelics, onthebanksof theriverSet andstudded % HENLEY-ON-THAMES to thepalace. from Oxford. Thecostincludesadmission (adult/under 15years £18/11)toBlenheim www.cotswold-roaming.co.uk) tion (20minutes). (hourly onSunday)fromOxford bussta- Stagecoach half-hour bus20runsevery Getting There&Away towildboarcasserole. thing frompasta for thecompetent menu,which features every- rustic interior provides aninformalambience while a mini train is needed totake visitorswhile aminitrainisneeded lake sportsabeautifulbridge byVanbrugh, Kings ArmsHotel Kings Townhouse B&B Brotherton’s Brasserie Brotherton’s 01491 /pop10,513 h lunch &dinner,closedTue) Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com ( % Cotswold Roaming

( % 810843; info@woodstock-town

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n % ) 308300; This Set ) handsome townhall. Mar-Oct, 11am-3.45pmMon-SatNov-Feb) Mar-Oct, Rd; -thames.com; TheBarn,King’s Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com well worth the 2-mile trip from town to stay at well worth the2-miletripfrom towntostay decorated, and beautifully it’smaintained Rd, HarpsdenWoods; s/d £50/70; well inadvance. planning tovisitduringeitherfestival book tion, especiallyatthetopend,but ifyou’re Henley hasagoodchoice of accommoda- Sleeping &Eating to £25foraspaceonthepromenade. inthegrandstand in pricefrom£83foraseat a floatingstage ontheThamesandtickets vary takeedy andswing.Themainevents placeon anythingfromoperatorock,jazz,com- Expect international stars toquirky,alternative acts. thatfeatures tie affair frombig-name everything ( tinues itscelebrationswiththe followingtheregatta thetowncon- In theweek FESTIVAL HENLEY to £16. July; tickets forthepublicenclosure cost£10 sive corporate entertainment opportunity. calendar of theupwardlymobile, andisamas- .co.uk five-day ing, back-slappingandthebeaumonde. The small towneach yearforacelebrationof boat- cream of English societyhasdescendedonthis was heldinHenley sincethe in1839andever The first Oxford ever boatrace andCambridge HENLEY ROYAL REGATTA Festivals &Events and Toadtolife. Mole,Badger neth Grahame’sstoriesof Ratty, Wind inthe Willows make itagoodspotforchildren, andthe Hands-on activitiesandinteractive displays the wildlife andcommercetheriver supports. with theThames,historyof rowing,and w 18yr £7/5; ( and theimpressive Life inHenley ontheriver, hasalwaysfocused River &TowingMuseum % % The Apple Ash The regatta isheld inthefirst of week ) 843404; www.henley-festival.co.uk) 415600; www.rrm.co.uk; Mill Meadows; adult/under Meadows; 415600; www.rrm.co.uk; Mill ) hasgrownintoamajor fixture inthesocial takes alookat thetown’srelationship tourist office tourist h Henley Royal Regatta Henley RoyalRegatta

( 10am-5.30pm May-Aug, 10am-5pm Sep-Apr; 10am-5pmSep-Apr; 10am-5.30pm May-Aug, % 574198; www.appleash.com; Woodlands

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edbillet.co.uk; Stoke Row;mains£12-20; edbillet.co.uk; Stoke (£20 per hour). (£12 per hour)andfour-seater motorboats £5.50/4.50) andhires five-seater rowing boats (adult/under 16 yearsApril toSeptember .com) river, ton take about onehour(£11.40,hourly). twohours).every TrainstoLondonPadding- Bus X39linksHenley andOxford (50minutes, Getting There&Around figs inaportandjunipersauce. puy lentils,orvenison androast withhaggis with goatscheese, warmchorizo and salad mouthwatering fare such as chicken baked local producebeingwhippedintomodern, the foodthatreally drawsthecrowds,with nook fireplace are it’s alloriginals.However, and thelowbeams,flagstoneflooringle- isdrawndirectlybeer fromcasksinthecellar man DickTurpin.Todayitislittlechanged – famous astheone-timehideoutof highway- trees, theCrooked Billetisa17th-centuryinn Hidden downabacklaneandsurroundedby duck, andakillerGuinness icecream. solid fare such aschar-grilled tunaandBarbary features fire, grandpianoandairyconservatory withhigh-backedbrasserie leatherchairs, open h area atthebackforalfresco summerdining. vourites for dinner. There’s alovely garden or gothewholehogandoptforallyourfa- generous, carefully sochoose lunch foralight than 40traditionalGreek meze. Portionsare upamenuof moreing, theGreen Olive serves h (mains £14.50). rooms, huge winecellarandapopularbistro by awalk-inhumidor,incredible billiards suites are slickandstylish andare matched phistication. Thespaciousroomsandopulent designerso- dustrial chic andtop-of-the-line hotel chain scores foritsblendof highly in- former Brakspears Brewery, thisupmarket vin.com; NewSt;d£115-395; pale fabricsandrestrained floraltouches. but alsooffer moderncomfortandstyle,with spacious roomsretain theirperiodcharacter this charming The Edwardiancountryhouse. o Henley Bar&Grill Olive Green o If you fancy seeing thelocal areaIf youfancyseeing fromthe lunch &dinner lunch &dinner) runs hour-long afternoon Hobbs &Son Crooked Billet Crooked Hotel duVin Hotel ( % ) Bright, airyandusuallybuzz- ) Bright, Thiscontemporary-styled 412220; 28 Market Pl;meze£3.95-6.50; 412220; 28Market

( % ( % 572035; www.hobbs-of-henley

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river trips from h ) Set inthe Set lunch &dinner) 355

& GLOUCESTERSHIRE GLOUCESTERSHIRE & OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS COTSWOLDS THE OXFORDSHIRE, OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS & GLOUCESTERSHIRE across anarrow bandof landeastof theM5, The limestone hillsof the Cotswoldsextend Orientation &Information summer months. duringthe be besieged bytouristsandtraffic that youwon’tbealone–theCotswolds can Justbeawareplace tofulfilyourfantasies. a cream tea inmidafternoon, there’s nofiner wallpaperorlustedunder English after rose beams,dreamedexposed of fallingasleep is secured forevermore. Ifyou’ve craved ever of beautifulbuildingsthatitsplaceinhistory the area itswealthandleftitwithsuch aglut world Englishcharm. rickety theregion almshouses, justoozes old- thatched cottages, atmosphericchurches and villages riddledwithbeautifuloldmansions, popular spots.Withglorioushoney-coloured of the Cotswolds are oneof thecountry’smost lush rollinghillsandpicture-postcard villages and beloved bytouristsandlocalsalike, the EnglishUndeniably beautiful,quintessentially THE COTSWOLDS figure inmore detail. Wantage tells thehistoryof thearea andchalk full-time education£2.50/1; www.wantage.com/museum; ChurchSt;adult/under25yrin leads alongtheRidgeway totheWhite Horse. hostel, nearWantage, awonderful5-milewalk earthworks of dragon here –andabove itthe grass-covered thatStGeorge itisbelieved because slewthe perspective. of linesoffrom theair,because thestylised or fromadistance, Itisbestseen Britain. tobetheoldestchalkis thought figure in measuring 114mlongand49mwide, to represent. create theimage orwhatexactlyitissupposed people of thetimewenttosomuch troubleto almost 3000years ago. No-oneissure whythe chalkis astylised cutintothehillside horse town of Wantage. TheUffington White Horse west of Oxford nearthehandsomemarket terious ancientsites liesabout20milessouth- One of England’smostremarkable andmys- HORSE WHITE UFFINGTON 356 The Just belowthefigure is Regardless, itisanextraordinaryfigure, A boom in the medieval wool trade brought wooltradebrought A boominthemedieval H OSOD • Oinain&Ifrain THE COTSWOLDS &Information ••Orientation Vale & Downland Museum Vale &DownlandMuseum Uffington Castle Uffington h 10am-4.30pm Mon-Sat) Dragon Hill . From the youth . Fromtheyouth ( % 01235-771447; – so called –socalled in .org) Oxfordshire Cotswolds Oxfordshire Cotswolds Tourism Cotswolds commodation andevents: (AONB). NaturalBeauty standing Cotswolds are protected asanArea of Out- Warwickshireset, andWorcestershire. The leak outintoOxfordshire, Wiltshire, Somer- region lieswithinGloucestershire, butparts Mostofand southalmostasfarBath. the widest point,northtoChippingCampden stretching almostasfarOxford attheir just skimming thenorthern andsouthern and from major hubsonly, and trainservices running to fairly limited, withbusservices theCotswolds isPublic transport through Getting Around are invaluableinhelpingtoplotaroute. gentle gradients.Again, thelocaltouristoffices gloriousviewsand territory, withlittletraffic, lanes of the Cotswolds make cycling fantastic the manywalkingguidestoregion. ofdetails dayhikes orpickupacopyof oneof Askshorter section. atlocaltouristofficesfor many pointsenroutea ifyoufancytackling stretches,difficult andiseasilyaccessiblefrom withnomajor toBath, climbs or Campden area. The route meanders fromChipping gives walkers of awonderfuloverview the for walking,cyclingandriding. The gentle hillsof theCotswolds are perfect Activities The long-distance The long-distance For onlineinformationonattractions,ac- Away fromthemainroads,winding cotswolds.net) (www.manorcottages.co.uk) Manor Cottages&CotswoldRetreats Discover theCotswolds Cotswold CottageCompany Cotswold Cottages Campden Cottages ties throughouttheregion: tage, trythewebsites listed here forproper- torentIf you’dlike yourownCotswoldcot- A COTTAGE OFYOUROWN .co.uk) .cotswoldcottage.co.uk) /cottages.shtml) (www.the-cotswolds.org) (www.cotswolds.com) (www.oxfordshirecotswolds (www.cotswolds.info (www.campdencottages Cotswold Way (www.discoverthe lonelyplanet.com (www (102 miles)

bus andrailsummariesforthearea. useful oflights thearea. Touristoffices stockseveral allthehigh- ning andpatienceyoucansee borders. withalittlecareful However, plan- lonelyplanet.com but later mysteriously disappeared. Whena ofRichard IIIattheBattle Bosworthin1485 to ViscountFrancisLovell. Lovell with fought Hall Lovell toavalleywalk. start ternoon pitstop,quietovernight retreat or Minster Lovell isagloriousplaceforanaf- down tothemeanderingRiver Windrush, changed onagentle slopeleading today.Set an ancientpubandriverside millare little the cluster of stonecottages nestledbeside one of WilliamMorris’favourite spots,and The gorgeous village of Minster Lovell was % MINSTER LOVELL most major centres (see p970 ). hirecar isunbeatable. Car canbearranged in getting thebeaten off track,having yourown Bristol Cinderford THE COTSWOLDS Chipping Ledbury Sodbury The main sight hereThe mainsight istheruinsof For themostflexibilityandoptionof Huntley 01993 M5 Berkeley Explore the CotswoldsExplore Malvern Hills Slimbridge Westbury Cotswold Way home , the15th-centurymanorhouse Castle Eastnor Uley M4 M50 Westonbirt Castle Combe THE COTSWOLDS •• Minster Lovell THECOTSWOLDS ••Minster Upton- Severn upon- Tewkesbury S A46

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& GLOUCESTERSHIRE GLOUCESTERSHIRE & OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS COTSWOLDS THE OXFORDSHIRE, OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS & GLOUCESTERSHIRE dieval screens dividingthechapels.dieval you’ll findafinefan-vaulted ceilingandme- topped bya15th-centurysteeple andinside St John cottage has two bright and spacious guest rooms andspacious guestrooms cottage hastwobright s/d£45/70; .co.uk; 151 TheHill; (mains £6to£8). fairlypredictable butdecentfare rant serves and better butfarfromspacious.Therestau- while theensuite ‘superior’roomsare newer roomsherestandard are smallandfunctional, 60) at more prices. affordable pheric, upmarket hotels butfarfewer options Burford hasawonderfulchoice of atmos- Sleeping &Eating some remarkable tombs. brook untouched and rarely visited village of east alongthepicturesque river pathtothe towalk from thecrowds,it’swortheffort rhinos andgiantcats. frompenguinstowhiteis hometoeverything Thepark around aVictorianmanorhouse. h adult/under16yr£9/6.50; www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk; excellent century onBurford’shistory. small museum ing perches onsturdypillars a andnowhouses chants Thisquaintbuild- heldtheirmeetings. 11am-5pm Sat&Sun) House buildings, includingthe16th-century Burford’s mainattractionliesinitsremarkable Sights &Activities the localarea. Nov-Feb) h and itcanallfeel abitoverwhelming. shops peddlingflowerychina andnostalgia specialist boutiques,tearooms andantique ingly busyinmidsummer. Addonaglutof visitors, andthetowncanbefrustrat- though, credible arrayof buildingsattractshordes of odd Elizabethan or Georgian gem. Thisin- andthe cottages, fineCotswoldtownhouses 358 Westview House Westview Priory If youhave thetimeandfancygetting away Younger visitors willenjoyavisittothe Off High Styou’llfindthetown’s14th- High Off The helpful Housing theonlybudget bedsintown, the 9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat Mar-Oct, 10am-4.30pmMon-Sat 9.30am-5.30pm Mon-SatMar-Oct, 10am-4.30pm Mar-Sep, 10am-3.30pmOct-Feb) 10am-4.30pm Mar-Sep, H OSOD • Cipn otn THE COTSWOLDS ••ChippingNorton (3miles),where thebeautifulchurch has

(Toll House; High St;admissionfree; House;High (Toll

has several leafletsdescribingwalksin hasseveral the Baptist

( almshouses % Cotswold WildlifePark 823249; 35 High St;s£22.50-47.50,d£47.50- 823249; 35High , where thewealthywoolmer- tourist office tourist . TheNormantowerhere is

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( 2-5pm Mon-Fri, 2-5pm Mon-Fri, % Church of 823006; Tolsey , set Swin- with a stay at the Lamb, a15th-centuryinn attheLamb, with astay atburford.co.uk; 14WitneySt;mains£11-16; atburford.co.uk; ner) rary roomswith simple, minimalistdesign. range of modernBritish andEuropeanfood. upagood serves this atmosphericbrasserie Chipping Norton–or‘Chippy’asitislocally undiscoveredLargely bythetouristhordes, % CHIPPING NORTON to Saturday(20minutes). Witney andBurford10timesaday,Monday Stagecoach 233andX3runbetween buses day (oneonSunday)toBurford(45minutes). From Oxford, a Swanbrookrunsthree buses Getting There&Away available atthebar. Equally goodbutlessformaldining(£7.95)is antique furniture andcosycomfortupstairs. stairs, andluxuriousperiod-styleroomswith and acharming, laid-back atmosphere down- floors, low,beamedceilings,creaking stairs just drippingwithcharacter. flagstone Expect .co.uk; SheepSt;r£145-165; own private balconyoverlooking thegarden. cast-iron bed,whiletheWindrushRoomhasits beams,stonewallsanda Room hasexposed with plentyof periodcharacter. TheHeritage ( bistro-style food(mains £4to£7). agood range ofThe downstairs cafédoes n ( like astately homethanafactory. ture of the19thcentury,buildingismore town. Amonumenttotheindustrial architec- converted toapartments)ontheoutskirts of is thearrestinghowever, clerestory. Chippy’smostenduringlandmark, nificent 15th-centuryperpendicularnave and of theCotswoldwoolchurches, withamag- the secluded houses find arowof beautifulhoney-coloured old coaching innsandonChurch Styou’ll some Georgian buildings,stonecottages and The market square issurroundedbyhand- workaday attitudeandsomelovely buildings. butattractiveknown –isasleepy placewitha % % Another goodbetis For overnight accommodation, o Jonathan’s attheAngel ) 01608 /pop5688 Set inalovelySet 16th-centurycoaching inn, offers arange of really lovely contempo- 645060; www.nortens.co.uk; 10NewSt;s£45,d£55-65; 645060; www.nortens.co.uk; 646383; www.offthebeatentrack.uk.com; 18Horsefair; 646383; www.offthebeatentrack.uk.com; builtinthe17thcentury.Furtheronis Lamb Inn Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com Church ofStMary

( % 823155; www.lambinn-burford p

( % Off the Beaten Track theBeaten Off Bliss Tweed Mill Bliss TweedMill ) Step back in time 822714; www.theangel , aclassicexample h Norten’s B&B Norten’s lunch &din- (now alms-

Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com pingcampden.com; High St; pingcampden.com; High ist crowdsandisa wonderfulplacetovisit. shops, itremains relatively unspoiled bytour- the presence of chichi boutiquesandupmarket pretty villages. Despite itsobvious allure and truly unspoiledgem inanarea fullof achingly ancient innsandhistorichomes,making ita wayward stonecottages, fineterraced houses, isflankedCampden byawonderful arrayof mainstreet of The gracefulcurving Chipping % CHIPPING CAMPDEN Hereford (£14.20,1½hours). on toWorcester (£10.10,45minutes) and 1½ hours) viaOxford (£9.30,35minutes) and Moreton from LondonPaddington (£27.50, the-Water (20 minutes). on-the-Wold (15minutes) andBourton-on- May goviaStow- only.Allbuses toSeptember runfrom to Saturday).TwoSundayservices Moreton and Cheltenham (onehour, Monday scoaches.com) bursts intolife market. foritsweekly of beautifulbuildings.OnTuesdaysthetown transporthubandstillhasaclutch a useful it’s However, traffic. spoiled byitsincessant but isnowamajor roadaxisandisrather Unassuming Moreton wasoncealovely town % MORETON-IN-MARSH half-hour.and Oxfordevery roughly town forfood. British menuandisprobably thetopspotin amodern restaurant (mains£8to£15)serves of modernguestrooms.The comfortable, s/d £45/70) The helpful There are hourto every trainsroughly Pulhams Coaches Stagecoach Chippy bus20runsbetween iron bedsandperiodstyle. Itdoesn’tgetmuchmore genuinethanthis. Sunday roastswithallthetrimmings,whileupstairssixguestroomsoffer four-poster orcast- loo. The food(mains£5to£9)rangesfromhomemadesoupsandcrustybaguettes totraditional pipes andsnuffstillonsale,therefreshing walkdowntheroadwhenyouneedtouse ofitscharm–thereal joycomesinthe localales,cidersandwines,thetraditionalclayonly part since medievaltimes,withthe16th-century One ofthehiddengemsCotswolds,gorgeous villageofGreat Tew islittlechanged WORTH THETRIP Tew; r£85-110 01386 /pop1943 01608 /pop3198 Great Tew isabout4mileseastofChippingNorton. ,

a brasserie and bar with a selection andbarwithaselection a brasserie runs eight services daily between dailybetween services runseight ) sittingrightonthevillagegreen. Roaringfires, flagstonefloorsandlowbeamsare tourist office tourist

( % h 01451-820369; www.pulham 10am-5pm Mon-Fri) ( %

841206; www.visitchip THECOTSWOLDS ••Moreton-in-Marsh stocks Falkland Arms .cotswoldhouse.com; TheSquare; r£140-285; the chintz fromitsbedroomsandreplaced it in townhashadarecent makeover, banished farmhouse, thislovelyfarmhouse, B&Bhasalltheperiod norm here. Youcandinein style atJuliana’s throws, private gardens andhottubs are the ture, massive beds,Frette linens,cashmere furni- turnedboutique hotel. Bespoke house Relax inutter luxuryatthis chic Regency town £8.50 to£16)inrusticsettings. menu (mains aBritishandContinental serves 14th-century inn.Therestaurant downstairs wonderfully withtheperiodcharacter of this contemporarywith sleek décor thatworks Church St;s£50-65,d£80-115; tral colourschemes. find king-sizebeds,powershowers andneu- oakbeamsandcreakingexposed stairs you’ll style andmodernfacilities.Alongwiththe charm of aCotswoldhome,butcontemporary .co.uk; s/d£50/60) FarmManor Sleeping &Eating insummer2007. Crafts museum willopenasanArtsand CourtBarn surviving The ways of House. thenow-ruinedCampden able rowof ments. NearbyonChurch Stisaremark- and somewonderful17th-centurymonu- pendicular style,ithasamagnificenttower churches of theCotswolds.Builtinper- century timber roof. nearby, withitsmultiplegablesandelaborate for thewonderful17th-century the town’smosthistoricbuildings.Lookout a towntrailguidewithsomebackgroundon century, andtheJacobean lodges andgate- o Eight Bells At thewestern endof Stisthe15th- High ( % St James’s Cotswold House Hotel Cotswold HouseHotel

683653; www.falklandarms.org.uk; Great ( almshouses %

( Set ina beautiful 17th-centry Set % 840390; www.manorfarmbnb.demon 840371; www.eightbellsinn.co.uk; , oneof thegreat wool dating fromthe17th n ) Theoldestinn

( % 840330; www Market Hall Market pni 359

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& GLOUCESTERSHIRE GLOUCESTERSHIRE & OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS COTSWOLDS THE OXFORDSHIRE, OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS & GLOUCESTERSHIRE classic range of food,or sleek brasserie-style nook fireplace andsubtleflorals. beams,an ingle- coaching innwithexposed .co.uk; High St;s/d£45/68; .co.uk; High and stylish ( House Milestone fabrics andpinefurniture. Anothergoodbetis cious roomsdecked outincosy,country-style lovely spa- 16th-century homewithbright, St;s£40-58,d£68-8; -broadway.com; 78High Branch GuestHouse floor andstunningviewsfromthetop. has asmallWilliamMorrisexhibitiononone Gothic follyonthecrest of theescarpment.It 3pm Sat&SunNov-Mar) adult/under 14yr£3.80/2.30; Broadway Tower challenging pathleadsuphillfor2milesto walk (1mile)fromtown.Nearhere, amore ChurchofStEadburgha feeling energetic thelovely, 12th-century are few specificattractionstovisit.Ifyou’re arcade off thenorthernendof St. High h that linethevillage green. shops, boutiques,artgalleriesandcoaches in timespast,buttodayit’stearooms, antique have inspired writers, artistsandcomposers atthefootofcottages set escarpment asteep on thetouristtrail.Thegracefulgolden-hued is anotherstunningCotswoldvillage firmly little changed times, sincemedieval Broadway English,Quintessentially absurdlypretty and % BROADWAY town. discovering thequietlanesandtrailsaround ( try hiringabike from There are noSundayservices. in-Marsh. Bus21alsostopsinBroadway. hourly toStratford-upon-Avon orMoreton- 21and22runalmost thembuses Between Getting There&Around with anambitiousmenu. (mains£8to£17),aslickoperation Brasserie or take amore informalapproach atHick’s 360 % % For food,headfor the thecharm ofBeyond there thevillage itself The The bestof theB&Bsintownis To catch areal of glimpse thecountryside, 10am-1pm &2-5pmMon-Sat) 01386 /pop2496 858435; 20A High St;mains£7-11) 858435; 20AHigh 438706; LonglandsFarm Cottage;perday£12) H OSOD • Boda THE COTSWOLDS ••Broadway tourist office tourist Russells (

( % % ( , acrenulated, 18th-century %

852390; www.broadwaytower.co.uk; 853432; www.milestone-broadway ( % isasignposted 30-minute

pn 853555; www.russellsofbroadway h ( % 853440; www.theolivebranch Cotswold CountryCycles 10.30am-5pm Apr-Oct, 11am- 10.30am-5pm Apr-Oct, 852937; 1CotswoldCt; isinashopping Broadway Brasserie Broadway Brasserie ) , a17th-century , which serves a a , which serves n and Olive Olive ) , a

flat-screen TVs andlotsof littleluxuries. flat-screen TVs to £245)withsimple,contemporary design, of has aselection slick,modernrooms(£105 upmarket modernBritishfare. also Russells country’s mainpilgrimage centres. of TudorandStuartmonarchs. Much of the dation/gower-house.htm; 16 North St;s/d£40/53; dation/gower-house.htm; 16North adult/under 15yr£7.20/4.20; Sudeley Castle SudeleyCastle £3.30/1.70; HailesAbbey the townare ruinsof theevocative Cistercian the lovely StPeter’s Church andjustoutside Cotswoldviews.Finegargoylessential adorn on VineyardStandDentsTceoffer quintes- line thestreets, andthepicturesque cottages houses of atypicalCotswoldtown.Beautiful placewiththetimelesscharmnow asleepy wolds untiltheMiddleAges, Winchcombe is one of townsintheCots- themostimportant of theSaxonkingdomofCapital Mercia and % WINCHCOMBE 50 minutes). to Cheltenham (fourMondaytoSaturday, to Saturday,20minutes) andbus606goes andStratford(fourdailyMonday Campden toMoreton-in-Marsh,Bus 22goes Chipping Getting There&Away St;mains£9-17; .com; 20High at theWhite Hart range fromsimple and .com; r£65-135; plenty of light. pine furniture, plainwhite bedspreads and of town.Thesimple,uncluttered roomshave verted intothislovely tothecentre B&Bclose Two 17th-centurycottages have con- been Gower House Sleeping &Eating Apr-Oct) .co.uk; toOctober,tour £15). 1pm, and3pmEaster Tours’ (Wednesday11am, the ‘Connoisseur theprivatetojoin apartmentsyou’llneed see paintings, andthesurroundinggardens.To the exhibitionsof costumes,memorabiliaand ofglimpse itsgrandproportionswhilevisiting isoff limitstovisitors,house butyoucanget a weeksEaster-Oct) selected The is The town’smainattraction,however, White Hart Inn Hart White 01242 /pop3682 h islocated St. onHigh tourist office tourist 10am-1pm &2-4pmMon-Sat,10am-4pmSun h Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com

( 10am-5pm Easter-Oct) n % (EH;

( % Theindividually styledrooms )

602616; www.cotswolds.info/accommo ( % % 604357; www.sudeleycastle.co.uk;

01242-602398; adult/under15yr , onceafavoured retreat 602359; www.the-white-hart-inn ( % h h 602925; www.winchcombe lunch &dinner) 10.30am-5pm Sun-Thu , onceoneof the for more np

) derfully atmospheric,thisbeautiful B&Bhas tickets tolocalattractions. (mains £14to£16). modern Britishfare inthemainrestaurant and to £8),pizzas(£6£8)inthebasement bitesequally eclectic,withlight atthebar(£5 the four-poster Swedishroom.Thefoodis room,theMoroccanboudoirand Highland contemporary twinstothetartan-bedecked Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com h and subtledécor. with plentyof space,brand-newbathrooms three simple, contemporary-styled rooms s £45,d£55-70; area andawarmwelcomeforfamilies. andhassmalldorms,achildren’s house play this hostel isinawonderful16th-centurytown & Dec; .yha.org.uk; TheSquare; dm£14.95; YHAHostel Stow-on-the-Wold Sleeping &Eating 5.30pm Mon-Sat) looking fortrueCotswoldcharm. coach tour, butallalittleartificialifyou’re delis. It’sgreat ifyou’re onapitstopfrom shops, pretentious boutiques, tearooms and brokering dealsthetownisfullof antique placed withtouristsandinstead of farmers into thefair. have Todaythesheep re- been tofunnelthesheep leyways originallyused by handsomebuildingsandsteep-walledal- its heartisalarge market square surrounded WayandatthejunctionofFosse sixroads.At ontheRoman asitdoes wold history,standing Stow haslongheldastrategic placeinCots- % STOW-ON-THE-WOLD way (MondaytoSaturday,40minutes). oncetoBroad- minutes), whilebus559goes urday) fromWinchcombe toCheltenham (25 Bus 606runsfourtimesdaily(MondaytoSat- Getting There&Away good foodatsurprisinglykeen rates. ents andFrench consistently flairandpromises lin star. Themenuisamixof British ingredi- that alsohappenstoholdaprestigious Miche- spot forfoodisthiscosy,unpretentious place lunch £18.50,2-coursedinner£28-37) Old Butchers Number 9 The o lunch &dinner) 01451 /pop2074 pni tourist office tourist 5 North Street Street 5 North ( % n onMarket discounted Sqsells

Slapbangonthemarket square, ) Stow’stop spotfordining is 870333 www.number-nine.info;9Park St; ( % ) Centrally located andwon- Centrally (

831700; 7Park St;mains£11-16; % (

831082; HollisHouse; % h 604566; 5 North St; 2-course St;2-course 604566; 5North

( Winchcombe’s top Winchcombe’s top % Mar-Sep, Fri & Sat only Nov &SatonlyNov Fri Mar-Sep, 0870 7706050;www THECOTSWOLDS ••Stow-on-the-Wold h 9.30-

160; ( excellent food,the chic and stylish in alovely Edwardianhouse. DVD players toiletries andcomplimentary offers simpleroomswith beautiful,bright, www.larksrisehouse.co.uk; OldGloucester Rd;r£50-80; accommodation. 9.30am-4pmMon-SatNov-Mar) Sat Apr-Oct, St; .com; Victoria to reveal itself. when thevillage’s understated charm isfree have left,orwaituntilthedepths of winter, whenmostofin theevening, thecoaches and motormuseum. project, perfumefactory, maze conservation including amodelrailwayandvillage, bird- ofturned themeparkwithaseries ‘attractions’ the tricklingRiver Windrush,thetownhas and stunninglypicturesque lowbridges over trade. Notcontent withitshandsomehouses tiful placethathassolditssoultothetourist coach tours, Bourton isanexceptionallybeau- andoverwhelmedCrass, commercialised by % BOURTON-ON-THE-WATER andMoreton-in-Marsh.at Kingham Saturday. daily MondaytoFridayandninetimeson tenham, Moreton andBourtonfourtimes Monday toSaturday.Bus801runsChel- Northleach andCirencester timesdaily eight Bus 55linksStowwithMoreton, Bourton, Getting There&Away European flair. traditional English favourites withmodern but themenuisdecidedlymodern,blending beamsandold-worldcharm,is allexposed England’soldestinn.Thedécor supposedly andChild, attheEagle cated foodisserved h to perfection. roast porkbellyandsucculentfish alldone grilledmarinatedthrown in.Expect quail, a hintof Europeaninfluence Continental of modernBritishcuisinewith more than upagreat selection serving this chic brasserie % If you’dlike tostay, The Eagle &Child For more upmarket accommodation and If you’re visit travelling season, inthehigh The nearest are trainstations 4milesaway lunch &dinner 01451 /pop3093 822244; www.dialhousehotel.com; The Chestnuts;r£110- n ) tourist office tourist istheonly placetogo. Luxurious h ) Smart,simplebutsophisti-

( % 9.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5.30pm 9.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, 830670; DigbethSt;mains£9-12;

( % 820211; www.bourtoninfo Larks Rise can helpfind

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Dial House % 822613; 361 n

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& GLOUCESTERSHIRE GLOUCESTERSHIRE & OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS COTSWOLDS THE OXFORDSHIRE, OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS & GLOUCESTERSHIRE timbered imposingmerchants’ Tudor houses, leach isalovely littlemarket townof half- Little visited andunder-appreciated, North- % NORTHLEACH andgloriouscottages. manor house the fieldstoUpperSlaughter, withitsownfine another mile(about 30minutes’ walk) across and teashop. Fromhere youcancontinuefor 6pm Mar-Oct) www.oldmill-lowerslaughter.com; admission£2; a top-notch hotel) tothe 17th-century LowerSlaughter Manor (now thegloriousbuildings,past between lage willbethemeanderingriver thatweaves across thefields.Your first of sight thevil- foot fromBourton(about 30minutes’ walk) charm. medieval drawn here, theirunhurried theymaintain despite thecamera-wieldingcrowdsthatare Old English ‘sloughre’, and meaning‘slough’, unspoiled villages. Thenamesderive fromthe are someof theCotswolds’mostscenic and world away,the Slaughters –UpperandLower A littleover amilefromBourtonandyethalf % THE SLAUGHTERS Friday andninetimesonSaturday. ton andStowuptofourtimesdailyMonday British cuisine. upexcellentmodern ner £12to£18)serves The restaurant (mainslunch £8to£10,din- period charm anddesignerstyleare onoffer. beds, silkythrowsandawonderfulmixof rooms withhand-painted wallpaper,giant 362 To see theSlaughters attheirbest,arriveTo see on 801andP1runtoCheltenham, More-Buses traditional lunchattheglorious thatched grounds orthestately roomsof ( p361 ) foranevening ofluxuryandfinefood. OnSundayheadeasttoWoodstock toramblethe and feed theducks,before tocheckinto thesumptuous swinging backtoBourton feeling sprightly,followthetrailover therollinghillstoUpperSlaughter oralternatively just sit Street Castle where youcanlollaboutthelovely insomehistoryattheTudor villageortake pile and magnificentviewsat Brasserie.Hick’s First stroll thingthefollowingmorning,blowawaycobwebs withashort in ChippingCampden asunsetstrollaroundthevillage before and take diningatJuliana’sor intotheseductively stylish bychecking yourweekend Kick-start FORTHEWEEKEND SOMETHING 01451 /pop1923 01451 H OSOD • TeSagtr THE COTSWOLDS ••TheSlaughters ( p361 the cross-country route) before tostunning taking ( p360 ). Stopforlunchattheseriouslyunpretentious butexceptionally good , which houses a small museum asmallmuseum , which houses Broadway Tower oldmill Blenheim Palace

( % h 820052; 10am- Falkland Arms ( p360 ) andthenheadsouthto style. The restaurant serves a good selection of agoodselection style. Therestaurant serves suite rooms decked outinslickcontemporary s £50-60,d£60-80; the niture andspaciousbathrooms.Alternatively, simpleroomsfeaturing pinefur-with bright £60/75; ( by theRiver Coln. and,ashortwalkaway,temple bathhouses, illustratingtheseasons, wonderful mosaics somehome inabout AD 120,itcontains Roman villasinEngland.Builtasastately 11am-4pm Feb-Mar &Nov) adult/under 18yr£5.50/3; RomanVilla worth playedonareproducingmaninoff piano. cal instruments,where youcanhearRach- musi- ofa fascinatingmuseum self-playing .mechanicalmusic.co.uk; admission£5; Music ing’s WorldofMechanical thatcontains century woolhouse masterpiece of Cotswoldperpendicularstyle. oflight avisitisthe narrow lanewaysleadingoff it,butthehigh- around thegorgeous market square andthe wonderful mixof architectural stylesclustered stores cottages. There’s and late-medieval a Northleach. ham (30minutes) andOxford (onehour)via Chelten-urday (oneonSunday)between Swanbrook runsthree MondaytoSat- buses Getting There&Away dinner menu(mains£11to£13). lunches (£6to£8)andamodernBritishlight ( p354 ) andworkupanappetite forahearty % For overnight try stays Near thesquare a17th- House, isOak Just outsidetownontheA429is Wheatsheaf 860875; www.prospectcottage.co.uk; WestEnd;s/d860875; www.prospectcottage.co.uk; n ( p359 ) inGreat Tew. ) ,

an atmospheric17th-centuryhome Lower Slaughter Cotswold HouseHotel

( n %

has eight excellent-value haseight en ) (NT; 860244; www.wsan.co.uk; WestEnd; , oneof themostcomplete Church of St Peter andStPaulChurch ofStPeter h % Winchcombe 10am-5pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-5pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, 01242-890256; Yanworth; ( above ). Ifyou’re h Prospect Cottage Prospect lonelyplanet.com

( % Dial House 10am-6pm; 860181; www Sudeley 5 North (p360), Keith Hard- Keith (p359) Ched- w

, , a , a )

around town. unpretentious place of narrowwindingstreets charming townof Cirencester isarefreshingly inhistory,the elegantandsteeped Affluent, % CIRENCESTER Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com largest collections of Roman artefacts tolife at puter reconstructions bringone of Britain’s Modern design,innovative displays andcom- MUSEUM CORINIUM wifeBoleyn, second of Henry VIII,in1535. wall safe displaysthe glass,while a stained finemedieval contains woolmerchants. Theeastwindow portant recording thematrimonialhistoriesof im- painted stonepulpitandmemorialbrasses terior, where you’llalsofinda15th-century and aTudornave adornthelight-filled in- townhall. the medieval became 15th-century abbots, itsubsequently Builtasanofficeby late-is thereal highlight. it isthemajestic three-storey southporch that flying buttresses dominates theexterior, but superb perpendicular-style towerwithwild is oneof England’slargest parishchurches. A cathedral-like elegantlyonthemarketStanding square, CHURCH OFSTJOHNTHEBAPTIST Sights Jan-Mar) h Walk delis thatlineitsnarrowstreets. astheexpensivetant boutiquesandtrendy lively MondayandFridaymarkets asimpor- retains anauthentic,unaffected air,with the towninthesouthernCotswoldsand portant church. Today,Cirencester isthemost im- the buildingof asuperbperpendicular-style the town,withwealthymerchants funding wooltradewasalsogoodto The medieval of thelargest amphitheatres inthecountry. thegrassed-overyou canstillsee ruinsof one littleof andalthough tance thisperiodremains, only toLondoninterms of sizeandimpor- of buildingsfromvariouseras. nearby streets aharmoniousmedley showcase century andVictorianarchitecture, whilethe square is surroundedbywonderful18th- Thelovelyand gracefultownhouses. market Soaring arches, magnificentfanvaulting Under theRomans,Cirencester wassecond Pick upacopyof 9.30am-5.30pm Mon-SatApr-Dec,9.30am-5pm 01285 /pop15,861 atthe forinformationonhistoricbuildings tourist office tourist St John’s Boleyn Cup

(donation £2; Cirencester –ATown

( % 654180; CornHall; , madeforAnne h THECOTSWOLDS ••Cirencester 10am-5pm) a cobbled stableyard withitsownfishmongera cobbled stableyard £7-15; & dinner) overexposed, thegorgeous village of Bibury Firmly on thetouristtrail andthoroughly % BIBURY four timesdailyMondaytoSaturday. toGloucesterday (40minutes). Bus852goes runs toCheltenham hourlyMondaytoSatur- Gloucester (onehour).Stagecoach bus51also and toCheltenham Spa(30minutes) and from Cirencester toLondon(£17,2½hours) hourly runroughly National Express buses Getting There&Away fennel jus. andtamarind such aspan-fried braised monkfish withleek, dishes Hotel andserves place intheFleece of thebestdiningspotsintown.It’sastylish modern Mediterranean menumake 1651one and meatcooked inthewood-burning oven. of great dishes, butthereal treat isthefresh fish Themodernmenufeaturestables. aselection stone floors, chairs wrought-iron andmosaic shop,thisgreatand cheese littleplacehasflag- it agreat deal. colour schemes andgoodbathroomsmake ties. Elegantbutunderstated décor,soothing plenty of periodfeatures andmodernameni- offershouse arange of calmguestroomswith Rd;s£45-50,d£55-60; toria its ownpatio. has quilts. Thebeautifulgardenroomeven and subtle,country-stylefloralsorpatchwork prettyhas bright, roomswithcast-ironbeds thislovelying 17th-centurytownhouse, B&B London Rd;s£45-50,d£55-65; Old Brewhouse Sleeping &Eating kitchen andbutcher’s shop. andareconstructedfloor mosaics Roman the beautifulHuntingDogsandFourSeasons of the Romancollectioninclude Highlights wooltown. its heydayasawealthymedieval discover whatCirencester waslike during anAnglo-Saxonprincessand soldier, meet Mon-Sat, 2-5pmSun). .uk/museum; Park St;adult/under16yr£3.50/2; the o Leauses 1651 01285 /pop623 Corinium Museum Corinium h Strippedwoodfloors, red wallsanda ( lunch daily,dinnerWed-Sat) %

Jesse’s Bistro Jesse’s ( % 658507; Market Pl;mains£11-16; 658507; Market (

% 653643; www.theleauses.co.uk; 101Vic- 656099; www.theoldbrewhouse.com; 7 You candress asaRoman

( %

( % pn pn 655611; www.cotswolds.gov 641497; Blackjack St; mains 641497; BlackjackSt;mains Hidden away in Hiddenawayin ) ThisVictorian Set inacharm- Set ) h h 10am-5pm

363 lunch

& GLOUCESTERSHIRE GLOUCESTERSHIRE & OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS COTSWOLDS THE OXFORDSHIRE, OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS & GLOUCESTERSHIRE cially inautumn. and great theyear,espe- colourthroughout temperate trees, withsome wonderfulwalks ofThe parkboastsamagnificentselection 17th- and 18th-century town houses. From 17th- and18th-centurytownhouses. the stocks atrail guidetothearboretum. information onthetownand itshistoryand 9.30am-2.30pmMon-Sat Nov-Feb)Oct, .tetbury.org; 33ChurchSt; £5-7.50, under18yr£1; tum wonderful interior. theVirgin of StMary by,theGeorgian Gothic stilts. Close the 17th-century here it’sashort strolltoMarket Sq,where the steep hillat of gorgeous weavers’ medieval cottages lines heritage andiswellworthawander. Arow mostofmanaged itsarchitectural topreserve a prosperouswool-tradingcentre, Tetbury has buildings andnumerousantiqueshops. Once gems, Tetbury isanunspoilttownof stunning cottages toGeorgian Gothic From medieval % TETBURY (20 minutes). least oncedailyfromMondaytoSaturday Biburyenroutethrough toCirencester at cute floralsandchunkycurtains, beds. of classicallystyledroomswithbillowing swag is a17th-centurycoaching innwithaselection Swan cottages andtheSaxon ton Row,where you’llfindacluster of stunning venture intothevillage properbehind Arling- ofbut foraglimpse thereal Biburyyoushould away. Few visitors make twosights, itpastthese the 17th-century graphed street Alsoworthalookis inBritain. tobethemostphoto- cottages nowthought is a quietmomentit’shardtodisagree. ‘the mostbeautifulvillage inEngland’,andat prompted WilliamMorristodescribeitas sibly quaintcollectionof riverside buildings soft of sun.Itsimpos- goldenlight thesetting earlyinthemorningor is bestseen 364 Arlington Row Buses 860,863,865,866and869pass Buses If you’dlike overnight, tostay theriverside The friendly Just southof Tetbury isthe For manyvisitors Bibury’schief attraction Chipping 01666 /pop5250

(

H OSOD • Ttuy THE COTSWOLDS ••Tetbury ( % % 880220; www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt; adult 740695; www.swanhotel.co.uk; r£140-220, , which is surrounded bygraceful , a stunning sweep of, astunningsweep riverside Chipping Steps tourist office tourist Arlington Mill h Market House Market hasatoweringspire and h 10am-dusk) 9.30am-4.30pm Mon-Sat Mar- Church ofStMary

, just a short stroll , justashort stroll atWestonbirt. hasplentyof andleadupto ( % National Arbore- stands asifon stands 503552; www . Church n

) serve excellent-value food(mains £8to£15). serve town. Themodernbarandgrilldownstairs Ormond, agood-value place inthecentre of modern roomswithminimalistdécoratthe PAINSWICK en route. Saturday, stoppingattheNationalArboretum daily MondaytoFridayandfourtimeson (1¼hours) sixtimes toBath Bus 620goes minutes) six timesdailyMondaytoSaturday. TetburyBus 29runsbetween andStroud(30 Getting There&Away meal. a strappingevening for alunchtime paniniorpizza(£6to£8) the paperwithacoffee andfresh pastry,as brasserie-bar isasgoodforaquickread of cheery andusuallybuzzing, thismodern £11-15; 23 LongSt;s£60,d£85-95; with roasted pepperpurée. such delicaciesaspistachio andalmondrissole menu (three-course menu£26)featuring set upamodernBritish rooms onoffer andserves has acoupleof simple,country-styleguest s £30,d£50-65; Number 65 Sleeping &Eating church, rare inthestreet. ironstocks stand times.Just southofNew Stin medieval the by the nowancient-looking was superseded out forBisleySt,the originalmaindrag,which church of isaseries gorgeous streetscapes. Look no signof theWicked One. to celebrate themillennium–butthere’s been pear andshrivel it.Theyplanted itanyway – wouldap- tree beallowedtogrow,thedevil hasitthat,shouldthehundredthLegend yew tombsand99clippedyewtrees.by table-top fine perpendicularwoolchurch surrounded here andfeel genuinely lostintime. of visitors andyoucanwander thebackstreets obvious charm, Painswick onlyatrickle sees inns.Despite its andmedieval town houses with picture-perfect cottages, handsomestone is amazeof narrowwindingstreets lined a real gem. Thisgorgeous Cotswoldvillage gloriously uncommercialised, Painswick is unassumingand untouched,Largely totally % Blue Zucchini Sliding downhill beside and behind the Sliding downhillbesideandbehind the The village centres on Ormond’s Head 01452 /pop1666 h 10am-11pm Mon-Sat,10am-4pmSun)

( % Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com n 503346; www.number65.co.uk; 65LongSt;

( % )

This unassumingrestaurant ( % 505852; 7-9ChurchSt;dinnermains np 505690; www.theormond.co.uk; ) You’ll find bright, You’ll findbright, St Mary’s Church St Mary’s Bright, Bright, ,

a den.co.uk; adult/under16yr£5/2.50; Sat) to eatintown. Way on short walksinthearea andthe h Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com upmarket boutiques, andthe county capi- ham with itsgraceful,tree-lined terraces and too istheelegant Regency townof Chelten- of mellowstone villages and rusticallure. Here it’s anauthenticalternative, withitsfairshare crowds andcommercialismof theCotswolds is oneof isgreatest pleasures, andafter the The unhurriedcharm of Gloucestershire GLOUCESTERSHIRE twice dailyonWednesdaysandSaturdays. Bus 256connectsPainswick toGloucester with Painswick hourlyMondaytoSaturday. Bus 46connectsCheltenham (30minutes) Getting There&Around Hare March airy Palm orchintzy Cottage Rose. Beach Shaker-style and NewEnglandroom,bright fabrics andbuckets of character. the Choose offerHouse four-poster beds,heavy patterned decorated roomsat15th-centuryCardynham The Cross;s£50-59d£69-185; with tasteful décor. rooms corn millhassimplebutcomfortable rooms, thisconverted, early-18th-century edge of thevillage withlovely viewsfromthe house.co.uk; EdgeRd;s£30-36,d£60; Hambutts Mynd Sleeping &Eating children’s nature trailand maze. follies dotted inthegrounds.There’s alsoa central vegetable gardentothemanyGothic cal precision, andbringvisitors aroundthe paths soften strictgeometri- theotherwise restoredbeen totheirformerglory.Winding Hyettinthe1740sandhave now Benjamin boyant pleasure gardenswere designedby is thearea’s flam- biggest attraction.These Painswick RococoGarden Just amilenorthof town,theostentatious Painswick RococoGarden The Downstairs in Cardynham House, the House, Downstairs inCardynham House Cardynham 10am-4pm Tue-Fri, 10am-1pm Sat 10am-4pm Tue-Fri, Thai restaurant isprobably thebestplace , which runs through thevillage., which runs through tourist office tourist

( %

813452; setmenu£24; ( % (

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centre. breakfast fitness andaccesstotheattached basic andwellworn,butthepriceincludes beds intown.Thefour-bed dorms are fairly in thecitycentre thecheapest nowhouses exotic vibe. withan themed roomsinaVictorianhouse Mon-Fri, 11.30am Sat late Jun–mid-Sep) 11.30amSatlateJun–mid-Sep) Mon-Fri, in the racing calendar on both sides of the Irish Sea. in theracingcalendaronbothsidesofIrish new-age folktalent. especially for race week. especially forraceweek. in advanceaspossibleduringthefestivals – tobookasfar tels andB&Bs, butyou’llneed Cheltenham hasanexcellentchoice of ho- Sleeping Festival Literature contemporary soundswithageographicaltheme. Festival Music Science Festival Jazz Festival The National HuntFestival Folk Festival hamfestivals.com. mation ortobooktickets visitwww.chelten going oninthecity.Formoreevents infor- theyearyou’llfindmajorand throughout Cheltenham isrenowned asacityof festivals Festivals &Events the touristoffice. the Cotswoldscanalsobebooked through (adult/under 16yr£28/20) A rollingprogrammeof day-long Cheltenham departfromthetouristoffice. Guided 1¼-hour Tours good, comfortable roomsinaperfectgood, comfortable location. situated inthecentre of town,theAbbey offers .com; 14-16BathPde;s/d £40/70; pni hamguesthouse.biz; 145HewlettRd;s£32.50-37.50, d£55-65; an ideallocationandexcellentvalue. B&B justminutes’ walkfromMontpellier. It’s original fireplaces are available atthisnew contemporary roomswithwhite linensand Painswick Rd;s£30-40, d£55-70; Walk; dm/s£16.50/25) word. andthewritten writers the UK’sfinestjazzfest. intrigues oftheworldscience. intrigues Abbey Hotel Number 55 YMCA Cheltenham Guesthouse Cheltenham

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) ACheltenham institution, ( ChilledoutBoogaloos % 527788; www.hotelkandinsky pn Wholesome Wholesome Gloriously ) h lunch list, caskalesandplentyof people-watching. (mains £7to£14).There’s anextensive wine sip wineanddineonmodernBritishfood tenham’s beautiful peoplecometohangout, cool,thisiswhere Chel- and self-consciously tors tocomedyandpanto,whilethemodern fromElvisimpersona-and hostseverything ballet. Classicalmusiclovers shouldlookout hosting manyfestival events. hour) via Bourton(35minutes) and Stow(50 ter hourly(40minutes). toCirences-minutes onSunday.Bus51 goes (30 minutes), 20 Mondayto Saturday,every £6.50, 1½hours). daily MondaytoSaturday(oneon Sunday, toOxford threebrook bus853goes times hourly(£17.00,3½ hours)roughly andSwan- toLondonNational Express runsbuses BUS from thetouristoffice. handy from Cheltenham, pickupafree copyof the For informationonpublictransporttoand Getting There&Away Sq) Pittville Park) for concertsatthe Hatherly Rd) Bacon Theatre atre.org.uk; St) Regent The Entertainment Montpellier St; weekend. ’n’ basstofunk,andpullsinthecrowdsall The musicranges fromhip-hopanddrum top-name guestDJsandagroovy attitude. and musicvenue hastwobars, live bands, h upstairs. prisingly goodrestaurant (mains£8to£12) games. There’s acourtyardgardenandsur- furniture, chilled-out clientele andbar-room nially popularpubisajumbleof mismatched with amoderntake onquirkycool,thisperen- Mon-Sat, noon-10.30pmSun) Beehive Drinking offers more mainstream aswell talent Pulhams bus801runsto Moreton (one Bus 94runstoGloucester 10minutes every Montpellier WineBar Hub 9pm-2am Thu-Sat&Mon) Everyman Theatre Everyman Getting TherebyPublicTransport ( ( % % showcases touringshows, jazzand showcases , whilethe 238001; 1A Imperial Lane;admission£2-5; 238001; 1AImperial 579443; 1-3MontpellierVillas; h

( % 10am-11pm) isCheltenham’s mainstage 258002; www.bacontheatre.co.uk; Pittville PumpRoom Pittville town hall (

Atraditionalboozer ( This late-night club Thislate-night % 572573; www.everymanthe Slick, sophisticated 527774; BayshillLodge, (

% 227979; Imperial 227979; Imperial h ( % noon-11pm 523852;

371 guide

& GLOUCESTERSHIRE GLOUCESTERSHIRE & OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS COTSWOLDS THE OXFORDSHIRE, OXFORDSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS & GLOUCESTERSHIRE the above - ‘Do the right thingwithourcontent.’ the above -‘Dotheright thetermsandconditions onoursiteforalongerwayofsaying youknow,orresell it.See everyone site,mass emailitto only. Inotherwords, pleasedon’tuploadthischapterto apeer-to-peer Inreturn, wethinkit’sfair toaskyouuseitforpersonal,non-commercial purposes restricted. © LonelyPlanetPublications. iteasierforyoutouse,access tothischapterisnotdigitally Tomake people fortheprincelysumof £453. after bythe towns- beingbought survived buildings were destroyed,theabbeychurch Henry manyof VIII.Although themonastery one of thelastmonasteries tobedissolved by in1121andwas tine monks,wasconsecrated The Normanabbey,builtfortheBenedic- bigger thanmanyof thecountry’scathedrals. 6pm) suggesteddonation £2; .tewkesburyabbey.org.uk; Magnificent Abbey Tewkesbury which isalso hometoasmall ina15th-centurytimber-framedhoused house, St; .uk; 64Barton abbeychurch.cent medieval town’s mostgloriousbuilding,themagnifi- leading uptoChurch St,where you’llfindthe lovely riverside area withancientpassageways charm. There’sa higgledy-piggledy alsoa buildingsgiveeval Tudor-heavy Tewkesbury lines andnarrowalleywayslinedwithmedi- buckledroof- houses, Crooked half-timbered % TEWKESBURY hire atthetrainstation. per2days/weekfrom£34/64) .com; bikes Compass Holidays Getting Around 1¼ hours). (£12.50, to Bath andhourlyservices half-hour, Gloucester every (£2.80,10minutes) roughly 2¼ hours), Bristol(£8.10,50minutes) and Cheltenham hastrainstoLondon(£50, TRAIN combe (20minutes), MondaytoSaturday. daily toBroadway(50minutes) viaWinch- Coaches 606runsfourtimes day. Castleways times dailyMondaytoSatur-minutes) seven ing finds from Roman and medieval times. ing findsfromRomanandmedieval 372 The 01684 /pop9978 isoneof largest Britain’s churches, far LUETRHR • Twebr GLOUCESTERSHIRE ••Tewkesbury tourist office tourist h Tewkesbury Abbey

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% 250642; www.compass-holidays 295027; www.tewkesburybc.gov hasbicyclesfor museum

( % 850959; www display- h 7.30am- is is well worth the effort, Ivydeneisareal gem,well worththeeffort, inghall; s/d£35/60; £10 to£13). a competent modernBritish menu(mains down totheriver, andarestaurant serving and frumpydécor. There’s agardenleading offers beams period-styleroomswithexposed place around, thisimposinghalf-timbered centre of townandoneof theoldestinns Church St;s£55-75,d£65-90; fires toenjoy. there are large gardens,atennis courtandlog top of thecharming butcontemporary rooms offering gorgeous roomsatexcellentrates. On Ivydene House Sleeping &Eating anexhibitionontheabbey’shistory. houses shown asavermin-ridden skeleton. that of John Wakeman, thelastabbot,whois of tombs.Themostinteresting medieval is College, Oxford, andanextensive collection 1631, which wasoriginallymadeforMagdalen The church alsofeatures anorgan datingfrom still retains much of glass. itsoriginalstained cel dates and fromthe14thcentury,however, arches inthenave. TheDecorated-style chan- Normanpiersand somespectacular and train station isatAshchurch,train station 1.5milesaway. to Gloucester hourly(30minutes). Thenearest (hourly onSunday,25minutes) and71goes Bus 41runstoCheltenham 15minutes every Getting There&Away vegetables. withhoney androastcardamom casserole to more adventurous dishes such asvenison rooms. Themenuranges fare fromstandard a welcomechange fromTewkesbury’s tea- but decidedlymoderninside,thisplaceis h Aubergine Royal HopPole A lunch &dinner) The church hasamassive tower 40m-high visitor centre Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com

( ( % % Set ina 15th-century building Set p (

( h % 292703; 73ChurchSt;mains£7-13; 592453; www.ivydenehouse.net;Uck- ) Slightly outof Slightly townbut 10am-4pm Mon-Sat) 293236; www.royalhoppole.co.uk; pn ) Right inthe Right , by the gate, , bythegate, www.lonelyplanet.com

373

& GLOUCESTERSHIRE & OXFORD, THE COTSWOLDS THE OXFORD,