Cotswold Charm

Nearby Cotswold Villages & Hamlets

All of the villages and hamlets around Chipping Campden are steeped in history and just about each and everyone has something unique to offer the visitor.

001.2 miles - Broad Campden
Just over a mile away, you get to Broad Campden by bearing right at the bottom of Westington. It nestles in a small valley with woods around. With so many thatch roofed cottages to catch your eye, be careful because the twisting road through the village requires considerable attention.

On the left you will find the 18th Century Quaker meeting house with many of the original furnishings intact and then The Bakers Arms Inn which provides good vitals and hosts a folk gathering on the third Tuesday evening of the month (those looking for a walk will find Witches Lane opposite that comes out at the top of Conduit Hill where you can bear right to back towards Chipping Campden or left towards Stanley's Quarry and then left again on the Five Mile Drive to bring you to the top of Broad Campden Hill and back down into the village).

Continuing on, to the right on the crown of the bend is high wall of the Norman Chapel that Charles Ashbee converted into a house for himself soon after his arrival in the area in 1905 and in a few yards on the then left is a small Victorian chapel (you can take the small hidden lane to its right which drops into the valley, but be very careful!) before you wind through the remainder of the village.

It is worth taking the only turning on the right and driving to the top of Broad Campden Hill where you can park for a few moments and enjoy the breathtaking views of Chipping Campden across the valley and in particular St James Church (you can continue on to Blockley).

003.2 miles - Blockley
Continuing on from Broad Campden Hill, you pass Hangman's Hall on the right before dropping into a beautiful tree lined cutting at the bottom of which there is a view of Northwick Park and its small lake to the left. Blockley itself starts with a row Victorian cottages on the left and if you drive slowly enough you will be rewarded with some splendid views right across the valley towards Aston Magna and Brailes Clump.

The late Norman St Peter & St Paul church then appears tucked in a little hollow below the bowling green, a few yards brings you to the High Street which had many shops and was a hive of activity back in the 1960s and now shows is a unique collection of buildings reflecting its past glory of mills and silk production. You can continue on to its end where you can park and take a walk up through the tree lined valley of Dovedale. Bearing right will take you on to Troopers Lodge and left will enable you to walk down eventually let you walk down Blockley Hill back into the village where the first left will lead you to Mill Dean Gardens and a ford across the stream back to your car.

Coming back up the High Street you will find The Crown Inn and Hotel on the left and then bear right by the bus shelter and you quickly come to a junction, left towards Paxford & Draycott will take you past The Great Western Arms and right drops back down into the valley and on up Blockley Hill towards Bourton-on-the-Hill.

 003.5 miles - Draycott
Continue on the road out through Broad Campden and past Northwick Park on the right (site of World War II American Hospital and later on, one of two Polish a Refugee Camps in the area, it is now a light industrial estate) and at the T-junction turn right (signed Blockley, left for Paxford) and then immediately turn left for Draycott (and Moreton-in-Marsh). but was in existence by 1182

At the next T-junction you will find Draycott's thriving business park to your right, proceed left towards the village and the turn left at the small crossroad into a quietly situated off a no through road leading to a few nice old farmhouses and the original village which was not in the Doomsday Book, but was in existence by 1182.

Former English Sporting Champion and former International shot Rob Ireland. Rob Ireland established Specialist Activity Days at Ridge View House in 1990. They have become firm favourites with many of the UK's leading companies along with hundreds of individuals and groups providing everyone with an opportunity to participate in a selection of activities (e.g. paint balling, quad bikes, archery, clay pigeon shooting, driving and flying, etc.

From the village you can also enjoy circular exploring walks through the lovely countryside to Aston Magna and Paxford or in the other direction to Blockley, etc.

Turn around in the village and go back and straight across the little crossroads and you head up the rather tortuous Draycott Hill towards Dorn, Batsford and Moreton-in-Marsh.

007.4 miles - Batsford
Turn right at the crossroad at top of Draycott Hill and at the next little junction (where you will often see foals friskily running around in the roadside paddock) you quickly come to the picturesque village of Batsford (you will be more commonly associated with Batsford Arboretum with its main entrance off at the base of Bourton-on-the-Hill).

Batsford Park of which the current arboretum forms the central part dates back to the Freeman family and the early part of the 17th Century. The substantial house was altered over the years, but upon inheriting the estate Algernon Mitford (know as Bertie) demolished the Georgian house and rebuilt a new mansion between 1888 and 1892.

Bertie had travelled widely in oriental Asia as an attaché to the foreign legation in the 1860s and it was not until 1890 that he was able to turn his attention to the gardens. His influence was most radical almost erasing all traces of the original layout.
He created a 'wild' garden of near natural plantings inspired by his observations of plant groupings in the Japanese landscape. He was able to create a garden which allowed him to explore his ideas combining conventional parkland with a garden landscape.

An accomplished and respected plantsman as well as a great authority on bamboos, he created one of the foremost bamboo collections of the time and many of his original plantings are still alive and thriving today.

Mitford also created an artificial watercourse some 600 metres long down the west side of the gardens. He enlisted the help of the Pulham Brothers, well known throughout the country at that time for their landscaping abilities, to build other major features which can still be seen including the rockeries, streams and waterfalls, lake and the hermits cave.

During the war years and for some time after 1945, the wild gardens were neglected and became somewhat overgrown. Frederick Anthony Hamilton Wills succeeded his father as the 2nd Lord Dulverton in 1956.

Fortunately he had a great passion for trees and together with Mr. Ken Hope, his head-forester; he proceeded throughout the 1960s to halt the decline. With great vigour and enthusiasm he consolidated the existing collections as well as adding a multitude of other trees to Batsford and was single-handedly responsible for raising the status of Batsford to an arboretum of international standing.

In 1984 Batsford Park was donated to a charitable trust founded by the 2nd Lord Dulverton to ensure the future of the arboretum. He died in 1992 and the Batsford Arboretum continues to be administered by the Batsford Foundation who proceeds to develop the arboretum as a place of great beauty to enjoy as an educational resource.

In 2002 the Arboretum was recognized by the *N.C.C.P.G* as holding the national collection of Japanese Flowering Cherries.

003.6 miles - Ebrington
From the High Street, you reach Ebrington (you will find that real locals still call the village 'Yubberton' ) by turning right into Cider Mill Lane, then left by the church, left at the bottom of Station Road, across the level crossing and on up the hill past the old Research Station (now Campden BRI) and Battledene Farm.

Beyond the lovely cricket ground set into the side of the hill, you pass the manor which has been owned by the Fortescue family for many centuries and the ancient church of St. Eadburgha with some Norman work remaining in the north and south doors.

You then wind down past the junior school into the heart of the village where you will find the Ebrington Arms, a traditional 17th Century Cotswold inn that radiates charm and character with quaint yet stylish decor, open log fires, Cotswold stone walls and a warm welcome from the owners and locals alike. It has won the CAMRA North Cotswold Pub of the Year for the last 3 years.

Continue on past the old water trough and springs and you wind your past the site of a Roman villa and signs of occupation and Drinkwater's Farm (Campden's greengrocer) towards the ancient hamlet of Charingworth (if you are feeling really energetic, leave the car at the pub and walk to Charingworth where bear left up a tree lined cutting – you can follow this to Foxcote and Ilmington and then bear left back to Ebrington).

Go back the other way and take the right at the left hand bend (take care because it looks straight on!!!) and you heading towards the Hidcote's, Kiftsgate Court and the National Trust's Manor Gardens

004.2 miles - Charingworth
Charingworth is a delightful little hamlet which is based on both sides of a narrow curved road that requires most of your attention. It is centred on the old Manor that and was part of with the Gainsborough Estate (Chipping Campden) and the Lord Gainsborough was Lord of the Manor until quite recently.

Charingworth Manor itself is a 14th-century manor house in 54 acres of grounds, providing the perfect base from which to explore the picturesque area. It boasts an indoor heated swimming pool, sauna, steam room and solarium. There is also a fully-equipped gym and an outdoor tennis court. Guests will enjoy scenic walks in the attractive gardens.

Historically, Charingworth also plays a key part in the extraordinary "Campden Wonder" - on August 16, 1660, 70-year-old William Harrison left his home in Campden intending to walk two miles to Charingworth to collect rents. When he did not return at the expected time, his wife sent his manservant John Perry to look for him, but neither had returned by the next morning.

Edward Harrison, William Harrison's son, was then sent out to look for the pair and whilst on his way to Charingworth he met Perry. The servant had not been able to find his master and the pair continued their journey to Ebrington where they questioned one of the tenants whom Harrison had been going to see and he revealed that Harrison had been there the previous night and then headed for Paxford. The pair continued their journey to the nearby local where their search proved fruitless.

Whilst heading back to Chipping Campden they heard that some items belonging to William Harrison had been discovered on the main road between Chipping Campden and Ebrington. These included a hat, shirt, and collar. Although the hat had been slashed by a sharp implement and the shirt and collar were covered in blood, there was no sign of his body.

As Mr Harrison had been sent to collect rent money, many townsfolk started to suspect that John Perry had killed his master and stolen the money. Perry was brought before a Justice of the Peace, and after questioning his mother and brother, all three of them were tried and found guilty of killing William Harrison to obtain the rent money. A few days later they were taken to the top of Broadway Hill, which overlooks Chipping Campden, and hung for their supposed crimes.

The first person to be hung was Joan Perry as she was thought to be a witch and had placed a spell over her sons. Next to be hung was Richard Perry, who begged his brother John to tell the truth about the disappearance of William Harrison. But, John Perry stuck by his story and they were both duly hung.

William Harrison did return to Chipping Campden around two years later, claiming that he had been abducted by three men dressed in white on horseback. He was then taken to Deal, in Kent, and put on a ship to Turkey; where he was kept for nearly two years, until escaping with a silver bowl that had been given to him. Using this silver bowl, he was able to secure his passage back to England.

005.3 miles - Stretton on Foss
From Charingworth you can continue on and follow the signs to Stretton on Fosse a small and quiet village situated on the Warwickshire-Gloucestershire border on the edge of the Cotswolds. Built of Cotswold stone and locally-made red brick, the Doomsday book of 1086 lists it as having 2 manors but only one remains on the higher ground adjoining the imposing Stretton House.

Elsewhere the village is heavy clay the upper parts are composed of sand and shingle. Recent commercial extraction of sand revealed important graves of the Roman-British and Anglo-Saxon periods in which interesting skeletons and personal belongings were uncovered. They are thought to be the result of internecine warfare between local tribal factions.

The village shop (and post-office) closed some years ago but the church (rebuilt in 1841) and the Plough Inn and a new imposing village hall (built opposite in 1990 to replace the post-war wooden hut) remain.

You can still turn down the old lane (that runs to Blackwell & Darlingscote) that follows alongside the 1826 built tramway that carried coal and passengers from Stratford to Moreton-in-Marsh in horse-drawn trucks and carriages. A branch line was constructed to Shipston-on-Stour which was used for passengers until 1929 and goods until 1960.

Drive through the village and you can turn right on The Fosseway for Ditchford Mill and Moreton-in- Marsh or turn left Halford and Shipston-upon-Stour.

003.2 miles - Paxford
From St James' Church continue down Station Road, over the railway bridge, first right and then along the lane (North Cotswolds Hunt Easter Monday Point to Point course on the left) over small bridge and bear right into the heart of Paxford.

Paxford is a small rural working village with an active community. Right in the centre of the village and opposite the Village Hall and phone box, you will find The Churchill Arms which justifiably has a tremendous reputation for good food and runs an Aunt Sally team and competitons from May through to September.

A few yards up the lane is the site of the old bakery where Bill Tarplett produced the best bread and fruit cake in Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, and the village shop (still with its signs, but sadly not operational).

A little further up you will find a lane leading to Bran Mill and Aston Magna. There is selection public footpaths leading you through pretty meadows, woodland and along narrow country lanes to other villages or you can simply follow a circular tour around the village.

005.2 miles - Aston Magna
From Paxford, continue on from Bran Mill through open countryside and you arrive in Aston Magna. Turning left takes you to the Fosse Way, but bearing right takes up through this small rural community.

Built in 1846 St John's Church was closed after 1979 and converted into prime dwelling. The farmhouses in the village are typical of those from the 1700s.

Taking the left going up the hill will take you on towards Batsford and Moreton-in-Marsh, going straight on eventually brings you on into Draycott.

006.7 miles - Ditchford
Head towards Paxford and after crossing the little bridge, go left (not right for Paxford) at the junction and on up to the little junction on the sharp bend at top of the hill where you can very carefully turn right along Galloping Lane towards Ditchford Mill and Todenham.

This little drive offers lovely unique views in all directions, particularly across the gentle valley towards Blockley and Draycott Hill, etc. that you cannot see from anywhere else in the area.

Just past a small sand pit you will find Ditchford Farm at the junction with the Fosseway (left for Stretton on Fosse and Shipston), go right (signed Moreton-in-Marsh) and then immediately left to drop down to the home of Simple Suppers at Ditchford Mill.

Over the little bridge (go slowly or you will fly!) and past the Alain Rouveure Galleries ( a treasure trove, they house a wealth of ideas for unusual presents and treasures for discerning collectors from the magical kingdoms of Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan) and then up and over the old Shipston to Moreton line level crossing to head upwards towards Todenham.

008.3 miles - Todenham
Up at the top of the hill from the the Ditchford level crossing the lane twists between farmhouses to arrive in Todenham at a T-junction where you head left towards centre of the village (right for Little Wollford and Moreton-in-Marsh). It takes its name from "Teoda's ham" or water-meadow, an appropriate description of the low-lying northern part of the parish (although the present village sits atop a hill) and was given to the monastery at Deerhurst in 804 by Aethelric in order to secure his r ight of burial there.

The earliest record of a church in Todenham dates from 1157, when the Pope confirmed Westminster Abbey in possession. The fact that it was dedicated to St. Thomas a Becket, canonised in 1172.

In the late 1330s a whole new church was built, and in 1404 Thomas Merke, the Bishop of Carlisle who had been deprived of his see by Henry IV took over. Shakespeare has Henry say of Merke: "Choose out some secret place, some reverend room ... and with it joy thy life." (Richard II)
Evidently Todenham fitted the bill! And there is a tradition that on his death in 1409 the Bishop was buried in Todenham Church. Over the years different parts were added to the building and later it came into the possession of Westminster Abbey, before being passed in 1545 to Sir William Petre, Secretary of State to three Tudor monarchs. In 1783 it passed into the hands of the Van Notten Pole family until 1951, when the estate was divided and sold off.

Later it came into the possession of Westminster Abbey, before being passed in 1545 to Sir William Petre, Secretary of State to three Tudor monarchs. In 1783 it passed into the hands of the Van Notten Pole family until 1951, when the estate was divided and sold off.
The weather has also taken its toll. In 1768 the top of the spire was struck by lightning and fell through the roof of the nave – and the first repair was so badly done that it had to be taken down in 1772 and replaced. Then in 1962 severe gales left holes in the roof, and extensive repairs had to be carried out again.

A hundred yards up the road you come to The Farriers Arms which is next to the old village smithy and retains the character of a typical Country Pub. First class food and real ale are served in the pleasant surroundings and atmosphere of a Cotswold pub which boasts a whole range of events (Aunt Sally, Jazz, Morris, pig roasts, etc.) during the year.

Carrying on past the Farriers Arms takes you towards Burmington and Shipston-upon-Stour. Retrace your steps and take the left for Great Wolford or straight on for Moreton-in-Marsh.

009.3 miles - Great Wolford
Over the slight brow from Todenham, you drop down a straightish hill into the bottom of the valley from where you climb and then bear right to enter Great Wolford.

The village itself is centred on a crossroads with a few dozen dwellings, two bespoke furniture businesses and several Grade two listed buildings, one of which being a lovely Cotswold Inn, The Fox and Hounds.

The Inn is popular with villagers for its local ale and with many visitors for the exceptional food that it serves six days a week. The building itself is thought to be 16th century - having been an Inn for the best part of the time since.

"The cosy low-beamed old-fashioned bar has a nice collection of chairs and candlelit old tables on spotless flagstones, antique hunting prints on the walls, and a roaring log fire in the inglenook fireplace with its fine old bread oven".

The church in Great Wolford was rebuilt in the 19th century on the foundations of its 12th century predecessor and there is a list of vicars' names dating back from 1257 to the present day. Given today's declining attendances the church maintains a thriving community. The parish is one of seven looked after by a vicar who lives in Long Compton and a curate who lives in the vicarage.

There is a well practised group of bellringers who are happy to welcome visitors to rehersals to watch the changes rung.

The Wolfords are surrounded by countryside that is largely arable farmland, dairy farming being almost a thing of the past. Although the number of working farms continues to decline, farming still dominates the look and feel of the area.

Turning right at the crossroads takes you past Wolford Wood (an ancient woodland that achieved SSSI status in 1987 which contains a rich diversity of flora and fauna, with rare orchids and many species of birds and butterflies) and then onto the Four Shires Stone marking an old boundary point between Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire an Worcestershire) at the junction with the A44 (right for Moreton—in-Marsh, left for Chippping Norton).

Continue straight on at the crossroads and drop down to the bottom of the hill and the left hand bend takes you towards Little Wolford, and turn right (looks straight on) heads you towards Barton on the Heath.

011.1 miles - Little Wolford
Little Wolford is another very attractive village where time seems to have stood still, and is a pleasure to walk through and observe.
The most noteworthy of the inhabited dwellings is the 15th century Manor which despite having fallen into disrepair for about 100 years was restored in the 1930's (leaving the blood stained stairs - reputed to be from the battle of Edge hill in 1642).

Being higher than Great Wolford, the views from Little Wolford are stunning. Looking west on a clear day one can see all the way to Broadway Tower, and to the east over the valley to Brailes Hill.

Little Wolford has a long past, and is extensively referred to In the Doomsday book. It's still possible to see clearly the medieval ridge and furrow in the surrounding fields. Somewhere, lost to all but a few is an old well said to hold healing properties for sick eyes and ears.

Continue on to A3400 and the start of the village is marked by a tiny lodge, designed by Blore, the architect of Buckingham Palace (and also of Weston House - long since gone). This lodge is all of the Wolfords that most will ever see as they speed from Oxford towards Stratford upon Avon.

At the A3400 left for Burmington and Shipston-upon-Stour, right for Chipping Norton & Oxford, left and immediately right take you towards Cherrington.

010.7 miles - Barton on Heath
On and up the hill from Great Wolford to Barton on the Heath where Barton House lies at the heart of the village. This small parish, which was also often called Barton in Henmarsh, is dominated on the south by Barton Hill, which attains a height of over 600 ft.; from here the ground falls rapidly to 300 ft. in the valley of the Stanford Brook, north of the village.

One house of farm-house type north of the green dates probably from the 17th century. It has mullioned windows with labels in its west gable end towards the roadway. The Rectory, south of the church, is an 18th-century building of red brick.

The Elizabethan Manor House to the north of the St Lawrence's church was well known to Shakespeare was built in 1612 by Inigo Jones for the architect James Overbury and then acquired in 1625 by Walter Overbury. The Manor has a long and detailed history dating back to 1086 and Robert de Stafford.
Robert Dover, an attorney who was remarkable for persuading his clients to compromise and avoid litigation and obtained fame by founding the 'Cotswold games', was resident in this parish for some years about the beginning of the 17th century. He died at Shirley Farm in Barton in July 1652 and his grandson, the lawyer and playwright, John Dover, was born there in October 1644

A later resident was Olivia Wilmot, who spent much of her childhood under the care of her uncle, Dr. James Wilmot, rector of Barton, and was married here in 1791 to J. T. Serres, from whom she separated in 1804.

011.7 miles - Chastleton
Many will drive along the A44 from Moreton-in-Marsh to Chipping Norton and not even know of that Chastlton's existance. Go past the Fire College (former RAF Moreton-in-Marsh) and about 880 yards after the Four Shires Stone (on the left) is the small right turn to Chastleton.
The village has a long history dating back from Chastleton Barrow an Iron Age hill fort marked by a ring of mature trees and the Roman Camp on the same site. The parish church of Saint Mary the Virgin was built late in the 12th century, was enlarged and refenestrated in the 14th century and then a south bell tower was added in 1689.

Chastleton House has an unremarkable history and what makes it unusual is its timeless setting and atmosphere of undisturbed age and continuity. Built between 1607 and 1612 as a lavish status symbol by wealthy wool merchant Walter Jones, it passed to the National Trust in 1991 after 400 years of continuous ownership by an increasingly impoverished family and after six years of conservation work it opened to the public in 1997.

The family's 'make do and mend' philosophy meant that this once grand country house remained virtually unchanged generation after generation, retaining contents and features which are now rare, if not unique, survivals.

Critically, the house remained essentially unchanged for nearly 400 years as the interiors and contents gradually succumbed to the ravages of time. The National Trust adopted a groundbreaking approach to this unique time capsule. Right from the soot - blackened ceiling in the kitchen, to the peeling 1960s wallpaper in the Library and abandoned slipper bath under the rafters, the house has been kept 'as found' rather than restoring it to its former glory.

Of particular interest are the textiles in the house which include a striped wool wall hanging at the top of the East Staircase known as 'dornix', once found universally in 17th-century houses but today this is one of the only surviving examples. Equally rare are the 'flamestitch' wall hangings from the early 17th century, to be seen in the Fettiplace Closet.

Known as the home of the codified rules of croquet, Chastleton House today exudes its own special atmosphere. A fire burns in the hearth, a cat keeps the mice down, there is no shop or tea-room and because of its fragile state, visitor numbers are restricted.
The place exudes a timeless and genteel charm which is greatly enjoyed by those who do visit. Light levels are carefully monitored and on days when the house is closed to the public, the house is cleaned from top to bottom to prevent a build-up of dust and dirt which would cause damage to the house and its contents.

During the winter months every surface, including textiles, and each individual item is carefully examined and cleaned using special equipment. The house is then 'put to bed' for its winter rest.

006.1 miles - Ilmington
Continue on over the level-crossing from Station Road crossing as though heading for Ebrington, but then take the first left and after a few hundred yards, very carefully ease your way across the crossroads – this will take you on up to Ilmington Downs and then on down into Ilmington.

Between the Downs and the village, Nebsworth Hill is crossed by a track, known as Pig Lane which may have been used in Roman times to connect Ricknield Street and the Fosse Way. A little north of, and below, this track is a small rectangular earthwork which has been considered a Roman camp but is more probably medieval. Half a mile due south lying in a hollow is the hamlet of Foxcote with Windmill Hill to the east of it. A windmill belonging to the manor is mentioned as early as 1295 and as late as 1697.

The village's name evolved from the 10th century Ylmandunes in Old English, to Elmington (because it had many elm trees) before reaching Ilmington. Sadly Dutch Elm Disease came to England and it killed the trees to that none remain in the village.

The parish church of St Mary the Virgin is Norman and dates from about the middle of the 12th century. Its bell tower has five bells cast by Henry Bagley of Chacombe in 1641plus three later bells added to make the present ring of eight.

About 200 yards east of the church is an early-to-mid-16thcentury many-gabled old Manor House (Mrs. Spencer Flower) of three stories that has been much altered and enlarged in the present century. In 1934 the Royal Christmas Message broadcast by King George V of England was relayed worldwide from Ilmington Manor and was introduced by 65 year old Walton Handy, a local shepherd, with carols from the church choir and the bells ringing out .

Ilmington has always had a busy community. Hundreds of people traditionally celebrate Ilmington's apple heritage with Apple Day, an easy walk starts with a guided viewing of the famous Apple Map in St Mary's Church and then a search for some of the 38 varieties grown in the village.

The Apple Map was the idea of the late June Hobson, an artist and gardener, who lived in the village and inspired old and young alike to embroider the map (an exact copy of old maps which show where all the orchards were) which can be found on display in the church
Ilmington has two very good Inns, the Howard Arms and the Red Lion, and it can also boast its own traditional Morris Men. The village has several amenities including village hall, post office and small shops. There is also a playing field where sporting events and the summer fair are held.

006.7 miles - Darlingscott
To Ilmington and take the turning to the right opposite the Red Lion Inn and then right again at the T-junction. Darlingscott itself a pleasant series of Cotswold stone farmhouses and cottages and the small church of St.George built in 1874 with its richly carved chancel arch capitals and other areas of carved detail.

To enjoy the uniqueness of these northern-eastern fringes of the Cotswolds walk west from the village across the fields past Southfield, up near Windmill Hill, and down the drive passing Foxcote House, towards Ebrington.

006.6 miles - Blackwell
Drive from Ilmington towards Darlingscott, turn right at the T-junction and then take the left down into Blackwell. As you enter the village you pass an old tythe barn before reaching Blackwell Grange. 17th century farm houses with low beamed ceilings, stone flagged floors and deep-set windows testify the origins of the village.

If you head towards the Fosseway you may find the village hall and the adjacent thriving industrial estate.

007.1 miles - Armscote
Travel through Ilmington and take the second turning to the right to take you to the pituresque hamlet Armscote. If you are not being particularly attentive, then the only building you are like to notice is the village pub, The Fox & Goose which still brews some of its own beer.

What you are unlikely to notice are Armscote Manor and Armscote House, both are stunning 17th century stone buildings of fine design with absolutely gorgeous gardens. A major event of interest in the history of the village was the visit of George Fox, the famous Quaker founder. It was here in 1673 that he preached and was then arrested. The barn that the events of 1673 took place in was demolished in 1680 to make way for a stone meeting house which still stands today.

Armscote Manor is a fine L-shaped early 17th-century house of stone, two stories in height with an attic and is now is well known for its herb garden and the associated series of lectures that it runs in annually in aid of Shipston Home Nursing. The countryside and gardening have long been one of the passionsoft Armscote, so it only seemed appropriate that the lecture series covers a wide range of associated interests. They welcome leading garden designers, garden historians, authors, photographers and nurserymen, in addition to other speakers on related subjects. Workshops include bee keeping and rare breed sheep, both of which can be found at Armscote.

Armscote House, known locally as the 'Pool House' from the ponds to the south-east, is an early 17th-century building of two stories with an attic. H-shaped on plan, with an original entrance passage on the east side of the central room or hall. The inclosing wall of the garden on the entrance side appears to be original, though the gate-piers, crowned by ball finials are probably later. The original farm buildings still remain.

009.2 miles - Tredington
Follow Station Road towards Shipston-upon-Stour and turn left at the Portabello Crossroads onto the Fosse Way (alternative take the short hop from Armscote). This old Roman road between Moreton-in-Marsh and Leicester, runs through the parish from south to north and crosses the present high road from Stratford to Shipston-on-Stour to the north of the village.

Driving through Tredington you will not miss the White Lion where you will good beer, fine dining and a relaxing garden. However, you may not notice the older thatched cottages and mud boundary wall, or even St.Gregory's church which has the tallest spire in Warwickshire and the front door shows bullet marks left over from the English Civil War.

The river Stour runs through Tredington and it was her where the UK's 2nd largest pike 45lb 7oz was caught by Geoff Crabtree.
The Stratford-upon-Avon and Moreton-in-Marsh tramway runs through the parish, the Shipston-on-Stour branch joining the main line at Darlingscott. There are brick-fields and lime-kilns near the tramway.

009.3 miles - Newbold on Stour
Take the first left as you driven through Armscote and you will quickly arrive in Newbold.

010.1 miles - Halford
Continue on the Fosse Way from Tredington and you come across Halford which lies on the crossing point of the River Stour and the Fosse Way. It is most likely that the Roman travellers along this road were the first to bring Christianity to this part of Warwickshire.

Halford is another little local villages where you will notice the village pub (The Halford Bridge inn) when passing quickly through, but not the lovely history that leys just off the road.

The first recorded Rector of Halford was inducted at Easter in 1150. The Church is dedicated to Mary, the Mother of Jesus is well worth a visit with the South Chapel dedicated to St Thomas of Canterbury , Thomas a' Becket. There is a 14th Century Font with a 16th Century wooden cover, and the East window is of stained glass. Antique Fire hooks are displayed round the font remembering time when thatched roofs in the village may have had to be torn off in a fire to stop it spreading.

By the River Stour are the earthworks and buried remains of Halford Castle. The flat-topped mound has a diameter of 28 metres at its base and stands some 4 metres high. A quarry ditch surrounds the mound, on all but the western side, and survives as a buried feature 5 metres wide. On the western side the river serves as a natural boundary. There are references to a castle at Halford in the early 14th century Subsidy Roll and the motte castle is believed to be the predecessor to the present manor house situated some 260 metres to the north east.

003.4 miles - Hidcote Boyce

003.5 miles - Hidcote Bartrim
Johnston's mother, Mrs Gertrude Winthrop, purchased the Hidcote Manor Estate in 1907. It was situated in a part of England with strong connections to the then-burgeoning Arts and Crafts movement and an Anglicized American artistic expatriate community centred nearby at Broadway.

Johnston soon became interested in turning the fields around the house into a garden. By 1910 he had begun to lay out the key features of the garden and by the 1920s had twelve full-time gardeners working for him.

The garden was acquired by the National Trust in 1947.

Johnston's influences in creating his influential garden include Alfred Parsons and Gertrude Jekyll, who were designing flower gardens of hardy plants contained within sequences of outdoor 'rooms'. The theme was in the air: Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicholson's Sissinghurst was laid out as a sequence of such spaces without, it seems, direct connection with the reclusive and shy Major Johnston. In 2007 a garden designed by Chris Beardshaw that drew its inspiration from Johnson's Hidcote was constructed at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Johnston's care in selecting the best plants is reflected in the narrow-leaved lavender, Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote', in the Penstemon 'Hidcote Pink' and in the hybrid Hypericum 'Hidcote Gold', "universally acclaimed as the finest hardy St John's Wort", Alice Coats records.[1

002.3 miles - Aston Sub Edge
Continue up the High Street and then the Aston Road out of Chipping Campden and you then drop down Aston Hill to Aston Sub Edge. This pretty little hamlet more or less entirely belongs to Earl Harrowby's Norton Estate.

As you slip around the bends at the bottom of the hill you pass the War Memorial and Village Club to the right of which, the little historic lane on the right that passes the superb xx Farmhouse. Why not park for a while by the Telephone Box and explore this and the other lane that heads up the valley towards Dovers Hill.

At the centre of the Estate is Burnt Norton, immortalised in T S Eliot's poem 'The Four Quartets'. The house is the home of the Earl and Countess of Harrowby and their family.

The Norton Shoot is managed by the Organ Family, who take full advantage of the Cotswold

The Earl of Harrowby is lord of the manor and chief landowner. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol; value, £260. Patron, the Earl of Harrowby. The church is a small modem edifice.

Burnt Norton Centre for the Literary Arts, a nonprofit organization, is an international center for the study of poetry, literature, and related arts. Inspired by Eliot's poem and his attachment to the place, Lord Harrowby, the owner of Burnt Norton, has set aside a wing of the manor house for the creation of the Centre. The site includes a study area and an orangery with spectacular views of the gardens, which serves as a lecture hall and seminar room. In fair weather, the grounds provide a number of idyllic locations for conversations and outdoor classes. A serene, intimate setting for the study of literature and culture, the Centre provides intellectually curious adults with opportunities for continuing education and lifelong learning.

The Centre is the vision of Lord Harrowby and John Espedal, President of the Foundation, along with the late Kathleen Namphy, a lecturer in English at Stanford University. The project has been enriched by the advice of eminent scholars such as Professors Ronald Schuchard, Diane Middlebrook, and William M. Chace, former president of Wesleyan and Emory universities and a member of the Centre's Board of Directors. Many years in the making, the Centre is set to open in 2011.

urnt Norton Centre for the Literary Arts is an international center for the study of literature and culture, providing intellectually curious adults with opportunities for continuing education and lifelong learning. Partnering with universities and cultural organizations that have well established continuing education programs, the Centre provides an incomparable setting for encounters with some of the world's most distinguished writers, scholars, and artists. The facilities at the Centre are amenable to a wide variety of programs and the Centre works with its partners to design programs that make the most of the site and its resources.
Continuing Education Programs Examples

The Centre is an ideal venue for continuing education programs presented by university partners in the United Kingdom, the United States, and other countries. Participants can travel to Chipping Campden and spend anywhere from a day to a week studying with a distinguished professor or poet at the Centre. Weeklong programs begin with a festive dinner in Chipping Campden on Sunday evening. The course begins on Monday morning at Burnt Norton, with classes during the day, complemented with excursions to nearby sites and optional events at night in the village. Stanford University will sponsor one of the first weeklong seminars in 2011 as part of its Masters in Liberal Arts program.

Weekend seminars begin with a reception on Friday evening, followed by lectures and discussions on Saturday and Sunday. The Centre is also an ideal site for day visits for courses at nearby universities. A professor teaching a course on modern poetry at Oxford, Cambridge, or another nearby university could bring his or her class to Burnt Norton for a lecture or seminar, along with a visit to the gardens. Some of these programs may focus on the work of T.S. Eliot, but others will address a wider variety of subjects: the Place of the Garden in English Verse, the Modernist Movement in Literature and Painting, the American Writer in Europe, and other topics.

Travel Learning Programs

Universities and cultural organizations throughout the United States offer their alumni and donors opportunities to combine vacation and education through travel learning programs. Burnt Norton offers a beautiful setting for this kind of travel learning program. Participants can take part in lectures and seminars at the Centre each morning and then enjoy sight-seeing activities in the Cotswolds during the afternoon and evenings. Topics might include Provincial Life in English Literature, Shakespeare's England (with visits to nearby Stratford-upon-Avon), or the Architecture of the English Manor House.
Writing Workshops and Conferences

Summer conferences and workshops are a staple of literary culture, with thousands of poets and writers each year participating in programs that typically run for one or two weeks. Writing workshops are also among the most popular continuing education offerings at universities in both the UK and the United States. In recent years, new programs have emerged that, like travel study programs, combine workshops with foreign travel. Burnt Norton, with its poetic heritage and proximity to such major literary centers as London, Oxford, and Cambridge, makes an ideal location for such week-long workshops for writers from the UK and abroad. The Centre could also host weekend workshops for UK writers.
Writer Weekends

The Centre works with literary organizations in the UK to sponsor weekend retreats with well known poets and fiction writers. The program includes a reception on Friday evening, followed by readings, lectures, and discussions on Saturday and Sunday. These programs give readers an opportunity to spend more time with favorite writers than is typically afforded in standard literary readings; it also enables them to combine the pleasures of a weekend in the country with a vibrant learning experience.
School Programs

T.S. Eliot is often cited by young poets as the first poet to capture their imagination and to open their minds to the vibrant possibilities of poetry as a modern art form. The Centre is dedicated to extending this legacy by working with universities and secondary schools to create programs for young readers and writers. These may include weeklong workshops or seminars during the summer break or weekend programs during the school year. These may also include collaborations with Oxford and other nearby universities, which offer summer courses for high school students and international college students.
Annual T.S. Eliot Poetry Reading

Each summer, the Centre hosts an annual T.S. Eliot Poetry Reading, featuring a major international poet or group of poets. The reading is held in an auditorium in Chipping Campden to accommodate as large an audience as possible. The Centre hosts a reception at Burnt Norton the night before the reading for the participating poets, as well as for donors and friends of the Centre.
The T.S. Eliot International Summer School

The first annual T.S. Eliot International Summer School took place in the summer of 2009 at the University of London's Institute of English Studies. The School is directed by Professor Ronald Schuchard, an advisor to Burnt Norton Centre for the Literary Arts. A highlight of the school program was a visit by Professor Schuchard and 75 students to Burnt Norton for a day of activities, which