Today was a transition day. We left the Cotswolds and headed to Bath the long way. Alan was our guide again and took us to more places in Oxfordshire in the Cotswolds. This is how our day went.
Where we visited:
Number 1: We drove through Burton-on-the-Water with a quick stop for a picture. The village straddles the River Windrush and is a sleepy little tourist town. We were very glad we didn’t spend time there as originally planned by our tour guide.
Number 1: We drove through Burton-on-the-Water with a quick stop for a picture. The village straddles the River Windrush and is a sleepy little tourist town. We were very glad we didn’t spend time there as originally planned by our tour guide.
Drove through Moreton-in-Marsh and Clipping Norton, known for antique shops and markets.
Then passed near Woodstock, which is where Winston Churchill is buried. It is also known for making gloves.
Then passed near Woodstock, which is where Winston Churchill is buried. It is also known for making gloves.
Number 2: The next major stop was in Oxford, home of the University of Oxford, comprised of 43 different colleges. We passed by The Eagle and Child, the cafe where J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis used to meet. Then we went for a walk around the Oxford University area.
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Number 3: Brampton is the town where many scenes from Downton Abbey were filmed. St, Mary’s Church was used for a wedding scene, a christening, and a funeral. Other areas in the village were also used in the filming.
Number 4: The Plough Inn was our lunch spot.
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Number 5: Cotswolds Woolen Weavers was just outside of Burford. They have a museum to demonstrate the process of taking the wool off the sheep and being made into cloth. As I was looking around I came upon a stairwell with an arrow that pointed up, so I went. At the top of the stairs was an office with a glass wall and an open door. When I hit the top step I was greeted by the man working there. He asked me how I liked England and inquired where we were going next on our trip. When I answered Bath with my American accent he made sure to correct me so that I said it with a British Accent. I later found out that this was the owner of the store.
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Number 6: The village of Tetbury is known as the home of King Charles III and Queen Camilla and is known for its boutique antique stores. We stopped at Top Banana Antique Mall for a look-through. Alan pointed out a beautiful mustard server. It was a small pot with a lid and a small spoon. Apparently, these are used in England. I have not seen them in the U.S. We also glanced at the Police Museum but there was no time to visit.
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Number 7: Chippenham-Castle Comb: Many famous movies have been filmed in this village such as Doctor Doolittle, and War Horse.
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Things We Learned:
Stephen Hawking went to Oxford.
Oxford University is a series of several schools, not just one university.
J. R. R. Tolkien is buried in a Nunnery.
The collective name for monks is a college of monks.
The oldest garden in England started as an apothecary garden.
All back roads in England are narrow and look like one direction only but are not. The grass on either side of the road is so tall that you cannot see over it. It is the responsibility of the landowner to trim the grass.
Stephen Hawking went to Oxford.
Oxford University is a series of several schools, not just one university.
J. R. R. Tolkien is buried in a Nunnery.
The collective name for monks is a college of monks.
The oldest garden in England started as an apothecary garden.
All back roads in England are narrow and look like one direction only but are not. The grass on either side of the road is so tall that you cannot see over it. It is the responsibility of the landowner to trim the grass.
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