Northleach in the Cotswolds
Seeing the Historical Side of England
By Dave Shultz
 If
you prefer to avoid the hustle and crowds of the big cities and are interested
in the history of England, there’s no better way to see it than to visit the
Cotswolds. What’s a Costwold you ask? Well, technically speaking, it’s a
combination of Anglo Saxon words meaning ‘cot’ or sheep enclosure and ‘wold’ or
rolling hillside but if you ask anyone who lives in the villages that make up
the Cotswold area, they’ll tell you it’s much more than that. It’s an area of
natural beauty that’s become one of the most desirable addresses in England.
It’s been designated as England’s largest ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’.
 They’ll
also tell you there is something special about the people and places you’ll see
there, and once you visit, you’ll understand what they mean. Even the ancient
Romans knew there was something magical about the area. They loved it so much
they built elaborate homes and farms there along with complicated bath houses
like the one that remains in Bath today.
Even the names of the villages are magical.
Stratford-upon-Avon, Wotton-under-Edge, Bourton-on-the-Water, Moreton-in-Marsh,
Stow-on-the-Wold, Dumbleton, Frampton-on-Severn and hundreds of others that have
quite understandable meanings once you delve into the romance of the language.
The geographical area of the Cotswolds is only about 100
miles in diameter and while there are innumerable B&B’s and hotels, the best way
to see the area is to pick a central location and make day trips to visit points
of interest. None will be more than an hour or so away and once you master
driving on the left side of the road, getting around is quite easy.
 Northleach
is as nearly central as you can get and is at a very important crossroad for
navigation which may be why it was once home to wealthy wool merchants. It’s
easy to head any direction from there and has all the amenities you’ll need for
a comfortable stay.
 There
are several good restaurants and pubs, a well stocked grocery, a specialty wine
store, and more English charm than you can soak up in a normal visit. Since
it’s home to only a few thousand residents these days and the main road moved to
the edge of town, life there is pretty quiet most of the time.
One if the most economical ways to visit is a guest house
and one that I can highly recommend is Cotteswold House, a charming B&B operated
by the equally charming Margaret & David Atkinson. Next door to the B&B is a
400 year old stone cottage, completely renovated into a two bedroom, two bath
‘self-service’ home complete with kitchen and living room. It was absolutely
perfect for a base from which to explore the surrounding countryside. It’s also
within a few yards of the town center where everything is located.
Northleach is home to the magnificent Church of St. Peter
and St. Paul currently undergoing renovation. It’s a grand example of 15th
century Cotswold perpendicular architecture. The church grounds include the
mandatory graveyard and just reading the dates on the stones gives you a sense
of history beyond the visual. It’s an interesting phenomenon when you go into a
restaurant that used to be a blacksmith’s shop 500 years ago. In fact, most of
the buildings are at least that old and are in common use today. Nothing has
been allowed to fall into disuse or neglect.
Take some good hiking shoes with you. Northleach is a
walker’s paradise and you’ll want to explore the area’s natural beauty on foot
whenever possible. If you walk to one end of town, you’ll find the old prison
and magistrate building known as the House of Correction at Northleach. No
longer needed as a prison, it has been converted into a very popular coffee shop
and Internet Café called Blades. It was the only public Internet access in town
and a very popular spot. Of course, the fact that the staff was very cheerful,
the coffee and hot chocolate very good and the breads, muffins and sweets very
tasty certainly contributed to their popularity. The old prison was in use from
1791 until 1974. The keeper’s house is the only building to survive but is in
remarkable condition.
Another unique feature of Northleach is the World of
Mechanical Music Museum. It’s located across the street from the market square
and is a true delight to visit. There is a fascinating gift shop with lots of
distractions but once you get to the museum, there is a guided tour by a very
knowledgeable and personable gentleman that really makes the history of the
machines come alive. Everything from the smallest music boxes to mammoth
machines with numerous instruments are represented and some of the mechanical
pianos have recordings done by virtuoso artists long deceased that truly sound
exactly as if they were performing for you live.
From Northleach, it’s only 30 miles to Stratford-upon-Avon
(Shakespeare country), 42 miles to Bath (a visit to the Roman baths is a must),
11 miles to Sudeley Castle (once the Palace of Queen Katherine Parr), 27 miles
to Oxford (historical University City) and 4 miles to Bourton-on-the-Water (Bird
Sanctuary, Model Village, Railway, Motor & Toy Museum). Of course, these are
just the beginning if you really want to explore the Cotswolds. My suggestion
would be to get off the main roads and drive through some of the small villages
that dot the countryside. Each one holds a unique charm and surprises all their
own.
Depending on which time of year you go (most events are in
the summer) there are lots of activities and attractions to keep you occupied.
Some of the highlights are …
Cheltenham Folk Festival in February
Bath Shakespeare Festival in March
Shakespeare birthday celebrations, Stratford-upon-Avon in April
Cheltenham International Jazz Festival in May
Blenheim Flower Show in June
Joust, Berkeley Castle, near Stroud in July
Gatcombe Horse Trials, Gatcombe Park, near Tetbury in August
For a more complete list, visit
http://www.the-cotswolds.org/top/english/seeanddo/events
Recourses
http://www.the-cotswolds.org/ (Tourism Site)
http://www.cotswolds.org/ (Tourism Site)
http://www.cotswold.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1&tt=cotswold (Government
Site)
http://www.cotteswoldhouse.com/ Cotteswold House B&B
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