Time Present and Time Past

The absolute silence in a stone walled room, coupled with the darkness of a curtained four poster bed worked magic and I awoke ready to take on the world. The air was crisp with a hint of woodsmoke and the rain seemed to be holding off. After a lovely breakfast in the dining room (thumbs up for the pork sausage, thumbs down for the coffee) I was picked up by my driver, Steve, who proved to be an absolute star of a tour guide. What an amazing day of sights, linked together by short drives through narrow hedgerowed lanes rich with autumn foliage. After a scenic route past a few lookouts, and a traipse through a sheep field to a sun dial, we stopped in Chipping Camden, his hometown for five generations, at the Hart silversmiths. They are in an old silk warehouse which was set up as a guildhall in 1902 as part of the arts and crafts movement. The visit was to their actual workshop, not a showroom, with the current senior Mr Hart, in his 80’s, still at work.

This photo shows their accounts filing system (really!) looking like elaborate paper roses hanging from the ceiling. They were very shy, quiet people, extremely proud of their work, and wanting to get on with it rather than chat. I am now the owner of a lovely silver milk jug - a special memory of the trip.

Chipping Camden is the beginning (or end depending on how you look at it) of the “Cotswolds Way”, 102 miles of rambling path through the countryside. I’ve included a photo of the marker post. After a wander through the village, and some great stories of Steve’s youth, I went through a charming church with a beautiful stained glass window and little graveyard. I took the unexpected opportunity to tie a blue ribbon for Jason on the “ribbons to remember” gate. 

We stopped for lunch at a cafe in the middle of nowhere for an excellent sandwich, before arriving at Stow on the Wold for some wandering time. This village has the “oldest pub in England “ (I seem to have been to a few that claim that…) and a church door that inspired JRR Tolkein’s drawing of the hobbit house door. The next stop was Donnington’s brewery, where you buy beer via a fridge with an honesty box for payment. I’m not a beer drinker, but felt like I should partake - two pounds, fifty a bottle.

I drank my beer while watching the swans at the lake and the water wheel that supplies the water for the brewing. We then visited the newest and the oldest features of the Cotswolds in that order. Firstly an extensive wellness, sustainability, green produce complex, with a restaurant, cooking classes, and of course, huge retail offerings. It’s been set up by Lady Bamford, who seems to be a canny investor and entrepreneur. Following that, we went to a standing stone circle, tucked away behind some trees and down a muddy path. Intriguing, mysterious and very old, it dates from 2500BC and was a very special experience. We returned to Abbotts Grange on a scenic route (is there anything else here?) through more villages, and a spot where the Cotswold stone is quarried. The only disappointment of the day was my dinner choice - a one Michelin star restaurant with average food and dubious service. 

The Cotswolds to me represent the quintessential English village and countryside life. It feels untouched by modernity (exhibit 1: deep fried Brie and prawn cocktails on many menus) Interestingly, I have experienced almost no diversity. The local population, oddly in this day and age, seems to be entirely Anglo. I’m going to explore this a little more if possible over the next couple of days.