There is a small town nestled in the sunlit stretched out hills Cotswold hills in Gloucestershire County that has been deemed with the name of Chipping Campden. One of the towns most marked landmarks are the unusually attractive and elegant terraced, honey mustard colored, high street buildings that have a sort of classic grace about them. They are broad and long and surrounded on both sides by an almost unbroken terrace of many different styles.

The high street buildings are made from a locally quarried type of oolitic limestone that has been fittingly named Cotswold stone. Chipping Camden is also home to a church considered to be one of the most beautiful in the Cotswolds; it is the church of Saint James. The church houses many elaborate tombs and was featured in Simon Jenkins book Englands thousand best churches. Chipping Campden is also home to the ancient Market hall which was built in 1627 by Sir Baptist Hicks with the purpose of giving shelter to the local market.

It is thought that the word Campden is Saxon in origination and translates to valley with the fields. Some written records suggest that King Harold may have owned the manor campden prior to the Norman Conquest. Later during the civil war the royalist troops set the campden Manor on fire to keep it from falling into the ownership of the parliament.

This market area in the Cotswolds was beginning to merit itself a name in the early thirteenth century; it was earning the name Cepyne Caumpedene which translates to market campden. Chipping is a word that comes from the old English word ceping which means a market or a market place. The name picked up in popularity and the town continued to grow into its new title. People began raising sheep all around the cotswolds and then in Chipping campden the wool was sheered and sent to London, soon chipping campden was a town full of wealthy wool merchants in the middle ages.

There was a large migration of craftsmen in the early twentieth century, who decided to bring their crafts to the town. They were led by a man named C R Ashbee. The craftsmen moved into an old dilapidated silk mill and soon began the guild of Handicrafts.

Another thing taking place in the beginning of the twentieth century was the dream of a man named Lawrence Johnston. He moved into the Hidcote Manor and began creating a garden that people would adore for years to come. The self taught gardener began creating his garden in 1907 and spent forty years finishing it. It is now considered one of the great gardens of England.

This small market town till this day evokes old time emotions and appreciation. It is certain that Chipping Campden will continue to take its place among the most beautiful historical English towns and will always be popular amongst her citizens.

Technorati Tags: Beginning, Campden, Chipping, From, Today

Taking a break from the daily grind is always something to look forward to. Most people set their sights on a sandy beach to soak up the Mediterranean sun and recharge the batteries; but ironically often say that they come back needing a holiday. All the hustle and bustle of airports and passports, travel insurance and immunisations can turn taking a break into a major mission. With the new credit crunch well under way, people are beginning to discover that there are places in England that are worthy of a weeklong break. The undulating countryside has become a welcome paradise and sought after space to get a real rest from routine, and many prefer a break in the British countryside to a stay on the Costa del Sol.

The epitome of Britishness is said to be in the Cotswolds. This tourist haven is still a delicately peaceful and quaint area of the country with its gently rolling hills and limestone villages. The idyllic vision of sheep on the hillside, dry stone walls and ambling ramblers is the actual vision that greets visitors to this area. As a native Britton, it can be difficult to imagine what is so good about the quintessentially English way of things. The best way to rectify this is by booking into a Boutique hotel in one of the beautiful Cotswold towns, allowing yourself to relax. Here are my top tips for relaxation the rural way.

The Cotswold town of Bath is famed for the traditional spas built during the Roman times. Bath was built around the famous hot water spring that provides a healing and relaxing mineral rich soak. The stone pillars and pathways built by the Romans are still there today and add to the authentic atmosphere of the area.

Nearby Cheltenham is also a spa town, but is generally better known for being the home of Cheltenham Races, one of the most famous horse racing days in the calendar. Be warned however, that taking a break at this time of year requires booking many months in advance and is not the right time to go to the area if you are after a bit of peace and quiet.

The Romantic Road is a little known way of getting to know the Cotswold area. It weaves through some of the most beautiful towns and villages, past churches to deliver a truly romantic experience that has inspired poets, musicians, writers and artists for centuries. This journey offers the opportunity to take a break in traditional English pubs along the way, where you can sample ales, enjoy the fresh air and warm yourself by the fire.

If you like a bit of horticulture, then it is worth knowing that the Cotswolds are just as famed for its manicured gardens and arboretums as it is for the wild countryside. Walking into cottage garden inspired public gardens is a truly romantic experience, and like walking into a novel by Virginia Wolfe. With a setting like this, it is the perfect place to make a proposal and then head back to a romantic hideaway in a Boutique hotel.

Nestled in the gently rolling hills, a romantic hideaway is the perfect place to end a busy day of sitting in a spa, drinking ale at a pub and taking a leisurely stroll through the countryside. With views so stunning, they attract visitors the world over, make the most of what is on your doorstep. Why fly to Benidorm to get burned when you can bathe in the baths of Bath and retreat to a Boutique bed for two right here in Britain?

Technorati Tags: Booking, Boutique, Break, Cotswolds, Country, From, Hotels, Leaving, Take

There are lots of things you can do during a stay in your Cotswolds Cottage. You can visit the Cheltenham racecourse, you can hike across the countryside, you can explore the many towns and villages that await you, and you can also enjoy many stops in a whole host of different pubs and inns.

The Cotswolds is famous for quite a few things, but it certainly knows how to tempt you with a great pub or two while you are here! So let’s explore some of the best ones in the area, so that when you visit you’ll know exactly where to go.

First of all, it’s good to know that wherever you want to stay you won’t have to go too far to reach a pub. That’s ideal if you are going to spend most of your days out and about, enjoying the various delights of your Cotswolds Holiday. Once you’ve gone back to your Cotswolds cottage or accommodation to freshen up, you’ll be able to wander down the road and straight into your local pub for some refreshments.

For example if you are staying somewhere near Aston, you won’t want to miss a meal at the Trout Inn, at the equally wonderfully named Tadpole Bridge. Our Bakehouse holiday cottage is perfectly located just a short distance away so there will be no excuse for not trying it out! Local food and a great choice of drinks are on offer to delight you as soon as you arrive.

The Carpenters Arms is another pub worth paying a visit to on a day out. In fact if you are staying in one of our Cottages in Fulbrook, such as the quaintly named Footstool Cottage for example, this pub won’t be too far away for you. We also have the Manor Farm Cottages and Honeysuckle Cottage – both equally well placed to allow you to pop into the pub for a drink on your way back each evening!

That’s one of the great things about our cottages. We have lots of them dotted around the whole of the Cotswolds, and none of them are too far away from at least one pub. Even if you plan to cook at your holiday cottage most evenings, you can still set aside some time to soak up the atmosphere in one of the Cotswolds pubs every now and again.

It’s also worth taking note of where the pubs are located if you are planning to go out and explore for the day on foot. The good news is that they are fairly evenly spread, and they differ enough that you can always find something that will appeal to your own tastes.

It’s also possible to get a nice taste of history while you are visiting the Cotswolds pubs. Some of them have been standing for a hundred years or more, such as the Queen’s Head in Stow on the Wold for example. So be sure you don’t miss out on this intriguing and refreshing side of the Cotswolds.

Technorati Tags: Cotswolds, Fare, Fine, From, Great, Sample, Some

Image taken on 2008-07-07 11:19:03 by UGArdener.

Technorati Tags: Cotswolds, From, Garden, Private, Scene

Taking a break from the daily grind is always something to look forward to. Most people set their sights on a sandy beach to soak up the Mediterranean sun and recharge the batteries; but ironically often say that they come back needing a holiday. All the hustle and bustle of airports and passports, travel insurance and immunisations can turn taking a break into a major mission. With the new credit crunch well under way, people are beginning to discover that there are places in England that are worthy of a weeklong break. The undulating countryside has become a welcome paradise and sought after space to get a real rest from routine, and many prefer a break in the British countryside to a stay on the Costa del Sol.

The epitome of Britishness is said to be in the Cotswolds. This tourist haven is still a delicately peaceful and quaint area of the country with its gently rolling hills and limestone villages. The idyllic vision of sheep on the hillside, dry stone walls and ambling ramblers is the actual vision that greets visitors to this area. As a native Britton, it can be difficult to imagine what is so good about the quintessentially English way of things. The best way to rectify this is by booking into a Boutique hotel in one of the beautiful Cotswold towns, allowing yourself to relax. Here are my top tips for relaxation the rural way.

The Cotswold town of Bath is famed for the traditional spas built during the Roman times. Bath was built around the famous hot water spring that provides a healing and relaxing mineral rich soak. The stone pillars and pathways built by the Romans are still there today and add to the authentic atmosphere of the area.

Nearby Cheltenham is also a spa town, but is generally better known for being the home of Cheltenham Races, one of the most famous horse racing days in the calendar. Be warned however, that taking a break at this time of year requires booking many months in advance and is not the right time to go to the area if you are after a bit of peace and quiet.

The Romantic Road is a little known way of getting to know the Cotswold area. It weaves through some of the most beautiful towns and villages, past churches to deliver a truly romantic experience that has inspired poets, musicians, writers and artists for centuries. This journey offers the opportunity to take a break in traditional English pubs along the way, where you can sample ales, enjoy the fresh air and warm yourself by the fire.

If you like a bit of horticulture, then it is worth knowing that the Cotswolds are just as famed for its manicured gardens and arboretums as it is for the wild countryside. Walking into cottage garden inspired public gardens is a truly romantic experience, and like walking into a novel by Virginia Wolfe. With a setting like this, it is the perfect place to make a proposal and then head back to a romantic hideaway in a Boutique hotel.

Nestled in the gently rolling hills, a romantic hideaway is the perfect place to end a busy day of sitting in a spa, drinking ale at a pub and taking a leisurely stroll through the countryside. With views so stunning, they attract visitors the world over, make the most of what is on your doorstep. Why fly to Benidorm to get burned when you can bathe in the baths of Bath and retreat to a Boutique bed for two right here in Britain?

Technorati Tags: Booking, Boutique, Break, Cotswolds, Country, From, Hotels, Leaving, Take