Chipping Campden

On builder-free days we tend to go to the Cotswolds as it's near. I have been longing for a trip to London to visit some galleries but we are usually too tired to have a whole day away, so it's the Cotswolds instead -  convenient and relaxing.

Chipping Campden was our choice last Friday. We parked opposite this wisteria-covered cottage.

Chipping Campden was one of the most important of the medieval wool towns and famous throughout Europe. It is this legacy of fame and prosperity that give the town its character

        

First stop, the Robert Welch shop as we wanted to buy some coasters and add to our collection of cutlery.

It's a lovely shop





The cutlery he designs is stylish, functional and long-lasting.

But, he designs much more than that

I particularly liked this salt and pepper set

and these candlesticks.

We then wandered around the village

The ancient Market Hall (now a National Trust property) was built in 1627 for the purpose of giving shelter to the local market selling cheese, butter and poultry.

    

The main street is long and broad and curves in a shallow arc flanked on either side by an almost unbroken single terrace made up of many different architectural styles. It is lined with a succession of ancient houses each grafted to the next but each with its own distinctive character.

It's wisteria time and there's lots around

This house is the oldest in Chipping Campden and was built by William Grevel in 1380. The house would have been one of the first to have chimneys instead of just holes in the roof. William Grevel was one of the country's most influential wool merchants, a citizen of London and financier to King Richard III.

The Alms Houses were built in 1612 for £1000 - their simple style shows the early influence of the Renaissance in Britain. They were and still are used as the homes of twelve pensioners.

Each dwelling has an upper and lower room and each front door is shared by two houses.

We reached the gate to the Banqueting House. It was built in 1613, a noble house in the latest fashion, with elaborate gardens. Thirty two years later it was destroyed by the Royalists, as they withdrew from the town.

Two buildings were left. The buildings, (East Banqueting House and West Banqueting House) are now available as Landmarks. We stayed here many years ago.

St James church was our next stop. We took the path up to the church

turned right into this enchanted path.

We turned around and started retracing our steps, past the Eight Bells

past this grand house

and walked down the High Street

I like the sunken pavement

It was time for lunch so we stopped at the Cotswold House

and their restaurant,  the Bistro on the Square.

The garden is glorious.

People chose to eat indoors, but we headed for the sunken terrace, which we had to ourselves.

We ate in glorious isolation

and enjoyed the garden.

As we were leaving

we stopped to have a look at the water feature and then headed for home.