Honeyed streets and sweeping parks of an ancient Cotswold town
With its majestic church, pale gold streets and sweeping parks, the ancient Cotswold town of Cirencester is the ideal place to explore under summer skies
DUCKS JOIN GEESE and swans floating in stately procession past the reeds lining the lake in Cirencester’s Abbey Grounds park. Scattered with mature trees and bordered by the River Churn, the park is the perfect place to while away a summer afternoon. Dragonflies and wagtails can be seen skimming the water, and the occasional swallow swoops low over groups picnicking on the neatly mown lawns. The sound of birdsong and the hum of insects mingles with the happy shouts of children playing in the late summer sunshine. At the west end of the park, the tower of the Parish Church of St John Baptist, its stone golden in the afternoon light, rises above a sea of billowing green trees. The tranquil park is in the centre of Cirencester, an ancient market town nestled among the gently rolling hills of the South Cotswolds, and seems quintessentially English. However, like so much of England, its modern-day calm hides a more dramatic past, and evidence of two important periods in the town’s history are visible in the park today.
Roman conquest
At its eastern boundary, sandwiched between the river and the main road, a low, grass-covered earthwork marks the site of the Roman wall which originally circled the town. It is a relic of Cirencester’s important Roman past, when the town was known as Corinium.
“The Romans arrived in 44AD, when the first military fort was built here,” says Amanda Hart, director of the town’s Corinium Museum. The fort was effectively a frontier post, and one of many built along the Fosse Way: the road the victorious army built linking Exeter to Lincoln and which marked the original limit of their conquered territories. It is believed that up to 800 cavalrymen and their logistical support were stationed here. A little is known about some of these soldiers, thanks to two tombstones in the Corinium Museum. “These two Roman cavalry tombstones tell of the
arrival of the Romans in Cirencester,” says Amanda. “They are huge, monumental pieces, very ornate and are important, as they are quite rare and in incredible condition.” One is the tombstone of Sextus Valerius Genialis, who is shown on a prancing horse and is in the process of spearing a cowering barbarian; it dates from circa 60AD. Genialis was originally from what is now Belgium, and Amanda explains that non-Roman citizens were recruited as auxiliary soldiers to provide support for the Roman legionaries.
By circa 75AD, the military fort had been dismantled, and the town of Corinium was laid out, with a huge forum being built on the site of the fort. “Local tradespeople set up a market to serve the soldiers, and this was the origins of the town,” says Amanda. The museum has many architectural fragments from the period, with a particularly impressive selection of mosaics. “Corinium was a centre of production for mosaics, and the museum mosaics are amazing,” she says. Her favourite depicts a hare and was discovered in 1971 at the Beeches Road allotments. “Hares are normally portrayed being chased, but this one is nibbling a leaf, so it’s an unusual image. I find it very calming to look at.”
Monastic upheaval
After the Romans left Britain in the early 5th century, Cirencester fell into Saxon hands. The main Saxon settlement was probably to the north-west of the abandoned Roman town. Little is known of the town’s history in this period, but by the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, it was clear that a thriving market was being held there, and the town was important enough for Henry I to choose it as the site of one of the five Augustinian abbeys he founded in 1117. It is this abbey which gives its name to today’s Abbey Grounds, and the lake, now home to swans and ducks, was originally the abbey’s fishponds. At the west end of the park, paving stones laid out in the grass mark the floor plan of the abbey church, while at the northern end, Spitalgate, the abbey gatehouse, with its sturdy Norman archway, is still visible. The name Spitalgate derives from the Hospital of St John the Evangelist to the north-west of the abbey. This was founded by Henry I in 1133 and was not a hospital in the modern sense of the
word, but rather a charitable foundation to support the poor. Little survives of the original building, except an open-arcaded hall, with four arches resting on strangely squat columns. The cottages next door are almshouses, built in the early 1800s on the site of the hospital chapel.
The size of Abbey Grounds park gives a good indication of the size and power of the medieval abbey. It was given lands and privileges by successive monarchs and became one of the richest Augustinian houses in the country. It was so powerful that, in 1222, it was even given the right to have its own gallows: an important privilege, as it meant that when criminals were hung, their goods and chattels went to the abbey. In 1416, it became ‘mitred’, which gave it similar privileges and opportunities to accumulate wealth as a cathedral. However, the abbey’s riches were no protection against Henry VIII, and in 1539, during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the abbey was surrendered to the King’s commissioners. The buildings were demolished, and in 1564, the site was given to Richard Master, Queen Elizabeth’s physician. His family built a mansion on the abbey grounds. This was rebuilt in the 1770s and over the next 200 years, gradually neglected until it was demolished in the 1960s. However, the landscaped gardens, part of the 18th century redesign, remain, and it is these that form the core of the lovely park today, enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.
Wealth from wool
Wool merchants played an important role in the town’s history, and much of its prosperity was based on the wool trade. Sheep farming is so much part of the Cotswolds’ heritage that it even gave the region its name: a combination of ‘cot’, meaning sheep pen, or enclosure, and ‘wold’, meaning hill. Known as Cotswold Lions because of their shaggy fleeces, Cotswold sheep were highly prized for their wool during the middle ages. Wool was exported to countries including the Netherlands and Italy in a highly lucrative export trade, which made fortunes for the farmers and merchants involved.
Evidence of the money made from the trade can be seen in buildings scattered throughout the town. Possibly the most elaborate classical building in Cirencester, and certainly one of the grandest, is the Palladian mansion on Castle Street. Today home to Lloyds Bank, it was originally owned by a wool merchant and his family. Other good examples of wool merchants’ houses are the 17th century Woolgatherers, with its adjoining warehouse at the north end of Coxwell Street,
in the 1530s for Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife, and was then inherited by her daughter, Elizabeth, who gave it to her physician, Dr Master. He in turn donated the cup to the church, and it is now displayed in a special safe set into the wall of the nave. Other points of note in the church are the many impressive funerary monuments, and close inspection of their inscriptions gives an insight into the history of the town. Some record acts of philanthropy, such as that of a Rebecca Powell, who died in 1722, leaving money for ‘enriching and endowering a charity school or schools in the town’. Her tomb is in the Garstang Chapel, where there is a bust of the formidable-looking philanthropist flanked by her two husbands. In the Trinity Chapel, there are a group of brasses commemorating some of the local wool merchants. These include Reginald Spycer, with his entourage of four wives.
as well as the imposing Old Court further down the street. The long-lived John Coxwell, 1516-1614, who gave his name to the street, was another successful wool merchant; a portrait of the rather severe-looking trader can be seen in the Corinium Museum. Coxwell Street is particularly pleasant to wander down, as this quiet corner of the town has remained practically unchanged for centuries. It is made up of a mixture of grand merchants’ houses and smaller weavers’ cottages; the houses are built of golden Cotswold stone, roofed with traditional stone slates, and many have the steep gables so typical of Cotswold vernacular architecture.
Historic market
The Market Place outside the church is the busy heart of Cirencester. The Domesday Book recorded a market here in 1086, and the Charter Market still takes place every Monday and Friday morning, with its mix of food and craft stalls. Here, one can buy all the ingredients for a perfect summer picnic: savoury tarts, brownies, cheeses, sourdough bread, fruit, local beers and ciders, as well as an excellent selection of gifts, plants and homewares. The peaceful churchyard, accessed through the gates to the east of the Great Porch, is an ideal spot to sit and enjoy any market purchases away from the hustle and bustle. The churchyard has not been used for burials since 1872 and is managed by a group of volunteers, with the aim of providing a peaceful place for visitors and a haven for wildlife. The pretty wrought iron benches in the shade of the huge copper beech are a perfect place to picnic while admiring the handsome east end of the church, with the tower behind.
Just east of the Market Place is the Victorian Corn Hall. An indoor market is held here every day from Monday to Thursday: Friday is the day for antiques and collectibles; Saturday is the craft market, and on selected Sundays, it is the turn of the vintage and artisan market. “It is unusual for a town to have markets open all year round, but there is always something going on,” says Augusta Wreay, manager of the Corn Hall. The indoor markets are a browser’s paradise: depending on the day of the week, there might be antique
toys or maps on sale; old shells and prints, handmade ceramics, local cheeses, or second-hand books to peruse. “There’s a bit of everything, as it’s a real Aladdin’s cave,” says Augusta. “It’s a lovely space and has a great atmosphere.”
Augusta’s other favourite place for shopping is the maze of streets and alleys around Black Jack Street. This narrow street, running west from the church, is full of unusual shops, and there are also tempting little alleyways, which were originally medieval mews, running off it to discover. Stable Yard is one such alleyway, where the visitor will find the homeware shop Xanadu, full of tempting gifts. Further back is Heather’s Café, with its pretty courtyard garden full of pots of lavender: a great place to stop and enjoy the sunshine with a coffee. Back on Black Jack Street, Jesse
Smith’s butchers is worth looking out for; established in 1808, this traditional butcher’s shop is decorated with striking green and white Edwardian tiles. It sits next to Knead, a popular bakery selling a mouth-watering range of cakes and breads. Younger visitors will be particularly interested in the next two shops: a traditional sweet shop lined with old-fashioned jars of sweets, and, next door, an excellent children’s bookstore.
Open artists’ studios
South of Black Jack Street is New Brewery Arts, an important landmark on Cirencester’s cultural map. Housed in an old brewery, this is an arts centre with a shop, exhibition space and artists’ studios; it also runs art classes. It specialises in contemporary craft and hosts a variety of exhibitions, ranging from neon sign writing to sculptural ceramics, but they all share a focus on the handmade. “Crafts are our real strength and are what we do best,” says chief executive officer Beth Alden. “We are really broad in what we do, and the exhibitions are all about showing artworks that are inspiring or new, or worth highlighting.”
The studios at the back of the centre are used by artists and are well worth a peek. “The door is always open when the maker is in, and it’s a real privilege to be able to pop into a studio to see a glass-blower at work or a letterpress in action,” says Beth. “So many people want to know what happens in an artist’s studio, and this is one of the few places where you can have a conversation and find out.” She is proud to be part of Cirencester’s thriving cultural life. “We are luckier than lots of other towns around the country,” she says. “Cirencester is amazing. It has so much to offer, with the markets, museum, theatre and art centre. There is just so much going on here.”
Historic parkland
Cirencester Park, to the west of the town, is part of the 15,000-acre Bathurst Estate. The site is a mixture of woodland, park and, nearer the house in the private Home Park, pleasure gardens and a lake. It is also home to the Cirencester Park Polo Club, the oldest polo ground in Britain; Cirencester Cricket Club, where the famous cricketer W G Grace played; and this year, it will host an open-air cinema. In summer, it is the perfect place to stroll, enjoying the leafy shade of the tree-lined rides and taking in the wonderful views over the rolling Cotswold countryside.
The land first came into the Bathurst family in 1695, when the wealthy Sir Benjamin Bathurst bought it for his son Allen, and it has remained in the family’s possession ever
“Happy the man whose wish and care A few paternal acres bound, Content to breathe his native air In his own ground”
Alexander Pope, ‘Ode on Solitude’
since. Allen, who was given the title Baron Bathurst in 1712, became the 1st Earl Bathurst in 1772. A Tory politician, he was made privy councillor in 1742, but he was more interested in the arts and culture. He commissioned plays, was one of the original backers of the Royal Academy of Music and was also involved in setting up the Foundling Hospital in London. When he died at the age of 90 in 1775, his funerary monument in the parish church describes him as a paragon of virtue: “Judgement and taste directed his learning; humanity tempered his wit; benevolence guided his actions... He died regretted by most and praised by all.”
Literary connections
The Earl built himself a new mansion at his Cirencester estate on the site of Oakley Grove: a Tudor house previously belonging to the Danvers family. It became an intellectual and cultural centre, where he entertained friends, who included leading writers, such as Alexander Pope, Jonathan Swift, Laurence Sterne and William Congreve. However, most of the Earl’s energies were directed towards creating the park. “He was passionate about landscaping, and the house was built almost as an afterthought,” says The Countess Bathurst, wife of the current Earl.
The 1st Earl’s friendship with Alexander Pope was particularly significant for the history of Cirencester Park. The poet, an early proponent of the new fashion for landscape gardening, worked with him from 1714 onwards on its design. Together, the two created one of the finest landscaped parks in England, laid out in a series of rides, or avenues, designed to provide extensive views of the surrounding countryside. “The park was a huge feat of engineering. It was originally all agricultural land and woodland, but the first Earl knew something truly mesmerising could come of it,” says Lady Bathurst.
The Earl was not only interested in the layout of the parkland and the grand vistas, but also in the detail of the planting scheme. “He was fascinated by the new specimens, such as cedar of Lebanon, which were just arriving in the country at the time, and was a great one for seasonal colour,” explains Lady Bathurst. An example of the Earl’s original planting is the vast horseshoe-shaped yew hedge that protects The Mansion from prying eyes. It is believed to have been planted in 1710 and is the tallest yew hedge in Europe. It is so big that it takes two men two weeks to prune, using a cherry picker; the ton of clippings which are produced are sold to pharmaceutical companies to help research into a drug used in the treatment of cancer.
Today, Cirencester Park is listed as Grade I historic parkland. “What makes it so important is that it is historic parkland in its original state and hasn’t been fiddled around with,” explains Lady Bathurst. Although some sections of the estate suffered in the past, these have been gradually returned to their 18th century design. The area around the Queen Anne Monument needed particular attention. During World War II, it was the location of an American army hospital and was also a temporary concert venue where, in July 1944, Glenn Miller and his band performed to 7,000 troops.
It has now been restored to its original state: trees have been felled to recreate the original vistas, and a staggering 15,000 tons of concrete have been removed.
One of the most notable features of the park is the Broad Avenue, which runs for 5 miles from the Cecily Hill Gates at the east end of the park, west to Sapperton at the other end of the estate. The western part of the Broad Avenue was originally planted with beech trees. A century later, possibly in commemoration of the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, the third Earl extended the avenue by planting a further 240 horse chestnuts. Sadly, these seem to have reached the end of their natural life. The Bathurst Estate is now in the process of replacing the dead trees with small-leafed lime trees, a species deemed the most suitable as it is fairly disease and pest repellent, and a native tree suited to the British climate.
Dedicated to a poet
As was fitting for such a grand park, the Earl also scattered his new landscape with fashionable follies and garden buildings, which can still be seen today. Pope’s Seat is an attractive stone-covered seat dedicated to the poet, with splendid views across the park. Other notable 18th century structures are the Round Tower; the pair of pavilions known as the Horse Guards; and Alfred’s Hall, which was built in 1721 and is believed to be one of the earliest Gothick-style garden buildings in England.
Ever since the 1st Earl’s day, the park has been open to the public. The main entrance is via the Cecily Hill Gates: a pair of elegant wrought iron gates set between two stone lodges at the west end of the hill. A welcome 21st century addition to the park is also found here, in the form of ‘Beano’, an Airstream caravan converted into a take-away café, where walkers can buy drinks, snacks and, for those hot summer days, ice creams. Fortified with cake and coffee, from here, walkers can enjoy any number of paths and routes through the park. Lady Bathurst’s favourite is Ladies’ Walk: “It’s a beautiful walk, very tranquil, up near the polo club. I like to imagine, in days gone by, delicate ladies being taken up here to enjoy the park, giggling under their parasols while the dashing men accompanied them on horseback,” she says. The park is also full of wildlife, with deer, foxes, badgers and birds on the lake, and one of the only colonies of Large Blue butterflies in the country. Like her husband’s ancestor, the 1st Earl, Lady Bathurst is clearly passionate about Cirencester Park. “It is a responsibility, and we are just custodians for the next generation, but we love it here,” she says.
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