Gloucester, England's heartland
Gloucester has grown from a Roman town, Glevum, to a busy modern market and
manufacturing centre. For two thousand years it was the lowest crossing point
on the River Severn, therefore controlled the routes into Wales
There are a number of interesting buildings
- The New Inn
- Fleece Inn
- 16th century Greyfriars ruin
- the canal, opened in 1827 between Gloucester and the sea at Shapness made
it an inland port
- the docks are now being renovated for housing and business
- the cathedral with its stained glass window of 1350 to commemorate the Battle
of Crecy
And in the immediate area you can visit
- Badminton
- Home of the Duke of Beaufort, this Palladian mansion is at the centre of
a 15000 acre estate. The three day Badminton Horse Trials are held here annually
in April. The estate is home to the Beaufort Hunt, and the house has a fine
collection of English, Dutch and Italian paintings, plus carving by Grinling
Gibbons.
- Berkeley
- Berkeley Castle dates from Norman times. The Berkeley family have occupied
the castle ever since. You may like to know that Edward II was murdered in
its dungeons in 1327. Edward Jenner, discoverer of Smallpox vaccination, was
born here, and is buried in the village church. All around are thousands of
acres of flatlands bordering the Severn
- Painswick
- An old Cotswold wool town, with a massive wool church. The church is best
known today for its clipped yew hedges. Some of the trees date back to 1714,
and tradition gives their number at 99, apparently when the 100th was planted,
the devil uprooted it.
- Slimbridge
- Slimbridge houses the worlds largest collection of wildfowl. Founded by
Peter Scott it has both thousands of resident birds, plus enormous flocks
of geese that pass here in winter every year. There are a number of well placed
hides for you to se the birds at a closer distance.
- Tewkesbury
- Tewkesbury grew up where the River Avon joined the River Severn. There are
still lots of black and white, half timbered houses. 13th and 14th century
inns, including the Royal Hop Pole Inn mentioned in Pickwick Papers, the timer
framed Bell Inn and The Black Bear. Of course the Abbey, with its Norman Tower
stretching up 132 feet, and the 16th century Tudor Hotel - complete with priests
hole
- Westonbirt
- Westonbirt Arboretum is perhaps the most famous arboretum in England. Managed
by the Forestry Commission, the tree collection was started in 1829 by the
local squire. The trees are at their most interesting with the rhododendrums
through the summer, and the deciduous trees changing colour in autumn.
- Wooton under Edge
- Wooton gets its name from being literally under the edge of the Cotswold
escarpment. There are some fine 13 and 14th century building in the
old market town. The organ in the parish church was bought from St Martins
in the Field in London, and Handel himself played it there
Gloucester touring centre
