Castles, Monuments & Heritage Sites in Gloucestershire Berkeley Castle | Chedworth Roman Villa | Clearwell Caves Ancient Iron Mines | Dean Heritage Centre | Hailes Abbey | Odda's Chapel | Prinknash Abbey and Pottery | Sudeley Castle & Gardens | Uley Long Barrow Berkeley Castle Berkeley Castle is an amazingly well preserved fortress overlooking the River Severn. It has been the home of the Berkeley family since it was first built 1153. After nearly 1000 years of rich history the castle still stands intact, including its massive keep and dungeons. Formal gardens and rose-clad terraces surround the elegant castle buildings. Opening times: Apr~Oct, Tue-Sat & BHs 11am - 4pm, Sun 2pm - 5pm Admission Charge Location: Berkeley GL13 9BQ (on A38 between Bristol & Gloucester) - Tel: 01453 8l0332 - Website Facilities: parking, cafe, shop and garden centre. Can be hired for weddings.

Chedworth Roman Villa Said to be Britain's oldest Romano-British county house and one of the largest villas of its kind discovered in England. The excavated remains contain many fine 4th century mosaics, a detailed and well preserved hypocaust system, plus several bath houses and a temple. Run by the National Trust - parking and entrance fees may apply, see website for details. Location: Yanworth, Gloucestershire, GL54 3LJ - Tel: 01242 890256 Facilities: parking, audio tours, shop, disabled facilities. Children's activities and trails. Access for school groups. Clearwell Caves Ancient Iron Mines A network of natural caves that were once mined for paint pigment and iron ore in ancient times. Pre-booked tours of the deep underground caverns are available for the more adventurous visitors. Opening times: Mar~Oct: daily 10am - 5pm, Jan~Feb: Sat-Sun 10am - 5pm.

Admission Charge Location: Clearwell, GLl6 8JR - Tel: 01594 832535 - Website Facilities: parking, cafe and gift shop, disabled facilities. Access for school groups. Dean Heritage Centre Museum, with galleries and outside displays, that recount the story of the local area and its heritage. Opening times: all year, daily, Winter 10am - 4pm, Summer 10am - 5.30pm (closed Xmas). Admission Charge Location: Camp Mill, Forest of Dean (on the B4227), GL14 2UB - Tel: 01594 822170 - Website Facilities: parking (charged), cafe, shop, disabled facilities. Hailes Abbey Once a place of great pilgrimage - now all that remains of this great 13th century medieval abbey is a field of serene ruins. An on-site museum tells the story of its long history. Run by English Heritage - parking and entrance fees may apply, see website for details.

Location: Hailes (near Winchcombe), Gloucestershire, GL545PB - Tel: 01242 602398 Website Facilities: parking, shop, disabled access. Odda's Chapel Restored Saxon chapel, built in 1056 by Earl Odda. Opening times: Apr~Oct: daily 10am - 6pm; Nov~Mar, daily 10am - 4pm. (closed Xmas). Free Entry Location: Deerhurst, Gloucestershire. Facilities: parking (charged) Prinknash Abbey and Pottery The abbey site dates from the 14th century. In 1928 it was given back to the Benedictine monks as an abbey. The New Abbey was consecrated in 1972. The site is also home to a reconstruction of the Great Orpheus Pavement - the largest mosaic in Britain. The grounds contain a bird and deer park . Opening times: all year: Abbey Church: Apr~Oct: 9am - 5.30pm, Nov~Mar: 10am - 4.30pm (closed Good Fri & Xmas).

Admission free to grounds. Admission Charge to Orpheus Pavement Location: Cranham (near Painswick), GL4 8EX - Tel: 01452 812066 - Website Facilities: parking, cafe, gift shop, disabled facilities. Sudeley Castle & Gardens Once an important English palace and home to Henry VIII's wife, Catherine Parr, who lies buried in its Chapel. Many other important historic royal visitors have stayed here, such as Anne Boleyn, Lady lane Grey and Elizabeth I. Surround by very ancient formal gardens and parkland. Opening times: opening times vary, phone or see website for details. Admission Charge Location: Winchcombe, GL54 5JD - Tel: 01242 602308 - Website Facilities: parking, restaurant, shop, garden centre. Uley Long Barrow & Nympsfield Long Barrow The Neolithic long barrow near Uley (known locally as Hetty Pegler's Tump), comprises a stone central passage, and three burial chambers. The Nympsfield Long Barrow (another Neolithic burial mound), is located nearby.

Run by English Heritage - free entry, see website for opening times.

Location: On the B4066, just north of Uley Other Gloucestershire Attractions City Museum | Cathedral | Docks | Folk Museum | Regiments Museum | St Oswald's Attractions & Theme Parks: Bourton-on-the-Water Model Village | Cotswold Motoring Museum | Dean Forest Railway | Edward Jenner Museum | Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway | Keith Harding's World of Mechanical Music Castles, Monuments & Heritage Sites: Berkeley Castle | Chedworth Roman Villa | Clearwell Caves Ancient Iron Mines | Dean Heritage Centre | Hailes Abbey | Odda's Chapel | Prinknash Abbey and Pottery | Sudeley Castle & Gardens | Uley Long Barrow Gardens & Historic Houses: Bourton House Garden | Chavenage House | Dyrham Park | Hidcote Manor Garden | Kiftsgate Court Gardens | Littledean Hall | Lodge Park Sherborne Estate | Sezincote | Snowshill Manor | Westbury Court Garden | Westonbirt National Arboretum Nature, Wildlife & Scenic Sites: Select Another Region To Visit Towns & Cities in Gloucestershire Cheltenham, Cirencester , Gloucester , Painswick, Stroud, Tewkesbury

 Please note that the above information was accurate at the time this page was last updated.

This information is subject to change at any time (opening times in particular), therefore if you plan on visiting any of the above attractions, please check the owner's website first or phone them for the latest details. Information: Cotswolds History Castles Romans Shakespeare Abbeys Cathedrals & Stately Homes Berkeley Castle Open April to September Berkeley Castle is one of the March Castles, built to keep out the Welsh, and has all the trappings to match: trip steps designed to make the enemy stumble during an assault, arrow slits, murder holes, enormous barred doors, slots where the portcullis once fell, and worn stones where sentries stood guard. It is also a fairy tale Castle with its warm pink stone that glows in soft sunset light. Outside, the battlements drop some 60' to the Great Lawn below; but inside the Inner Courtyard, the building is on a human scale, with uneven battlements, small towers, doors and windows of every shape and size. The surrounding land would have been flooded for defence.

Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire, GL13 9BQ, England LOCATION MAP Blenheim Palace Open February to December Home of the Duke of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill . This magnificent palace is located on the outskirts of the small town of Woodstock on the A44 road approximately 20 minutes from Oxford. Designated a World Heritage site - one of the great buildings of the World with a superb art collection. Extensive 'Capability' Brown landscaped Park. The Marlborough Maze - the worlds largest symbolic hedge maze. Allow at least a good half day for visiting. History of Blenheim Palace . For Visitor Information about - The Town of Woodstock For further information about the Palace - Blenheim Palace Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1PX, England LOCATION MAP Broadway Tower April - October Broadway Tower is one of England’s outstanding viewpoints and, at 1024 feet (312m) above sea level, it is the second highest point on the Cotswold Ridge. Built in 1799, it is a perfect example of an eighteenth century Gothic folly from which it is possible to survey an area which includes as many as thirteen counties.

The views encompass the Vales of Evesham and Gloucester and on a clear day you may also see across the Severn Valley and as far as the Welsh Mountains. Today, the Tower houses fascinating exhibitions connected with its past and the surrounding area. Notable occupants include Sir Thomas Phillipps , renowned printer of his time and Pre-Raphaelite artists including designer, writer and craftsman William Morris , who used the Tower as a country retreat. The Morris Room is furnished with some of his more famous designs. For more information - Broadway Tower. Broughton Castle Open 30 April to 15 September “About the most beautiful castle in all England ... for sheer loveliness of the combination of water, woods and picturesque buildings.” A generous tribute from historian Sir Charles Oman in 1898, and one continued by the noted diarist James Lees-Milne in a 1989 - "It is still the most romantic house imaginable. English to the core, as Henry James says. ... Perfection, what with moat, gatehouse, church, and gorgeous orange and buff stone". A more recent accolade came in 2003 in England's Thousand Best Houses by Sir Simon Jenkins.

The author gives only twenty of the thousand houses five stars - and Broughton Castle is proud to be one of them. For Visitor Information on - The Town of Banbury Broughton Castle, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX15 5EB, England LOCATION MAP Web: National Trust Charlecote Park The House is the home of the Lucy family, begun in 1551 and situated next to the river Avon in the heart of an ancient deer-park with views to Stratford-upon-Avon a few miles away. Capability Brown landscaped the grounds and Queen Elizabeth 1st stayed. Shakespeare poached deer here. A beautiful house and well worth a visit. Located 5 miles east of Stratford and 6 miles south of Warwick on the north side of the B4086. For Accommodation near Charlecote Park see Stratford-upon-Avon , Mickleton and Banbury . Charlecote Park, Warwick, Warwickshire, CV35 9ER, England LOCATION MAP Chastleton House Open 4 Apr to 3 Nov Chastleton House is one of England's finest and most complete Jacobean houses and competed in 1612.

The same family occupied the house for nearly 400 years with little or no modernisation taking place. The rules for the game of Croquet were written here. Since acquiring the property the National Trust has concentrated on conserving it rather than restoring it to pristine condition. Located near the village of Chastleton a few miles from Moreton-in-Marsh off the A44. For Places to Stay near Chastleton House see Stow-on-the-Wold and Moreton-in-Marsh . The leader of the Gunpowder Plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament was Robert Catesby who owned the Chastleton Estate pre 1605. His original house being subsequently pulled down and replaced with the house you now see. Chastleton House, nr Moreton-in-Marsh, Oxfordshire GL56 0SU LOCATION MAP Chedworth Roman Villa Open March to October The remains of one of the largest Roman Villas in the country and set in a wooded Cotswold Combe. Over 1 mile of walls survive and there are several fine mosaics, two bathhouses, hypocausts, a water-shrine and latrine.

Excavated in 1864, the site still has a Victorian feel to it and the site museum houses objects from the villa. A 15 minute audiovisual presentation gives visitors an insight into the history of this fascinating place. A Chi-Rho bronze stamp was discovered here giving early signs of the acceptance of Christianity by the Romans. For Places to Stay near Chedworth Roman Villa - Located at Yanworth, Chedworth near Cheltenham . Chedworth Roman Villa,Yanworth, nr Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL54 3LJ, England LOCATION MAP Web: Chavenage House was originally built in 1383, there have been additions and renovations to the property over the centuries. Since Tudor times, only two families have owned Chavenage, the current owner David Lowsley-Williams having inherited the House from his uncle. The main historical interest centres on the English Civil Wars , when the house was owned by Col. Nathaniel Stephens MP for Gloucestershire. He was persuaded against his better judgement to vote for Charles I’s impeachment and subsequent execution. Soon after the King was beheaded, Col.

Stephens died and it is said that his ghostly form was seen leaving Chavenage in a carriage driven by a headless coachman wearing the Royal vestments. These days, the property is very much a family home and even though it is open to the public on a part-time basis. This wonderful welcoming Elizabethan home, offers guided tours by the owner or his family. Learn of the two families that have occupied the house since the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st. Hear of the legends and stories (especially the ghosts) – Enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the Cotswold countryside. It is thought that a house has stood on the site of Chavenage since the 14th-century, and parts of the present-day house date to the medieval period. In 1564 when Edward Stephens of Eastington purchased the house he started the massive project of a major reconstruction of the site. In 1576 Stephens gutted the medieval building he found, and put on the two wings and the porch to create a manor house of the classic Elizabethan style, as we see today.

The house has numerous Civil War connections including tapestry-lined rooms stayed in by Cromwell and his second-in-command, General Ireton, in 1648. Like the majority of properties represented by the Historic Houses Association (HHA), Chavenage House is a lived-in family home. It has only been owned by two families during its history, and has been occupied by the Lowsley-Williams family since 1891. It is currently lived in by three generations, David and Rona, their younger daughter Joanna, Joanna’s husband James and their children Henry and Annabel. Less than a cricket ball throw away, in the Garden Cottage, is the eldest of David and Rona’s children George, and in the Laundry Cottage you will find Caroline. For the many films shot at this location see - Chavenage Filming destination. Coughton Court Open 17 March to 28October One of the great Tudor Houses, Coughton Court has been the home of the Throckmorton family since 1409. It has important associations with the great Gunpowder Plot , about which there is an exhibition and also much activity in the Civil War.

The house has fine collections of furniture, porcelain, and paintings. The grounds contain two churches, a lake, riverside walk, formal walled garden, bog garden and excellent rose gardens. Located near Alcester about 20 minutes by car from Broadway . For Places to Stay near Coughton Court - See Evesham and Broadway Coughton Court, Alcester, Warwickshire, B49 5JA, England LOCATION MAP Website: National Trust Open All Year The Great Barn in Great Coxwell village is the sole surviving part of a thriving 13th-century grange that once provided vital income to Beaulieu Abbey. It is an impressive reminder of the skills of Gothic carpenters and the wealth and influence of the great monastic orders. William Morris, one of the Barn's most ardent admirers, called it 'unapproachable in its dignity'. The Barn was built of Cotswold rubble-stone walling, with a Cotswold slate roof. There are several slit windows and on the outside are small, square putlog holes in which mason's poles were placed during construction. Gloucester Cathedral Open all year Described as Northern Europe's sixth most beautiful building by John Betjeman .

Located in the heart of Gloucester city, the architecture varies from the Norman nave with its massive columns to examples of Romanesque and early perpendicular. Other features include the glazed fan-vaulted cloisters, the monks' lavatorium, the medieval glass of the great east window and the tombs of King Edward II and Robert Duke of Normandy. The cathedral was the scene of the only coronation to a monarch outside of London to Henry III a 9 year old boy in 1216. Also you will find a Whispering Gallery. Located in the centre of Gloucester city. Gloucester Cathedral has been used in most of the Harry Potter films as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the setting for most of Harry's adventures. Hailes Church Open all year Hailes Church was built in 1130. On the walls are the remains of murals dating from 1300, and a fine St. Cecilia on the Chancel window jamb, dating from 1290. The rood screen is medieval, and the pulpit is Jacobean.

This is one of the original 3-decker pulpits, where the Rector would have gone up to the top deck to preach, so that he could look over the sides of the box pews and see his congregation. The Commonwealth arrangement in the Chancel is still retained, with the oak-panelled seats and the Puritanized style of altar, as the seventeenth century table stands on the original altar stones. The Church is located next to Hailes Abbey. For Places to Stay nearby see Broadway and Winchcombe. Holst Birthplace Museum Open all year Regency terrace house where the composer Gustav Holst of 'The Planets' was born in 1874. The museum shows the 'upstairs downstairs' life of Victorian times and includes a working kitchen, elegant drawing room and nursery as well as Holst's piano and the story of his life and music. Located at 4, Clarence Road, Cheltenham . For Places to Stay in and near Cheltenham Kelmscott Manor Kelmscott Manor, a grade 1 Listed Tudor farmhouse adjacent to the River Thames, was built in 1570, with an additional wing added to the northeast corner in about 1665.

The Manor is built of local limestone on the edge of the village of Kelmscott near Lechlade . William Morris , the Father of the Arts & Crafts Movement, chose it as his summer home, signing a joint lease with Pre-Raphaelite painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti in 1871. Morris loved the house as a work of true craftsmanship and described it as “Heaven on Earth”. The Manor and its setting inspired Morris to create some of his most famous designs, including the Willow Bough and Strawberry Thief. Today the Manor displays textiles and furniture designed and produced by Morris, his associates and family. The House and Garden are open every Wednesday and Saturday from April to October (11am to 5pm). Ticket office opens at 10.30am. Last admission to the house 4.30pm. The house has limited capacity and admission is by timed ticket. Some tickets are available to be purchased in advance through our website. Location: Swindon 16 miles, Oxford 18 miles. For accommodation nearby see Lechlade and Witney. For accommodation nearby see Fairford and Witney .

Website: National Trust Open All Year Situated on the picturesque Sherborne Estate in the Cotswolds, Lodge Park was created in 1634 by John 'Crump' Dutton. Inspired by his passion for gambling and banqueting, it is a unique survival of what would have been called a grandstand, with its deer course and park. It was the home of Charles Dutton, 7th Lord Sherborne, until 1983 when he bequeathed his family's estate to the National Trust. The Sherborne Estate is 1,650 hectares (4,000 acres) of rolling countryside with views down to the River Windrush. Much of the village of Sherborne is owned by the Trust, including the post office and shop, school and social club. There are walks for all ages around the estate, which includes the restored and working water meadows.

Lodge Park, Aldsworth, nr Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL54 3PP Web: A romantic Tudor manor house near Tetbury was first built in 1450 standing in it's own valley under the edge of the Cotswolds with Queen Anne terraced yew garden with medieval outbuildings. Beautiful walks. Has been described as the most 'loveliest in place in England', 'the epitome of Romance', 'an ensemble that is truly out of this world'. Location 1 mile east of Uley off B4066. 3miles from Tetbury and 3 miles from M5. For nearby accommodation see Wotton-under-Edge , Nailsworth and Minchinhampton . Owlpen Manor, Near Uley, Gloucestershire GL11 5BZ Tel. 01453 860261 Pershore Abbey Open all year The Abbey Church of the Holy Cross, Pershore has been a centre for Christian Worship for over 1300 years.

What remains of the Abbey is the best part: the monk's Quire (which is now the Nave) with its unique ploughshare vaulting, the combined triforium and celerestory, and the magnificent tower with its lantern and free-standing ringing platform. Still one of the finest examples of Norman and Early English architecture in the country, Pershore Abbey is very much a broken building: Henry VIII destroyed the nave at the time of the dissolution of the monasteries; the north transept collapsed in the middle 1600s. But, in spite of its brokenness, the Abbey symbolises a place where , through the love of Christ, a community can become whole. For Bed and breakfast accommodation near Pershore Abbey Pittville Pump Room Open only for Private Functions & Public Performances Pittville Pump Room is an elegant Grade 1 listed Regency building, and perhaps the most famous example of Regency architecture in Cheltenham – a town that has an abundance of buildings from the Regency period.

A banker named Joseph Pitt commissioned John Forbes, the architect, to design a pump room that was to act as the centrepiece to his vision of a town to rival Cheltenham - a town he would call Pittville (2.5 miles away). The foundation stone was laid on 4 May 1825 and the work completed in 1830. A feature of the design is the columns facing the lawns which are based on those of a Greek temple. Above the colonnade are three statues by Lucius Gahagen, erected in 1827, of the goddess Hygieia, Aesculapius and Hippocrates. Website: Pittville Pump Room Prinknash Abbey Open all year Prinknash is not only an Abbey in which some seventeen monks live but a whole complex of buildings spread over an estate of 300 acres.

These spacious acres contain the dominating new Abbey, the Pottery, the Workshops, Saint Peter's Grange [the old Abbey] which is now a Retreat and Conference Centre, the Farm, the houses for the tenants, the Bird Park, and the facilities for the recreation and refreshment for over 100,000 visitors each year. It is a friendly association of Monks and Laity who work in partnership to form a living Community for the benefit of all. We hope that you will enjoy browsing over these pages and that one day you will visit us to experience the Peace and Tranquillity of our unique surroundings. For accommodation nearby see Painswick and Stroud Rollright Stones Open all year There are many prehistoric remains in the Cotswolds but the most impressive is probably the Rollright stones. Situated high on an exposed ridge, this is England's third most important stone circle after Stonehenge and Avebury and is thought to be about 4000 years old. There are many legends and superstitions associated with the stones, which are made even more atmospheric by their bleak and elevated position. Located off the A44 between. They say you cannot count the same number of stones in the circle more than once.

The stones were given a Dark Sky Discovery award in 2015. The award recognises places that provide good views of the stars, which are accessible to everyone. Roman Baths Open all year. After invading Britain in AD 43 the Romans investigated the steaming swampy spot in the Avon valley that was so revered by the locals. With Roman efficiency and engineering ingenuity, in the space of 30-40 years they had drained the Marsh, contained the water, and built a temple and Britain's first health hydro for restorative and pleasurable purposes. Bath owes its origin and ultimately its name to the springs which produce about five hundred thousand gallons of water a day at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. During the first century the Romans turned this backward village into a fashionable spa dedicated to the goddess Sulis Minerva, from which the city took its Roman name: Aquae Sulis. Near the hot spring which feeds the baths there was a temple dedicated to Sulis Minerva where pilgrims came to pray to that goddess when seeking cures, before bathing in the sacred waters.

Stanway House House and Fountain open June, July & August Tuesday and Thursdays Web: A Superb Elizabethan House and Related Manorial Buildings Stanway house is located near the village of Stanton in the small hamlet of Stanway. It is an outstanding example of an English Jacobean manor house; built of mellow Cotswold limestone between 1580 and 1640 by the Tracy's of Stanway. It is a unique experience visiting this house because of the friendliness of the resident Lord and Lady Neidpath, who you may meet, and the intimacy of the closeness of their possessions on your walkabout. The ancient manor of Stanway in the Cotswolds was presented to Tewkesbury Abbey in the year 715 by two Mercian leaders Odo and Dodo. It was the first and only remote property owned by the Abbey until the 12th century when land was acquired in Dorset. Stanway supported four monks. In 1533 Richard Tracy, the younger son of Sir William Tracy of Toddington obtained the lease of the manor from Abbot Segar.

Richard is known to have led the commission that dissolved Hailes Abbey and it was around this time that he was able to purchase the freehold to Stanway. It was his son Paul who rebuilt the house incorporating some of the early Tudor house in it. This work started in about 1580. Paul Tracy was created Baronet in 1611 and died in 1620. His son, Sir Richard Tracy, continued building and it was he who had the magnificent gatehouse erected in 1630. He died however in 1637. The house was completed around 1640 by Sir Paul’s grandson Sir Humphrey Tracy. Sir Humphrey supported the King during the Civil War and for this he had to pay heavily in compensation to stop his property being confiscated. He died in 1651 without issue so the title and property was inherited by his brother Richard who also died without issue in 1666 with everything passing to the younger brother John. When Sir John died in 1677 the Stanway line came to an end and the property passed to Ferdinando Tracy the second son John 3rd Viscount Tracy of Toddington.

The Tracy line continued at Stanway until 1817 when it was inherited by Francis Charteris the 8th Earl of Wemyss and 4th Earl of March the son of Francis Charteris and his wife Susan (nee Tracy-Keck) who was the great granddaughter of Ferdinando Tracy. The present resident is Lord Neidpath a direct descendant of Francis Charteris. Thus the property remained in the same family for over 450 years. The house is built of soft mellow yellow stone under a stone roof. The gabled west front is the Elizabethan and oldest part of the house and includes the hall. The great hall is extraordinarily light and airy having an enormous full height bay window and further bays at the south end. Manorial courts were held here up until about 1800 and the raised dais at one end is still in place. The south front is from the Stuart period and contains all the principal rooms. A short flight of stairs leads from the hall into the drawing room in which are a pair of unique ‘Chinese Chippendale’ day beds from about 1760 which came from the Wemyss seat at Amisfield House in East Lothian, Scotland.

Further along is the ‘Elcho’ Lobby followed by ascending stairs to the library passage from which an oak staircase leads to the upper storey. Off the passage is the old library, which has only one window and is the warmest room in the house in the winter. At the end of the passage is the ‘Elcho’ sitting room, very comfortable and lived in. The other wings have been demolished leaving the house with an ‘L’ plan. In the garden, up the hill to the rear is a canal above that is a pyramid built by Robert Tracy in 1750 honouring his father John Tracy who died in 1735. A cascade, which has been restored over the last few years, runs from here to the canal where a 70ft fountain spouts into the air. The gatehouse is a gem, one of the best pieces of architecture in the Cotswolds. It was built for Sir Richard Tracy in 1630. It is unusually positioned at right angles to the house, presumably because the church was in the way in front of the house.

The lodges, either side of the gateway, have narrow bay widows and the whole is topped by shaped gables crowned with Tracy scallop shells. The archway has fluted columns either side. It is a very attractive building. The tithe barn is medieval built around 1370 for Tewkesbury Abbey . It has a stone roof supported by massive base cruck timbers. Apart from the main entrances it has a small 13th century stone doorway. It is a fine building and is now used for events and as a theatre. The church of St. Peter is basically 12th century but was drastically over-restored by the Victorians. This group of buildings make a superb sight in their idyllic setting. Stanway House is a popular Filming location for many Cinema and TV films including The Libertine (August 2004), Vanity Fair ( May 2004), The Wyvern Mysteries (1999), The Buccaneers (1994), and Emma TV dramatisation. Located 7 minutes by car from Broadway in the village of Stanway next to the village of Stanton.

Web: The compact Manor House - not a demanding marathon down endless corridors but a gentle stroll through three centuries of English history in the company of a friendly and informative guide. Our wonderful Tudor to Georgian furniture and artefacts, displayed in their natural settings with only the most delicate behind glass. The largest UK collection of George Washington memorabilia demonstrating the British contribution to the origins of the USA with a separate exhibition on George's life and career in the United States. Our additional facilities, a buttery at which to refresh yourself with good fare, a shop from which to take away some souvenirs, picnic areas, a pleasant garden to stroll through and the National Garden of the Herb Society Sulgrave Manor, Manor Road, Sulgrave, Nr. Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX17 2SD United Kingdom. +44 (0)1295 760205 Tewkesbury Abbey The Abbey of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Tewkesbury in the English county of Gloucestershire is the second largest parish church in the country and a former Benedictine monastery. Tewkesbury Abbey (officially the Church of St.

Mary the Virgin in Tewkesbury) is a large and magnificent parish church in a small market town just 10 miles north of Gloucester. Built in the early 1100s, the abbey church boasts the largest Norman tower in the world and the largest exterior arch in Britain. Its interior is a breathtaking combination of stout Norman pillars and round arches with Decorated Gothic lierne vaulting and gilded bosses. The Dissolution of the Monasteries (1538-41) meant the destruction of the monastic buildings of Tewkesbury Abbey in 1539, but the town saved the church by paying King Henry VIII £459 for the property. Henry also sold eight bells to the parish for £142 (most monastic bells elsewhere were melted down to make cannons for his warships). Tewkesbury Abbey Opening Times Sundays: 7.30 am to 7.00 pm Weekdays and Saturdays: 7.30 am to 6.00 pm in the summer, 7.30 am to 5.30 pm in the winter.

National Trust One of the National Trust's most important art collections can be found in this house, built in 1695 of mellow local stone, purchased and remodelled in 1927–29 by Walter Samuel, 2nd Viscount Bearsted, who was Chairman of Shell, 1921–46, and son of the company's founder. Upton contains his outstanding collection of English and continental Old Master paintings over three floors, including works by Hogarth, Stubbs, Romney, Canaletto, Brueghel and El Greco; Brussels tapestries; French Sèvres porcelain; Chelsea and Derby figures and 18th-century furniture. The garden is very fine, with lawns, terraces, orchard, herbaceous borders, kitchen garden, ornamental pools and an interesting 1930s water garden, together with the National Collection of Asters. Upton House near Banbury , Warwickshire OX15 6HT Telephone: 01295 670266 Admission by timed ticket on Bank Hols, but visitors may then stay until 5 if they wish.

Open Good Fri: house 12–5, garden, restaurant & shop 11–5. House open 12–1 by guided tour only 3 March–31 Oct. Ground floor only in house 3 Nov–16 Dec. Last admission 30mins before closing W: Woodchester Mansion is an architectural masterpiece of the Victorian age abandoned by its builders before it could be completed. It has been virtually untouched by time since the mid-1870s, and today offers a unique opportunity to tour and explore a Gothic building in mid-assembly. The Mansion is hidden in a secluded 400-acre landscape park of great beauty, sheltering an abundance of wildlife and rare-breed grazing stock. Enchanting woodland walks snake around its five man-made lakes. The Mansion and its park are reputed to be haunted and regular events are held throughout the year for those who want to hunt our ghosts. Facilities for visitors to the Mansion include a Tea Room, serving drinks, cakes and snacks, and a Gift Shop. Tours of the house are conducted by guides from the Woodchester Mansion Trust's Volunteers. The Park, owned by The National Trust, is open to all.

Woodchester Mansion is on the edge of the Cotswold escarpment, 15 miles south of Gloucester and 25 miles north of Bristol. The entrance to the Mansion is close to the village of Nympsfield and the Coaley Peak viewing point on the B4066 between Stroud and Dursley. The nearest motorway junctions are J14 on the M5 and J18 on the M4. Car parking is free. The Mansion is 1 mile from the car park. A free mini-bus service runs regularly on open days between the car park and the house. Open All Year Woodchester Park is a beautiful, secluded valley near Stroud in the Cotswolds. The valley contains the remains of an 18th- and 19th-century landscape park, Woodchester mansion and a chain of five lakes fringed by woodland and pasture. Much of the valley is wooded with paths crisscrossing the valley sides, offering unexpected and spectacular views of the valley and mansion. Most of Woodchester Park is owned by the National Trust, who bought it in 1994, to protect and preserve its unique landscape.

The Mansion and its immediate surroundings are owned by Stroud District Council and leased to the Woodchester Mansion Trust. Woodchester Park, Stonehouse, Nympsfield, nr Stroud, Gloucestershire GL10 3TS Hailes Church, Gloucestershire Heritage Guide ? HERITAGE HIGHLIGHTS: Wonderful collection of pre-1300 wall paintings. The small Norman church at Hailes, Gloucestershire, stands on the edge of a farm field, directly opposite the ruins of Hailes Abbey . The church predates the Cistercian abbey by a century, but later came under abbey control until the Dissolution of the Monasteries turned Hailes Abbey into a poignant ruin. Hailes church was begun around 1135, with a wide chancel, nave, and tiny south porch. Chancel and nave are of almost the same width; an unusual feature in a Norman church. There is no tower, only a small west turret. The walls are of rubble, supported on the south by buttresses which may be Norman. The church stands within a small, curving churchyard which may be a remnant of a medieval ringwork.

HISTORY OF HAILES CHURCH The church is attributed to one Ralph de Worcester. Sir Ralph did what many Norman lords did when they wanted land - he took it and claimed it as his own. He seized land at Hailes and erected a castle and the church. He then asked the Bishop of Worcester to consecrate the church, but the Abbot nearby Winchcombe Abbey objected, claiming that the abbey should have the right to the manor at Hailes. The dispute dragged on until 1175 when Pope Alexander issued a bull (a papal writ) confirming that Winchcombe Abbey had the right to all local churches. The church at Hailes could then be consecrated, but only after appropriate payment was made to the abbey. When the new abbey at Hailes was founded in 1246 the church served as a Capella Ante Portas (literally 'chapel before the gates'). You might wonder why the Cistercians chose to settle here, beside an existing church which served a small rural village. The Cistercians generally settled in remote areas, far from worldly influence. At Hailes the solution was obvious; move the village.

When the abbey was established the villagers were moved to nearby Didbrook, leaving their parish church behind to serve as a chapel to the abbey. Today there is little more than a few farmhouses to mark the former settlement at Hailes. Not surprisingly the church had a close relationship with the Abbey. The abbey was founded by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, as thanks for his deliverance from a shipwreck. Earl Richard gave the monks a precious gift; a vial said to contain the blood of Christ. The vial of blood made Hailes a popular destination for pilgrims during the medieval period. Many of those pilgrims paused at the little church outside the abbey gates to pray before entering the abbey itself. It seems odd when you see the quiet church and the narrow country lane today, but this must have been a busy place by medieval standards. If the exterior of Hailes church is unassuming, the interior is a marvel, a glimpse back in time. As you enter, you see directly opposite you on the north wall, a very large painted figure of St Christopher, bearing the Christ child.

St Christopher was the patron saint of travelers, and his likeness is almost always found opposite the entrance, where people entering or leaving the church will see him. This is perhaps the most faded and indistinct of the Hailes wall paintings, but better awaits. On the south wall, facing St Christopher across the nave, is a wonderful scene of a huntsman and three hounds chasing a hare. The figures are so full of life and vitality they seem like they will jump off the wall at any moment. THE CHANCEL The chancel arch is Norman, with simple scalloped capitals, to which vivid red paint clings. The arch is half hidden by a beautifully carved wooden screen. The screen must surely have been brought here from somewhere else, as the chancel arch has had to be cut back to allow the screen to fit. The screen is divided into 8 traceried sections, witrh a beautifully carved vine scroll along the top edge. In the chancel, both north and south walls are covered in vivid paintings, and there are further paintings around the large east window.

Among the painted designs are repeated crests and symbols, including a castle, symbolising Eleanor of Castile, wife of Edward I, and an eagle, sybolising Eleanor's uncle Richard, King of the Romans and Earl of Cornwall, founder of the abbey. These same heraldic symbols are to be found in the ruins of Hailes Abbey. There are wonderful beasts over the windows, including what looks like a winged elephant and a dragon symbol, amid other peculiar figures from the medieval repertoir of imaginery beasts. There are further wall paintings in the very deep Norman window splays, including a very vivid figure of St Catherine of Alexandria on the north, recogisable by the wheel on which she was martyred, and St Margaret of Antioch with a dragon symbol on the south. The east window is extremely attractive, with large sections of medieval glass showing figures of saints. The stained glass came from the abbey. It was moved to Toddington church in 1789, but when the owner of the Toddington estate, Hugh Andrewes, decided to restore Hailes Church in the early 20th century, he removed the glass from Toddington and installed it here.'brought it home' to Hailes.

Well worn 14th century grave slabs are set into the floor of the sanctuary on the northeither side of the altar. These may have also come from the abbey. The northern slab shows a very nice foliated design, while the southern slab has a more simple cross. There is a third 14th century slab, well hidden, between the north choir stalls, protected by a wooden 'trap door'. As far as we know the wall paintings at Hailes all date from the late 13th century, after the abbey was established. Certainly the heraldic symbols of Richard of Cornwall and Eleanor of Castile would have been painted as a mark of respect to the abbey patrons. There are lovely medieval encaustic tiles by the altar, and on the north side of the chancel floor. These also came from Hailes Abbey and were moved here after the Dissolution. The font is 13th century, in an unadorned hexagonal shape, and some very attractive box pews fill most of the nave. The pulpit is undecorated, but has a nicely carved tester. This dates to the early Jacobean period, around 1606.

The pews in the chancel were at one time arranged around the exterior of the chamber, with a stone altar table in the centre of the space. This arrangement is seen elsewhere nearby, for example at Deerhurst. When the church was renovated in the early 20th century the pews were replaced in a more conventional collegiate arrangement as choir seats. OUR VIEW It is easy to overlook Hailes Church if you have your heart set on a visit to the abbey. But this seemingly insignificant little gem of a building has as much historic interest as the abbey itself. It doesn't look impressive on the outside, but once you enter into the church you'll see why its one of my favourite historic sites in the Cotswolds. CHURCH OPENING The official church website giives no details of opening times, but every time I have visited, the door has been open, so I think that qualifies as 'open at any reasonable time'. NB. You will sometimes see this church mentioned as 'Hailes Old Church' or simply 'Hailes Chapel'. About Hailes

Question: In which county are Hailes Abbey, Sudeley Castle and Berkeley Castle?
Answer: Gloucestershire