History of the Cotswolds
A quick look at a Cotswolds map can tell you a lot about English history. Covering an area of roughly 800 square miles (1280 km2) and stretching across six counties (Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Somerset), the Cotswolds truly are a special place. Roughly spanning Oxford and Stratford in the North and the East to Bath and Cheltenham in the south and the West, the Cotswolds first became prominent with the rise of the Wool and textile trade from the 12th to 18th enturies. Many cottages and manor houses remain from this period made from the trademark oolitic honey-tinted Cotswold stone that has become synonymous with the area. In the 19th century, William Morris and his Arts and Crafts Movement drew inspiration from the Cotswolds and to this day a strong arts and crafts tradition can be felt all over the area.
Nowadays more than 38 million people from all over the world visit the Cotswolds every year to experience the beauty that the area has to offer. Farmers markets, picture-postcard villages, stunning scenery, quirky festivals and traditions, honey-stone cottages, friendly locals, celebrity spotting, traditional country pubs, locally sourced food and drink. The Cotswolds has something for everyone. Get out of the city and experience the real England on a tour of the Cotswolds with Cotswolds Adventures.
Cotswolds Map
Photos from our Cotswolds Tours
