Always in my mind. Always in my list. Been to Stratford-upon-Avon on its north side, and south of it, Bath, but never stepped into the real Cotswolds territory. Until now. Time well spent in the English Countryside. In some places, time stood still. The honey-coloured stone cottages, the centuries-old market halls, “wool churches” and biscuit-hued houses with dry stone wall fences. So lovely!
And finally, Chippenham, where the wedding was held. The reason why we’re here. The Lost Orangery in Euridge Manor was the perfect venue for such a fairytale wedding.
This is one of my favorites among the market towns and villages we visited in the Cotswolds. Many promotion materials such as brochures feature these cottages. Easily, one of Cotswolds’ most photographed sites. In fact, UK passports carry that image on its inside covers. There isn’t much to do though so visitors tend to congregate around the narrow street past the footbridge for a good photo op with the row of old stone cottages in the background. Poor residents! I can imagine how young families putting babies to sleep cope with all the noise of tourists. And we saw many coaches offloading tourists!
Arlington Row, Bibury
The Footbridge
The row of cottages have been there since the 14th century. Built initially as monastic wool stores and barns, they were converted to weavers’ cottages in the 17th century. The weavers then supplied cloth for fulling to the nearby Arlington Mill, now a museum. Fulling is a process in woollen cloth making where the cloth is cleansed of all oils and impurities to make it thicker. Within the same area is Saint Mary’s Church. The dry stone walls are everywhere and it must be a chore trying to maintain them — what with almost every tourist touching and feeling them. Remember, these walls have no cement 😱
A young family’s cottage?
The Road To Bibury
At the time we visited, we found a group of Japanese tourists in the Arlington Row. No chance I can snap a photo without the crowd going up and down the row of weavers’ cottages, UNLESS you climb a steep incline for a solo shot 😜 The place is particularly popular with the Japanese because of its association with Emperor Hirohito. The story goes that the Emperor stayed in this village while still a Prince on a European holiday. He has been a big fan of Bibury since then. Why am I not surprised? The village looks like it was peeled off some historical novel. I am no Prince or Princess, but I’m a big fan too. Kudos to the National Trust for preserving this heritage site.
Arlington Row, Bibury
Arlington Row, Bibury
Getting here is fairly easy. But parking is a major concern. Think of those humongous vans and coaches ferrying selfie stick-wielding tourists. And if you’re driving, pray you don’t get stuck behind a tractor transporting some fresh manure to nearby farms. Yes, Victoria, ain’t easy to overtake around the bends and on the wrong side of the road at that! But hey, this quaint village with a cluster of honey-coloured stone cottages is so postcard-pretty that you won’t feel sorry visiting it. The stream that runs through it attracts many wildlife and while busy with tourists, the swans and ducks seem oblivious to hooo-mans. They go about their business and certainly act like it’s their territory and we are intruders. Well, we are. 🙄
Arlington Row, Bibury
Arlington Row, Bibury
After this visit, I now feel like watching “Stardust” and “Bridget Jones Diary” again. Both movies used Bibury as location setting. And maybe next visit, I’d stay in the biggest stone building in the area. The ivy-clad Swan Hotel only has 4 stars but I’d give it a 5 star for its location alone — right along the banks of the River Coln in Bibury. Price-wise, it’s a steal. Last I checked, it is even cheaper than the overrated London hotels we stayed in. Yes, the best lesson I picked up from this trip is to stay in London only if I have to, like if I’m watching a West End play or musical. Otherwise, off to the countryside like this market town. 🌿🍃🌱🍂💐🌺🥀
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