Tuesday, 19 August 2025, 9:00 AM
On arrival in Chipping Campden, after a drive of about 45 minutes, we will first have morning coffee at the Cotswold House Hotel in the town centre. From there we will set out on a guided walk around some of the many places of interest in this historic market town, once an important centre of the Cotswold wool trade. Much of the town centre is a conservation area, and it is noted for its terraced High Street lined with houses dating from the 14th to the 17th centuries. The Grade I listed Market Hall, built in 1627, is still in use. On our walk we can expect to see St James ’ church, an Early Perpendicular wool church ‘ founded by prosperous medieval wool merchants, the Old Silk Mill in Sheep Street and the alms houses built in 1612 by Sir Baptist Hicks, a silk merchant. We will also visit Hart’s Silversmiths workshop, the last operating remnant of the Guild of Handicraft founded by C R Ashbee in 1888. After the walk there will be a break for lunch: options include the Old Arms, the Bantam Café and Huxleys, all in the High Street. Another alternative would be to take a picnic to the Ernest Wilson Memorial Garden, a small botanical garden not far away. In the afternoon we will visit the Court Barn Museum of Craft, which celebrates the Art and Crafts tradition of the area. There we have the option of listening to a talk and seeing a special exhibition entitled Construction from Clay: the Centenary of Northcot Brick Company, Blockley ’. At about 4.30pm we will return to the coach for the journey home.
CLHS members: please book using the booking form enclosed with your March Newsletter.