Chipping Campden and Kiftsgate Court Gardens

Gloucestershire                                                                                   All photos by Hetty

Kiftsgate Court Gardens

near Chipping Campden                                                          Kiftsgate Court Gardens website

20th July 2020

A lovely garden on a steep hillside, with lots of different parts to explore

At the end of the vista is a tall scupture

At intervals, water drops from the leaves

Nearby are Hidcote Manor Gardens

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Chipping Camden to Dover’s Hill

20th July 2020                                                                 Map of walk

We parked at the Back Ends carpark near the Roman Catholic Church

Getting water was hard work in the old days.

On the way up to Dover’s Hill we passed this cottage, which has a plaque to say the author Graham Greene lived here (apparently it was only for a short time)

It is an easy walk up to Dover’s Hill and when you arrive there is a fantastic view.

The sleepy sheep were in the shade

Back down the hill through some fields

The lambs are nearly as big as the mums now

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Chipping Camden town walk

16th July 2015

S1058583 copyWe met members of Stroud Local History Society at Court Barn Museum, for a talk and walk.

This market town developed in the 12th century – “Chipping” derives from the Old English cēping, “a market/market-place” with a planned layout of main street and burgage plots.

Chipping Campden was an important centre of the wool trade.

In the early 17th century, Sir Baptist Hicks, a silk merchant, built a grand manor house (no longer there), almshouses and the market hall.

The long, broad and curved terraced High Street contains many Cotswold stone buildings, built by wealthy merchants between the 14th and 17th centuries.

After the decline of the wool trade the population reduced.

Revitalisation came in the early 20th century when C R Ashbee relocated his Guild of Handicraft, from London’s East End to the Old Silk Mill in 1902, bringing the Arts and Crafts movement to Chipping Campden. This was more than art and design – use of traditional skills was important, but also a better way of life than factory work and its living conditions. F L Griggs, etcher, draughtsman and illustrator, arrived here in 1903 and was influential in preserving and restoring the heritage of the town and surrounding area.

Next to St James Church are the gate houses for Campden House (which was burnt down in the Civil War) and Court Barn Museum (on the right) which tells the story of craft and design in the north Cotswolds, and had an exhibition of tiles designed by William Morris.

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The East and West Banqueting Houses (that were in the garden) are all that remain of Campden House

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The Almshouses are still in use. Across the road is a cart dip, for washing cartwheels.

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Water supply for the almshouses, and Hicks coat of arms

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Fancy chimneys

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The Eight Bells Inn – the church has eight bells

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Grevel House – 14th century

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The Old Market Place, built in 1627

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The start/end of the Cotswold Way –  about 100 miles to the centre of Bath

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The Town Hall, originally a 14th century building

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The Red Lion17th Century inn

S1058560 copyThe Old Silk Mill has a working Silversmith – descendent of George Hart that came in the early 1900s

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Back to St James Church, which  was rebuilt about 1500

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S1058627 copy17th century monuments to the Hicks family

S1058622 copyAt the end of the town a thatched roof survives

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 All images on the website copyright of HettyHikes.co.uk

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