Hidden Gems
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Welshie Big Adventure in England (edited version)
Seeking out the Hidden Gems
Every morning, I take the dogs on a walk around the town to sniff and explore before we head out to tour the Cotswolds. Stow on the Wold is a tourist mecca, and wherever I walk with the dogs in town I hear American, German, Italian, and Japanese voices. Compared to Tregaron, it sounds like we are back in D.C.
This past week, we visited both Bourton-on-the-Water and Burford, two lovely towns filled with charming historic buildings and pretty shops. Brian and I both love historic churches, so we peeked at St. John the Baptist in Bourton-on-the-Water.
But seeking out the hidden gems of this area is what I find most enjoyable. We focused on a variety of historical homes and gardens to give us a feel for the Cotswold region. Below you will find the hightlights of what we saw plus updates on Maisie and Winston.
Royal Oak/National Trust
Make sure you join the Royal Oak Society in the United States or the National Trust of England and Wales if you plan to see places that are beyond the usual guidebook suggestions.
Royal Oak is for the American supporters of the National Trust of England and Wales. Membership allows you access to hundreds of historic homes and sights free of charge. And National Trust properties are usually very dog friendly.
Before we left Virginia, I ordered a copy of the recent National Trust handbook of historic homes and places. Each listing gives opening and closing times along with a ‘Paw Rating’.
If there is one or more Paws listed on a property, it means that you and your leashed dog can visit. The more Paws, the more access to the location.
One reason I felt comfortable bringing Maisie and Winston with us to the UK is the many Paw Rated National Trust properties. Instead of leaving the dogs behind each day, they get to come along on our adventures. And, we have gone on some mighty adventures on this trip!
Bourton-on-the-Water
Bank holidays in the UK are a time when people get the day off to relax or go on a short holiday. We chose to visit Bourton-on-the-Water on one of these days and the place was packed to the gills with tourists and locals enjoying a lovely sunny day.
The lovely Windrush river flows through the town, providing many places to sit on the banks and dangle your feet in the cool shallow water.
Dogs retrieved balls, and young people waded in the cool water, enjoying a taste of the summer to come.
I did a quick peek in St. Lawrence’s Church and found a delightful mix of modern children’s drawings and heraldic coats of arms. This clearly is a living church, not an historic relic.
Since Maisie was still under the weather from her tooth issue, the dogs didn’t come with us on these explorations. I’m not certain Winston would have enjoyed all the dogs running around so it was better he didn’t join us.
Burford
Since Buscot Park opens in the afternoon, we paid a short visit to the town of Burford to visit the Church of St. John The Baptist and have lunch. The High Street of Burford is set on a slope with many different traditional Cotswold building styles lined up side-by-side.
The church of St. John The Baptist has a beautiful set of stone carvings and several ornate burial crypts of the wool merchants who helped fund the church. Make sure to look for the skeleton under one of the crypts!
Buscot Park
Using the National Trust Handbook, I searched for some gems that were not in the commercial guidebooks. Buscot Park is one such example of a hidden gem.
Run don’t walk to this house and garden. Leave the dogs at home for this one so that you can wander the rooms and enjoy gazing at some truly magnificent paintings.
Lord Faringdon and his family still live in this large home and, though it is clearly both large and impressive, it has a remarkably lived-in vibe.
Walking through the public rooms, gazing at Rembrandts', I considered what it would be like to grow up having family dinners and playdates in such a glorious structure. Yes, the furniture was old and ornate, but it was also clearly sat on and enjoyed.
I didn’t want to leave the final room we saw because the apricot wall color and the furnishings just begged me to pull out a book and stay with a cup of tea. This room would be cheery regardless of the weather outside.
Speaking of outside, the gardens here were again a thoughtful mix of antiquity and modern pieces. We didn’t have the time to explore every inch of the grounds, but what we did see were towering old trees standing next to budding saplings.
At the end of each spoked walkway stood a piece of art just waiting for someone to explore.
Hidden gems often mean less of a crowd. Buscot Park was quiet the day we visited and the guides standing throughout the house were delighted to answer any and all our questions.
Chastleton House
Another gem from the National Trust handbook is Chastleton House.
The same family has owned and lived in Chastleton House for four hundred years. As an American, I still have to pause a minute and consider what it must be like to live in the same home for four centuries. I thought living in the same house for twenty-seven years was impressive!
The gardens connected to this home are not overly tidy, but show a lot of thought was put into their design.
It was peaceful to wander through them identifying different flowers and trees.
Croome Court
Croome Court is a hidden gem for a very different reason. Once the home of the Earls of Coventry, Croome has gone through many different changes over the years.
‘Capability’ Brown, one of the most well-known garden and landscape designers of the 18th century, received his first commission at Croome.
The views from every window of the house are of pastoral scenes of mature trees. Grazing sheep and cattle plus an amazingly manmade river also run through the property.
What makes this house stand out is that after the Earl lost his money the home turned first into a boys' school, then was purchased in the 1970s by a group of Hare Krishnas and finally several developers purchased it. At one point there was even a discussion to turn the house into a hotel and golf course.
Thank heavens the National Trust stepped in to save the house and landscape from such a fate. The house currently is a work in progress.
There are rooms that reflect the hotel it once was,
and also a room where the Hare Krishnas decorated the once white plaster with colorful pastels.
Don’t come here looking for gilt furniture and tapestries. They were all sold off to pay death taxes years ago. What you will find, are the bones of an old house that has seen many owners and purposes, and a landscape that has withstood time.
Make sure to leave yourself several hours to wander the property with your dogs. Before you leave, make sure to stop into the tea room for a slice of cake and a cuppa.
Maisie Update
I cannot say enough wonderful things about the Cotswold Veterinary Surgeons. From the late night exam, to the fine veterinary surgeon who took care of Maisie on Wednesday, I never once worried.
When the surgery called to tell me Maisie was ready for pickup I was happy to hear that no tooth extraction was necessary. Thank you so much to all the readers who reached out to me wishing her a speedy recovery.
As I suspected, she had a piece of hard cod skin or stick jammed up in her hard palate behind a tooth. It stuck up pretty far, so the surgeon flushed it out and then added an antiseptic just to be safe.
As Maisie came out from the back she clearly was in finer form. Her eyes looked more alert than when she went in and her angry gaze was clearly set on me for ruining a day of her vacation in England. Only a Welsh would give a gaze like this after coming out of anesthetic.
Winston Update
Winston feels left out when I fuss over Maisie so I promised to add a little note from him. He finds England very nice because he gets to go into more shops and pubs than he did in Wales. Winston even showed interest in walking on the day when Maisie was in surgery.
He really likes to be the only dog, perking up to go for walks, and relishing the full attention of his mum.
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So enjoy following your travels. The Cotswolds is on my bucket list. So glad Maisie & Winston are doing well. Know that know that your Mom and Dad are enjoying your adventures!