Welcome to our take on A Brief History of the Cotswolds, where we explore how the Cotswolds have changed throughout England’s long history. This expanse of patchwork rolling hills is home to pretty cities, sleepy towns and charming villages. However, there’s a lot more to the history of this landscape than you might expect. Read on to find out about how the Cotswolds went from wool trade capital to the first stop for tourists seeking the best countryside in England.
Formation of the Cotswolds stone
It was in the Jurassic era that the iconic Cotswold stone formed, when most of the south of England was still a seabed. This limestone is therefore rich in fossils, particularly of sea urchins and other marine life. Then, as the continents shifted, the stone was raised above sea-level. Over the next hundred million years, it was gradually eroded and shaped by geological events and the elements. Eventually, this led to the landscape of rolling hills that we know and love today. Some of the earliest evidence of a human presence here is burial chambers from the Neolithic era. There are also remains of Bronze and Iron Age forts.
Roman times
From the invasion in 43 AD, the Romans were fond of the Cotswolds. They appreciated the region’s agricultural and trade opportunities and Cirencester became the second-largest town in Britain. Several villas were built, some of which you can still see the ruins of today. They also built the Fosse Way, one of the longest and straightest of all Roman roads in Britain. It ran diagonally through the Cotswolds for over 229 miles north-east to south-west, and forms the base for many major roads still to this day. Romans also introduced the ‘Cotswold Lion’, a large sheep with a long and fine fleece. According to them, the British climate made the sheep produce the finest wool in all of Europe.
Wool trade
With the help of the Cotswolds Lions, Britain built its economy on the wool industry. With its rolling hills well-suited to sheep farming, the Cotswolds became known throughout Europe for the quality of their wool. Production was at its height in 1250–1350, with most sold to Italian merchants. Later in the 1530s, the dissolution of the monasteries transferred sheep flocks from the Church to various landowners. The Cotswolds then became very wealthy, with many wool mills springing up along the rivers and streams. At its peak, Cotswolds was home to over 100 mills. This only declined with the industrial revolution in the 1700s, when mills moved away, leaving the Cotswolds relatively untouched by modernisation.
Industrial Revolution
This period of rapid mechanisation meant that industry shifted from farming fields to working in factories. So, people began to move away from agricultural areas like the Cotswolds, instead settling in the big cities where the jobs were. The same happened for the wool mills, and the profits from sheep farming slowly began to decrease. Some towns, like Cheltenham and Cirencester, received railway stations and were able to attract people who wanted to make use of the transportation links. However, anywhere without a train station began to fall into decline. This included many previously wealthy villages, like Burford, Bibury and Bourton-on-the-Water.
The first tourists
After WW2 ended and Britain’s economy began to recover, a new invention started to become very popular–the motorcar. People who owned cars wanted to drive them and weekend trips into the English countryside was the perfect excuse to do so. The Cotswolds region in the middle of England, less than two hours from London, was perfectly situated for these driving day-trippers. It was in this way that the Cotswolds became a tourist destination for the first time in the 1950s. Wealth started trickling back into previously ignored villages, with shops, cafes and restaurants opening to welcome the influx of visitors. The Cotswolds’ industry was revived and has been contributing significantly to Britain’s economy ever since.
Present day
Nowadays, tourism in the Cotswolds brings in over £1 billion every year. Various cities, towns and villages across the region welcome over 23 million visitors. Needless to say, despite containing some of the most beautiful, peaceful countryside, the Cotswolds is a busy, well-loved place. It is even one of the most popular areas to get married in the whole of the UK! Although sheep farming has hugely declined over the last two decades, the traditional way of farming which uses holdings across the rolling hills is still maintained to this day. This is because the Cotswolds was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1966, enabling farmers to apply for government grants to subsidise their income. In this way, the landscape and way of life are preserved for future generations to enjoy just as we have.
Book your tour to the Cotswolds today!
Thank you for reading A Brief History of the Cotswolds, and we hope to welcome you to this beautiful countryside soon. The stunning scenery and pretty villages are sure to charm all those who come to visit. If you would like to set foot in the Cotswolds yourself, check out the amazing Cotswolds and Oxford Tour from London that we offer. We look forward to seeing you on tour!
