Bourton-on-the-Water
Coordinates: 51°53′10″N 1°45′32″W / 51.886°N 1.759°W
| Bourton-on-the-Water | |
 A pedestrian bridge across the River Windrush |
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 Bourton-on-the-Water
Bourton-on-the-Water shown within Gloucestershire |
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| OS grid reference | SP167209 |
|---|---|
| District | Cotswold |
| Shire county | Gloucestershire |
| Region | South West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BOURTON-ON-THE-WATER |
| Postcode district | GL54 |
| Dialling code | 01451 |
| Police | Gloucestershire |
| Fire | Gloucestershire |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| List of places: UK • England • Gloucestershire | |
Bourton-on-the-Water is a village and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England that lies on a wide flat vale within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The village has a population of 3297 inhabitants (2009 est),[1]making it a rather large village as its population actually exceeds those of nearby Stow-on-the-Wold and Burford, both of which are considered small market towns.
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[edit] Description
The village of Bourton-on-the-Water is famous for its picturesque High Street, flanked by long wide greens and the River Windrush that runs through them. The river is crossed by several low, arched stone bridges. These arched bridges lending to Bourton-on-the-Water being called the “Venice of the Cotswolds”. Also like Venice, Bourton-on-the-Water often has more visitors than residents during peak times of the tourist season.[2]
Bourton-on-the-Water parish is bounded by the Fosse Way along the northwest, while the eastern boundary is defined by a series of streams, namely: Slaughter brook, the River Dikler, and the River Windrush; the southern boundary is associated with a watercourse that runs between Bourton Hill and Broadwater Bottom.[3]
[edit] Special designations
The small historic core of Bourton-on-the-Water along with associated areas along the River Windrush have been designated an UK Conservation Area.[4]
Salmonsbury Camp, a nearby Iron Age habitation, is designated an UK National Scheduled Monument (SAM 32392).[5]
English Heritage designates 117 buildings within Bourton-on-the-Water as having Grade II or higher listed status.[6]
[edit] History
The earliest evidence of human activity within the Bourton-on-the-Water area was found in the Slaughter Bridge gravel-spread, where Neolithic pottery (dated c. 4000 B.C.) was discovered. Moreover exavations of the Salmonsbury Camp give evidence of almost continuous habitation through the Neolithic period, the Bronze Age and throughout England's Roman Period (c. 43 to 410 A.D.). Roman pottery and coins discovered in the village itself give clear evidence of extended Roman occupation. By the 11th century a Christian church was established and the village had developed along the River Windrush much as it is today. Despite the long history of habitation almost every building is now of 17th century origin. The houses and shops in the village are constructed of the yellow limestone characteristic of the Cotswolds and they have the embellishments that make Cotswold architecture so picturesque: projecting gables, string-courses, windows with stone mullions and dripmoulds, and stone hoodmoulds over the doors.[7]
[edit] Tourism
Bourton has a number of tourist attractions:
- During the summer, a game of medieval football is played with goalposts set up in the River Windrush itself. Two teams play with a standard football, and a referee attempts to keep order. Crowds line the banks of the river, and the aim is to score as many goals as possible (while getting everyone else as wet as possible).
- The model village is a 1:9 replica of the village and includes a model of the model village itself (a model within a model). It was built by local craftsmen in the 1930s, and opened in 1937.[8]
- The Model Railway.
- The Cotswold Motoring Museum (home of Brum).
- Birdland Park and Gardens, which has a collection of birds, from penguins through parrots to passerine (perching) birds and a large pond full of salmon which can be fed by the public. There are bird-of-prey displays and a penguin feeding demonstration.
- The Dragonfly Maze
- On the fourth Sunday of each month, there is a farmers' market.
Long-distance footpaths and local walks start, finish or pass through Bourton-on-the-Water. One such route that begins its 100-mile route north is the Heart of England Way.
Bourton is also home to Bourton on the Water Primary School and the Cotswold School, a co-educational comprehensive school.
[edit] Railway
| Preceding station | Historical railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notgrove | Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway |
Stow-on-the-Wold | ||
[edit] References
- ^ "Mid-2009 Parish Population Estimates". Gloucestershire County Council. http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/inform/utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=39873. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
- ^ "Local Plan". Cotswold District Council. http://www.localplan.cotswold.gov.uk/localplan/text/text08.htm. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
- ^ C. R. Elrington (editor) (1965). "Parishes: Bourton-on-the-Water". A History of the County of Gloucester:volume 6. Institute of Historical Research. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=66425. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
- ^ "The Most Sustainable Principal Settlements: Bourton-on-the-Water". Cotswold Local Plan. Cotswold District Council. 2001. http://www.localplan.cotswold.gov.uk/localplan/text/text08.htm. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
- ^ "Sheduled Monuments". English Heritage. http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1017340. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
- ^ "Listed Buildings". English Heritage. http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
- ^ C. R. Elrington (editor) (1965). "Parishes: Bourton-on-the-Water". A History of the County of Gloucester: volume 6. Institute of Historical Research. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=66425. Retrieved 02 July 2011.
- ^ The Old New Inn website: the Model Village
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bourton-on-the-Water |
