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 Co. Gloucestershire
Endearingly old-fashioned, Cirencester is regarded as the capital of the Cotswolds and many centuries ago, was the second largest city in Roman Britain, behind London.
 Aerial View of Circencester Park
Known as ‘Ciren’ to its 13,500 residents, Cirencester is located at the hub of a network of Roman roads and the town’s Roman legacy can be seen in its rectilinear street plan and the remains of the one of the largest amphitheatres in the country. Any building in the town has to be preceded by archaeological investigation and together with the many artefacts local gardeners unearth, Cirencester boasts one of the greatest collections of Roman antiquities, housed in the Corinium Museum. Here you will find a number of interesting tableaux depicting daily life in Roman times, legionary tombstones and mosaics depicting Roman Deities.
Throughout the Middle Ages, Cirencester prospered as the focal point for the Cotswold woollen trade and the town’s affluence has continued to the present day along with the its blend of medieval and classical architecture. One of the oldest surviving buildings is the Church of St John the Baptist, more the size of a Cathedral than a parish church, with a two-storey fan vaulted porch. Inside the church’s riches include the Anne Boleyn cup, made for Henry VIII ’s second wife in 1535 and the church has the oldest 12-bell peal in the country, which rings for pancakes on Shrove Tuesday and the celebration of the Restoration of the Monarchy on 29th May.
On the edges of the town is Cirencester Park a 30,000 acre landscaped grounds tucked behind a giant row of hedges. From May to September, polo matches are staged in the park, attracting the wealthy equestrian set. A few miles from the town lies the Cotswold Water Park, the largest one of its type in Britain.
As a centre for touring the Cotswolds, Cirencester is perfectly placed, or if just visiting the best time to go is Monday or Friday when the handsome town square holds its markets.
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