You might never get the chance to see the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Great Pyramid of Giza or any of the other Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but the Cotswolds Conservation Board has recently revealed the Seven Wonders of the Cotswolds, and they’re all right on our doorstep just ripe for discovery.
Following hundreds of public votes and more than 80 nominations for historic sites and buildings, natural attractions, viewpoints, landscapes and cultural features, the final seven wonders of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty were named by the board in June 2012; just three months after voting began.
Nicola Greaves, information and interpretation officer at the Conservation Board, said: ‘This has been a fascinating campaign which has captured the imagination of many people across the Cotswolds.
‘The final list is a very interesting one that represents some of the Cotswolds’ most distinctive features, which we plan to use to create some new ‘wonder walks’ to help more people access and enjoy our beautiful Cotswolds landscape.’
Without further ado, the Seven Wonders of the Cotswolds are:
The National Arboretum is located just outside the traditional Cotswold town of Tetbury, and is a historic, Victorian landscape with an internationally important tree and shrub collection – home to 16,000 trees from across the world. For more information, see Westonbirt Arboretum, call (01666) 880220 or visit www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt directly.
This ancient Neolithic and Bronze Age site, situated on the Oxfordshire/Warwickshire border, is one of the most famous circles in England, consisting of three main elements: the Kings Men stone circle, the King Stone and the Whispering Knights.
The Jurassic limestone that lies beneath the Cotswolds has been used extensively in buildings, towns, villages and drystone walls for longer than we can remember, giving the area its distinctive character and generating a feeling of unity between the natural and built environment.
This Grade I listed 19th century Victorian Gothic mansion is hidden in a secluded Cotswold valley and boasts 400 acres of stunning park and woodland, which exudes a unique, timeless atmosphere. For more information see Woodchester Mansion and Park or call (01453) 861541.
The Cotswold Way attracts some 150,000 walkers each year, offering a 102-mile stretch along the Cotswolds escarpment between the market town of Chipping Campden and the City of Bath – with panoramic views, picturesque villages and historic sites to tempt along the way.
Boasting the highest point of the Cotswolds at 330 metres, Cleeve Hill and Common is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and encompasses an extensive area of limestone grassland, as well as many geological and landscape features.
The multi award-winning Stroud Farmers’ Market has long been known as one of the biggest and most popular in the UK, attracting hundreds of visitors every Saturday to sample the mouth-watering range of organic and local produce.
If you haven’t had the chance to experience all of these local wonders yet, this summer is the perfect chance to tick another one off the list – and enjoy a memorable day out with the family in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
For more information about the Seven Wonders, call the Cotswolds Conservation Board (AONB) directly on (01451) 862000.
© SoGlos
Thursday 28 June 2012
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