Monthly Archives: December 2016

Burford retains some of it’s old charm

 

Burford retains some of it’s old charmBurford nestled in the picturesque Cotswold Hills in Oxfordshire, is one of the few towns in England where just off the main street, you find yourself among old Cotswold cottages, built from local stone, giving it a charming and old-fashioned appearance.

Burford” derived from Old English words, means “fortified town Burford retains some of it’s old charmand ford, across the river.” In Saxon times it was a small village that grew around a Priory which was originally built in the 16th century in an Elizabethan style on the site of an Augustinian hospital of the 13th century, after 1637 it was rebuilt in a Jacobean style when the estate belonged to the Speaker of Parliament.

Burford retains some of it’s old charmPriory house is sheltered behind a high fence and can only be seen when the gates are opened. Currently Elisabeth Murdoch, daughter of Rupert Murdoch and Matthew Freud, Sigmund Freud’s heir, privately own the house.

During the long history of owners, this historic home, passed from aristocracy to religious communities, there are also a few traditional Burford retains some of it’s old charmstories of English ghosts lurking in the house. When the bells of the church on the estate are ringing, it is said that a small brown monk looking very sad sporting a halo is seen flying over the cemetery. Another is of a middle-aged gentleman in old-fashioned clothes that used to come across the garden but when the community of nuns of the Anglican Church that lived on the estate from 1949 to 2008 started praying for him he no longer appears.

There is also a funny legend about flying ghosts over the town which priests managed to catch and put in a bottle then threw it in the nearby river, since then, ghosts ceased to appear but in the dry season when the river has no water, the locals throw buckets of water in the river to prevent the spirits from escaping.

Burford retains some of it’s old charm15th century architecture on the high street can be seen as testament of its survival when the Burford retains some of it’s old charmrailways sidelined it during the industrial revolution. In Victorian times the town survived thanks to it’s bell foundries, one in the 17th century and another in the 19th and 20th, this has managed to retain the town’s old-world charm and pristine architecture that can bee seen today.

A Baroque style house on the high street is surrounded by buildings of a much older age, which is very unusual for a small English town. The house was built in 1730 for a local lawyer, and laterBurford retains some of it’s old charm converted into a Methodist church.

Burford retains some of it’s old charmLots of unusual boutiques line the high street, where you would be surprised by the variety of useless items being sold among cute souvenirs and unusual but useful gadgets for the home, such as brushes for all occasions. The street is interspersed with public houses, hotels, teashops and restaurants, which are always crowded with tourists, who make it a point to visit this town. In April 2009, Burford took sixth place in the list of Forbes magazine as “the most idyllic place to live in Europe.”

The Christmas period and New Year are especially recommended for a visit when many people come to the town to buy presents and enjoy a yuletide celebration in the bars.

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Tewksbury the medieval Saxon town

Tewksbury the medieval Saxon townTewkesbury is one of many charming English towns, with medieval Tewksbury the medieval Saxon townantiquities, lots of half-timbered Tudor cottages that survived from medieval times, closely pressed against each other as if they do not want to give up their positions to modern construction. This patriarchal architecture is not comparable with the chic Victorian palaces or the refined forms of Gothic buildings and positively different from the modern glass and metal “masterpieces” in the metropolitan areas of our century but you can’t stop admiring these rustic and uncomplicated old buildings at first glance. Maybe because “all genius is simple” or because the simplicity of forms is also a form of art? After all, these funny antique dollhouses are the charm of the old town. Looking around it feels like time has stopped…

Tewksbury the medieval Saxon townThe town of Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire is located at the Tewksbury the medieval Saxon townconfluence of the rivers Severn and Avon and has been known since the 7th century. The city is named after a Saxon hermit named Tuke who built a Skit on this site. Later, the Saxon brothers and Lords of Mercia, Oddo and Dodd founded the Abbey.

 

In the 12th century the cousin of William the Conqueror began constructing the church, which was finally finished by the son of Henry I. The building was saved during the Reformation of Henry VIII, when the locals bought it for the price of the lead on the roof and used it as a parish church.

Today, Tewkesbury Abbey, a most remarkable historical heritage of the city, is considered one of the best examples of Norman architecture in Britain. The Abbey Church, although the second largest in the UK is not a cathedral.

Most of the old Tudor cottages are located along the main street. You should definitely visit the hotel and pub the “Royal Hop Pole”, which was renamed in honour the royal family visiting in 1891, and is mentioned in the “Pickwick Papers” by Charles Dickens. The oldest inn «The Black Bear» of 1308 and the “Bell Hotel” opposite the abbey gate and most of the buildings nearby are more than 500 years old.

Tewksbury the medieval Saxon townThe museum of the town opened in one of the old cottages has Tewksbury the medieval Saxon townsome interesting layouts under glass, made up of lead soldiers and wooden buildings depicting historical events and the main medieval street of the town. In 1471, during the War of the Roses on a field near Tewkesbury, later named Bloody meadow, a battle took place between the forces of Lancaster and those of York. At that time Edward IV from York had already imprisoned King Henry VI of Lancaster in the Tower of London. The army of King Edward IV and his younger brother Richard, the future king Richard III, defeated the army of Lancaster but in this battle the only heir of King Henry VI, Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales, was killed.

I recommend a visit during the festive season of Christmas when beautiful decorations adorn the town centre.

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