2 Day Windsor, Stonehenge, Bath, Oxford and the Cotswolds
2nd November 2024
Here at Best Value Tours, we are delighted to recommend an outstanding 2 Day Tours of Britain and today we feature; 2 Day Windsor, Stonehenge, Bath, Oxford and the Cotswolds | Best Value Tours
Full details below, but first some brief information about stunning Castle Coombe in the Cotswolds.
The English county of Wiltshire contains the settlement and civil parish of Castle Combe. A well-liked tourist destination, Castle Combe is located in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. With its collection of Cotswold stone cottages and dearth of contemporary structures—no new homes have been constructed in the hamlet’s historic centre since roughly 1600—the village has been dubbed a “chocolate box,” a “tourist honeypot,” “the prettiest village in England,” and more.
The village is divided into two sections: Upper Castle Combe, located on higher ground to the east on the B4039 road that connects Chippenham and Chipping Sodbury, and the smaller By Brook valley. The Castle Combe motor racing track is located south of the upper settlement. There used to be a castle there, but it was destroyed decades ago.
The area was occupied by the Romans, as evidenced by the presence of a Roman villa around three miles away from the village. Scrope was the first to excavate the site in 1852, and the most recent excavation took place in 2010. The location is sometimes referred to as the Truckle Hill villa or the North Wraxall. There was evidence of a bath house and grain drying furnaces, the latter dating back to the fourth century. In addition to other structures and a cemetery, the mansion itself reportedly had 16 rooms. In 1985, iron Age brooches and Neolithic flint implements were also found near the villa.
The Lord was Humphrey de l’Isle, and the settlement had 33 houses when it was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086.
The village’s name comes from the castle from the 12th century, which was located roughly 1.3 miles (500 meters) to the north. Only the ancient masonry and earthworks, which are thought to have been built in the 12th century, remain on the location of the castle. It is thought that either during Henry I’s or his son’s reign, Reginald de Dunstanville built the castle as the seat of the Barony of Combe. The castle was built during the Anarchy’s wave of castle construction, and Reginald was said to have backed Empress Matilda during that time.
In the fourteenth century, the Manor House in Castle Combe hamlet became the seat of the Barony, and a deer park was established beside the castle. When Millicent, the wife of Sir Stephen Le Scrope and later of Sir John Fastolf (1380–1459), a Norfolk knight who served as the manor’s effective master for fifty years, owned the market town, it flourished in the fifteenth century. The village’s fulling mill by 1340 attested to the significance of wool at that time. Scrope supported the wool industry by providing troops for Henry V’s war in France, including his own. The parish was located in Chippenham’s historic hundred.
Roman Baths
Our Feature Tour 2 Day Windsor, Stonehenge, Bath, Oxford and the Cotswolds | Best Value Tours
Description
Day One
Admire Stonehenge, the most well-known stone circle in the world. The vastness of Bath’s Roman past, its magnificent Abbey cathedral, and its Georgian terraces. Early in the morning, you leave central London. The great buildings of the city give way to expansive green areas as you approach Windsor, your first destination of the day. Here, you have the option of exploring Windsor Castle’s magnificent architecture and royal furnishings or strolling through the old market town’s cobblestone alleys.
After that, you depart from one of the most impressive locations of the Modern Era and arrive at Stonehenge, one of the greatest wonders of the Neolithic Era. You are taken to a long-forgotten world by the remarkable stones, and the visitor centre offers you an insight into how this odd artefact was made. There is a fantastic café with delicious local products, drinks, and pastries for lunch. Bath is your last destination for the day. You come there in the late afternoon, have dinner by the rivers, take a stroll in the evening, and sleep well.
Prices/Book Tour – 2 Day Windsor, Stonehenge, Bath, Oxford and the Cotswolds | Best Value Tours
Day Two
Wander around the peaceful villages of the Cotswolds. Discover Oxford’s renowned academic institutions. It’s time to stroll around Bath’s verdant, golden alleys. You can explore the Roman Baths or take your time admiring Bath Abbey and the stunning Georgian buildings this morning. After that, you go across rural roads to Castle Combe, one of the Cotswolds’ most charming settlements. Here, you have time to see the mediaeval Market Cross Monument and snap the ideal photo of the well-known bridge.
The penultimate destination on your journey is the city of Oxford. You can visit the art and antiquities collections at the Ashmolean Museum, climb the vantage points to take in the skyline, or stroll around the college precincts after lunch.
After that, you return to London and get there early in the evening.
Prices/Book Tour – 2 Day Windsor, Stonehenge, Bath, Oxford and the Cotswolds | Best Value Tours
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