Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
er displaying the acorn symbol of a national trail. On one side of the stone
it says: 'Chipping Campden 47', on the other 'Bath 55'. Continue down the
meadow and into a strip of woodland. Over a footbridge you soon leave
the wood near two large barns at Washbrook Farm.
Passing the barns a track curves left to the grey 17th-century farm-
house. Turn right in front of the farm, cross a stream and follow a path
alongside trees. Go through a gate and wander across a field to its op-
posite boundary, then bear left for about 50 metres to a kissing gate in a
corner near a tennis court. Continue up the next field to find an enclosed
footpath at the back of some houses. This brings you into Hambutts Field
(owned by the Open Spaces Society), which you cross along its right-hand
edge and emerge into Edge Road. Turn right and walk a short distance to
New Street in
Painswick,
opposite the lych gate of the splendid church-
yard (grid ref: 866097). Painswick has a good choice of accommodation
and refreshments. There's a small supermarket and a post office, and bus
links with Cheltenham and Stroud.
PAINSWICK
Painswick is a delightful old market town whose stone is strangely white, or light grey,
in colour. As a result the houses appear a little more formal than those to be seen
north of here, where the colouring is more honey-gold. However, there's much of in-
terest that will repay more than a cursory glance. Dating from the 13th century, New
Street is one of the town's oldest, but other streets - notably those north-east of the
church - are also worth exploring. Friday Street indicates the site of the weekly mar-
ket, while Bisley Street has a collection of splendid old buildings, and at the top of Hale
Lane the old town stocks remain.
Like many Cotswold towns, Painswick owes its elegance to the cloth trade, at the
height of which 25 mills were being powered by local streams. In the Civil War Royal-
ists attacked the town, damaging St Mary's Church with fire and cannonballs - marks
of which are evident to this day. The churchyard is noted for its numerous clipped
yew trees, its Renaissance-style table tombs, and the lych gate, whose timbers, dec-
orated with carved bells and music, came from the belfry roof after the spire collapsed
in 1883. At 174ft (53m) high, the spire can be seen from a great distance, and the
church it advertises is a true gem. Tourist information: Painswick Library, Stroud Road,
Painswick 01452 813552.
