After breakfast we set off on a walking tour around Cirencester that was based on the recommendations in the information pack the hotel had provided us with. Our first port of call was the Church of St John the Baptist which is situated in the market square. We walked around the burial ground before entering the church building, the oldest part of which dates back to 1115.
There is much of interest to see including a Lego model of how the Abbey of St Mary may have looked. Whilst we were there we were treated to a lovely organ recital. We walked into the grounds behind the church where the original monastery would have stood. Parts of it are marked out with stones in the grass to give an impression of how big it would have been.
We then walked through town towards Cecily Hill and The Great Park. We briefly entered the park before returning to the town to sort out our car parking ticket which was due to expire.
This gave us the opportunity to drive to the nearby earthwork remains of an immense Roman Amphitheatre on the outskirts of Cirencester. Back in Cirencester, we had lunch in the Cafe Mosaic which is situated in the Wool Market. We then continued on our walking tour, adding some additional points of interest mentioned in a walking book that I had bought from the church shop during our morning visit. We walked through the Abbey Park to find the remains of the Roman Town Wall and Corinium Gate where there is only a plaque to commemorate what was once the north-east gate of Roman Corinium (Cirencester).
By now it was time for an afternoon treat so we made our way back to the Great Park where we encountered the Duchess of Bathurst next to her Beano in the Park which is a lovely teashop in a Retro caravan. I chose mint choc chip ice cream and apple juice. The picnic area was full so we retired to a nearby bench to enjoy our tasty delights. We took a scenic route out of the park and made our way to the Corinium Museum which has a collection of wonderful Roman mosaics.
We returned to our hotel to chill out before dining in Piazza Fontana where the experience was as good as our previous visit. Then one final nightcap in The Fleece before it was time to pack our bags for our journey home.
You obviously found this town very interesting, Cherie. I particularly like visiting the Roman Amphitheatre, and imagining it in all its glory
There is so much history to see in Cirencester.
There was a glass panel in the floor near to the hotel reception, showing roman architecture.
Parish Church of St John Baptist, Cirencester must have been amazing back in the early 12th century, and even more amazing as enlargements occurred in later centuries. Was Cirencester a very important city back then?
Cirencester was the second largest city in Roman Britain.
Its growth and importance has developed and changed over the years.
The church has a very unusual design.
It looks very wide and the tower really stands out.
Well observed, the church is wider than most churches in the UK.
Oh there’s also another “wide” church in Winchelsea, East Sussex.
St Oswald’ Church, Oswestry also has an unusual profile.