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Before you start your walk, a note on directions : The High Street in Chipping Campden runs approximately from east to west, with St James's church, the almshouses and the Eight Bells Inn at the eastern end of town, St Catharines church and the Volunteer Inn at the western end of the High Street, and the Town Hall and Square in between. Our starting point is Grevel's House, at the eastern end and on the northern side of the High Street, almost facing the junction with Church Street. This private house is the oldest building in Campden, having been built in about 1380 for William Grevel, a wealthy businessman and wool merchant. Note the sundial high up on the gable - there are 6 other sundials to be spotted as you stroll round the town. Keeping to the north side of the street and walking towards the town square you’ll come after just a few steps to the old St. James’ Primary School, built in 1831 and used as a school until the 1960s. A couple of hundred yards further on you will come to the Market Hall, built in 1627 by Sir Baptists Hicks for use by local traders selling eggs, butter, cheese and vegetables. His coat of arms and the date can be seen on the eastern end of the building, of which each corner has a pediment and each gable a window (blocked in). The floor still retains its stone pitching and there is fine craftsmanship in the roof timbers. Over the years the Market Hall fell into disrepair until in 1942, when it was threatened with demolition and removal to the United States, it was presented to the National Trust who restored it to its present condition. Just beyond the Market Hall is the War Memorial and beyond that the Town Hall, which was originally a 14th-century building. At one time the burgesses of the town used it as a gaol and later as a wool exchange or court house. Rebuilt in the 18th century, it was fully restored in 1897 when the new entrance porch was built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. The Cotswold House Hotel, built in 1815, is one of a number of distinguished properties that grace the High Street. Further along the northern side of the square is Darby’s House, the home of Richard Darby, an early 18th-century maltster who is credited with inventing the slide rule. Now pass between the Baptist Church (rebuilt 1872) and the Island House (more correctly houses). This provides an illustration of a timber-framed, 16th-century building that has not been refaced. Opposite Joels restaurant and the estate agents is one end of a pathway that is believed to be a 'rope walk', running as it does from Twine House in the High Street through to Twine Cottage in Back Ends (the road that runs north of, and parallel to, the High Street). Continue along the north side into Lower High Street. There was once a great elm outside Elm Tree House that became the hiring point for agricultural workers. The house dates from 1656 but has a Georgian bow window. C.R. Ashbee used it for his architectural practice and its outbuildings for a School of Arts and Crafts. The previous use of the Old Bakehouse, now run as a bed and breakfast establishment, is self explanatory. A little further along there is a small plaque on the wall of the house where Ernest Wilson, the explorer responsible for collecting over 1,200 species of plants from China in the early part of the 20th century, was born in 1876. Finally, on the corner where Lower High Street and West End Terrace meet you will see the Church of St Catharine, built in 1891 by the 3rd Earl of Gainsborough (descendent of Edward Noel) at a time when Catholics were given greater freedom to worship, and named after a medieval chapel now lost. A fine building in late Gothic style, it is worth a visit to see the stained glass windows made in Campden in the early 20th century by one of Campden’s famous craftsmen, Paul Woodroffe Cross the road to the Volunteer Inn, a hostelry that probably dates from 1859 when the volunteers came to the inn to sign on for the county militia. Make your way back along the south side of Lower High Street and at the corner with the Robert Welch Studio turn right into Sheep Street. About 50 yards down on the right is the Old Silk Mill, which was the base for C.R. Ashbee’s Guild of Handicraft in the early 20th century. The mill still contains working art and crafts studios and, on the 1st floor, you can visit the workshop of Hart Silversmiths where descendants of the original Guild craftsmen still work in the same room, and with essentially the same equipment, as their forebears. Now retrace your steps down Sheep Street to rejoin the High Street at the 17th-century Red Lion Inn. Brewery receipts dated 28th February 1660 (found during renovations in 1929) reveal that Valentine Smith of Campden paid three shillings and nine pence for “one barrel and halfe of strong bears” (beers) in Excise duty (about 12p a barrel - a lot in those days!). Continue past Blacksmiths House and a number of shops until you reach the Library on your right, a close look at which will reveal the building's origins as a ‘Blue Coat School’ built in 1820 for pupils of primary school age. The Noel Arms, formerly ‘The George’, was the town’s ‘posting house’. The Noel Arms archway leads into George Lane, formerly a packhorse track for carrying wool from Campden to Bristol and Southampton. In the 1790s there was a wagon from London twice a week and the Noel Arms was an important coaching inn throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Beyond the Noel Arms, opposite the Market Hall is The Old Police Station. Built in 1872 and now used as a community centre, this houses the Information Centre. Visit us for local information and a wide selection of guides, maps and souvenirs. Continue past Caminetto, an Italian restaurant, formerly ‘The Old Kings Arms’, until you come to the Old Grammar School. Now in private use, it was founded in about 1440 and the old school room dates from 1863. Above the principal bay window is a sculptured panel bearing the arms of the founder John Fereby, and Baptist Hicks who gave money to the school. Further along the street is Woolstapler’s Hall, built in the 14th century at the height of the prosperity brought by the wool trade. Immediately to the left is Bedfont House, looking as impressive now as when it was first built in the classical style for a rich farmer in the 1740s. (Both houses are privately owned.) Following the curve of the pavement, leave the High Street, turning right into Church Street and cross to the left hand pavement. Almost immediately, you’ll see the Eight Bells Inn on your left. Probably the oldest public house in town, it derives its name from the peal of the nearby church. At the junction of Church Street with Calf Lane glance right to the Court House, converted from the former stables of Campden House. Continue up Church Street and you’ll soon come to the Almshouses on your left, built in 1612 by Sir Baptist Hicks for £1,000. There are twelve houses each sharing a front door. Opposite the Almshouses is the old cart dip for washing the wheels of carts, both to clean them and to soak the wooden rim to stop the iron tyres working loose. Just beyond the cart dip is the 18th-century Court Barn that will become a museum of craft and design from the Arts and Crafts Movement onwards. With the aid of a Heritage and Lottery Fund grant, the museum should open in late Spring / early Summer 2007. Behind the wall lie the impressive remains of Campden House. Built in 1613 in an ornate Italian style at the enormous cost of £29,000, the house and gardens covered eleven acres. Only 22 years later, a devastating fire destroyed it. Whether by accident or design, the fire effectively meant that the approaching Roundheads could not use the house, turned garrison, after the Royalist troops within departed to reinforce the king’s flagging army. Limestone, when burnt, turns pink and some contend that you can still see pink stone around the town where material from the house has been re-used. The gatehouse and lodges each with a solid stone roof and Sir Baptist Hicks’ coat of arms above survived the fire. The banqueting halls with astonishing spiral chimneys remain intact and parts of other ruins can be seen. The Landmark Trust has restored the banqueting halls and gatehouse and they are now let as holiday homes. The site is open to visitors a number of times each year and twice a year the buildings can also be visited. To the left of the impressive gateway to Campden House, twelve seventeenth-century lime trees, representing the Apostles, line the path to the Parish Church of St. James’s Church. This is one of the gems of the Cotswold wool churches. Mostly built about 500 years ago in the Perpendicular style with a magnificent tower, it is a monument to the prosperity of Campden at the height of the wool trade. The area around the east window is probably the oldest part, although the 20th-century glass celebrates the safe return of soldiers from war. There are few monuments but those there are worthy of note, including a very large brass to William Grevel and his wife Mariana, and the tomb of Anthony Smith with his 2 wives and 13 children. In the South Chapel are two marble edifices, to Sir Baptist Hicks and wife Elizabeth, and to Juliana and Edward Noel. The brass lectern, engraved 1618 and probably from Flanders, and the Jacobean pulpit were both given by Sir Baptist. On display within the church are 500-year-old altar hangings and a vicar’s ceremonial cope dating back to 1400, the oldest such garment in existence in the whole of England. On leaving the church turn right and follow Cider Mill Lane around to the left and back into Leysbourne, a continuation of the eastern end of the High Street. Turn left and after a short while pass through the archway into the Ernest Wilson Memorial Garden, opened in 1984 as a tribute to Ernest Wilson, the botanist and explorer who was born in Campden in 1876. He was responsible for introducing more trees, shrubs and flowers suitable for British gardens than any other collector. On the opposite side of the road, North End Terrace, known as “Old Maid’s Row”, was probably rebuilt from existing cottages in 1825. The Regency facade, with door fanlights reminiscent of Downing Street, hides earlier timber framed buildings. Continue along this side of the road a short distance to find yourself back at your starting point outside Grevel House. close this window and return to 'Things to see and do' |
