Cirencester

Introducing Cirencester

Affluent, elegant and steeped in history, the charming town of Cirencester is a refreshingly unpretentious place of narrow winding streets and graceful town houses. The lovely market square is surrounded by wonderful 18th-century and Victorian architecture, while the nearby streets showcase a harmonious medley of buildings from various eras.

Under the Romans, Cirencester was second only to London in terms of size and importance and although little of this period remains, you can still see the grassed-over ruins of one of the largest amphitheatres in the country. The medieval wool trade was also good to the town, with wealthy merchants funding the building of a superb perpendicular-style church. Today, Cirencester is the most important town in the southern Cotswolds, and retains an authentic, unaffected air, with the lively Monday and Friday markets as important as the expensive boutiques and trendy delis that line its narrow streets.

Pick up a copy of Cirencester – A Town Walk at the tourist office (654180; Corn Hall; 9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat Apr-Dec, 9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat Jan-Mar) for information on historic buildings around town.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009