FGU Summary: The Cotswolds landscape forms the best known part of the oolitic limestone outcrop stretching from Dorset to Lincolnshire. The character area extends from Mells in Somerset to Brackley in Northamptonshire and is nationally renowned for its distinctive landscape. 65% of the area lies within the Cotswold AONB and 21% in the Cotswold and Upper Thames Tributaries ESAs. Only 4% is classed as urban.
4 sub-units: scarp face and surrounding deeply incised valleys; outliers, which lie to the north-west of the scarp face; broad rolling plateaux of the high wolds; dip slope, south and east of the wolds.
1. Settlement & Development
Flint scatters and tools, densely concentrated in some areas, attest to extent of Mesolithic activity in the area.
Area has an abundance of prehistoric monuments relating to ebb and flow of settlement from Neolithic.
Uplands substantially cleared of woodland in 3 rd millennium BC, covering the major period of building long barrows which often provided foci for communities in lowland vales (eg Belas Knap, overlooking
Winchcombe area in JCA 106). Late Neolithic (2 nd millennium BC) henge monuments (notably
Condicote Henge, Condicote) and standing stones, followed at end of millennium by appearance of
Bronze Age round barrows, some clustered around earlier long barrows. Late Bronze Age and Iron Age hillforts on scarp edges, cropmark evidence for fields and enclosed and open settlements of round houses and large defended trading settlement (oppidum) at Bagendon near Cirencester.
Extensive and abundant evidence for settlement in Roman period, notably at Bath (Aquae Sulis) and at
Cirencester - which took the place of Bagendon as capital (civitas) of the Dubonni tribe. Many other settlements, some clustered around the Fosse Way (eg former Iron Age settlement at Bourton-on-the-
Water) which extends through the area, and other roads (Ermin Street, Akeman Street) leading to
Cirencester. Villas concentrated in lower areas of valleys. Evidence for settlement desertion after
Roman Period.
Present predominant pattern of nucleated settlement developed 10 th -12 th centuries, replacing earlier more dispersed pattern of hamlets and farmsteads. Market centres developed in 12 th and 13 th centuries, many (eg Stow, Moreton-in-Marsh, Chipping Campden, Northleach) planned as new settlements in 13 th century. Village plans vary between compact and linear with some lying around a wide central green or common. Very low to extremely low levels of dispersed settlement, these mostly 18 th and 19 th century post-enclosure farmsteads and some shrunken settlements and high-status sites with medieval or earlier origins. Common edge settlement, the result of increasing population resulting from the wool trade pushing at available space, common in Stroud Valley area.
By the late 11 th century, the area was extensively settled and there was little woodland. Much of the land was in large estates.14
th century witnessed abandonment and contraction of settlements, including some being replaced by sheep walks. The area’s importance as a major centre of broadcloth production from the late 14 th century is reflected in the quality of its churches (predominantly in late Gothic
Perpendicular style). Fine 15 th century merchants’ houses at Chipping Campden, and timber-framed and stone late medieval houses in the towns. The distinctive style of the Cotswold multi-gabled manor house appeared during extensive rebuilding of late 16 th and early 17 th century, continuing after the adoption of classical styles into the mid 18 th century and later. Wealthy clothiers’ houses are a distinctive feature of the Stroud valley area. The area is also notable for the quality of its minor domestic architecture and farmhouses in the same period (eg Stanton), later 17 th century and 18 th century examples being clustered in the Stroud valley area and having open attic areas for handlooms lit by dormer/gable windows.
3.6% of the area is covered by designed landscapes, park and garden mostly dating from the late 17 th century but often built around medieval and earlier estates. Consolidation of the large estates from 16 th

century led to the area’s fine country houses and historic parks, with landscapes ranging from formal late 17 th century to picturesque 19 th century and early 20 th century Arts and Crafts (Rodmarton).
19 th century estate villages another distinctive feature, ranging from early 19 th century at Sherborne to
1860s (Miserden) and later. The coherent architectural character of this area benefited considerably from the influence of Arts and Crafts architects in the early 20 th century, which included national figures such as Detmar Blow and Guy Dawber but also fostered local talent such as Ernest Gimson and
Norman Jewson.
Post-14 th century expansion of valley-bottom settlements in the centre and south of the area (eg
Brimscombe) linked to development of fulling mills (including some double corn and cloth mills) along streams. In 17 th -19 th century cloth industry, which sold both ‘white’ and dyed cloth for export, concentrated in the valleys around Dursley, Stroud, Chalford and Painswick. Mills with long windows to light looms developed from mid 18 th century, with building of some large-scale mills in the Stroud area in the early 19 th century. Declined from 1830s largely due to competition from northern England.
Quarrying from the Roman period (Bath) developing into a major industry by the medieval period supplying stone for building churches and other buildings in the surrounding areas, and in the 18 th and
19 th centuries (facilitated by the canals in particular) the towns of Bath and Cheltenham. Mines and tunnels became more common from the 17 th century, developing on a vast scale at Corsham and being utilised from the late 1930s into the Cold War period as huge armaments depot and later Regional Seat of Government.
The Kennet and Avon Canal, which connected Bristol to London and was completed in 1810, enabled export of stone and coal from the region, and import of sugar from Bristol and luxury goods (for example from the Potteries and Birmingham). It was supplanted after the opening in 1841 of the Great Western
Railway in 1841.
Military airfields a characteristic feature of the plateau. These include the Aircraft Storage Unit at
Kemble, a nationally important site with unique (in European context) range of engineering technologies to its hangars, defences and section of Roman Fosse Way. Nationally important Cold
War and WWII airfield at Upper Heyford, including the highly visible 1970s hardened aircraft shelters.
2. Agriculture
Thin, well-aerated, brashy soils derived from limestone are common on the plateau and steeper slopes, particularly to the west. More fertile, deeper, clayey soils of alluvial origin are present along the valley floors and on lower-lying land to the south and east.
th
By 17 th century sheep rearing was concentrated in the to north and cloth-making to the south. The next major phase in the arable exploitation of the Cotswolds was linked to agricultural improvements of the 18 th and
19 th centuries.Much of the high ground of the plateau is now arable, with pasture to the valleys especially on the steeper slopes.
Barns are stone-built; they are typically of five bays with a central threshing floor. Gabled roofs of stone slate, and porches (sometimes full-height with first-floor granaries) are common. There are many substantial surviving examples of the pre-1750 period, concentrated in village centres or areas where there had been enclosure by agreement. Many combination barns, typically with cowhouse, stabling and first-floor granary, some of early 18 th century or earlier date. Shelter sheds to cattle yards a common feature, dating from 18 th century. 19 th century outfarms; field barns concentrated on the
Cotswold scarp.
3. Fields and Boundary Patterns
Floated water meadows - eg of early 19 th century date on Sherborne estate.

Earthwork remains of medieval settlements and associated fieldsystems: eg Hawling and the Dirchfords villages; lynchets on scarp near Wotton-under-Edge; nationally important ridge and furrow patterns at
Todenham, Chastleton, Weston Subedge and Tysoe.
Dry stone walls to higher area, hedgerows more common on scarps and in valleys.
Assarted fields (both medieval and post-medieval in date) concentrated in Stroud valley area. Scarpfoot villages also utilised both assarted enclosures on scarp edges and common fields in the Vale (JCA
106).
Over 29% of the AONB comprises small irregular fields signifying piecemeal enclosure (generally from
16 th century, but documented from 13 th century) of earlier open fields, with distinctive curved profiles
Relating to medieval ploughed strips. These are concentrated on the scarp, in Wiltshire and
Warwickshire, in valleys to north and east of Stroud and central valleys between Moreton-in-Marsh and
Bourton-on-the-Water.
Regular enclosure of former open fields (16%) of 18 th century or later date, not respecting earlier boundaries, is concentrated on central and eastern plateau. Less regular enclosures of this date, with boundaries echoing medieval headlands of open fields, are found all over AONB and particularly to south (Wiltshire). 18 th and 19 th century regular enclosure of former open pasture (12.6%) concentrated on central and eastern plateaux.
More regular and large-scale enclosure of similar date, either of former open fields or of long-term pasture (including open fields laid down to grass from medieval period), is most common to the centre and east of the area..
4. Trees and Woodland
Medieval or earlier woodland concentrated on Cotswolds scarp and on valley edges, in Stroud valley area, By Brook Valley in Wiltshire, around Chedworth, in Cirencester Park and in the remnants of the
Wychwood to the east.
High ground: occasional woodland blocks and shelterbelts (typically 18 th century or later) with dry stone walls but also with hedges. Valley bottoms: meadows and tree-lined scarp slopes: scrub, beech woodland, hedges and tree clumps, and some species-rich grassland.
Deer parks and post-medieval designed landscapes often associated together.
5. Semi-Natural Environments
Unenclosed open pasture, particularly to est of area (eg Cleeve Hill). Wet meadows.
Long standing areas of grassland and unimproved pasture are both rich in species and in the surviving visible evidence of earlier cultivation and settlement (ridge and furrow and village earthworks).
6. River & Coastal Features
Some fine masonry bridges of the 19 th century and earlier (eg at Burford).