Cotswolds Mystery - Cotswolds Guided Tours
On this Cotswolds journey we are going to take you to the village of Ebrington, 2 miles east of Chipping Campden. This beautiful village full of secret thatched cottages overlooking the valley,
through which the little ‘Knee Brook’ flows. Ebrington has a wonderful pub, the Ebrington Arms, there is a church which stands on a small ridge above the village cottages & close to the village manor house. Inside the church you will see a memorial to Sire John Fortescue, who was the ‘Lord Chief Justice’ of England during some of the most difficult years of the War of the Roses. Surprisingly after the defeat of the Lancastrians at Tewkesbury in 1471, Fortescue was allowed peaceful retirement at his home in Ebrington until his death aged 90 years (a feat in itself during the 1400s!)
Cotswolds Mystery of Ebrington
There are some wonderful local stories connected with Ebrington. One thing to remember that locals will pronounce the name of the village as ‘Yubberton’ . Now then, in years gone by many guide books make reference to ‘Yubberton Yawnies’ referencing a large number of ‘simpletons’ who once lived in the village. This reputation now appears to be slipping, although you will find ales on sale in the pub which remember this heritage. One story that describes the Yubberton Yawnies, refers to the local residents being jealous of the nearby Church tower at Chipping Campden & in an effort to try to make the Church tower in Ebrington grow, the local residents laid muck (compost) at the base of the Church tower. There is a local well-known rhyme:
‘The Yubberton Yawnies be so wise
They mucked the tower to make it rise
And when the muck began to sink
The swore the tower had grown an inch’
There are other amusing stories of the Yawnies, from caging a cuckoo in the orchard, so that summer might never end, or from fishing in the village pond for the big round cheese (the moon) that could be seen on the surface of the water.
Although the origination of the term Yubberton Yawnies, remains a local Cotswolds mystery those who know the tales look back with fondness on Ebrington. If you visit now you will find all the locals friendly, welcoming & with no similarities with the Yawnies who once resided here.