Lucy & Richard from Cotswolds Guided Tours, just love sharing their local area with visitors. If you want to learn more about the Cotswolds then we hope you find this Cotswolds travel guide useful. Remember you can always join us for a day trip exploring, you have two options our private Cotswold tours or our small, mixed group sightseeing Cotswolds tours. We are open all year round, so book & be our special guests for a wonderful day trip.

Stanton:

These two beautiful villages are only a mile apart, the nearest (3 miles) to Broadway is Stanton. This beautiful village was tempting enough to ensure the Cotswolds Way travels through the main street. Located on the hillside with Shenberrow the Iron Age settlement high above the village, people have been occupying this wonderful spot for thousands of years. The village had been lovely restored by Sir Philip Stott in the first part of the 20thC. Stott was a philanthropist, living in Stanton Court, a fine Jacobean property that rather outshines the 16thC manor. As you wander through the village you will notice the fine, study wooden lamp posts, known as Stott Lamps. These street lights were introduced by Sir Philip, who powered them with his own generator! He also extended the village school, built a swimming pool & restored the local properties. The local Church, St Michaels & All Angels, is at the top of our list. The building is imposing, sat behind the main street, once you walk inside you will be hit by that fabulous olde-world smell of damp, age & hymn books, unique to all English churches. As you spend time within it's peaceful interior you may feel there is a mis-match of styles. This is what we love the most, every generation has respected the one before. The church hasn't been over-restored like many in the Cotswolds. So you can admire the medieval wall paintings, the 15tC stained glass that was saved from nearby Hailes Abbey, after the dissolution. Find the cheeky 'green-man' poking his tongue out at passes by & admire the rood screen which Sir Philip Stott installed in memory of his son. You will notice that rather unusually there are two pulpits, the first is medieval, note the woodworm holes & fine craftsmanship the second a more recent Jacobean one (1603-1625) Not only are these pulpits special due to their age, however one of the Methodist forefathers preached in this Church. John Wesley often stayed with the local Reverend Lionel Kirkham before he departed for America in 1735. It was said that Wesley fell in love with Kirkham's daughter but when he asked her to marry him, she refused. But in true Jane Austen style, Kirkham's daughter married someone else, Wesley was said to have danced at her wedding, so he obviously didn't hold a grudge! At the rear of the church you will find the medieval pews, note the wear on the pinnacles, said to be made by shepherds tying their sheep dogs to the pew ends whilst they attended the service. Don't miss the oldest part of the village, Sheppy Corner with it's picture perfect thatched cottages & see if you can spot the kangaroo! No clues!