Castle Combe is one of the most beautiful villages in England. Buildings date back to the 1300s and nothing has been built in the village since 1600. The Manor House dates back to 1300s and is now a 5 Star Hotel, with a Michelin starred restaurant and golf course.
The church dates back to the 1200s and houses one of the oldest clocks in Europe, dating back to 15th Century.
The centre of the village has the marketplace. This was granted to the village in the 1400s by the monarch at the time. This enabled the villagers to sell their goods. You will find a marketplace or village cross in most English villages. Before they were granted one of these, the villagers were not allowed to trade. There are 2 pubs, one dating to 13th Century and both are great for lunch.
Walk down the street, passing the beautiful rows of houses and notice the height of the doors. Anyone over 5ft 6in would need to dip their head to enter. People were so much shorter in the medieval days.
At the bottom of the street is the small brook and bridge, with the weavers’ cottages alongside. These were a sign of Castle Combe’s prosperity in the Middle Ages. Wool being like gold at that time. This was also the setting for the 1960s version of Dr Doolittle. Castle Combe has also been the setting of many TV series and also Steven Spielberg’s 2012 movie Warhorse.
A good idea is to visit the manor for afternoon tea or an alcoholic drink. Sit in the beautiful grounds and listen to the silence.
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