Cotswolds
Also known as: Cotswold Hills
- 1The region is defined by its Jurassic limestone bedrock.
- 2It is famous for the golden-coloured Cotswold stone used in local buildings.
- 3The highest point is Cleeve Hill at 1,083 feet (330 m).
- 4The area spans parts of six English counties.
- 5It features a landscape of rolling hills, meadows, and rural villages.
The Cotswolds is a region of South West and South Central England, along a range of wolds or rolling hills that rise from the meadows of the upper River Thames to an escarpment above the Severn Valley and the Vale of Evesham. The area is defined by the bedrock of Jurassic limestone that creates a type of grassland habitat that is quarried for the golden-coloured Cotswold stone. It lies across the boundaries of…
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Geographic source region
The River Thames originates in the Cotswolds, a range of hills in south-central England, defining the river's upper catchment area.
The Cotswolds is a prominent region in South West and South Central England, characterized by its rolling hills and distinctive landscape. The area is defined by its Jurassic limestone bedrock, which has been quarried for centuries to produce the iconic golden-hued Cotswold stone used in local architecture. This stone is a defining feature of the region's many villages, stately homes, and historic towns.
Bibury, a characteristic Cotswold villageWikimedia Commons: File:Bibury_Cottages_in_the_Cotswolds_-_June_2007.jpgRow houses of Cotswold stone in Broadway, Worcestershire. The quaint buildings of the village attract many tourists.Wikimedia Commons: File:Broadway_row_b_8294.jpgThomas E. Wells 's former estate, Orchard Farm, made of Cotswold stone from the 17th–20th centuryWikimedia Commons: File:Orchard_Farm.jpgBroadway row houses of Cotswold stoneWikimedia CommonsStretton-On-Fosse. Some of the stone cottages feature thatched roofs, although slate is now more common.Wikimedia CommonsRolling hills and farm fields near Coberley that typify the Cotswolds landscapeWikimedia CommonsThe Secret Garden at Sudeley CastleWikimedia CommonsMap of Cotswolds roads from 1933Wikimedia Commons Geographically, the region rises from the upper Thames meadows to an escarpment overlooking the Severn Valley. The highest point in the area is Cleeve Hill, which reaches an elevation of 1,083 feet (330 m). The Cotswolds spans several counties, including Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, and is recognized for its predominantly rural character and preserved grassland habitats.