Between the 13th and 16th centuries, the Cotswolds was one of the wealthiest regions in England. Cotswold Lion sheep produced fine, heavy fleeces that were exported across Europe. The 'wool churches' built with this wealth — at Chipping Campden, Northleach, and Cirencester — are among the finest parish churches in England. The honey-coloured limestone buildings that define the Cotswold landscape were largely built during this prosperous era. Even the name 'Chipping' comes from the Old English 'ceaping', meaning market.
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history · Cotswold Way
The Cotswold Wool Trade
The golden stone buildings you see across the Cotswolds were funded by medieval wool wealth. Cotswold sheep produced the finest fleece in Europe.
“The 'wool churches' built with this wealth — at Chipping Campden, Northleach, and Cirencester — are among the finest parish churches in England.”
Discover at these markers