March 3, 2025
8 mins
Destination: Cotswolds
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An Introduction to the Cotswold National Landscape (AONB)
Stretching across six counties, the captivating Cotswold National landscape is rural England at its most mellow. The landscape draws a unique warmth and richness from its buildings’ harmonising presence and limestone beauty.
The Cotswold Hills are the area’s central feature, and the Cotswold escarpment, which runs the length of the western edge of the Cotswolds, is a visible reminder of the region’s dominating geology of Jurassic limestone.
This limestone has influenced the way people have settled across the region and the look of the landscape through time.
Together, these elements form a quintessential English countryside that has remained largely unchanged for centuries. With almost 800 square miles of superb scenery, picturesque towns and villages there are endless opportunities to get out and explore the area on foot or by bike.
From epic trails and views to pretty villages and historic market towns, let’s explore the Cotswold National Landscape…
What is the Cotswolds National Landscape?
The Cotswolds National Landscape is the biggest national landscape in the UK. The Cotswolds National Landscape, formerly known as the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), is a designated protected area covering 790 square miles.
It stretches from Bath and Wiltshire in the south, through Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire to Warwickshire and Worcestershire in the north.
Around 3,000 miles of public footpath wind across the Cotswolds, including the 102 mile Cotswold Way National Trail.
Exploring these paths can take you through woodland, river valleys, across farmland and commons to spectacular viewpoints. Not forgetting passing through the infamous fairytale English villages such as Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold, Chipping Campden, Castle Combe and Bibury
The designation of National Landscape helps preserve the region’s rich natural beauty, cultural heritage, and biodiversity, ensuring its conservation for future generations while supporting sustainable tourism and farming practices.
Some plants in the Cotswolds are so rare that they have legal protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
When was the Cotswold AONB renamed Cotswold National Landscape?
Originally designated as an AONB in 1966 the name changed to National Landscape in 2020. This was part of a national rebrand of all AONBs in England and Wales to National Landscapes following a Government review.
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) have been a staple of British Geography lessons for many decades so the original acronym is likely to stay around for a while yet!
However, as a wider plan, it makes sense to remove the somewhat cumbersome AONB title and replace it with Cotswolds National Landscape in a bid to bring together the AONB with the national parks.
Characteristics of the Cotswold National Landscape
Vernacular Stone Buildings
The golden-hued limestone of the Cotswolds gives the region’s buildings their distinctive charm. Many cottages and farmhouses in the Cotswolds date back to the 17th and 18th centuries.
This local oolitic limestone, quarried for centuries, is used in everything from quaint cottages to grand manor houses. The vernacular architecture of the Cotswolds seamlessly blends with the surrounding landscape, thanks to its use of traditional building techniques and materials.
Vernacular stone buildings are characterised by their symmetry, with central doorways and windows and ‘eyebrow’ dormer windows in the attic. Other features include steeply pitched roofs, mullioned windows, and stone chimneys.
Today, many Cotswolds buildings are protected as listed buildings, recognising their historical and architectural significance. Protecting these buildings is vital to preserving the character and beauty of the Cotswolds National Landscape.
Dry stone Walls
As you enjoy walking in the Cotswolds, you can’t fail to notice the abundance of gorgeous dry stone walls in the area.
One of the defining features of the region, these walls have crisscrossed the area for centuries – with some even dating back over 5000 years. The earliest known example of dry stone walling is at Belas Knap near Winchcombe, built by our Neolithic ancestors circa 3000 BC.
Most of the walls you see in the Cotswolds originate from the 18th and 19th centuries when large tracts of open fields and downland were enclosed to offer shelter to sheep from wind and rain.
Built without mortar, these walls are held together purely by the skilful placement of stones, creating durable and aesthetically pleasing boundaries.
During a visit to the Cotswolds, you won’t need to plan a visit to see these dry stone walls because they are built across the whole countryside so simply put on your walking boots, and head out and explore.
Get up close and personal to the walls whilst you are hiking and you will find that they offer amazing habitat and wildlife corridors. Slow worms, bees, and wasps live within nooks and crannies within the stones, and often birds like wrens, wheatears, and little owls nest in spaces between the stones.
There is quite a skill to building and maintaining these walls, with many still employed today in the trade of ‘dry stone walling’.
The walls are usually built around 2 feet wide at the bottom, narrowing to 14 inches at the top and this narrowing technique is called a ‘batter’.
As the wall takes shape it is filled in the middle with small stones and every so often a ‘bonder’ or ‘througher’ is put in to hold the two faces together.
Each stone is carefully tilted slightly downwards with a packing of small stones to allow any water that gets inside to run out. Once the required height is achieved, rows of stones are placed upright to complete the wall.
Hedges
Beyond its stone walls, the Cotswold landscape is also shaped by its hedgerows. These hedges, composed of native species such as hawthorn, blackthorn, and hazel, provide crucial corridors for wildlife and act as windbreaks to protect farmland.
Hedges in the Cotswold are protected by law with regulations in place to protect their historical, natural and cultural importance. It is against the law to remove most hedgerows without permission.
Aside from the strict rules surrounding hedgewrows, there are beautiful examples of more tamed and sculpted hedgerows to be found within famous gardens of the Cotswolds such as Hidcote and Rococo.
If you enjoy the spectacle of a hedge, then you’ll be delighted to come across the World’s Tallest Yew Hedge at a stately home in Cirencester. Cirencester Park sits within the town of Cirencester and is screened from the town by the tallest yew hedge in the world.
It is a beautiful, 300-year-old feature of the family grounds and something which is frequently recorded in local and international history, especially when it comes to its annual trim! A job that takes two people, two weeks to complete the 40 ft high and 150 ft wide hedge.
Cirencester Park is open to the public daily.
Permanent Pastures
Permanent pastures, untouched by modern ploughing methods, support a rich diversity of plant and animal life.
Grazing livestock (mostly sheep – which the Cotswolds are well known for), maintains the character of the land and offers a nod to the historic wool industry, which played a pivotal role in shaping both the Cotswolds and England’s medieval economy.
Many Cotswold pastures display “ridge and furrow” patterns, remnants of ancient ploughing techniques.
Archaeological Sites
If combining history with exploring is your thing then the Cotswolds doesn’t disappoint.
The Cotswolds is a treasure trove of archaeological sites that offer glimpses into Britain’s ancient past. There are several very significant ancient sites in the Cotswold area. From Neolithic long barrows like Belas Knap to the impressive Roman remains at Chedworth Villa, the region is steeped in history.
The remnants of Iron Age hill forts, such as those at Uley Bury and Crickley Hill, highlight the strategic importance of the Cotswolds in prehistoric times. These sites, combined with medieval market towns and centuries-old churches, reveal the layers of history that have contributed to the region’s historical significance.
8 Interesting Facts about The Cotswolds National Landscape
1. The Largest AONB in England and Wales
Covering over 2,000 square kilometers, the Cotswolds is the largest designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales.
2. Home to the Oldest Inn in England
The Porch House in Stow-on-the-Wold is believed to be the oldest inn in England, dating back to 947 AD.
3. Shakespeare’s Family Connections
The Cotswolds played a role in William Shakespeare’s life, as his maternal grandfather was from the region, and the wool trade influenced his family’s wealth.
4. Roman Heritage
The town of Cirencester, once known as Corinium, was the second largest Roman city in Britain and features fascinating ruins and artifacts.
5. A Filmmaker’s Paradise
Many movies and TV series, including Pride and Prejudice, Downton Abbey and the recent Jilly Cooper Novel adaptation, Rivals have been filmed in the Cotswolds. The region’s unspoilt whimsical charm and abundance of grand country manor houses, make for fabulous film locations for period and modern day dramas alike.
6. A Haven for Rare Wildlife
The Cotswolds is home to rare species such as the Duke of Burgundy butterfly, the brown hairstreak butterfly, and an abundance of wildflowers that thrive in the limestone grasslands.
7. A Rich Equestrian Tradition
The Cotswolds hosts some of the UK’s most prestigious equestrian events, including the Cheltenham Festival, a world-famous horse racing event and the Badminton Horse Trials at Badminton House in Gloucestershire.
8. England’s Most Beautiful Walking Trails
With our head office located in the heart of the Cotswolds, we’re somewhat biased, but we believe the area offers some of the most beautiful walking trails.
Over 3,000 miles of footpaths and trails, including the famous Cotswold Way, the Cotswolds is a paradise for hikers and nature lovers. It’s hard to beat!
Whether you’re walking along its scenic trails, exploring its historic sites, or simply soaking in the charm of its honey-coloured villages, the Cotswold AONB offers an enduring connection to England’s rural past.
It is a picturesque region celebrated for its rolling hills, historic villages, and rich cultural heritage. There are many ways to explore the region and to experience the English beauty.
