Ozleworth Circular

About trip

This must be one of the quietest parts of the Cotswolds, often with nothing but the farm animals and the wildlife to break the silence. Once enveloped inside the woodland it is hard to imagine that you are barely a mile (1.5km) from the car. Ozleworth is hardly a village at all, just a few buildings surrounding the 18th century manor house. Indeed, you have to wonder at the presence of the church in such an isolated spot. The present belies the past, however, for the area was once relatively heavily populated. Directions: a Park just before the stone gateposts before the sharp bend in the road. Go through the gate signposted ‘Church Bridle Path’ to the left of the main entrance. At the road turn right and then left at the ‘Bridle Path’ sign keeping the metal fence on your right. b Where the road turns sharply to the right, turn left through a gate marked ‘Public Bridleway’ and then immediately right through a gate into the field. Walk downhill and, at the cottages, turn left heading slightly uphill to a gate at the edge of the wood. Follow the path through the wood alongside the stream to join a track. c Turn left onto the track and then immediately turn right uphill. After about 50yds (45m) go down steps on the right to a footbridge. Cross the bridge, go through a gate and follow the signposted footpath keeping the stream and fence to your left. d Walk past the old stone bridge to cross the stream a little further upstream on a well-defined track. Walk uphill, along the edge of the wood, across the cattle grid and onto a metalled road. Just before the gate and stone pillars turn right, signposted ‘Bridle Path’. Walk past the pond and turn right onto the road until you meet the outward route at the next ‘Bridle Path’ sign and make your way back to the car. Places of Interest: 1 Incredibly, this row of cottages is the remains of a community once 1600 strong, attracted by the wool industry. The nearby Little Avon River had sufficient strength to power many mills in this area. 2 Glimpses of the 12 acres (5ha) of beautifully restored gardens of Ozleworth Park estate are visible from the footpath. The gardens are privately owned but are occasionally open to the public to reveal vegetable plots, a rose garden, lily ponds, orchard and woodland area. 3 This small Norman church is remarkable for several features. It stands in a circular church yard, almost 150 feet (45m) in diameter, that clearly exceeded the parish requirements. The church is thought to have been placed in a pre-Christian ritual site. The most striking feature is probably the unusual six-sided tower, but there is also some superb stone carving on the south doorway and on the west tower arch.