The reputation of the small village of Stow on the Wold was dealt a crippling in 2005 when the controversial journalist and gossip columnist A A Gill lambasted the town in his autobiography. What compelled him to be so cutting in his criticism, or so bitter in his remarks is anyone's guess but the comments made then were as unfounded as they were harsh. The history of the village is a remarkable one, and this seemingly humble settlement proved to be a major flashpoint during the English Civil War. Given that the village straddles the very tip of a 800 foot hill, the major strategic advantage this posed for any military commander this hardly comes as a surprise.
St. Edward's Church, so callously dismissed by Gill in his tirade about the village happened to be the prison used to contain many prisoners of war all of whom were from the Royalist faction. Very little of the original design of the Church remains to this day as the Royalists, eager to take revenge caused a great deal of damage to the building which had been synonymous with their defeat.
The town has always enjoyed a strong military presence, the village was used by the Romans as a defensive fortification in order to prevent Briton raiding parties coming any further into the southern parts of the country. The Romans whilst being famed for the roads that they left the towns of Britain, helped to be especially helpful for the village, and it was thanks to Fosse Way that the village developed into a bustling and thriving market community.
We hope you enjoy your stay in one of our cheap Stow on the Wold hotels, mid range or luxury Stow on the Wold hotels.
