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Lechlade
is a delightful market town to visit when on holiday. Close
to the Oxfordshire border, stands beside the River Thames
at its highest navigable point.
Lechlade
played a part in the Cotswolds wool trade but grew to promience
as a staging post for goods and passengers on the Thames.
Cheese was shipped down river by the 17th century and when
the Severn and Thames Canal was opened the town traded in
coal. By the late 19th century visitors were attracted to
the town for fishing and boating.
Leisure
boats have completely replaced the trading boats and Lechlade
continues to serve the needs of recreation on the river.
The statue of Old Father Thames at St John's Lock just above
Lechlade, marks the the head of the navigation and upstream
from here the river winding and attractive.
For
the tourist Lechlade has many interesting old buildings and
two fine bridges, at St. John's and Halfpenny Bridge, to see.
The town is still focused around its market place, dominated
by the 15th century church of St Lawrence. The slender spire
of this wool church is a landmark across the water meadows.
Near
Lechlade stand two fine country houses - the Adam-style mansion
of Buscot and Kelmscott, the home of William Morris from 1871
- 96.
At Filkins
near Lechlade stands Cotwolds Woollen Weavers, a splendid
18th century mill still creating beautiful woollen cloth using
age-old production methods.
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Lechlade-on-Thames
Cotswolds
Woollen Weavers, Filkins, Near Lechlade, GL7 3JJ, just
off A361 between Lechlade and Burford, is a splendid 18th century
mill that still creates woollen cloth using age-old production
methods.Tour the mill and discover the story of Cotswolds wool
and its affect on the development of the region. Shop offers
a range of Cotswolds garments, knitwear, woollen cloth and accessories.
Open: daily Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun 14:00-18:00 - closed 25-31
Dec. Tel: 01367 860491
