The old market town of Fairford sits on the banks of the River Coln, 8 miles east of Cirencester and 4 miles west of Lechlade. As it`s name indicates, it is a "Good" place to cross (Ford) the river and people have been doing so for millennia; Iron Age man, the Romans and Anglo Saxons all passed this way. In 1850 an Anglo Saxon cemetery was discovered at the western end of the town and in 1998 part of it`s settlement was unearthed, and in 2006 a Roman cemetery was found near Fairford with evidence of Roman and Anglo Saxon dwellings. By 1066 the land was under the control of the Saxon Earl Brittric, after the invasion his lands were given to Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror (Brittric had spurned Matilda`s advances whilst he was ambassador to the Court of the Duke of Flanders). By the fifteenth century the area around was part of the estates of the Earls of Warwick but, after the Battle of Barnet where Richard Neville - the Kingmaker - was killed, they passed to Edward IV. They were acquired by a Cirencester cloth merchant, John Twynyho and his son-in-law John Tame, John Tame moved to Fairford in 1491 and got permission to rebuild the church. It was rebuilt in the Perpendicular style with an elaborate tower on the earlier foundations, but it is most famed for it`s 28 stained glass windows made for the church by Barnard Flower, Henry VII`s Master Glass Painter. During the 18th & 19th centuries the town became a stopping place for stage coaches on the route from Gloucester to London, but of the five coaching Inns the operating at the time only the Bull Inn still serves it original function. Today Fairford has much to offer, walks along the river, the Cotswold Water Park, the 17th century Fairford Mill and a wealth of fine buildings and not forgetting RAF Fairford the home of the Royal International Air Tattoo.
Dentist
Hughendon House Dental Practice
White Cottage Dental Practice
Doctor
Market
Pub and Bar
Restaurant
Vet
Shops
7a Coffee Shop & Delicatessen
Andrew Butler Butchers
Deli Allium
Merryheart
Kim Sutton Gallery
Fairford Opticians
Places to Stay near Fairford
Bull Hotel (0.27 miles)
An historic 15th century family run hotel in the south Cotswolds. Run with charm and warmth expected from an hotel of this calibre.
This historic 15th century family run hotel is situated in Fairford's famous ... More | visit website
Waiten Hill Farm (0.54 miles)
Lady Lamb Farm (1.26 miles)
Masons Arms (2.38 miles)
The Masons Arms is the quintessential english pub set in the heart of the cotswolds and we provide the perfect base for exploring all that the local area has to offer. all rooms are en-suite ... More | visit websiteThe New Inn At Coln St Aldwyns (2.54 miles)
The Red Lion (3.44 miles)
New Inn Hotel (3.78 miles)
Bibury Court Hotel (4.11 miles)
Probably the best kept secret in the Cotswolds, Bibury Court Hotel offers the ultimate in peace, tranquility and comfort. Set in 6 acres and bounded by the River Coln, the Court is a beautiful ... More | visit website
Swan Hotel (4.41 miles)
Crown of Crucis (5.30 miles)
The Crown of Crucis is to be found in a picturesque village setting in the beautiful South Cotswolds near the town of Cirencester known as Corinium in its heyday of ... More
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