For anyone interested in history, there can be no better place to explore than Gloucestershire. Strategically located, the county was a place where battles were won and lost. Gloucestershire was a thriving county for trading traversed by merchants from all over the British Isles.
The prosperity and growth of the Gloucestershire county towns was due to the rich local resources and its significance as a place to trade. As wool merchants, cheese merchants, apple growers and others prospered, so did the local economy with magnificent architect designed public buildings and homes showing the local wealth off to visitors then and now.
Here at Cooks Green Cottage we have the perfect base for visiting historic places of interest, museums, and buildings. Our holiday cottage is part of the rich history of the county and offers the highest levels of comfort and cleanliness with welcoming open fires and snugly sofas to curl up in. Fully equipped, you can cater for all of your own needs and please yourself when to cook, when to relax and kick back. We have free Wi-Fi for those with smart phones and laptops, ideal if you need to do some work or access the websites of some of the local attractions.
Gloucestershire is blessed with many museums that are creative and offer interactive experiences as well as presenting objects and artefacts in a conventional way. Here we highlight just a few of the favourites for history lovers that will suit all members of the family.
Holst Birthplace Museum
Gustav Holst famous composer of The Planets Op.32 suite was born 1847 and lived in the magnificent Regency terraced house where the museum is located. The story of Holst’s life and music is told in great detail. There are exhibitions of his belongings and the famous piano where he composed his music and played.
The house itself is a wonderful snapshot of times past and includes a full working Victorian kitchen, and Edwardian nursery and beautiful Regency drawing room.
Periodic events such as Diwali celebration (Holst was fascinated by Hindu culture) and a children’s Victorian Christmas experience make this museum approachable and friendly.
Nature in Art Museum at Wallsworth Hall
Wallsworth Hall is host to the Nature in Art Gallery and Museum. The gallery and museum has the distinction of being the world’s first dedicated to decorative and fine art inspired by nature. From paintings to ornamental objects, the common theme is fascinating and much work is a window to the beauty of the local countryside with exhibitions from local regions. You will see an eclectic mix of 1500-year-old mosaics featuring birds through to contemporary art.
Wallsworth Hall is an historic building as fascinating as the exhibits it houses. A curious history falling into different hands culminated in the purchase by the Nature in Art trust who have painstakingly worked on the building restoration. The roof houses one of the largest bat roosts in the county! Considered one of the county’s grandest buildings, the setting is wonderful and you can enjoy several hours wandering around the gallery and the house, which was built on the site of a Tudor house in 1740.
The Corinium Museum
Romans
Corinium is the former name for the town we know as Cirencester. It was the second largest Roman town in the days of Roman Britain. The Corinium Museum is home to one of the largest Romano British collections of antiquities in the United Kingdom.
This family friendly museum allows you to experience life as a Roman, visit the Roman garden, and see stunning well-preserved mosaics.
Saxons
Some outstanding forensic reconstructions of Saxon heads bring you face to face you are your ancestors and their wealth of treasures. Find out first hand what an Anglo-Saxon really looked like. This is an exciting display sure to amuse the kids!
Follow stories along a timeline of the Iron Age to English Civil War and to the rise of the Gloucestershire towns with new prosperity of the wool trade. There is so much to do in this vibrant museum to keep all the family amused.