Читать книгу Cycling in the Cotswolds. 21 half and full-day cycle routes, and a 4-day 200km Tour of the Cotswolds онлайн

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History

The Cotswolds have a long history of human settlement, with a few early finds dating back to the Stone Age. However, the earliest records of widespread settlement in the region begin around 4000BC in the Neolithic era (the late Stone Age). Some places, such as Salmondsbury Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) near Bourton-on-the-Water (Routes 4 and 7) are thought to have been farmed continuously since that time. Burial chambers from Neolithic to Roman times are commonplace – such as the long barrows of Belas Knap (near Route 22, Day 1) and Hetty Pegler’s Tump (close to Route 16).

The Romans left many signs of their presence in the 1st to 5th centuries: Corinium forms the basis of modern-day Cirencester; the remnants of several Roman roads such as the Fosse Way and Ryknield Street still criss-cross the region; and archaeological evidence suggests several wealthy Romans had villas in the region. When the Romans eventually went south, Angles and (more often) Saxons moved in, with Alfred the Great (of Wessex) and Aethelstan (the first King of England) being of notable mention.