A Slice of England Through an American Lens – Post 1: Gardens, Gates, Doors, and Stone

The Cotswolds have a reputation as one of the most beautiful places in England. Traveling here was exciting and comforting at the same time. From all the English novels I’ve read, it is very familiar, but really seeing centuries-old buildings and doors, touching ancient stones, and smelling flowers in lovely English gardens was exhilarating!

Cotswolds’ roads run by fields, meadows, trees, hedgerows, and picturesque villages. I never saw a billboard or strip mall in my two days there. I never saw an ugly home like those that clutter the US. The villages were stunning, really a walk back in time.

There is a respect, bordering on reverence, for historic buildings here. Even new buildings and their details are built in an old style using materials that are the same or similar to the old ones. Of course not all of England is like this – the Cotswolds is a unique, special place.

Most buildings are made of local stone.

Local stone is also used on the many stone walls.

They are often graced by plants or covered with lichen.

And so the past stays embedded in the present.

Next up: cottages, doors and gardens