Cowley, a Civil Parish and Village in the Cotswold District, Gloucestershire, England
Cowley is a rural parish and village that lies above the Cotswold escarpment in the Cotswold District of the County of Gloucestershire in England. It sits between Cirencester and Cheltenham in the Churn Valley. The name of the village came from the words “cow” and “leigh” and translates to a cow pasture.
The village is made up of only 40 houses scattered around a circular road that wraps around the side of a small valley then goes back down the base of the V-shape. Most of the houses are clustered on the higher lane while only two sit in the back lane. Three houses are sitting up on a hilltop above the small valley. Visitors will know for sure that they are entering the village from A435 because of two large pillars on both sides guarding the entrance of the road which was once the entrance of the Cowley Manor Estate. It is a beautiful road on any sunny day as the sun rays splinter across the road lined with horse chestnut and lime trees.
Food, Shopping and Accommodation in Cowley
Most of the residents of this town work in Cheltenham and residents go to Cheltenham to shop. In spite of its sparse population, it still boasts of a church, hotel, and a pub plus a telephone box and post box which are the only forms of public amenities. The country hotel is called the Cowley Manor. It was previously owned by the Horlicks family.
Things to See and Do in Cowley
The church which dates back to the 12th Century is the Church of St Mary which sits beside the Manor. The name of the village pub is Green Dragon located near the Deer Park managed by the Girlguiding Gloucestershire. The town too is very popular with hikers and visitors to the Cotswold.