The stories of STOW

Welcome to the wool town where every building tells its own tale

- Tracy Spiers

They say every face tells a story. But so does every building, every street, every town. Some stories remain secret, locked in diaries, attics, hearts whilst others are broadcast loud and clear or quietly recorded for others to find at their own leisure. Stow-on-the-Wold has many stories and my aim is to tell a few – but only a few – so that you are inspired to drive out to this historic, beautiful Cotswold town for yourself and find new ones.

Of course, if you are of a playful, creative disposition then it is likely you will appreciate the quirky, unusual stories that I like to uncover and I make no apology. But what fascinates me when writing about our plethora of towns and villages, is that whilst the buildings don’t change on the outside and at first glance there is a timelessness to them, the community’s story does, as people come and go.

If Stow – or Edwardstow as it was originally known – was a person, he/ she would stand the tallest against its fellows in the Cotswolds. In terms of height, this hilltop market town stands high on the Fosse Way (800ft above sea level) and according to an 18thcentury couplet, ‘Stow on-the-Wold where the winds blow cold,’ is a bit chilly. I must admit there is a notable drop in temperature as my husband and I travel from Stroud to Stow.

HISTORY