Cirencester lies on the fringes of the Cotswolds but nonetheless is often proclaimed as 'Capital of the Cotswolds’. It is a lovely town that in Roman times was second only to London in size, wealth and importance.
The Roman settlement was called Corinium and it was an extremely civilised place to live. Colonnaded walkways, sumptuous buildings and an amphitheatre graced the streets but these were destroyed in the 6th century by Saxons, who later rebuilt on the site. You can find out more about Roman Cirencester at the Corinium Museum in Park Street.
The town enjoyed another boom in the Middle Ages, when it was home to the largest wool market in England. The market place is still at the heart of the town and bears outward signs of early prosperity. The Church of St. John the Baptist, which looks far more like a cathedral than a parish church, was funded by the wealthy wool merchants of the 14th and 15th centuries. These days the market trades on Mondays and Fridays.
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