Cotswolds

Cotswolds

Cotswolds (/ˈkɒtswoʊldz/; from Old English cot, meaning 'cottage', and wold, meaning 'hill') is a rural area of south central England covering parts of 6 counties, notably Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. Its rolling hills and grassland harbour thatched medieval villages, churches and stately homes built of distinctive local yellow limestone.

Etymology

The name Cotswolds is popularly attributed the meaning "sheep enclosure in rolling hillsides", incorporating the term, wold, meaning hills. However, the English Place-Name Society has for many years accepted that the term Cotswolds is derived from Codesuualt of the 12th century or other variations on this form, the etymology of which was given, 'Cod's-wold', which is 'Cod's high open land'.

Geography

The Cotswolds area is defined by the bedrock of Jurassic limestone that creates a type of grassland habitat rare in the UK and that is quarried for the golden-coloured Cotswold stone. It contains unique features derived from the use of this mineral; the predominantly rural landscape contains stone-built villages, historical towns and stately homes and gardens.

Related Terms

• Gloucestershire
• Oxfordshire
• Jurassic limestone
• Cotswold stone
• Rural landscape

See Also

• List of places in the Cotswolds
• Cotswold Way
• Cotswold stone buildings

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Cotswolds
• Wikipedia's article - Cotswolds

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