Cirencester today is a lively market town and a focal point for Cotswold life. It also has a long history,
which is the pride of local people and visitors alike. Although there may be relatively little to see of the important Roman town which once flourished here and only one gatehouse of the wealthy medieval
abbey, the town does boast the largest parish church in Gloucestershire and it has a wonderful array of fine Cotswold stone buildings.
In its historic areas it retains the architectural style and quality of the prosperous wool processing and
cloth-weaving town of the 17th and 18th centuries. The town remains self-contained and unspoilt whilst at the same time playing its full part in providing services and community focus for its residents
and the people of the district.
Many writers have praised Cirencester. One of these was Alec Clifton-Taylor, who made a television
programme here in 1984 for his national series on the best historic market towns in England.
He said:
˜In Roman times it was the second largest town after London, and now it has just over 17,000
inhabitants. There are all kinds of architectural styles but, because they are all built of the same Cotswold stone, they marry. It is a place where scenery plays second fiddle to buildings.
If I had a foreign friend visiting from abroad, I think the first place I would take him would be the
Cotswolds. It is English architecture at its most English and Cirencester is the self-proclaimed capital.
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