Towns in Britain.co.uk
Cirencester
Information

Cover: Why the Phoenix? The  Phoenix is central to the Arms of Cirencester. A mythical bird and the only one  of its kind, the Phoenix lived in the Arabian desert for several centuries,  burnt itself on a funeral pyre and rose from the ashes with renewed youth to  live through another cycle of life. The Phoenix therefore symbolises renewal. In  Cirencester it has been a symbol in the town since at least the 17th  century

The Barracks.Cecily Hill
History

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.