CORNWELL

The Cotswolds village of Cornwell is an attractive privately owned village and most of it can only be accessed from a private road which runs through the village.

The estate website describes Cornwell as "an un-modernised medieval village that can be traced back to the doomsday book". All the cottages in Cornwell were however remodelled in 1939 by Clough Williams-Ellis, who had designed Portmeirion in north Wales. He remodelled the former village school in neo-Georgian style as the village hall.

The Grade II* listed village church, St. Peter's, was originally Norman, and the chancel arch survives from this time. Most of the windows are Decorated Gothic and Perpendicular Gothic additions. The church was rebuilt in 1830 and 1882, when the present west window was added. For the history and full information about St. Peter's Church click here.

St. Peter's is a pretty little church on the outskirts of the village and is well worth a visit. However there is no direct vehicular access to the church and it is poorly signposted and the signpost to the car park is only visible as you exit the church! The footpath to the church crosses a small field and the final access is along a fine avenue of lime trees.

The manor house dates from the 16th or 17th century and is also Grade II* listed. The house too was  restored by Williams-Ellis and he added a ballroom and laid out the gardens. The house is available to rent and for weddings.

Cornwell is about 3 miles west of Chipping Norton on an unclassified road.