This day was a planned rest day after a week on the trail. During a wonderful breakfast at the Falcon Inn, we met a couple Americans also walking the Cotswold Way and enjoyed comparing our recent hikes along the CW. Then, with the day ahead of us to relax, we set off after breakfast to inspect the community around Painswick.
Along the way, I noticed an old red mailbox. It is always fun to check these out because they offer clues as to when they were installed. This box had a “GR” on it, indicating that it was placed there during the reign of George V, between 1910 and 1936.
We walked out to the Painswick Rococo Gardens, about half a mile out of town. The extensive gardens gave us an enjoyable couple hours of casual strolling through planned displays of the local flora.
Returning to town, we walked down to the millstream where all the woolen mills had been located. Some of the mills were still standing and have been restored as private residences.
We took another pass through the churchyard, this time noting the huge yew trees. A placard in the church states there has been a church on this site since the Doomsday Book in 1086. This census document was commissioned by William the Conqueror after the French invaded England in 1066.
Relaxed and refreshed, we settled down for a delicious dinner and a second night at the Falcon Inn, anticipating the next day’s adventures on the trail!
One thought