A guide to Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds of England, highlighting attractions, history, and visitor information.
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Gloucestershire Travel Guide - Cirencester A guide to Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds of England, highlighting attractions, history, and visitor information. |
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Cirencester Travel InformationSummary Extensive excavations of the old Roman town have revealed much of the town layout, and many of the remains uncovered during excavations are on display at the Corinium Museum. One of the most striking features to survive in Cirencester is the Roman amphitheatre, built in the 2nd century AD. It had a seating capacity of 8000, which was more than the entitre population of Corinium. Legends tell of mysterious tunnels under the site, but no evidence of these has ever been found. The amphitheatre is now run by English Heritage, and is open to the public at any time.
The parish church of St John the Baptist is known as The Cathedral of the Cotswolds. The chief architectural glory of the church is its elaborate 3 story south porch, which, curiously, was not built for the church, but as a meeting place for the monks of Cirencester Abbey. The Abbey is gone now, a victim of Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries, but visitors can stroll through the Abbey Grounds beside the current parish church. Inside the church you can view Anne Boleyn's Cup, a 16th century gilded silver goblet given by the unfortunate Queen Anne Boleyn to the doctor who cared for her daughter, Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth I.
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