We understand that the last few months have created a lot of uncertainty for travellers, so we wanted to share the steps we’ve taken to ensure your health and safety.
While we’ve always gone to great lengths to best maintain and prepare for your arrival, we’ve since updated our operating protocols and are allocating extra cleaning time between guests to disinfect and sanitize all high-touch surfaces. You can rest assured that it will be clean and safe for your stay!
We are committed to ensuring you have a successful stay, and are available if you need additional information.
We have lavished care on this Grade 2 Listed Cotswold stone cottage and it’s award-winning garden. “Claypot Cottage” has been completely refurbished and remodelled to combine comfort and style with country living
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Claypot Cottage is a gorgeous Grade II listed stone cottage 
We have lavished care on this Grade 2 Listed Cotswold stone cottage and it’s award-winning garden. “Claypot Cottage” has been completely refurbished and remodelled to combine comfort and style with country living.
Thinking Local and supporting the community, the cottage features artwork, which reflects the Cotswolds. Much of the artwork, has been sourced within a 10-mile radius.
Light fittings are from World Famous Original BTC based in Witney, just 20 minutes away and the bedroom furniture was created for us by Dormy House in the next county. Local crafts people were used in the renovation and Cotswold based Goose Joinery created the kitchen and new staircase.
We want to spoil our guests with carefully selected products when they arrive. In nearby Faringdon, they make the wonderful Little Goat Company Soaps, which are in the shower rooms and Cotswold Lavender products offer you a touch of local luxury for your body.
In the kitchen, you will find one of our welcome packs, which will be created using wonderful locally sourced ingredients
The ancient history of the village of Barnsley begins with an Iron Age settlement in Barnsley Park. When the Romans invaded, these inhabitants worked for the owner of the Roman villa built (in A.D. 360) on the same site. After the departure of the Romans and the capture of Cirencester by the Saxons (in 577 ) a Saxon village grew up on the site of the present village. Its name then was ‘Bearmodeslea’ – that is, Bearmod’s glade.
By Domesday, the village had 24 inhabitants; in 1197 it had become known as Barndesley. Three hundred years later it was royal property - Henry VIII gave it to each of his wives in turn - after which it passed to the Bourchier family, who held it for 200 years. Its inhabitants still earned their living through agriculture, increasingly, though, through the sheep that made the Cotswolds the centre of the wool trade.
In 1667 the head of the family, Brereton Bourchier, built Barnsley House, Church Cottage and a new farmhouse (now the older part of Church farm); the population of 100-odd now included a few tradesmen; and there was an inn.
To house the rising population, which peaked at 318 in 1821, new cottages were built along the Cirencester-Bibury road between 1810-1820. Six of the 200 who lived in the village in the early 1900s lost their lives in the 1914-18 war. Today only a few of us work on the land.
Claypot Cottage is 90 minutes from West London by car or 60 minutes by train from Paddington. the village of Barnsley (on the B4425 Cirencester to Bibury road) Beautiful and peaceful, Barsnley Village is in the very heart of the Cotswolds.
Known as the capital of the Cotswolds, Cirencester is a busy and buzzing market town. Our favourite days are Mondays and Fridays when it’s large market square comes to life with traders and shoppers from surrounding villages. Cirencester is also renowned for its boutique arts and crafts shops.
is just a short drive from Cirencester. Once described by William Morris (1834-96) as ‘the most beautiful village in England,” Bibury’s attractions include Arlington Row, the Bibury Trout Farm and the Church of St Mary.
We have a relationship with Laura of EyeKandi. She is happy to arrange a visit to Claypot so that you can treat yourself to some pampering. The Spa at Barnsley House hotel is just down the road and offers a truly luxurious experience in boutique surroundings.
A small selection of our favorites in the area:
The Village Pub, Barnsley is a real favorite of ours. Barnsley House is a very exclusive country house hotel. Upton Smokery is only a few miles towards Burford and is recommended for Sunday Lunch.
Ordering food ahead of your stay:
Traditional Butchers, Jesse Smith
Tel: 01285 653 352 | Fax: 01285 640 461
Numerous museums nearby such as the fascinating and world famous Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford and the Ashmoleum with its Egyptian collection of mummies and other world treasures. You can visit many working farms and bird sanctuaries.
The Adam Henson's Cotswold Farm Park near Guiting Power specialises in rare breeds of animals and offers seasonal demonstrations include lambing, shearing and milking.
Slimbridge Wetlands Centre is an internationally important reserve and home to the worlds largest collection of rare and exotic water-birds. In addition there are walks of differing lengths, the Discovery Centre with hands on displays and a nice cafe.
This 120 acre park is home to a collection of animals from all over the world. Many of the animals are threatened or endangered species in the wild. In addition to the animals and gardens there is a cafe, adventure playground and narrow gauge railway
There are all the sports you could wish for including water sports, boating on the Thames, fishing, golf, walking and horse riding. The beautiful Cotswolds are wonderful to explore on horseback, and the surrounding area is well known for its public bridleways and riding centres.
Fishing in the area’s numerous trout farms, lakes and rivers Golfing, there are some excellent golf courses locally. Bourton Cycles provide quality hire bikes, bike sales, servicing and repairs.
In the future, we hope to offer a choice of arrival hampers. In the meantime, do contact them directly to place an order for your collection from their shops, which are both nearby.
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