Besides great sights, an interesting history and many exciting destinations, Tewkesbury has a lot more to offer. Here you will find many helpful tips to enjoy your vacation in Tewkesbury.
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Sights in Tewkesbury
The town of Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, England is home to a number of historic sights and buildings. The town is most famous for its Abbey, a large Gothic cathedral which features heavily in the town’s history. The Abbey was founded in 715AD by the Saxon King Egbert, and has since been the scene of a number of important events in English history, including the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471.
Other notable sights in the town include the parish church of St.Mary’s, which dates back to the 12th century; the town hall, a handsome grade I listed building which was built in 1688; and the halftimbered Blackfriars monastery, which was founded in 1239.
Tewkesbury is also home to a number of museums, including the Museum of Early Submarine Warfare, the RoyalSignals Museum and the John Moore Country Museum. The town is a popular tourist destination and receives visitors from all over the world, especially during the annual Tewkesbury Medieval Festival, which takes place in July.
History of Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury is a historic town in the English county of Gloucestershire. The town centres on the River Avon and the Cross of John of Gaunt. Tewkesbury is close to the site of the Battle of Tewkesbury, which took place on 4 May 1471 during the Wars of the Roses.
The town’s name derives from Theoc, the AngloSaxon for “God”, and cognate with Teutonic Theo and Latin Theodorus. Theocrwich, meaning Theoc’s settlement, would have been pronounced “Teocris”, “Teucris” or “Teugris”.
The Old English name of the hill on which Tewkesbury Abbey now stands was records as Teotesburh. By 1086 it had become Tewkesbury when William the Conqueror’s surveyor wrote down the name variously as Tancsberie, Tancsberi and Tanquesberie.
Tewkesbury has been a market town since the Middle Ages. It lies on the River Avon about 8mi northeast of Cheltenham and about 20mi southwest of Worcester.
The town was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as a vill or town under the King’s hundred of Cheltenham, in the Domesday monastery of Winchcombe. King Henry I granted a charter for a weekly market in 1189. King John visited the town just once, in 1207, and in 1256 granted a charter for an annual fair. The market and fair were held on the hill above the town, at what is now Castle Hall Lane.
By the 14th century the market had declined somewhat, and in 1339 Edward III granted a new charter with a market on Thursdays and an annual fair on 29 September.
The Abbey gateway dates from the early 14th century, though the Abbey itself was not founded until a century later. The Abbey church was consecrated in 1559 and made parochial in 1574.
Henry III founded an abbey here in 1232, enlarged it in 1256. At its greatest extent it included twentyfour of the fiftysix manors belonging to Tewkesbury. Twenty monastic buildings stood within the abbey precincts, ranging from the great church and cloisters to a style of domestic architecture known as Tewkesbury’s bridges, which were small arched lodgings built to house guests and pilgrims. The last abbot, Robert King, surrendered the Abbey to Henry VIII’s commissioners in 1539.
After the dissolution of the monasteries, the Abbey property passed to the Crown, and in 1542 was bought by Sir Edward Warner and his brother Thomas, who presented it to the town as a parish church. Thomas Chandler built a almshouse on Abbey Lawn in 1610. In the 1630s Sir Baptist Hicks, later created Viscount Campden, gave the Manor House, Tewkesbury Park, to the town.
An important battle of the Wars of the Roses was fought at Tewkesbury on 4 May 1471. At the height of the fighting, the Abbey’s bells were rung to call the people of the town to prayer. The Force qui Fut is still remembered in France as the Francs qui Fuient, “the fleeing French”.
The battle is commemorated by a plaque on the Cross in the town centre, and every year on the first Saturday in May, a historical pageantry and reenactment is held. Tewkesbury was among the first wave of towns to be given conservation area status in 1968.
Vacation in Tewkesbury
When one thinks of geographic regions rich in vacation possibilities, England is not usually the first country that comes to mind. However, the town of Tewkesbury in the county of Gloucestershire offers a surprising array of vacation options for those who take the time to explore it.
Situated on the banks of the River Avon, Tewkesbury is most famous for its medieval Abbey, one of the largest in England. The Abbey, founded in 715 AD, has been the site of many important historical events over the centuries, and is well worth a visit for history buffs.
For those looking for a more active vacation, Tewkesbury is also a great base for exploring the Cotswold region of England. The Cotswolds are a rural area characterized by rolling hills and quaint villages, and offer plenty of opportunity for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. There are also several golf courses in the area for those who enjoy a round or two.
Lastly, no trip to Tewkesbury would be complete without sampling some of the town’s famous local produce. The area is renowned for its asparagus, and every May the town celebrates Asparagus Festival, complete with a parade and a crowning of the Asparagus Queen. Tewkesbury is also home to several excellent pubs and restaurants, making it the perfect place to relax and enjoy a pint (or two) after a day of exploring.
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