Okay, you had us at “the Doors of Durin.” We took the bus (#801) to Stow-on-the-Wold. The same bus stops in Bourton-on-the-Water and Northleach, and near Upper and Lower Slaughter, so it would be easy to combine visits. The bus drops you off in the town square, where you can see buildings in the famous Cotswold stone all around you.
We were lucky enough to spot a couple of old cars too.
Streets branch off the market square in all directions.
Many of them had plants growing on them, including some fall colors. There were still roses blooming too.
Stow-on-the-Wold is home the The Porch House, England’s oldest inn. We don’t know if that door is original. It’s certainly old.
Small alleys and cul-de-sacs branch off the main streets and are fun to poke around.
The highlight for us was St Edward’s Church, or more specifically, these doors, which were said to inspire the Doors of Durin (the doors to Moria) in The Lord of the Rings. And we were lucky enough to be the only people there when we got there! The church is surprisingly light inside. The exterior and surrounding churchyard are more interesting.
As you approach the edge of the village you can see the surrounding hills. Stow-on-the-Wold is the highest Cotswold town. We spent an hour and a half there, which gave us time to wander, buy a souvenir, and get something for tomorrow’s breakfast from a local bakery, before getting back on the bus with a bunch of kids leaving school.
