Farmington

An Overview

The village sits at the top of a ridge surrounded by valleys cut, over the ages, by water and ice. It’s a sleepy place, with a fine manor house behind high walls and the little roads that run through the place are single track, often with gates and cattle grids, speaking of an old-fashioned stock rearing system. Much of the old Cotswolds is still criss-crossed with these gated roads which stem from the time when sheep outnumbered the people by a factor of several hundred.

The small building over the well in the centre of the green is an old building that has survived through the ages. In 1935 its thatched roof was replaced with local stone tiles courtesy of the inhabitants of Farmington, in Connecticut USA, to mark the tercentenary of the foundation of their state. Now that’s a kind and generous thing to do. Farmington Conneticut is obviously a thriving community.

Farmington

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The church is well worth a visit. It’s a Norman church of nave and chancel, to which the North aisle of which Evans speaks was added in around 1200 and a west tower around 1500. The embattled tower is in three stages, with rather lovely painted stone clock faces to the west and east.

It has to be said the North Isle was rather badly redone by Waller and son in around 1890. I suppose when Evans was here it was quite recent and therefore even more irritating. The Chancel arch has some elaborate chevron and three attached jamb shafts. Similar decorations can be found on the South door, protected by the porch.

The alter is of local stone, probably quarried about a mile north of the village where stone is still taken from the ground for ornamental purposes.

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After years of documenting our exploration of Cotswold hotspots like Bourton on the Water, Burford and Broadway, we realised that many more beautiful villages were hidden amongst the valleys and vales of the Cotswolds.

These villages were just as beautiful as their widely popular tourist counterparts, but almost completely unheard of – so we decided to tell their story and explore the history, heritage and culture behind them. The result, our series Hidden Gems – exploring tiny medieval churches, ruined abbeys, historical artefacts and tales of a bygone era.

Starting in 2021, the series travels from the forgotten villages of Stanton and Stanway in the north, right down to the likes of Chedworth and Ablington, and includes many places hidden in plain sight, too.