Cricklade is the first town on the Thames and is historically significant as 'the most intact example of a late Saxon new town in Britain'.  Iron age trackways across the Thames floodplain led the Roman's to build a metalled road now the A419.  Cricklade lies between Swindon and Cirencestor and is adjacent to the Cotswolds and their water parks.

The name Cricklade means 'the place by the river crossing', and it formed an ideal layover for travellers en-route from Newbury to Gloucester or to London via the Thames in olden days.  

Cricklade boasts many attractive historical buildings dating back beyond the 17th century and a community atmosphere supported a High Street that has always formed a tight focus around which the town could grow. 

In 1821 William Cobbett in his 'Rural Rides' had this to say about the town.  "I passed through that villanous hole Cricklade about two hours ago, and certainly a more rascally looking place I have never set eyes on.  The labourers look very poor, the dwellings were little better than pigbeds and their food nearly equal to that of a pig".  Nothing could be further from the truth in modern day Cricklade

Cricklade is famous for it's 110 acre North Meadow which in 1973 was designated a National Nature Reserve. The meadow is one of the few places to view the rare snakehead Fritillaries and is host to 80% of the British population of this flower

Next page