Last updated on August 23rd, 2023 at 11:13 am
Bourton-on-the-Water is one of Britain’s honeypot villages. Situated in the Cotswolds, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that straddles five counties (Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire), Bourton-on-the-Water’s main claim to fame is that it is a very pretty village surrounded by lots of other very pretty villages. Perhaps ‘honeypot’ is an archaic term and we should now refer to these places as Instagram fodder. Looking through my old copy of ‘The Shell Book of English Villages’ and my even older copy of ‘English Villages and Hamlets’ by Humphrey Pakington (1945 edition), neither has anything particularly illuminating to say about Bourton-on-the-Water other than – well, it is extremely attractive. And you cannot argue with that.
Bourton-on-the-Water is quite a large place – almost a town – and mostly perfectly ordinary. However, at its centre is the exceptional High Street, with a wide green flanked on the south-west by the crystal-clear River Windrush bubbling alongside it. Pakington suggests that the water is so shallow that the ducks can only paddle – and that is certainly what many of the younger visitors do. Spanning the river are five picturesque stone bridges, dating from the 17th to the 20th centuries, four of which are pedestrian only. The path that runs alongside the river is fronted by tempting little shops, charming houses and alluring pubs and restaurants, all constructed of the golden, Jurassic, limestone for which the Cotswolds is renowned. You can’t get much more picture-postcard than this.
The combination of buildings and water inspired some fan of hyperbole long ago to refer to Bourton as ‘the Venice of the Cotswolds’ – and the title stuck. It is somewhat of a misnomer, if only because there are no gondolas – or gondoliers. Oh, and it doesn’t look much like Venice. Apart from that, I’m sure it helped no end with marketing, though Bourton-on-the-Water does not need much in the way of promotion these days. When the ABAB team arrived for a brief visit and overnight stay, the place was mobbed with tourists of all shapes, sizes, ages and origins. There was even a brass band playing on the green. Naturally, it took a while to realise it all hadn’t been arranged in our honour. Still, the band was excellent, the sun was shining, there was a festive air and our fellow sightseers were generally civilised; so it was quite pleasant, if somewhat crowded.
Once you have exhausted dipping in and out of souvenir shops, sucking ice cream and supping a pint by the river whilst watching the world – or a good proportion of it – go by (almost guaranteed to keep me happy for several hours), you may start getting restless. For people like you, there are several other Things To Do in Bourton. These include a motor museum, which has an excellent reputation, and Birdland, which is somewhere that keeps birds. The thing we had come to see, however, was the model village.
Now, Bourton-on-the-Water’s Model Village is unusual in many ways. Firstly, it is a replica of the village it is located in; not all model villages are. You could say it is a model village of a model village. Anyway, it was the brainchild of Mr and Mrs C A Morris, who owned the Old New Inn at Bourton during the 1930s. Leisure motoring was taking off and they wanted something to attract day visitors. So, possibly inspired by Bekonscot in Beaconsfield, which opened in 1929 and claims to be the world’s oldest model village, they meticulously measured Bourton’s buildings and streets, enlisted the help of six local craftsmen, and set about replicating Bourton-on-the-Water at 1/9th scale in their back garden. Why 1/9?” I don’t know – but if anyone does, please enlighten the rest of us. A Bit About Britain likes to address the burning issues of the day.
A second, uncommon, feature of Bourton’s model village is that, rather than being created by model-makers, it was built by professional tradesmen who were used to working with normal-sized materials. Here, they created a beautiful miniature version of their village using authentic Cotswold limestone, tiny slates and other materials. The detail is exquisite, right down to delicate window tracery in the church, the Windrush flowing through and bonsaied plants in the gardens. The parish church of St Lawrence, with its distinctive domed tower, and the Baptist Chapel each have faithfully reproduced interiors. To cap it all, in 2013 Bourton-on-the-Water’s model village was awarded listed status, just like more than 100 of the real, full-sized, buildings in the village, the oldest of which date from the 17th century. The model took just four years to complete, from 1936-40, but was first opened in 1937, to celebrate the Coronation of King George VI. Having worked on many real-life projects, I would say that was an achievement. I guess the builders weren’t constantly disappearing to work on another model village and the client couldn’t keep changing their mind about the design, because it was what it was. The model hasn’t altered much in the passing years, because its subject hasn’t – though signs are faithfully replaced when shops and so on change names.
A team of stonemasons was at work on maintenance and restoration when we went round and it was fascinating to watch them. They worked from a block and skilfully cut away into it, etching out the details of stonework, doorways and other features. Naturally, the model village includes a model of itself and, presumably, a model inside that and so on until it is so small it cannot be seen by the naked eye.
The model village, and the Old New Inn, stayed in the Morris family until 1999 and has only had two owners since. If you stay in the Inn, as we did (it’s excellent, by the way), you get free entry into the model village – which also includes a couple of other interesting miniature exhibitions. I have to say that the whole place is charming, as are the people who run it.
Turning back to the full-sized village, if you want to take uncluttered photos of places like Bourton-on-the-Water, the only time to do so is early in the morning – or, possibly, out of season. Accordingly, I prematurely hauled my protesting and still slumbering carcass out of bed and set off with my trusty Instamatic. I was amused to see others doing the same, a feature of our times, for sure. Also abroad at that hour was a team of industrious street cleaners whose equipment included a large, shiny, truck with seriously big brushes and lots of flashing, amber, lights. The local authority obviously takes its tourism revenue very seriously – quite rightly – and goes out of its way to present the place at its very best for the next batch of visitors. In truth, I hadn’t spotted a great deal of litter anyway, despite the crowds of the previous day.
There is a good selection of places to eat in Bourton. We dined at The Old Manse Hotel, a riverside establishment that promised decent ale and appetising fare. I did wonder whether visitor numbers were exceptional when so many items seemed to be off the menu, but what was left was acceptable, without being earth-moving, the surroundings were lovely and the beer was good. However, I do find it puzzling that some places in Britain struggle with basic customer service. Let’s face it; customer service is not rocket science. Yet, after a perfectly pleasant experience to that point, when we ordered coffee at the end of our meal we were told we could not have any “because the machine had been turned off”. Now, within reason, I would expect coffee to be available to diners until they had finished dining. But, anyway, this was only 9.30 in the evening. We could have had dessert, so the refrigerator and microwave were still working, thank God; but coffee was too difficult. I asked the waiter whether the tea machine had been switched off too and, with no trace of humour, he confirmed that it had. Pillock.
With the focus on its appearance, guidebooks do not talk much about Bourton-on-the-Water’s history. Prehistoric remains are common in the area and there was an encampment on the edge of the modern village. Later, the Romans built a camp near a crossing over the Windrush and the Fosse Way, which linked Exeter and Lincoln and lies under the modern A429 in these parts. The parish church of St Lawrence is believed to be built on the site of a Roman temple and there was a Saxon church there in the 8th century. The name, Bourton, is Saxon. In the 1640s, the Rector of Bourton-on-the-Water was a Thomas Temple who was also chaplain to the Royal household and tutor to the Royal Princes. Charles I visited several times, including during the Civil War, in 1644. The Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold took place just four miles along the Fosse Way, in 1646. Unlike Charles I, Thomas Temple survived the war. The King’s son, Charles II, made him Bishop of Bristol after the Restoration.
Every August Bank Holiday Monday for about 70 years, a less than serious football match has taken place in the river, with two very wet teams from Bourton Rovers FC competing in front of hundreds of spectators. That would be worth seeing.
Finally, I have learned that the actor Wilfrid Hyde-White (1903-91), probably best known for playing Colonel Pickering in the 1964 musical ‘My Fair Lady’, was born in Bourton-on-the-Water and is buried there.
So now you know
More information from Bourton-on-the-Water’s website.
And here is the website for the Old New Inn and the Model Village.
Another spot that might be bus distance from Bath — and quite beautiful and photogenic (obviously!). Thanks for the history!
Thanks, Jeanie. As per Shaftesbury, it would probably be easier to drive! If you do get there, there is an easy walk to Lower Slaughter – also very picturesque!
Visited here briefly a few years ago on a tour of the Cotswolds from Bath. I love how you say to really capture the beauty you need to get up early! I think that goes for most places these days. We were able to get to Castle Combe before any other buses and it was magical! Like stepping into a storybook village! That model village is really something and would be very interesting to see. I can’t wait to visit more of the Cotswolds in a future trip.
I hope you do. I reckon the desire for scenic eye-candy on platforms like Instagram is forcing a lot of people out of their beds early!
What an amazing site to see.
Yes, it’s a lovely place 🙂
I have never visited Bourton and I have no idea why. It’s not so far from where I live. I have always been attracted to places by water. I find them very calming, although a throng of tourists might negate the effect. Perhaps I should aim to visit during the winter?! I have to agree wholeheartedly with a previous comment, you do make the reader feel as if we are actually visiting the place you are describing. Many thanks!
Thanks, June – that’s very kind! 🙂
Testing!
1,2,3…
A marvelous place!
Yeah – it’s great!
The coffee/tea story amazes me – well, the tea part is worse, isn’t it? No hot water, for Pete’s sake? Unless the kitchen was shutting down, they might have needed to cook rice or veg, or make soup. They won’t always get the tourists coming with an attitude like that.
It does look very pretty, but I was thinking almost too perfect until I saw the model village photos – I think I got a better feeling for the place with those – everything looked older there. (Even though it wasn’t!) When you say a football game in the river, do you mean rugby, or soccer? I’m trying to imagine it.
I could write reams on good/bad customer service! Ah – it’s a football game (no hands!) – what you would call soccer.
The model village is absolutely delightful – you would have a hard time getting me to do anything else there during a visit. And to think that there is a model village in the model village… Love it!!
Yes, I’ve come across the model village within a model village before (there’s one at Corfe, in Dorset) – but I like model villages in general. Huge fun!
The three elements that make a village look gentle are
1. Cream stone on the houses, churches, shops each and not harsh red bricks;
2. Tall trees along the roads; and
3. A meandering waterway through the centre.
Well down Bourton.
Thank you! Can’t argue too much with that – except red bricks can look good too, in the right circumstances.
You’re bringing back memories for me. Our Cotswold walk included a stop over in Bourton-on-the-Water. We went to Birdland which was fun. I don’t think we even knew about the model village to visit. We walked from there to Guiting Power through Naughton and with lunch at the Black Horse Pub.
That’s great, Marcia. Sounds idyllic. There are so many pretty villages in the Cotswolds.
I remember the first time I visited Bourton, eons ago with Mum & Dad so somewhere around late 60s/early 70s. Even as a tender teenager I remember thinking it was one of the loveliest, and most typically English, places I ‘d ever seen – and I grew up on the edge of the Peak District so that’s saying something. I remember the model village too. I returned there years later when on the road, working – and found it just as lovely as I remembered it. As for poor service, oh how many conversations have Michaela and I had about that. We Brits seem to work hard to turn something very straightforward into something just wrong. Many businesses are run to suit their own needs rather than the needs of customers, that’s the bottom line.
You’re absolutely right. I get very frustrated with bad service, but a lot of it, as you say, is down to the business telling its customers how they should buy!!
This was delightful! Dinner at the Old Manse and the model village- what a treat!
It was!
I love the Cotswolds. Slate roofs, thatched roofs, stone cottages. So classicly beautiful!
Hard to beat! Thanks for dropping in with a comment – please do so again 🙂
I’m going to borrow a playmobil out fit – and pay a visit.
You don’t have your own?
A wonderful tour with valuable history. The model is amazing
The model is lovely, Derrick. Great fun!
What a beautiful spot.
Coffee machine turned off? Mmm, sounds like a ploy to encourage you to buy another glass or two of wine.
Maybe – it doesn’t make sense, anyway – sheer laziness.
Great memories stirred here Mike. The only problem with Bourton, of course, is the same as everywhere else now – bloomin’ tourists!
Absolutely, right, Peter – as you normally are. I really should stop being a tourist!
It’s the knotted hanky that gives you away!
Hah – my secret’s out!
I went there as a kid with my parents and remember the model village, it is nice to see it is still well cared for. I drove through the village a few years ago and noticed it was full of tourists. I dare say the place is not what it was
It’s still a great place to visit, Bill – just very popular. An nicer than many other popular spots!
We visited last year. The model village was impressive and even featured it’s own tinier model village. There’s a small car park there which is quite central to the village.
That’s right. Thanks for dropping in with a comment, Paul!
Urgh it wouldn’t let me comment on the site so I came to Reader.
Awesome photos Mike, and fun commentary as always, loved this post.
Glad you liked it, Fraggle – but a bit concerned you couldn’t comment…?
Not sure why, WP glitch I should think. Anyway the reader always seems to work.
Unexplained glitches worry me!
” the place was mobbed with tourists” – ever so true says … another tourist, i.e. me. My wife and I enjoyed Bourton-on-the-Water a lot, despite all the (other) tourists. To us it is kind of the epitome of Cotswold Villages. Well, next to the Slaughters, maybe.
Well, we were tourists too of course! Will do something about Lower Slaughter sometime – an easy walk from Bourton. Thanks, Pit!
Coffee machine turned off? What a coincidence, so is my wallet…..
It sounds a lovely place, and what luck to see the model village while it was being worked on.
As always with your posts you make me feel as though I am actually visiting, not simply reading about a place.
That’s very kind… Coffee machine turned off. Presumably the staff can’t make coffee without a machine or be trusted with a kettle for tea. Grr!