Cirencester

Cirencester, town in Gloucestershire, western England. Located on the River Churn, it lies 23 km (14 mi) south-east of Gloucester, on the outskirts of the Cotswolds. A market town for the surrounding area, Cirencester is an agricultural and tourist centre and is known as the “Capital of the Cotswolds”. Historically famous for its wool fairs, it still hosts annual “Mop Fairs”, which originated as hiring fairs for agricultural and domestic workers. Cirencester has a grammar school, founded in 1461, and the Royal College of Agriculture. The 15th-century stone church is one of the largest in England. The town has strong links with equestrian sports, and Cirencester House’s polo pitches attract some of the country’s top players.

Called Corinium by the Romans, Cirencester is thought to have been the second largest and most important town after Londinium (London). A provincial capital of the Dobunni tribe and a centre of trade, it had one of the largest forums north of the Alps. Few Roman remains are visible due to destruction by the Saxons in the 6th century, although the remains of a basilica, an amphitheatre, and many villas have been discovered. Corinium Museum has one of the largest Roman collections in Britain. The town was made a royal demesne under the Saxons, who built an abbey (dating from 1117), which was the longest in England at the time. It was destroyed during the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII and an Elizabethan mansion was built upon the site. Population 15,221 (1991).