Segment: Bampton and the Cotswolds
Episode: Viking Ep – British Isles Explorer
Air Date: 8th December 2019
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane

The Cotswolds are considered one of the most beautiful places in Britain. Named after the Cotswold Hills, this area is home to some stunning towns.

• The ancient market town of Bampton lies in the south of the Cotswolds, not far from the river Thames. The tour guide explains the town’s Middle Ages history and how much of its wealth at the time came from the quality of its wool.
• There’s some amazing architecture in town, like the Parish Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, dating back to the 12th century. It was actually built on the site of a late Anglo-Saxon Minster whose tower still survives within the present church.
• Bampton may seem oddly familiar to some first time visitors and that’s because it was used for filming the outdoor scenes in the popular TV drama ‘Downton Abbey’.