Cirencester – Capital of the Cotswolds

In Roman Times, Cirencester, Corinium Dubunnorum, was the second largest town in the UK, second only to London. The population then was 12,000, while in 2022, it is 19,000. During the Saxon period,  the town was destroyed and renamed Coryn Ceasre. The town prospered due to the wool trade during the medieval period. The market square is dominated by the Abbey style Church of St John Baptist, with its large porch, funded by wealthy wool merchants in 1490. Buttresses had to be constructed  to shore up the 15thC tower, which was built on an old Roman fortification ditch

Regular markets are held twice a week in the market square, which was mentioned in the Doomsday Book 1086. The first Agricultural College in the country was founded by Henry 4th. Earl Bathurst. The museum has a collection of 70 Roman Mosaics.

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