Bourton-on-the-Water facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bourton-on-the-Water |
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 Bridge over the River Windrush |
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 Bourton-on-the-Water
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| Population | 3,296 |
| OS grid reference | SP167209 |
| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Cheltenham |
| Postcode district | GL54 |
| Dialling code | 01451 |
| Police | Gloucestershire |
| Fire | Gloucestershire |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Bourton-on-the-Water is a lovely village in Gloucestershire, England. It's located in a wide, flat valley within the beautiful Cotswolds area. This area is so special, it's called an "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty." In 2011, about 3,296 people lived here. The main part of the village is a special "Conservation Area," which means its historic look is protected.
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What's Bourton-on-the-Water Like?
Bourton-on-the-Water is famous for its pretty high street. It has long, green areas on either side. The River Windrush flows right through the middle of the village.
The "Venice of the Cotswolds"
The river is crossed by five low, arched stone bridges. These bridges were built over many years, from 1654 to 1953. Because of these charming bridges, the village is often called the "Venice of the Cotswolds."
Many visitors come to Bourton-on-the-Water, especially during busy times. About 300,000 tourists visit each year. This is a lot more than the nearly 3,500 people who live there permanently!
Churches and Schools
The village has three churches: Our Lady and St Kenelm Roman Catholic Church, Bourton-on-the-Water Baptist Church, and St Lawrence Church of England. St Lawrence Church is often open for visitors. Parts of it were built in the 14th century, but it was changed a lot in the 1700s and 1800s.
For education, there's Bourton-on-the-Water Primary School. Older students go to The Cotswold School, which is a large school for both boys and girls.
How the Village is Governed
Bourton-on-the-Water is part of an "electoral ward" (a local area for voting) that also includes a nearby place called Cold Aston. In 2011, this whole ward had about 3,676 people. The village itself had 3,296 residents.
The village's boundaries are interesting. The Fosse Way, an old Roman road, runs along its northwest side. Rivers and brooks like Slaughter Brook, the River Dikler, and the River Windrush form the eastern edge.
A Look Back in Time: History
People have lived in the Bourton-on-the-Water area for a very long time! The oldest signs of humans here are from around 4000 B.C., when Neolithic (New Stone Age) pottery was found.
Ancient Settlements
Excavations at a place called Salmonsbury Camp show that people lived here almost continuously. This includes the Neolithic period, the Bronze Age, and all through the Roman period (from about 43 to 410 A.D.).
A Roman road, Icknield Street, even ran from Bourton-on-the-Water. Roman pottery and coins found in the village prove that Romans lived here for a long time. By the 11th century, a Christian church was built, and the village looked much like it does today along the River Windrush. Even earlier, a Saxon timber church stood on that spot around 708 A.D., built where an old Roman temple used to be.
Modern History
A passenger railway served the village from 1862 to 1962. Tourism didn't really become popular until the 1920s and 1930s. The famous Model Village opened in 1937.
The Cotswold School opened in the village in 1988. It was formed by joining two older schools. In 2010, it became an "academy" school. When they were building a new part of the school, they found a Roman cemetery! It also had Iron Age roundhouses, burials, and pottery.
The buildings in the village are made from a special yellow limestone. This stone is typical of the Cotswolds. The houses often have pretty features like gables, stone window frames, and decorative stone over the doors.
Parts of the James Bond movie Die Another Day (2002) were filmed in the car park in Bourton-on-the-Water and on a nearby old air force runway.
Special Protected Areas
The old, historic part of Bourton-on-the-Water, along with areas near the River Windrush, is a special UK Conservation Area. This means its unique character is protected.
Salmonsbury Camp, an ancient Iron Age settlement nearby, is also a protected UK National scheduled monument. This means it's an important historical site.
English Heritage has listed 114 buildings in Bourton-on-the-Water as historically important.
Things to Do: Tourism
Bourton-on-the-Water has many fun things for visitors to enjoy:
- Medieval Football: In summer, a game of medieval football is played right in the River Windrush! Two teams play with a standard football, and the goal is to score goals while getting everyone else as wet as possible. Crowds watch from the river banks.
- The Model Village: This is a tiny, 1:9 scale copy of the village. It even has a model of the model village inside it! Local craftspeople built it in the 1930s. It's so detailed that it was given special protected status in 2013.
- The Model Railway: Another fun miniature attraction.
- The Cotswold Motoring Museum: This museum is home to Brum, the famous little car from the TV show!
- Birdland Park and Gardens: Here you can see many different birds, including penguins, parrots, and perching birds. There's a large pond with salmon that you can feed. You can also watch bird-of-prey shows and penguin feeding.
- The Dragonfly Maze: A fun maze designed by Kit Williams.
- Farmers' Market: On the fourth Sunday of each month, you can find local produce and crafts at the farmers' market.
- Music Video Location: The music video for Oasis' song "I'm Outta Time" was filmed here. It shows Liam Gallagher walking in the countryside and in the model village.
Many long-distance walking paths and local walks start, finish, or pass through Bourton-on-the-Water. One path, the Heart of England Way, starts its 100-mile journey north from here.
Sports in the Village
The village has its own football club, Bourton Rovers. They play in the Hellenic Football League at their home ground on Rissington Road.
Local Media
For local news and TV, people in Bourton-on-the-Water get channels from BBC South and ITV Meridian. Radio stations include BBC Radio Gloucestershire, Heart West, and Cotswolds Radio. The local newspaper is the Cotswold Journal.
The Railway Past
Bourton-on-the-Water used to have its own railway station. It opened in 1862 as a branch line from Kingham. The station was just north of the village. Later, this line became part of a bigger railway. The station closed for passengers in 1962 and for goods in 1964.
Today, the closest working railway station is in Moreton-in-Marsh. There's also a special heritage railway, the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, which uses parts of the old line, but it doesn't go through Bourton-on-the-Water itself.
Famous People From Bourton-on-the-Water
- The actor Wilfrid Hyde-White was born here in 1903.
- Major-general Dudley Johnson, a British Army officer who won a very brave award called the Victoria Cross, was born here in 1884. He fought in World War I.
- Racing cyclist Sharon Laws, who competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics, grew up in the village.
- Composer Edwin Ransford.
Images for kids
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Bridge over the River Windrush
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St Lawrence Church interior
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A view of the village
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One of the bridges in the village
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The motor museum
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The model village
See also
In Spanish: Bourton-on-the-Water para niños
