Bibury

Climbing out of the Windrush valley, we cross the bare tops southwards to rejoin the Coln valley at Bibury, which William Morris once called the prettiest village in England (Henry Ford agreed; in the 1920s he tried to buy houses in the village with the aim of transporting them to America for rebuilding). The River Coln flows along the main village street, beside a green expanse of boggy watermeadow known as Rack Isle. To one side are the picturesque Arlington Row cottages, built in 1380 originally as a monastic wool store. In the 17th century, this was converted into a row of weavers' cottages, and the cloth produced here was sent to Arlington Mill, on the other side of Rack Isle, for fulling (degreasing). Once the cloth had been thoroughly pounded and washed at the mill, it was hung to dry on timber frames on Rack Isle.

Shelly pausing on a Bibury bridge	River Coln
Arlington Row from a distance	Roadway thru cottages

Bridge leading to Arlington Row