Southwest England boasts a classic in small town Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, England. The town also sits near the junction of the Fosse Way, once a historic Roman road that ran through the region. Additionally, it lies at the extreme edge of the Cotswold Hills range, in an extremely flat portion of the area. It contributed to the nation's WWII effort by hosting a Royal Air Force airfield in the same location.
Moreton-in-Marsh has made valuable use of the regionally-famous Cotswold stone in the construction of many of its buildings. When the stone ages over time, it takes on a soft golden tone to its facing. With a history going back over a thousand years to the Saxon era in England. Because of its proximity to the Cotswolds, it makes for a good base from which to go out and explore the surrounding areas.
Moreton-in-Marsh is easily accessible from London, with a major roadway nearby. It also has the benefit of its own railway station, which runs direct from Paddington, in central London. There are several nice hotels and restaurants around the town, making it an excellent tourist stop for a day or even longer.
An interesting geological note is that the areas around the town seem to have been the stopping point of the southernmost advance of ice during the last Ice Age. Also of note, Moreton-in-Marsh, like many English towns, originally grew up around a church. In this case, the town developed outward from a spot still known as 'Old Town.' Its original market was begun under charter of King Charles I in 1637.
The county in which Moreton-in-Marsh resides is Gloucestershire. It's a historic county, first mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon chronicle of the 10th century. With a population of nearly 840,000 people, it also is noted for the number and quality of ancient castles which dot the region. Tourists roaming through southwestern England will have an interesting time in both the town and the county.
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