Escape to the Cotswolds!

The centre for the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Housed in the Old Prison at Northleach, "Escape to the Cotswolds" is the centre for the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a place where you can find out more about this beautiful landscape and how people have helped shape it over thousands of years.

Through imaginatively designed information panels you can learn about the dinosaurs that first roamed the area, how geology has shaped the landscape, how the wealth of the area came as a result of the 'golden fleece' of the Cotswolds sheep and how so many people have left their own marks in the landscape - from Neolithic burial chambers and Iron Age hill forts, through to roman roads and villas, medieval churches and right up to the present day conservationists who are helping to look after the place for our future generations.

CENTRE OPENING TIMES 2013:

3 April to 31 October, Wednesdays to Saturdays and Bank Holidays: 11am to 4pm.
The centre closes during the winter from November to March, but is available for pre-bookable group and school visits. 
 

EVENTS PROGRAMME 2013 (no booking necessary)

Saturday 27 April, 12noon to 3pm: Fabulous Fossils
Make your own dino-mask! Handle dinosaur teeth, claws and bones! Bring along your own fossils for our experts to identify, or see and handle our fossil specimens.

Event run by volunteers from the Oxfordshire Geology Trust.

Cost: £2.50 per child

Monday 6 May: Roman Medicine
Children’s workshop run by Cherry Hubbard of Unfolding History. Practical activities, handling and demonstrations.

Cost: £2.50 per child
 

QUANTUM SHEEP

Our younger visitors can also learn about the Cotswolds landscape through our exciting
interactive video game - Quantum Sheep and the Wonderful Wolds!

 

 

 

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK

   “An excellent place to start our Cotswold holiday” 
   “Amazing design, great exhibition. Will come again”
   “Very interesting exhibition. Nice to read the history of the Cotswolds after touring through from the North. Like the wagons too.”


THE RURAL LIFE COLLECTION

Visitors to 'Escape' will also have the opportunity to take a look around the unique Lloyd Baker Rural Life Collection - the largest publicly owned regional collections of agricultural 'bygones' in the country.

Click here to find out more about the collection


LOCATION: Click here to view location on Google Maps.

For further information or to book a group visit, please call the Cotswolds Conservation Board on 01451 862000. 

Things to see