Wooly Bully.

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I've mentioned the prosperity of Woollen Industry in old England in nearly every post about The Cotswolds. The boom was followed by a big dip of poverty, the mills dried up and the economy came to a stand still. When industries, investors, and populations went elsewhere to settle - these once-prosperous towns were abandoned and left to crumble. Many of their populations nowadays are not much higher or even lower than they were hundreds of years ago. However unfortunate their fate may have seemed amid the devastation, the stop of growth has preserved the charm of Cotswold villages that we appreciate today. Even if they are a modern village with internet and whatnot, wires and telephone poles are hidden away, making them some of the most picturesque places in the world.

The Cotswold Woollen Weavers is a museum/shop/cafe hybrid in the tiny village of Filkins, home to about 200 people. You can find everything from furniture to books and just about any wardrobe piece you can think of made from wool. I was tempted to pick up a cosy blanket but it wasn't exactly practical with summer around the corner. Sadly there were no local sheep around when I was there, after seeing fields of them with their baby lambs I did have my fingers crossed that I would stumble upon some and squeal at how adorable they are.

The staff are friendly and entrance to the mini-complex is free, but its large enough where you are left to your own devices and are free to wander from building to building. There's a grassy courtyard with picnic benches smack bang in the middle, a perfect spot to take a cup of tea or snack from the cafe as a break between your shopping and gaining your share of woollen history.