Welcome to the Rudloe and environs website.

Here you will find news, articles and photos of an area that straddles the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in north-west Wiltshire.

Contributions in the form of articles or photos are welcome. Even those with completely contrary views to mine!

Thanks to the website builder 1&1 and Rob Brown for the original idea.

Rudloescene now, in January 2014, has a sister, academic rather than anarchic, website about Box history here: http://www.boxpeopleandplaces.co.uk/

It contains thoroughly professional, well-researched articles about Box and its people.

Contact rudloescene through the 'Contact' page.

On the Palladian Way, aka BOX74 byway, heading for Monkton Farleigh - 24th February 2018

And we now (or perhaps we already have?) join the Palladian Way, a description of which, taken from the Web, is shown below:

Bath NES, Bucks, Glos, Oxon, Wilts
This long distance trail is named after the classical style of architecture established by Andre Palladio in 17th century Italy. The trail starts at The Old Gaol in the centre of Buckingham and passes Stowe Landscape Gardens (NT) with its famous Palladian Bridge (one of only four in the world).

The trail continues to the attractive market town of Brackley before heading south to Woodstock where it passes through the grounds of Blenheim Palace. The route then heads west into the Windrush valley, past Minster Lovell, with its ruined hall, and Swinbrook with the Mitford family connection, before arriving at the 'Gateway to The Cotswolds' the very attractive town of Burford.

The onward route to Cirencester follows part of the old Roman road Akeman Street and then passes through the lovely villages of Barnsley and Bibury. The route continues south from Cirencester with two options - the main route proceeds straight to the Wiltshire market town of Malmesbury with its ages old church and ruined abbey whilst the shorter route goes to the most attractive Cotswold town of Tetbury with an additional half day walk to link up with the main route at Malmesbury.

The route then crosses the M4 motorway after Hullavington before descending into the hidden village of Castle Combe. The terrain changes here with wooded valleys and hillside walking and passes through to Colerne and down into Box which straddles the old A4 road.

The last day is one of the finest with several climbs as it passes through the village of Monkton Farleigh and its interesting Monks Conduit before descending through woodland and alongside the river Avon to reach The Kennett and Avon Canal which is crossed at the famous Dundas Aqueduct. The final few miles take walkers through the village of Monkton Combe before reaching the famous Skyline Path high above Bath and then descending towards the city alongside the Prior Park (NT) with another Palladian Bridge visible. The route then winds into Bath alongside the Kennett and Avon canal and though Sydney Gardens to arrive at Pulteney Bridge which is one of only two 'housed bridges' in England and in the centre of this most attractive city.