The Cotswolds
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the Cotswolds
An AONB as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Cotswolds was designated as an AONB in 1966.
AONBs were introduced in the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act (1949) to protect areas of great natural beauty.
The main purposes of AONB designation are:
The Cotswolds AONB is the largest AONB in England, with an area of approximately 790 sq. miles (2,038 sq. km) stretching from just north of Chipping Campden in the north to Bath in the south - a distance of nearly 80 miles.