julia_t

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julia_t

Gloucestershire is a veritable treasure trove of Roman sites!

Chipping Norton is not much more than an hour's drive from Bath so you can definitely see the Baths. You would probably drive down the Fosse Way (ancient Roman road) via Cirencester (around 20 miles from Ch N) where there is the Corinium Museum - Cirencester was the 2nd most important Roman city in England, after London.

http://www.cirencester.co.uk/coriniummuseum/

Also in Cirencester is the remains of the amphitheatre,

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/s...onProperty.248

and at Chedworth (just off the A429 near Cirencester) is a marvellous Roman villa - well worth seeing with children and they have various activities there too which are fun.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main...romanvilla.htm

www.chedworthromanvilla.com

There is another villa at Great Witcombe, nearer Cheltenham.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/s...onProperty.258

www.thecotswoldgateway.co.uk

Close to Great Witcombe on the A46 is Prinknash Abbey (pronounced Prinnidge). The Orpheus pavement, one of the best and most complete mosaics is buried at Woodchester and has been since 1975, but a replica has been lovingly built over time and is now installed at Prinknash.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire...pavement.shtml

http://www.grahamthomas.com/orpheus1.html

I hope you have wonderful trip, and that some of these suggestions are of interest.

SurferX

Manchester is just like the Tower Of Terror.

padams421

Tara- have your kids check out www.themeparkvision.net/US/ParkList.asp

It has information on many of the theme parks in europe (including lists of rides). My sons had a blast planning their tours of Scandinavian theme parks from this site earlier this summer.

flanneruk

Ju;iaT:

Chipping Norton is less than perfect: the town's inhabitants bear a resemblance to each other best explained by a notorious local habit that probably oughtn't to be elaborated on in a medium like this. It's at least an overcoat colder than anywhere in its immediate vicinity. And its food shopping is roughly in the same league as Novosibirsk, without the exotica.

But it has three features that go a long way to compensate:

- The Chipping Norton Theatre
- There's some debate about where in the world is the best possible place to live. Country Life, for example, chose Kingham, OX7, and we all know they're barking. But there's no debate that all the places nicer than Kingham have Chipping Norton as their post-town, an 01608 STD code and an OX7 postcode. OX7 is to an address as Wexford ancestors are to genes.
- But, above all else: <b> It's not in bloody Gloucestershire </b>. In the great divide that cuts the Cotswolds in two, Chippy's on the side where the population has brains, a chin each (not two: not none. Just one), and the ability to earn their living without waiting for an octogenarian mummy to pop her clogs.

where2

We were at Thorpe Park for a company outing a couple of weeks ago and I found it pretty average in comparison to US parks I have been to. It seemed old and not updated to me. Also for the price it was not a very large park and the lines were quite long although the park wasn't really crowded.

I hear Chessington World of Adventures is quite nice in comparison to Thorpe, although I haven't been there. Just went to Legoland last week and I agree that your 11 year old is probably too old, although your 7 year old would likely enjoy it.

FauxSteMarie

I would agree that Chessington is a lot better than Thorpe Park. Chessington also would better appeal to your 11 year old. Thorpe is more geared to the younger kids. I note that one of the children in your group is 7. There are things at Chessington for him too, so don't worry.

Alton Towers, the &quot;biggie&quot; is nowhere near London, as others have said.