About Tetbury
The Cotswold town of Tetbury lies on the site of an ancient hill fort, on which an Anglo-Saxon monastery was founded, probably by Ine of Wessex, in 681.
The population of the parish was 5,250 in the 2001 census.
In the Middle Ages, Tetbury became an important market for Cotswold wool and yarn (as did nearby Cirencester). At this time the Tetbury Woolsack Races, in which competitors must carry a 60 pound sack of wool up a steep hill, were founded and are still contested annually.
Notable buildings in the town include the Market House, built in 1655 and the late-eighteenth century Gothic revival parish church of St Mary the Virgin and much of the rest of the town centre, dating from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Market House is a fine example of a Cotswold pillared market house and is still in use as a meeting place and market. Other attractions include the Police Bygones Museum. Chavenage House, Highgrove House and Westonbirt Arboretum lie just outside the town.
Events include Woolsack Day, famous for the races and for the fair. A Flower Show is held at the Recreation Ground, with classes ranging from children's "Make your own paper plate gardens" to adults "Best Flower" and "Best Knitting".
(text adapted from an article on Wikipedia)