Saint Oswald's Tower

The tower was intentionally designed to mimic a crumbling medieval castle, complete with battlements and weathered stonework—a fashionable architectural choice when wealthy landowners wanted to introduce an air of historical romance to their properties.

While you cannot enter the building itself, the exterior is striking enough to justify the trip. The tower reveals itself beautifully through a woodland walk in Lassington Wood, emerging suddenly from the trees in a way that makes for excellent photography, particularly when backlit against the sky. The woodland surrounding it offers a peaceful environment to explore, providing the kind of rural tranquility the Cotswolds is known for.

The location suits combining with other activities in the region well. Gloucester is only a short drive away, where the historic cathedral and waterfront docks merit a visit. If you're exploring further into the north-west Cotswolds, Newent works equally well as a companion destination. Altogether, you can spend a relaxed couple of hours here, gaining insight into the architectural playfulness Victorian landowners indulged in. It remains a charming deception—not genuine medieval stonework, but rather a clever recreation that tells you something interesting about the tastes and aspirations of the era.