NORTHLEACH & FOSSE LIONS CLUB    

Banner History

    The Fosse refers to the old Roman Road across England and our catchment area covers, from Northleach through Bourton on the Water, Stow on the Wold, and Moreton in Marsh. Romantic names no doubt, but very sparsely populated.

    The Lion likewise is a very rare breed of sheep thought to have been brought over by the Romans and are large animals with long dreadlocks which are known in sheep circles as Cotswold Lions.

    The lion stands on a sack, which represents the Woolsack in the House of Lords, which forms the seat of the Lord Chancellor. In the 1400’s Northleach wool was taken to the King in London for onward transmission to Calais and Bruges for shipment to Italy where it was known that the finest wool came from England and the finest English wool came from the Northleach area This was made into cloths that were supplied  to the crowned heads of Europe.

    Finally the sheep stands within a frame of a large brass of John Fortey, a prosperous wool merchant who died around 1450 and is set in the floor of Northleach Church which is claimed by many to be the Cathedral of the Cotswolds.