Ozleworth

Ozleworth is a village and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England, approximately 30 km south of Gloucester. It lies in the Cotswolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

History
Ozleworth was known as Oslan wyrth in 940, derived from the Old English words ōsle + worth. meaning either "enclosure of a man named Ōsla" or "enclosure frequented by blackbirds". It was listed as Osleworde in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Governance
Ozleworth is part of the Grumbolds Ash ward of the district of Cotswold and is currently represented by Councillor Carolyn Nicolle, a member of the Conservative Party. Ozleworth is part of the constituency of Cotswold, represented at parliament by Conservative MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown. It was part of the South West England constituency of the European Parliament prior to Britain leaving the European Union in January 2020.

Geography
Ozleworth is in the county of Gloucestershire, and lies within the Cotswolds, a range of hills designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is approximately 30 km south of Gloucester and approximately 32 km south west of Cirencester. Ozleworth's post town Wotton-under-Edge is approximately 4 km to the west. Nearby villages include Alderley, Wortley, Tresham, Leighterton, Lasborough, Newington Bagpath, Owlpen, and Kingscote.

Newark Park
Newark Park is a National Trust property which was once a Tudor hunting lodge built by the Poyntz family, anciently feudal barons of Curry Mallet in Somerset, later of Iron Acton in Gloucestershire.

Church
The Norman church, which is dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra, is known to have been in existence in 1131. It has a cruciform structure, with one bell. It has an unusual hexagonal tower located in the centre of the church between the nave and the chancel. The current nave and font were added in the early 13th century. Archaeological evidence suggests that there was no nave before this time and that the tower originally formed part of the western wall of the church. The churchyard is circular. No longer active, the church is looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust.

Notable people
English poet, translator and academic Charles Tomlinson lived in the village with his family. Bruce Chatwin, novelist, travel writer and journalist, lived in a farmhouse in the village.