Giffords Circus Ticket Portal

Barrington, a sleepy Cotswold village near Burford in the height of the summer is woken by the Giffords Circus wagons rolling in and gathering in a farmers’ field between Little and Great Barrington, just across the lane from The Fox pub. Among the picture postcard scenery and Cotswold cottages the vintage style wagons and circus tent appear as if by magic, the music from the big top carrying in the breeze through the Windrush valley.

The setting is bucolic English countryside and could be straight from the pages of an Enid Blyton book, for those who step into the tent are rewarded by being transported far away from the quintessential countryside and into the magical world of circus. 

Minchinhampton holds a special place in our hearts, we have been visiting the Common since 2001 and are always welcomed so warmly by the local community. We visit in high summer when the Common is parched by the sun and children are on their school summer holidays. As the wagons roll in, the cows that roam the Common freely watch the comings and goings, occasionally having a scratch against a circus caravan much to the surprise of whoever is inside!

Marlborough town’s motto is ubi nunc sapientis ossa Merlini – “where now are the bones of wise Merlin” – and legend has it that the 62ft high mound in Marlborough College is the burial site of Merlin. Steeped in ancient lore and legend Marlborough is the perfect location for Giffords Circus to magically appear each summer in the heart of rolling Wiltshire hills and white horses.

Stratton Meadows lies on the outskirts of Cirencester, a beautiful and historic market town in the Cotswolds. Stratton Meadows is just off the Roman road ‘Ermin Street’ to the west of the town and has been one of Giffords Circus favourite grounds for over a decade. Nell Gifford planted an oak tree with owner Sarah Holland in the meadows in 2018 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the circus here in the UK.

Since 2014 Fennells Farm has been home to Giffords Circus. Sat on a ridge overlooking the Slad Valley and Stroud down in the valley below. This is where the magic happens, the circus shows are created, the horses are trained and rehearsals take place every spring before the show open.

Fennells Farm is a magical place, it looks like a farm at a first glance, but in the barns there are props, costumes, a team of dedicated employees all burning the midnight oil to get the show on the road.