The home of Gifford Circus in the Cotswolds

On my way up to the farm shop near Bisley this morning I passed Fennells Farm at Lypiatt and saw that the field was being prepared for the erection of the 'Big Top'.

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.
(As told on the Giffords circus website)

On my return to Stroud I halted at the entrance to their field to see the preparations. There are mats laid down, with sawdust piles ready and the tent will be pulled up under the gantry which already has their name in lights. In the background some of their vehicles have been brought on site. They seem to have moved the site of the tent this year. For the next month they will be practicing rigging and de-rigging and then all the acts will be brought in for rehearsals. The show opens here on 24th March for a couple of weeks before it goes on the road for the whole summer. It is well worth a visit. We love going there.

I grabbed a few pictures in the light drizzle and thought a panorama would be worth a test to show the site.