Lower Slaughter is a rural parish in the heart of the Cotswolds. The village is located just off the ancient Fosseway, three miles south west of Stow-on-the-Wold and immediately north of Bourton-on-the-Water. Its eastern and southern boundaries are formed by the rivers Dikler and Windrush. The river Eye, more commonly known as Slaughter Brook runs through the centre.

The Domesday Book provides us with the first recorded information on the village, where the name is spelt “Sclostre”. The precise meaning of the name is not clear although it is thought that it derives from an Anglo Saxon word meaning “a muddy, watery place or ditch” which was first given to a nearby ford on the Fosseway, before used as reference for the village.

Washbourne Court is located on an area formerly known as Washbourne’s Place which took its name from the family who owned it in 1470. The building was originally divided into three farm-workers cottages with a stable block.

In the early 1920’s the cottages were converted into one large private house before it became a boy’s cramming school for Eaton. The boy’s assembly and dining room were located in our lounge area, the Westbury room was the headmaster’s office and the room The Timbralls, Cotton Hall and Penn were the boy’s dormitories. The barn building was a recreation area, with the upper floor covered by a large model railway.

Following this Washbourne’s Place reverted to private ownership. In March of 1988 the house opened as a hotel and became Washbourne Court Hotel.

After the floods of July 2007, Washbourne Court shut for an extensive £2million refurbishment and re-opened its doors in December 2007.