History of Cirencester and the Roman City Corinium ... Illustrated

Front matter

HISTORY OF CIRENCESTER. The Author has, by the kind permission of Mr. W. A. Baily, of Cirencester, been enabled to add to the illustrations the fine plate of Roman Pavement facing page 282, which is gladly acknowledged, and also a few extracts from his copy right works. The publication of the volume has necessarily been somewhat delayed, but it is hoped that the value of the book has been thereby increased. January, 1S87. WhitemwS&ass.fflatoZitfo Loadm Ufatorg of (fencster AND THE ROMAN CITY CORINIUM BY K. J. BEBCHAM ILLUSTRATED. CIRENCESTER : PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GEORGE H. HARMER.

Preface

. "^JiCjIC^J- The Author of this Work, in acknowledging with gratitude the response to his circular soliciting subscribers, and the confidence thereby expressed in his endeavours to produce a trustworthy record of the history of his native town, realises that it is incumbent on him to state the circumstances under which the project was undertaken and the sources from which the information was obtained. During the restoration of the grand old Parish Church, he, as a student of architecture, was much interested in the work, and took notes from conversations with Mr. Snelgrove (Sir G. G. Scott's clerk of the works) and other gentlemen, and, by the kind permission of the Rev. Canon Powell, made several measurements and sketches of the Church. It then became evident to him that there was much to be added to the accounts of Rudder and subsequent writers, and he was confirmed in this in searching for information relative to the benefactors' escutcheons on the nave columns, which his father had been engaged to pick out in their true heraldic colours, and in examining the Calendars of the Public Records in the Cirencester Library.

Circumstances, however, would not permit a further prosecu tion of historical research at that time, and the work was relinquished sine die. No opportunity of renewing it occurred until 1880, when after a diligent study of several of the Public Records and Books in the British Museum, he was surprised to find that so much might be written, and resolved to publish the information he had obtained. The task then begun has been one of pleasure, though frequently delayed by special business duties, and it should here be stated that as the first part of the work was printed in 1883,

PREFACE.

. II it has been rendered necessary to make some trivial corrections to bring the work up to date (see Errata). Late and prolonged hours are not favourable to elegance of diction, and the author craves the indulgence of his readers both in the matter of composition and in the map and drawings he has made. The drawings of the old town and the tesselated pavements are chiefly from original sketches by the author's father — the views of the College and Alfred's Hall are copied from photos by Messrs. Henry Taunt and Co., of Oxford. No trouble has been spared in seeking to arrive at correct conclusions, but it is not of course asserted that these have invariably been reached, for that would be impossible from scattered and scanty materials, in themselves not always reliable. The Map of the Streets of Corinium is the first that has been attempted, and the author in endeavouring to record the site of Roman Remains and the probable lines of wall and streets, has only very partial information to depend upon, but that information might be increased by diligent enquiry, and it is hoped that it may lead to many sites being recorded which would otherwise soon be forgotten.

The positions of some of the streets are accurately determined, as referred to in the letterpress, but the positions of others are only suggested by the discovery of Roman foundations and the well known rectangular character of Roman cities. The line of the wall is undoubtedly nearly if not abso lutely correct. In submitting the plan of the Abbey Church and its site, the author is aware that he has laid himself open to controversy. His views on the Roman invasion and settlement under Plautius and Vespasian are in accord with those of nearly all writers, but only partially so with those of a Gloucestershire gentleman, who has made the subject his study, and whilst strongly supporting the view that Corinium was the first town occupied by the Romans, considers that they landed near Southampton and marched hither by the Ermine way. He has to tender his grateful acknowledgments to the Marquis of Bath, for permission to introduce extracts from the

PREFACE.

. III Abbey Cartulary in his library, at Longleat, and to Earl Bathurst for applying for his consent ; to the Rev. Canon Jackson, of Leigh Delamere, for copying from this Cartulary the Charters relating to Cirencester ; to E. C. Sewell, Esq., for copies of the Cirencester Court Rolls and other documents ; to T. B. Bravender, Esq., for records of the position of the foundations discovered during the recent railway and sewerage works, &c. ; to Cecil T. Davis, Esq., for proofs of his work on the Gloucestershire Brasses ; and to Christopher Bowly, Esq., the Rev. J. J. Brown, and other gentlemen, who have aided in procuring materials. He has further to acknowledge the assistance of some works of living or lately deceased writers, which have, however, been made in the references in the work. The extracts from these works have been but few, but they include some from the Rev. E. A. Fuller's History of the Church, Roman Art in Corinium, Mr. Stratford's Good and Great Men of Gloucestershire, and other local records.

It has been asserted that County Histories are little better than Parish Registers. Such a statement cannot apply to Cirencester, where so many events of national importance have occurred ; but it must be admitted that there is a great tendency amongst many whose inclinations have induced in them a spirit of local research to study the past for the sake of the past, and to allow their admiration for mediævalism to eclipse their interest iu modern progress and modern institutions. The object of all science — archæology not excepted — should be to impart knowledge of a beneficial character ; and so far as a work of this kind will permit, it has been sought to make it instructive, and to set forth the superior comforts and advantages of the present, and the causes which have led to the establishment of our Civil and Religious Liberty and our improved social well-being.

Sincere sympathy is expressed for every movement with this end, whilst endeavouring to avoid offence to the political or religious convictions of any. Watford, November, 1886. INDEX OF CONTENTS. PAGES Part I. MEMORABLE EVENTS 3 to 44 Part II. HISTORY OF RELIGION 45 to 144 The Saxon Collegiate Church. — Abbey of St. Mary. — Ancient Parish Churches of Cirencester. — -Existing Parish Church of St. John the Baptist. — District Church of the Holy Trinity, Watermoor. — Nonconformist Chapels. Part III. LOCAL GOVERNMENT 145 to 170 Corinium, the Roman Municipium. — The Mediæval Borough. — Town Commissioners. — Local Board. — Bond for the Prosecution of Offenders. — The Liberty of the Seven Hundreds. — The Court Rolls of the Manor and Hundreds. Part IV. REPRESENTATION OF THE BOROUGH ... 171 to 180 List of Members.

Part V.— THE TOWN AND ENVIRONS 181 to 196 Streets, Tythings, &c. — Stratton Parish. — Manor House and Park. — Population. Part VI. TRADE, MANUFACTURES, RAILWAYS, &c. 197 to 206 Wool Trade. — Fairs, Markets, &c. — Roads.— Thames and Severn Canal. — Railways. Part VII. THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE ... 207 to 212 Pajit VIII. CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS, ENDOWED SCHOOLS, &c 213 to 228 The Free Grammar School.— The Upper School.— The Powell Elementary Schools. — Charities. Part IX. PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND INSTITUTIONS ... 229 to 243 The Corn Hall.— The Cattle Market.— Banks.— The Savings' Bank. — The Post Office. — The Agricultural Society. — The Horticultural Society. — The Sub scription Library and Reading Room. — The Cotswold Coffee Tavern. — Temperance Societies. — The Ciren cester Microscopical and Naturalist Society. — The School of Art.— The Choral Society.— The Ciren cester District Teachers' Association. — The Tem perance Hall. — Bible Society. — The Cirencester Cricket Club. — The Swimming Baths Company, Limited.— The Royal North Gloucester Militia. — The Cirencester Volunteer Rifle Corps. — The Cottage Hospital. — The Infectious Diseases Hos pital. — The Union Workhouse. — The Cirencester Provident Coal Club.— The Town Dispensary. — The Cirencester Provident Dispensary and Medical Club.— Friendly Societies.— The Police Station.— The Gas Works. — The Cirencester Waterworks Company, Limited. — The Cirencester Improved Dwellings Company, Limited. — The Cemetery. — The Cirencester Society in London.

INDEX, V Part X. ROMAN ANTIQUITIES 244 to 282 The Amphitheatre. — Roman Buildings and Tesselated Pavements. —Museum of Roman Antiquities. — Mediæval Antiquities. — Ancient Crosses. Part XI. NOTES AND