Norman's History of Cheltenham, (with eighty illustrations,)

Front matter

NORMAN'S

>i8f Mrs uf Clultgnftamj

(WITH EIGHTY ILLUSTRATIONS,)

Table Of Contents

Page

Introduction — 1

Chapter of Antiquities 6 Chap. I. — The British Period 9 Chap. II. — The Roman Period 14 Chap. III.— Saxon Period ... 24 Saxon Priory ... 3.1 Chap. TV. — Norman Period .. 37 Chap. V. — Owners of Manor since the Conquest 42

Introduction

deeds and abilities, which are amply recorded in the annals of the past.

With the history of the civil wars of the Commonwealth era, the town is moreover allied. It was then an important station of the royalists, and by them was garrisoned. The gallant defence of the place against the republicans, caused it to be the scene of a decisive, and there is reason to believe, of a bloody engagement.

In the history of the ancient trade of England, Cheltenham also takes a prominent part, having been at one period famed for its extensive tobacco plantations, and its markets for wool and corn.

INTRODUCTION. 5

From the reign of King Edward the Confessor, with but little exception, Cheltenham was a very important place, and connected in various ways with personages and institutions of distinguished fame. It maintained its consequence until the latter end of the seventeenth century, when, from the joint effects of the Dissolution of Monasteries, and of that dread enemy to man — War, it gradually fell into that state of decay and obscurity in which it was found at the .discovery of its mineral waters about a century ago. In all human probability it would have continued to this day in that obsolete condition, had not Providence ordained that these health-restoring springs should be brought to light, and their virtues applied to remove the bitter sting of affliction.

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SO far we have given an outline of the written history of the town, as it will be found set forth at length in the following pages : but there is beside this an unwritten history of the locality in which we live ; the incidents of which can only be deduced from the researches of science,, and. the epoch of which extends far back into the remote ages of the past, long ere the era of human records, and long ere the region we now inhabit was accustomed to the tread of human footsteps. Geologists tell us that at a certain remote period in the history of our planet, Leckhampton Hill, which rises immediately above the town of Cheltenham, was a lofty cliff overlooking the sea ; that this sea entirely covered the valleys which now extend from the Bristol Channel to the shores of Cheshire and Northumberland ; that the hills in our immediate

A CHAPTER OF ANTIQUITIES. 7

neighbourhood — Bredon, Dumbleton, and Churchdown — were solitary islands rising out of this waste of waters, the westernmost shores of which were formed by the high lands, now known as the Malvern Hills and the Welsh Mountains. They tell us, too, that at the foot of Leckhampton Hill, and along the base of the adjoining eminence, known as Battle Down Hill, there stretched a muddy shore, washed by the waves and tides of this primaeval ocean, — this mud being, in fact, the salt and impervious clay on which the southernmost portion of the town of Cheltenham at this moment stands ! Geologists go on to inform us, that in the process of ages there occurred a mighty upheaving of the northern portion of this sea-bed, and that thus, being broken as it were into two, by a range of lofty hills, the lower portion of the sea became an estuary, running upwards through Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire, from the great ocean in the south.

Standing on the summit of this hill, at the spot above " The Devil's Chimney" as represented in the annexed engraving, the fertile vale below gives striking evidence of these mighty changes. And it would seem that in the course of these upheavings there were strong and ever-shifting currents running from north to south, and carrying with them large quantities of debi-is, some of which lodged itself in its passage in the quiet bay which washed the base of Leckhampton Hill, and thus, these currents and deposits may be traced the beds of gravel which occur in various localities in the neighbourhood, and

8 A CHAPTER OF ANTIQUITIES.

to the same causes also, as well as to the action of the waters upon the bases of the adjoining hills, are we indebted for that accumulation of sand which exists in the Cheltenham Basin, and through which percolates a never-failing supply of water for the use of its inhabitants !

It is indeed somewhat curious to reflect, that upon this now beautiful spot, where a noble town has reared itself — the renovator of health, and the resort of fashion — 'there should have existed, in that remote era, a " watering place" of quite another description — the resort of beings of a totally different character ! For we are told by these same Geologists that mighty " Elephants, Hippopotami, Bisons, and other gigantic mammalia, then tenanted these regions," and we can almost fancy that at the very spot where we are now inditing this sentence — where beauty, wealth and fashion " love to congregate "—ages and ages ago, the unwieldly Hippopotamus took his afternoon bath and wallowed in the mud ! while the ponderous Elephant browsed in the adjoining forests ! and herds of Bisons grazed on the surrounding hills !

THE

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Chap. I

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THE number and variety of relics of the British race, which have from time to time been locally discovered, demonstrate that the site of the present Town of Cheltenham was known to the Aboriginal inhabitants of Britain. It must have been a spot fully formed by nature to suit that military and pastoral mixture of life which their own native writers ascribe to them. A high elevation of earth work for a camp in time of threatened invasion, and a verdant vale contiguous with a supply of water for cattle, were what these primitive people required. And here their wants must have been amply supplied. Surrounded on every side by lofty hills which required little art to convert into fortresses, added to a valley watered by the pure stream of the meandering Chelt, it must have presented every inducement to the rude Briton to make it the place of his abode. The adoption of such spots as a settlement, led the Eoman conqueror in after ages to apply the word Dobuni, as a designation, proper to denote, not only the habits of the inhabitants, but the geographical peculiarities of the soil which they occupied ; a name which Martin affirms is derived from the British word " Duffen," which signifies low and deep, and alludes to the situation of those counties which consist chiefly of plains and valleys, and sunk under hills. Posbrooke remarks "that Barrows adjacent, are obvious external tests discovered by simple observation ; and that there were such settlements connected with the fortresses mentioned we have every reason to suppose from analogy. That Cheltenham and the vale in the general, were occupied by the Britons, for the pasture of their cattle, is not only a presumption founded upon their known habits, but a reasonable inference from the Doomsday accounts of the Anglo-Saxon era and the conclusions drawn from it." All the usual appendages of a British village — Barrows, burial places, animal bones, coins, pottery, and defensive weapons, have been here exhumed. In the town and the land which surrounds it, extending to, and including the adjoining hills, where these memorials of a Primitive age have been brought to light, they have been found in several instances associated with Eoman and Saxon remains. This proves that the conqueror occupied the home of the conquered, an act which led to the gradual formation of a mixed race. This is apparent upon examining the construction of our local encampment*. Some of them bear evident marks of having been first formed by the Briton, an i afterwards raised and enlarged by the Eoman. W. H. Gomonde, Esq., a local gentleman who has investigated the antiquities of the neighbourhood, and collected many valuable relics belonging to the town and environs, enumerates from personal observation, the remains of two British and one Saxon village, four ancient burial places — British, Roman and Saxon — ten Barrows, five encampments, and two Eoman villas.

At intervals, during the past half century, discoveries have been made which prove th? existence of a British burial place in nearly the centre of the parish. The Old Workhouse lane led to a spot called " Paradise," where were located a few cottages in a hollow, surrounded by a bank by which flowed the Chelf. Por a long period brick making was cairied on here, and as the earth was excavated, urns, bones, Hint arrow heads, and the usual contents of a Briton's sepulchre were brought to light.

This last resting place of the honoured dead was of the rudest possible character. The mound of earth, formed by nature, was hollowed out, and upright pieces of unhewn stone introduced. In one instance a kind of Cromlech was found which would seem to denote that it contained the remains of a person of note. This was discovered in July 1832. It was formed of three upright stones, making the three sides of the sepulchral chamber, and covered with a massive cap stone. "Within were found

THE BRITISH PERIOD. 11

a heap of broken urns and human bones burnt, stone implements, and fragments of personal ornaments." (Adams.) The cap stone formed a portion of a press used in the old cider mill at the Knapp, adjoining where it was exhumed, until the building was taken down, when it was purchased by the late Mr. C. H. Jessop, and deposited in his Nursery Gardens with other local antiquities. The other sepulchres appear to have been placed nearer the hills, and farther removed from the town. The march of improvement has now altered the spot where stood the one we have been detailing. In 1846, the present Great Western Station was erected over the site, and in order to make a good approach for traffic, the ravine was filled up with earth, and the original character of the locale for ever obliterated.

" On the hills at Cheltenham a rather low, but very extensive oblong mound, overgrown with fir trees, was a few years ago accidently dug into at one end, and a small Cromlech was brought to light. From the appearance of the mound we are justified in supposing that one or more similar Cromleches yet remain uncovered in the parts that have not been touched" (Wright, 1852.)

" To the East is a field still remarkable for two Barrows of British origin, the one round, the other, called by Sir Eichard Hoare, a long Barrow; both of these have been opened, the former by myself, the latter by Mr. Lysons. The firs that crown the top of the long Barrow, are visible from the Boman Villa, allowing the Boman inhabitant to have gratified his pride with a retrospect of the former prowess of his countrymen." ..." Under is a bronze fibula, found near the British Village under Cleeve Camp;" . . . (the fibula was similar to the brooch now in use by ladies.) , . . " British, coins, Boadicea, or Boduni, and two others" (Gomonde, 1849.)

" Fortunately, a tradition has been preserved, which, by inviting investigation, has led to the discovery of a British and Boman British settlement, which was the direct predecessor of Cheltenham, it being the custom to remove the place of residence to neighbouring valleys, for the greater convenience of water. The Warcescome about Withington stood in a field, now called by corruption, Wycombe. Bemains of black pottery have been found. A circle also appears, and within this spot excavations were made, and stones were found, cut and worked into heads, as if they had belonged to the frieze of a Temple. In a quarry, not far off, were discovered the bones of a Briton, the brass of a shield, six inches in diameter, and the head of a spear, seventeen inches in the blade, and nine inches in the socket. A hearth of floor known to be an appendage of British settlements, was also found. In November, 1824, I visited the site, in company with W. Lawrence, Esq., of Sandywell Park. The spear and brass, as well as numerous other coins found there, are in the possession of Mr. Lawrence" (Fosbrooke.)

The place where the adaptation of the British encampment by the Romans may be best studied, is at Nottingham Hill. J. E. Peacey, Esq., Lord of the Manor of Prescott, who resides near this spot, has frequently found British coffins and coins, and also Roman coins in the encampment. The steepest part of the hill is now being excavated for stone, and the original mound of the Britons, and the superstructure of the Eomans, pre laid bare to view. Portions of the bones of a Briton, and also a lance head, and a coin of Boduni, were obtained by the author from the lower mound of the hill in July, 1844, which had been rendered loose by the labours of the quarry man.

At length came the decline of the Primitive race and their subjugation, and ultimate amalgamation with a future generation. The defeat of Caractacus, the renowned British Chief, paved the way for the establishment of the Roman power among the Dobuni, and afterwards generally throughout the Island. This event occurred about half a century after the beginning of the Christian era. Erom this period the local occupants were Romans, and so long were they residents that there is hardly a nook in our vicinity where the spade or the plough has not turned up some archaeological treasure of the civilizers of the West.

The Romans having been successful in defeating the Britons on their own shores, the latter were obliged to retreat inland. Togodumnus appears to have had the government of affairs of that portion of the British who lived in this district, and being a person highly obnoxious in the eyes of the Roman general, Plautious, that brave man in 43 attacked the British army and completely routed them from this county. The Romans took possession of all the encampments of the surrounding hills, and enlarged, altered, and generally converted them into Roman military stations. The additions made by the last occupiers show

THE BRITISH PERIOD, 13

great care and caution in securing watch towers and posts, and they may be easily discerned, even upon a cursory inspection.

We have now completed a review of the British period as it has been developed by the local discoveries that have been made. We have been speaking of the first known occupants of this island, and feel impressed with the social and domestic virtues and indomitable courage which they manifested. They lived where we now live ages before the glorious light of Christianity was kindled. When we contemplate the fragments of their heathen altars which lie scattered around us, we are reminded of the scenes enacted, when the priest and the people gathered together to offer sacrifice. These rude memorials may have met the eye of the first apostles of our faith as they journeyed hither from Gloucester in their pilgrimage of proselytism. The coins of that bravest of all British Queens— Boadicea, (collected by Mr. Gomonde), which are found in the neighbourhood, recall to memory the native military skill which our primitive ancestors possessed. They tell us of the time when the Briton, at the sound of wars alarm, hastily fled from his pastoral abode on the banks of the Chelt, and ascended to his camp on the nearest hill, there to prepare to defend his native home from the attack of a foreign power. The imagination may conjure up from their local graves the shades of these departed children of nature, whose forms were once witnessed. We may fancy we see the army of Rome marching on the site of our town, headed with the glittering eagle, and threatening captivity or death to all who dared to oppose their progress. The British camps around us speak their testimony to the fact that the invaders from the classic city, gained not their victory, except after a long and brave struggle on the part of the Briton to defend the land of his birth. But the conqueror and the conquered have long since passed away, and after a lapse of eighteen hundred years the inhabitants of Cheltenham may, by studying the local relics that have been upturned, compare the past with the present, and perceive that the Briton has "'given place to another race of probably more enduring power and grandeur ; and an age of greater peace and light has happily succeeded, wherein the mists of superstition are dispelled, and the usages of barbarism abandoned, and it is our more fortunate lot to speculate upon those which once might have claimed us for their subjects or their victims" (Thompson )