GLOUCESTER - HISTORY 1791

GLOUCESTER, GLOUCESTERSHIRE
This city, called by the ancient Britons Caerglow, the Fair City, from its fine situation and beautiful buildings, was called by the Romans Clevum or Glevum, to which the Saxons, according to their custom, added Cester, which signifies a castle or fortification, and thus called Glavcester, from whence its present name is supposed to be derived. Leland says, that in his time, it was a large place, well built with timber, and defended with strong walls, except on the south side where it is washed by the Severn. This City is allowed by all writers on the subject to have been a Roman station. After the Saxon heptarchy, this place was of some note ; and near it Edmund, surnamed Ironsides, fought for the kingdom, in the isle of Alney, with Canute, who obtained the victory. A little before the conquest, Breiktric, a Saxon, was lord of Gloucester ; but, refusing to marry Maud, afterwards wife of William I. She caused him to be imprisoned, and his estate seized by the crown. Afterwards it was given by Rufus to Robert Fitz Hairmon, lord of Corbaille in Normandy. It has suffered considerably by fire at different periods. It stands upon a hill ; and from the middle of the city, where the four principal streets meet, there is a descent every way, which makes it not only clean and healthy, but adds to the beauty of the place. King Henry VIII. Made it the see of a bishop, with a dean and six prebends. Its castle, which was erected in the time of William the conqueror, is very much decayed : part of it is leased out by the crown ; and the rest serves for a prison, one of the best in England.
Several of our kings kept their Christmas at this city, King John, in the first year of his reign, made it a borough-town, and Henry III. Made it a corporation. It was beseiged and taken in four days by the barons, in the reign of the last mentioned king. It was however, soon retaken by his son, who pardoned the burgesses upon their paying 1000 marks. In 1272 Edward I. Held a parliament here, in which some useful laws were made, now called the Statutes of Gloucester. Richard II. Held a parliament here also ; and Richard III. In consequence of bearing the title of duke of Gloucester, before he obtained the crown, added the two adjacent hundreds of Dudston and Kings-Barton to it, gave it his sword and cap of maintenance, and made it a county by itself, by the name of the county of the city of Gloucester ; but, after the restoration, the hundreds were taken away by act of parliament, and the walls of the city razed, for the inhabitants shutting the gates, in 1643, against Charles I. By whom it was then in vein beseiged. The city had then eleven parish churches. But six being demolished in 1643, there only remainded five, and the cathedral. This city now gives the title of duke to his Royal Highness William Henry, only remaining brother of his present majesty.
This large and populous city, pleasantly situated, in a fine fertile vale, on the banks of the Severn, was formerly famous for its iron forges, (even so early as the time of William the Conqueror) and its cloth manufactory ; but those branches of trade have long ceased : its chief trade, at present, consists in pin-making, (which is carried on to a very great extent), woolstapling, malting, and Rope-making. This city contains four spacious streets, (besides lanes, &c) well paved and lighted, and in general well built : its boundaries are about three miles in circumference.
The cathedral of Gloucester, is justly admired as one of the finest pieces of Gothic architecture in England. Aldred, bishop of Worcester, 1047, and afterwards archbishop of York, who crowned king William the Conqueror, built and finished this cathedral church about the year 1060. Abbot Horton, in 1551, built the north aisle, and a great hall in which a parliament was afterwards kept, and which is now a library. In 1381, Abbot Trocester began the building of the neat and large cloister. Abbot Seabrook began the building of the stately tower, and appointed Robert Tull, a monk of this church, to take care of finishing it, who afterwards was consecrated bishop of St Davids, in 1450. This appears by two verses written in the choir, over the arch of the tower:
Hoc quod digestum specularis opusque politum
Yullii haec ex onere, Seabrook Abbate jubente.

Abbot Hantley, in 1457, laid the foundation of the Virgin Marys chapel. Abbot Parker was the last abbot ; in whose time the abbey was resigned to king Henry VIII. By the prior, and not by the abbot. It was then made a cathedral (in the year 1541) by Henry VIII. Who placed John Wakeman, abbot of Tewkesbury, first bishop there. Abbot Morewent, in 1419, built the frontispiece at the west end from the ground. The whole number of abbots were 33.
Dimensions of the cathedral:__ The Ladys chapel, in length 90 feet, in breadth 27, and in height 66 feet. The choir is 141 feet in length, 37 and a half in breadth, and in height 85 feet. The great window at the end of the choir is 83 feet high. The body of the church in length 171 feet 9 inches, in breadth 85 feet, in height 71 feet. The length of the whole is 444 feet eight inches. Each aisle in the large cloister (which contains four) is in length 147 feet, in breadth 13, in height 16 feet and a half ; and always kept locked up, unless in the time of service. There is also a smaller cloister which is inhabited, and contains four aisles, and a passage for people to pass through. There is a place called the Whispering-place, and very remarkable : It is a long alley from one side of the choir to the other, and built circular, and contains in length 84 feet. You may hear from one side to the other, if a person speak ever so low. The church on the outside, in height, is 85 feet and a half. The tower to the battlements is 198 feet high, and from the battlements to the top of the pinnacles 24 feet. From the bottom to the top of the tower is 280 feet. The great bell in the tower weighs 6000 lbs. Weight, and has eight men to ring the same. There is likewise a fine peal of eight bells. The porch is in length 21 feet, in breadth 18, and in height 25 feet and a half.
The principal monuments in this cathedral are as follows, viz. In the choir, lies bishop Aldred, who died September 11, 1069. In the aisle on the north side of the choir, going into the Ladys chapel, lies Abbot Parker ; king Edward the Second, who was murdered at Berkeley castle in 1327, lies in an alabaster tomb, (out of the abundance of pious offerings to his remains, the religious built the choir ; so great was the number of votaries to his shrine, for some time after his death, they could hardly find room in the town;) king Osrick of Northumberland, who died about the year 600 ; and Robert Curthoise, duke of Normandy, and eldest son to William the Conqueror, died in 1134, at Cardiff castle in Wales; his image is cut in wood. In the Ladys chapel, are the monuments of Judge Powell ; Mrs. Williams ; Mrs. Clent ; Bishop Nicholson ; Bishop Goulsbourg, who died in 1604 ; and Thomas Fitzwilliams, Esq. On the south side of the choir, lie Abbot Seabrook, who died in 1457 ; Chancellor Barber ; Humphrey Bohun, Earl of Hereford, who died in 1367, and his lady ; Mr. Pates ; John Gower ; and bishop Benson. In the body, lies the famous bishop Warburton. In the chapter-house lies Strongbow who conquered Ireland. Yhe monks first church was under the choir ; but is now a place for depositing human bones ; of which there is an amazing quantity. Here is also to be seen a large picture, representing the last and final day of judgement, and dissolution of the world.
The cloisters are exquisitely beautiful, in the stile of the chapel of Kings-college, Cambridge. The inhabitants boast much of the antiquity of their first cathedral, which they pretend had bishops and preachers here in 189, the first cathedral, we say ; for it has been, as reported, thrice destroyed by fire.
In the city are six parish churches ; and meeting-houses for the dissenters, methodists and quakers. The college school is in high reputation : also Crypt school. There is likewise a charity-school, well endowed, for freemen’s sons : and several private schools, in good estimation. The hospital od St. Bartholomew, (founded in the reign of queen Elizabeth) for decayed men and women, is liberally endowed, and has been recently rebuilt, in a handsome stile, by the spirited conduct of the corporation, who generously gave up their customary entertainments to defray the expense, and to render the habitation of old age wholesome and comfortable : an example, highly deserving the imitation of other corporate bodies.

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