Brockworth, Gloucestershire
Encyclopedia
Brockworth, in Gloucestershire
, England
is situated on the old Roman road
that connects the City of Gloucester with Barnwood
, Hucclecote
and Cirencester
. For the past 150 years Brockworth has been known locally for the annual rolling
of Double Gloucester cheese
down Cooper's Hill
. During World War II
its Gloster Aircraft Company
produced the famous Hawker Hurricane fighter, and following the war it gained renewed fame for producing several famous aircraft including Britain's first jet aircraft
which took off from its test runway. It is also the birth place of renowned actor, comedian and writer Simon Pegg
.
following a more-or-less straight line to the inland port city of Gloucester
. Its original semi-remote location made it ideal for the location of an aircraft factory (now the Gloucester Business Park
) where planes could be built and tested without worry over noise. Land availability made the location ideal for the site of a test runway.
was formed at Hucclecote, Gloucestershire
in 1915
, as the Gloucestershire Aircraft Company. In 1926 the name of the company was abbreviated to Gloster because customers outside of the United Kingdom
found the original name too difficult to pronounce. The company produced the Gloster Gladiator
; Hawker Hurricane
; Hawker Typhoon
; Gloster Meteor
and Gloster Javelin
and its test runway became famous for the first flight of Sir Frank Whittle
's turbo-jet aircraft
. During the war Brockworth and the surrounding area was bombed by the Luftwaffe
in an attempt to halt its production of vital war materials.
the company built 1,000 Hawker Hurricane
s in the first 12 months of World War II
and it delivered its last of 2,750 Hurricanes in 1942
. Production was then switched to building 3,330 Hawker Typhoon
s for the Royal Air Force
. On April 8, 1941 the first test flight of the Gloster E28/39 with a turbo-jet engine invented by Sir Frank Whittle
took off from company airfield at Brockworth. This formed the basis for the Gloster Meteor
, the only jet to be used by the Allied Forces during World War II. In 1945
it gained a world speed record of 606 mph and it was eventually put into service by 12 nations.
it took the area many years to revive; but after the mid-1950s, renewed housing growth, the development of motorways and redistricting eventually changed the entire look of Brockworth and what were once adjoining villages. In 1952
the Brockworth factory produced the two seat, delta-winged Gloster Javelin
which was developed as an all weather fighter that could fly above 50,000 feet at almost the speed of sound. In 1962
the Gloster Aircraft Company closed down and its once famous test runway fell victim of redistricting and it is now within the boundary of Hucclecote
. The site of the airfield has now been redeveloped as the modern Gloucester Business Park, with additional housing developments continuing to grow around it.
. A large round cheese is rolled down the steep slope of the hill and chased by a group of "runners", who in fact spend most of their brief descent to the bottom of the hill falling and tumbling. Two hundred years ago this was part of a larger mid-summer festival with other activities and competitions, but the event is now confined to the cheese-rolling and is held in May during the Spring Bank-holiday Monday. It is usually said to have originated as a pagan
festival celebrating the arrival of summer, fertility, or both.
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
is situated on the old Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
that connects the City of Gloucester with Barnwood
Barnwood
Barnwood, in Gloucestershire, England is situated on the old Roman road that connects the City of Gloucester with Hucclecote, Brockworth and Cirencester....
, Hucclecote
Hucclecote
Hucclecote is an affluent and sought-after village in Gloucestershire , England situated on the old Roman road connecting Gloucester with Barnwood, Brockworth, Cirencester and Cheltenham...
and Cirencester
Cirencester
Cirencester is a market town in east Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles west northwest of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswold District. It is the home of the Royal Agricultural College, the oldest agricultural...
. For the past 150 years Brockworth has been known locally for the annual rolling
Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake
The Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is an annual event held on the Spring Bank Holiday at Cooper's Hill, near Gloucester in the Cotswolds region of England. It is traditionally by and for the people who live in the local village of Brockworth, but now people from all over the world take...
of Double Gloucester cheese
Double Gloucester cheese
Gloucester is a traditional unpasteurised, semi-hard cheese which has been made in Gloucestershire, England, since the 16th century, at one time made only with the milk of the once nearly-extinct Gloucester cattle....
down Cooper's Hill
Cooper's Hill
There are several places called Cooper's Hill:* Cooper's Hill, Bedfordshire, a Site of Special Scientific Interest* at Brockworth, where the Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake takes place* near Englefield Green, Surrey...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
its Gloster Aircraft Company
Gloster Aircraft Company
The Gloster Aircraft Company, Limited, known locally as GAC, was a British aircraft manufacturer. The company produced a famous lineage of fighters for the Royal Air Force : the Grebe, Gladiator, Meteor and Javelin. It also produced the Hawker Hurricane and Hawker Typhoon for the parent company...
produced the famous Hawker Hurricane fighter, and following the war it gained renewed fame for producing several famous aircraft including Britain's first jet aircraft
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
which took off from its test runway. It is also the birth place of renowned actor, comedian and writer Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and director. He is best known for having co-written and stared in various Edgar Wright features, mainly Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the comedy series Spaced.He also portrayed Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the 2009 Star Trek film...
.
History
Brockworth was the third in a series of rural villages located along an old Roman roadRoman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
following a more-or-less straight line to the inland port city of Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
. Its original semi-remote location made it ideal for the location of an aircraft factory (now the Gloucester Business Park
Gloucester Business Park
Gloucester Business Park is a business park situated in Hucclecote on the outskirts of Gloucester, England with close links to the M5 and A417.Current residents of the business park include Direct Wines, Horizon Nuclear Power, Fortis, NHS and Detica....
) where planes could be built and tested without worry over noise. Land availability made the location ideal for the site of a test runway.
Gloster Aircraft Company
The Gloster Aircraft CompanyGloster Aircraft Company
The Gloster Aircraft Company, Limited, known locally as GAC, was a British aircraft manufacturer. The company produced a famous lineage of fighters for the Royal Air Force : the Grebe, Gladiator, Meteor and Javelin. It also produced the Hawker Hurricane and Hawker Typhoon for the parent company...
was formed at Hucclecote, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
in 1915
1915 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1915:- Events :* The United States Navy establishes a lighter-than-air arm, charged with the operation of airships and of kite balloons to be towed behind warships...
, as the Gloucestershire Aircraft Company. In 1926 the name of the company was abbreviated to Gloster because customers outside of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
found the original name too difficult to pronounce. The company produced the Gloster Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
; Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
; Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
; Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
and Gloster Javelin
Gloster Javelin
The Gloster Javelin was an "all-weather" interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s...
and its test runway became famous for the first flight of Sir Frank Whittle
Frank Whittle
Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS was a British Royal Air Force engineer officer. He is credited with independently inventing the turbojet engine Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS (1 June 1907 – 9 August 1996) was a British Royal Air...
's turbo-jet aircraft
Brockworth bombed
The Gloster Aircraft Company (known locally as GAC) drew upon an employment pool from the surrounding area and it was responsible for much of the growth in the development of housing estates which were halted by the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During the war Brockworth and the surrounding area was bombed by the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
in an attempt to halt its production of vital war materials.
1939-45 WWII production
In 19391939 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1939:-Events:* Kawasaki Heavy Industries transfers its aircraft engine production business to its subsidiary, the Kawasaki Aircraft Engineering Company Ltd....
the company built 1,000 Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s in the first 12 months of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and it delivered its last of 2,750 Hurricanes in 1942
1942 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1942:- Events :* The United States Coast Guard begins to use the national insignia for U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps aircraft on its own aircraft for the first time. The practice has continued ever since.-January:* The U.S...
. Production was then switched to building 3,330 Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
s for the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. On April 8, 1941 the first test flight of the Gloster E28/39 with a turbo-jet engine invented by Sir Frank Whittle
Frank Whittle
Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS was a British Royal Air Force engineer officer. He is credited with independently inventing the turbojet engine Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS (1 June 1907 – 9 August 1996) was a British Royal Air...
took off from company airfield at Brockworth. This formed the basis for the Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
, the only jet to be used by the Allied Forces during World War II. In 1945
1945 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1945:- Events :* The probe-and-drogue aerial refueling system, in which the tanker aircraft trails a hose with a stabilizing conical drogue at its end which mates to a fixed probe mounted on the receiving aircraft, is perfected...
it gained a world speed record of 606 mph and it was eventually put into service by 12 nations.
Post-WWII developments
Following World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
it took the area many years to revive; but after the mid-1950s, renewed housing growth, the development of motorways and redistricting eventually changed the entire look of Brockworth and what were once adjoining villages. In 1952
1952 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1952:- Events :* The Royal Navy conducts the worlds first trials of an angled flight deck, aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Triumph. It had been invented by Royal Navy Captain Dennis R. F. Campbell,* The Royal Navy conducts the worlds first trials of a...
the Brockworth factory produced the two seat, delta-winged Gloster Javelin
Gloster Javelin
The Gloster Javelin was an "all-weather" interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s...
which was developed as an all weather fighter that could fly above 50,000 feet at almost the speed of sound. In 1962
1962 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1962:- Events :* Early 1962 – In Operation High Jump, the United States Navy McDonnell F4H-1 Phantom II fighter sets a number of world climb-to altitude records: 34.523 seconds to 3,000 meters , 48.787 seconds to 6,000 meters , 61.629 seconds to...
the Gloster Aircraft Company closed down and its once famous test runway fell victim of redistricting and it is now within the boundary of Hucclecote
Hucclecote
Hucclecote is an affluent and sought-after village in Gloucestershire , England situated on the old Roman road connecting Gloucester with Barnwood, Brockworth, Cirencester and Cheltenham...
. The site of the airfield has now been redeveloped as the modern Gloucester Business Park, with additional housing developments continuing to grow around it.
Cooper's Hill
Cooper's Hill is a local landmark within the parish of Brockworth, and is known in Britain and beyond for its annual cheese rolling contestCooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake
The Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is an annual event held on the Spring Bank Holiday at Cooper's Hill, near Gloucester in the Cotswolds region of England. It is traditionally by and for the people who live in the local village of Brockworth, but now people from all over the world take...
. A large round cheese is rolled down the steep slope of the hill and chased by a group of "runners", who in fact spend most of their brief descent to the bottom of the hill falling and tumbling. Two hundred years ago this was part of a larger mid-summer festival with other activities and competitions, but the event is now confined to the cheese-rolling and is held in May during the Spring Bank-holiday Monday. It is usually said to have originated as a pagan
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
festival celebrating the arrival of summer, fertility, or both.
Sources
- Gloster Javelin pictures and story
- Cooper's Hill Annual Cheese Rolling and Wake
- BBC coverage of the 2004 Cheese Rolling event
- Injuries suffered at 2004 annual Cheese Rolling.
- Brockworth Albion AFC
- Brockworth Albion Golf Society
- More about Frank Whittle
- Royal Air Force History of the Gloster E28/39/Meteor
- Hucclecote Parish where the E28/39 aircraft, with a jet engine designed by Sir Frank Whittle, became airborne in taxiing runs for the first time.