Elmstone-Hardwicke
Encyclopedia
Elmstone Hardwicke is a village
and sizeable parish
north-west of Cheltenham
in Gloucestershire
, England.
St Mary Magdelene Church may be considered the hub of the village; its location is . The church has a 9th-century carved stone head which is ornamented like the font
at Deerhurst
.
Elmstone Hardwicke is in the borough
of Tewkesbury
, the Cheltenham post town
, and on the Coombe Hill
, Cheltenham, telephone exchange
. Nearby villages include Uckington, Stoke Orchard
, and Tredington.
Elmstone Hardwicke shares a village hall
with Uckington.
Elmstone-Hardwicke has an interesting History with regard to the use of its land. Prior to the mid 18th century, most farmers in England rotated their crops across three or four strips of land- see Crop rotation
, and ‘rights of common’- see common land
were claimed for grazing the unfenced land. The Inclosures Acts of the 19th century proposed the inclosure of Elmstone-Hardwicke in 1899. However, many fields remained unfenced until 1918, which villagers believe make it the last village in England to be inclosed. Following the Inclosure, many poor farmers lost their common grazing rights, so in Elmstone-Hardwicke, a 10 acres (4 ha) plot was set aside as a recreation ground for grazing of their animals, and a further 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) for allotments.
These fields still exist, and although none of the current residents graze or cultivate the land as individuals, the Parish Council leases the land to a local farmer, and the money is reinvested into the community.
The land in Elmstone-Hardwicke has been mainly used for arable farming over the years, and has had some interesting crops grown there including tobacco in the 17th Century!
More recently, from the early 20th century, teasel growing was established in the village, it continued until the 1960s, and is well remembered by some of the older inhabitants. The teasels were used in the textile industry to raise the nap on the cloth, but were superseded by nylon brushes.
Elmstone-Hardwicke is mentioned in the Domesday Book
, where it is called Almundeston. As part of the Deerhurst Hundred, the land of the manor was held by radknights (free men), who ensured that the land was farmed for the Lord. In Elmstone, the named free man was Beorhtric, although it also states that it was held by Reinbald...
The first mention of Almundeston is, according to British History Online in 889, when it was known as Almundingtoun, Hardwicke was noted in 1086, and the two parishes were first noted together in 1378.
There are other interesting names in the locality:
Low-di-low Lane is a No Through Road, which runs through the heart of the Village and marks the boundary between the parishes of Uckington and Elmstone-Hardwicke.
Dog Bark Lane is a Restricted Byway which connects Elmstone-Hardwicke and its neighbour Swindon Village, and is regularly used by walkers, cyclists and horse-riders. It is believed to be named after the call of the male foxes who live along the route.
Murder Meadow (or Murder Ground) belongs to one of the small-holdings in Elmstone-Hardwicke, but is in fact just over the boundary in Stoke Orchard. Although the name appears on the deeds from the early 19th century, no evidence has been found to substantiate the origins of the name, although local folklore suggests that it was a crime of passion and the murder was committed by a jealous husband!
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and sizeable parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
north-west of Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
in 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....
, England.
St Mary Magdelene Church may be considered the hub of the village; its location is . The church has a 9th-century carved stone head which is ornamented like the font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
at Deerhurst
Deerhurst
Deerhurst is a village near Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, England on the east bank of the River Severn. The Royal Mail postcode begins GL19.- Anglo Saxon church & chapel :...
.
Elmstone Hardwicke is in the borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury is a town in Gloucestershire, England. It stands at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon, and also minor tributaries the Swilgate and Carrant Brook...
, the Cheltenham post town
Post town
A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system. Including the correct post town in the address increases the chances of a letter or parcel being delivered on time. Post towns are usually based upon the location of...
, and on the Coombe Hill
Coombe Hill, Gloucestershire
Coombe Hill is the name of a hamlet, telephone exchange and the terminus of the disused Coombe Hill Canal, now a nature reserve, in Gloucestershire, England....
, Cheltenham, telephone exchange
Telephone exchange
In the field of telecommunications, a telephone exchange or telephone switch is a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls...
. Nearby villages include Uckington, Stoke Orchard
Stoke Orchard
Stoke Orchard is a village or hamlet north-west of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, England. Locally the village is often known as 'Stoke'.Stoke Orchard is in the borough of Tewkesbury, the Cheltenham post town, and on the Coombe Hill, Cheltenham, telephone exchange. Stoke Orchard neighbours...
, and Tredington.
Elmstone Hardwicke shares a village hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
with Uckington.
History
The National Gazetteer (1868):Elmstone-Hardwicke has an interesting History with regard to the use of its land. Prior to the mid 18th century, most farmers in England rotated their crops across three or four strips of land- see Crop rotation
Crop rotation
Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of dissimilar types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons.Crop rotation confers various benefits to the soil. A traditional element of crop rotation is the replenishment of nitrogen through the use of green manure in sequence with cereals...
, and ‘rights of common’- see common land
Common land
Common land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
were claimed for grazing the unfenced land. The Inclosures Acts of the 19th century proposed the inclosure of Elmstone-Hardwicke in 1899. However, many fields remained unfenced until 1918, which villagers believe make it the last village in England to be inclosed. Following the Inclosure, many poor farmers lost their common grazing rights, so in Elmstone-Hardwicke, a 10 acres (4 ha) plot was set aside as a recreation ground for grazing of their animals, and a further 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) for allotments.
These fields still exist, and although none of the current residents graze or cultivate the land as individuals, the Parish Council leases the land to a local farmer, and the money is reinvested into the community.
The land in Elmstone-Hardwicke has been mainly used for arable farming over the years, and has had some interesting crops grown there including tobacco in the 17th Century!
More recently, from the early 20th century, teasel growing was established in the village, it continued until the 1960s, and is well remembered by some of the older inhabitants. The teasels were used in the textile industry to raise the nap on the cloth, but were superseded by nylon brushes.
Elmstone-Hardwicke is mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, where it is called Almundeston. As part of the Deerhurst Hundred, the land of the manor was held by radknights (free men), who ensured that the land was farmed for the Lord. In Elmstone, the named free man was Beorhtric, although it also states that it was held by Reinbald...
The first mention of Almundeston is, according to British History Online in 889, when it was known as Almundingtoun, Hardwicke was noted in 1086, and the two parishes were first noted together in 1378.
There are other interesting names in the locality:
Low-di-low Lane is a No Through Road, which runs through the heart of the Village and marks the boundary between the parishes of Uckington and Elmstone-Hardwicke.
Dog Bark Lane is a Restricted Byway which connects Elmstone-Hardwicke and its neighbour Swindon Village, and is regularly used by walkers, cyclists and horse-riders. It is believed to be named after the call of the male foxes who live along the route.
Murder Meadow (or Murder Ground) belongs to one of the small-holdings in Elmstone-Hardwicke, but is in fact just over the boundary in Stoke Orchard. Although the name appears on the deeds from the early 19th century, no evidence has been found to substantiate the origins of the name, although local folklore suggests that it was a crime of passion and the murder was committed by a jealous husband!
See also
- Hardwicke
- KnightsbridgeKnightsbridge, GloucestershireKnightsbridge is a hamlet neighbouring Elmstone-Hardwicke and Uckington, close to Junction 10 of the M5 motorway, near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire.In addition to residential housing, Knightsbridge is home to a small business park....
- Piff's ElmPiff's ElmPiff's Elm is the local name for part of the English parish of Elmstone-Hardwicke. It is effectively a hamlet, and is near Hardwicke, Uckington, and Junction 10 of the M5 motorway in Gloucestershire...
External links
- GENUKI - UK & Ireland Genealogy - Elmstone Hardwicke
- Elmstone Hardwicke Parish Church - includes a number of photos.
- British History Online (http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=66383&strquery=elmstone-hardwicke)Accessed on 17/2/10
- The National Archives (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk) Accessed 23/3/10
- British History Online (http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=66383) Accessed 23/3/10