Gloucestershire, a west midland county, situated upon the estuary of the Severn and bounded N. and NE. by Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire; E. by Oxfordshire; S. by Berks, Wilts, and Somerset; and W. by Monmouthshire, Herefordshire, and the estuary of the Severn; greatest length, SW. to NE., 54 miles; greatest breadth, NW. to SE., 33 miles; area, 783,699 acres; population 572,433. The face of the county shows varied aspects, of which the most distinctive are the Cotswold Hills, in the E.; the valley of the Severn, in the middle; and the Forest of Dean, in the W. Besides the Severn there are numerous important rivers, such as the Avon, Lower Avon, Wye, Thames, and Windrush. The canal system has been largely developed, and several important water-ways of that description pass through the county. Agriculture forms the leading occupation of the rural population; in the hills sheep-farming receives attention; while the rich valley of the Severn has long been famed for the superiority of its products. Its luxuriant pastures especially have originated and supported a great industry in the shape of dairy farms which produce the celebrated Glo’ster cheese. In the W. of the county are 2 great coal-fields — the Forest of Dean on the N., and the Bristol coal-field on the W. Other minerals are gypsum, barytes, quartz, limestone, and freestone. The manufactures are mostly woollen and cotton stuffs, but at Bristol there are also large hardware manufactures. Gloucestershire comprises 29 hundreds, 387 parishes and parts of 4 others, the greater part of the parliamentary and municipal borough of Bristol (4 members), the parliamentary and municipal boroughs of Cheltenham (1 member) and Gloucester (1 member), and the municipal borough of Tewkesbury. It is mostly in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol.
– John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887)
Artemis Archery research collection
Yew Corner
Oldland N/A
0117 9323276
Extensive representative collection of traditional recreational bows, arrows and other artefacts. Associated badges, medals, prints and ephemera.
Chavenage House
Chavenage
Tetbury GL8 8XP
01666 502329
16th century, grey Cotswold stone manor house with many Civil War associations including the tapestry-lined rooms stayed in by Cromwell and his second-in-command, General Ireton, in 1648. The house was added to at the turn of the last century and features the Edwardian Ballroom.
Chedworth Roman Villa – National Trust
Yanworth
Nr Cheltenham GL54 3LJ
01242 890256
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chedworth-roman-villa
The remains of one of the largest Roman villas in Britain provide a fascinating insight into the period. The site was discovered in 1864 by a local gamekeeper and subsequently excavated.
Cheltenham Synagogue
Synagogue Lane, St James’s Square
Cheltenham GL50 3PU
01242 578893
www.cheltenhamsynagogue.org.uk
Our Grade 2* listed Synagogue is over 150 years old and unique in Gloucestershire. It provides a focus for both Jewish education in the region and the appreciation of Regency architecture.
Cirencester Lock-up
Trinity Road
Cirencester GL7 1BR
01285 623000
www.cirencester.co.uk/attractions
A two-celled lock-up built in 1804 and moved to its present site in 1837. Display panels tell the story of lock-ups in general and the history of this building & the Cirencester workhouse.
Clearwell Caves – Ancient Iron Mines
Nr Coleford
Royal Forest of Dean GL16 8JR
01594 832535
The show caves are a part of an extensive natural cave system, mined for iron ore to make one of Britain’s most complex and oldest mine workings; dating back well over 4,500 years, when Neolithic miners dug for ochre pigments. Nine atmospheric ancient caverns are open to visitors, that have an exciting and intriguing past.
Corinium Museum
Park Street
Cirencester GL7 2BX
01285 655611
Discover the treasures of the Cotswolds at the Corinium Museum. Two years and five million pounds in the making, the Corinium Museum has been transformed into the must-see visitor attraction of the Cotswolds. Corinium was the second largest city in Roman Britain.
Cotswold Motoring Museum & Toy Collection
The Old Mill, Sherbourne Street, Bourton-on-the-Water
Cheltenham GL54 2BY
01451 821255
The museum has seven galleries – overflowing with vintage and classic cars, caravans, precarious looking motorcycles, original enamel signs, a unique toy collection and an intriguing array of motoring curiosities. It provides a nostalgic journey through history, complete with sounds, smells and stories from the eras.
Court Barn Museum
Church Street
Chipping Campden GL55 6JE
01386 841951
Court Barn Museum celebrates the talented designers and craftspeople who have worked in Chipping Campden and the north Cotswolds since the beginning of the 20th century. This is a story of the Arts and Crafts movement and its legacy, a story of how a small town in a beautiful setting became a gathering place for designers and craftspeople of national and international reputation.
Collections: There is a permanent exhibition of silver, jewellery, ceramics, sculpture, industrial design, bookbinding, printing, and stained glass. The entire working archive of Robert Welch is also there.
Dean Forest Railway Museum
Dean Forest Railway, Norchard Railway Centre, Forest Road
Lydney GL15 4ET
01594 845840
www.dfr.co.uk
Spend a moment of your visit to the Dean Forest Railway to look around with artefacts from the former Severn & Wye Joint Railway and associated Great Western & Midland Railways.
Dean Heritage Centre, Forest of Dean
Camp Mill, Soudley, Cinderford
Forest of Dean GL14 2UB
01594 822170
Set across a stunning and fully interactive five acre site, the centre protects and preserves the unique history and heritage of the beautiful Forest of Dean.
Collections: Includes archaeology, natural history, geology, industrial history, coal and iron mining, agriculture, costume, social history, friendly societies, library and archives.
Dr Jenner’s House & Garden
The Chantry
Berkeley GL13 9BH
01453 810631
It was from this house in 1796 that Edward Jenner pioneered a vaccination against smallpox and it changed the world. During his life he was also fascinated by geology, ballooning, poetry and natural history. Find out about Dr Jenner’s life, his hopes, the setbacks and how he changed the world.
Dyrham Park – National Trust
Dyrham Park, Dyrham
near Bath SN14 8ER
0117 9375201
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dyrham-park
Explore 270 acres (110 hectares) of ancient parkland, where a historic herd of fallow deer roams freely and magnificent trees and breathtaking views abound. Inside the impressive mansion, built by hard-working civil servant William Blathwayt, discover fascinating interiors little changed in 300 years, as well as a rich collection that includes superb Dutch art and ceramics of the period.
Forest of Dean Local History Society
45 Allaston Road
Lydney GL15 5SS
01594 842164
www.forestofdeanhistory.org.uk
To advance education for the benefit of the public by the study of local history, in particular the local history of the Forest of Dean and its surrounding area.
Frenchay Village Museum
Begbrook Park
Frenchay BS16 1SZ
0117 957 0942
A few miles northeast of Bristol, in South Gloucestershire, Frenchay Village Museum gives an insight into an unusual village that, from the 17th century, was a community largely made up of non-conformist Quakers and Unitarians.
Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester GL1 2LR
01452 508211
www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk
The Cathedral today is much more than just an ancient monument – it is a living church open 365 days a year.
Gloucester City Council Culture, Learning & Leisure
Learning and Leisure, Heritage and Museums, Herbert Warehouse, The Docks
Gloucester GL1 2EQ
01452 396620
Heritage and Museums service responsible for museums, collections, archaeological planning advice, and monuments in Gloucester.
Gloucester City Museum & Art Gallery
Brunswick Road
Gloucester GL1 1HP
01452 396131
www.gloucestermuseums.co.uk
Treasures from all over Gloucestershire reveal the county’s early history – dinosaur bones and diorama; life of early man; the beautiful Bronze age Birdlip Mirror; life and death in Roman Gloucestershire; the amazing Gloucester Tables Set (early backgammon) and an intricate Mediaeval closing ring from a local church. Discover beautiful antique furniture, clocks and decorative arts and paintings by well known artists such as Turner and Gainsborough.
Gloucester Folk Museum
99-103 Westgate Street
Gloucester GL1 2PG
01452 396868
Museum displays on three floors of three half-timbered buildings of c.1500-1650 plus new extensions at the rear of the site – dairy, ironmonger’s shop, wheelwright and carpenter workshops.
Collections: Collections cover the social history, trades, crafts and industries from the City & County of Gloucester from the mid-16th.century to the present.
Gloucester Waterways Museum
Llanthony Warehouse, Gloucester Docks
Gloucester GL1 2EH
01452 318200
The award-winning Gloucester Waterways Museum (part of The Waterways Trust) is housed in a splendid Victorian warehouse at the historic Gloucester Docks. The collections include objects painted by boatmen, costumes worn by boating families, and waterways souvenirs, along with photographic and archive material.
Gloucestershire Archives
Clarence Row, Alvin Street
Gloucester GL1 3DW
01452 425295
www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/archives
Gloucestershire Archives aims to preserve historical records relating to Gloucestershire, and to make them available for research. Gloucestershire Archives holds over 8 million documents dating from the 12th century to the present day and reflecting all aspects of life in Gloucestershire.
Gloucestershire Family History Society
Clarence Row, Alvin Street
Gloucester GL1 3AH
01452 524344
www.gfhs.org.uk
The society provides free online research facilities and friendly volunteers to help you find your ancestors in Gloucestershire and beyond.
Hailes Abbey – National Trust
Near Winchcombe
Cheltenham GL54 5PB
01242 602398
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hailes-abbey
The Cistercian abbey of Hailes was founded in 1246 in Gloucestershire by the Earl of Cornwall in thanks for surviving a shipwreck. Though never housing large numbers of monks, it held a renowned relic, ‘the Holy Blood of Hailes’ – allegedly a phial of Christ’s own blood.
Hidcote – National Trust
Hidcote Bartrim
near Chipping Campden GL55 6LR
01386 438333
Hidcote is an Arts and Crafts garden in the north Cotswolds, a stone’s throw from Stratford-upon-Avon. Created by the talented American horticulturist, Major Lawrence Johnston, its colourful and intricately designed outdoor ‘rooms’ are always full of surprises.
Holst Birthplace Museum
4 Clarence Road
Cheltenham GL52 2AY
01242 524846
The Holst Birthplace Museum aims to celebrate the life and works of Gustav Holst, composer of The Planets. The museum was opened by Holst’s daughter Imogen in 1975.
Collections: Holst’s piano, family items and extensive printed archive of photographs and ephemera.
John Moore Countryside Museum & Merchant’s House
41 Church Street
Tewkesbury GL20 5SN
01684 297174
The John Moore Museum is nestled in a row of historic timber-framed buildings close to the Abbey in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. The museum was established in 1980 in memory of the writer and naturalist John Moore. Today it is also home to an extensive natural history collection featuring specimens of the mammals and birds native to our countryside, woodlands, wetlands and farmland. A few doors away is The Merchant’s House, a two storey building which has been beautifully restored and furnished to show the construction of a 15th century shop and dwelling. The museum has also recently taken over the management of the Old Baptist Chapel, originally a late Medieval Hall house which was later converted for use as a Nonconformist meeting house.
Living Memory Historical Association, The
The Living Memory Historical Association Exhibition and Study Centre
Cirencester GL7 1QW
0128 565 5650
The LMHA is a registered charitable trust founded in 1989, dedicated to the study of local history within living memory. It holds a considerable archive of artefacts and ephemera, mainly of the Second World War period.
Museum in the Park, The
Stratford Park, Stratford Road
Stroud GL5 4AF
01453 763394
Family-friendly museum in beautiful parkland setting. Featuring colourful displays relating to the history, people and places of Stroud District and a varied programme of temporary exhibitions and events.
Nature in Art
Wallsworth Hall, A38, Tewkesbury Road
Twigworth, near Gloucester GL2 9PA
01452 731422
The museum and art gallery dedicated to art inspired by nature from around the world. The collection spans 1500 years, from 60 countries by 600 artists and craftspeople.
Newark Park – National Trust
Ozleworth
Wotton-under-Edge GL12 7PZ
01453 842644
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/newark-park
This unusual and atmospheric property was built c.1550 as a hunting lodge and added to in the 1790s. It stands high on the edge of a 40-ft cliff with outstanding views.
Snowshill Manor & Garden – National Trust
Snowshill Road
nr Broadway WR12 7JU
01386 852410
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/snowshill-manor
Snowshill is no ordinary manor, as Charles Paget Wade was no ordinary Edwardian gentleman. Mr Wade embodied his family motto ‘Let nothing perish’, spending his life and inherited wealth amassing a spectacular collection of everyday and extraordinary objects.
Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum
Custom House, The Docks
Gloucester GL1 2HE
01452 522 682
The Soldiers of Gloucestershire is a small military museum, which tells the story of the Gloucestershire Regiment and the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars over the last three hundred years. Located in Gloucester Docks, galleries are on two floors of the old Custom house, which is listed grade two.
South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group
www.sgmrg.co.uk
This area has a rich mining history. The date of the earliest mines is unknown, while the last coal mine closed as recently as 1963. South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group (SGMRG) was set up by local people to understand, record and where appropriate preserve the remains, of what was once an extensive industry, for the present community and future generations.
Stroudwater Textile Trust
The Stroudwater Textile Trust began its life in 1999 as successor to the Friends of Stroud Museum Textile Group as the result of the wish of a group of local people to recognise and interpret the importance of the woollen industry in the Stroud Valleys at all levels from the local to the international. An essential aspect of the Trust’s work is that it considers the present and future of working with wool in the area to be an important part of its purpose as well as that of the past.
Sudeley Castle
Winchcombe GL54 5JD
01242 602308
www.sudeleycastle.co.uk
Set against the backdrop of the beautiful Cotswold Hills, Sudeley Castle is steeped in history. With royal connections spanning a thousand years, it has played an important role in the turbulent and changing times of England’s past. The castle was once home to Queen Katherine Parr, the last and only surviving wife of Henry VIII.
Swinford Museum
Fox House, Filkins, Nr Lechdale
Gloucester GL7 3JQ
01367 860209
www.filkins.org.uk/swinford_museum.html
Domestic agricultural and building crafts from a Cotswold village.
Tetbury Police Museum
The Old Court House, 63 Long Street
Tetbury GL8 8AA
01666 504670
www.visittetbury.co.uk/police-museum
The original police office and cells contain a most interesting array of exhibits and memorabilia which is well worth a visit, including the world renowned Alex Nichols collection of Handcuffs and Restraints. The centre is primarily dedicated to the history of the Gloucestershire Constabulary.
Tewkesbury Abbey
Church Street
Tewkesbury GL20 5RZ
01684 850959
Tewkesbury Abbey was founded in 1087, but the building of the present Abbey did not start until 1102. Two styles of architecture dominate the Abbey; the Norman piers and arches of the Nave and the Decorated-style 14th century chancel, imposed on the previous work.
Tewkesbury Museum
64 Barton Street
Tewkesbury GL20 5PX
01684 292901
Social history and archaeology collections illustrating the history of Tewkesbury and its people. A fun learning experience for children and adults alike.
Thornbury & District Museum
c/o The Town Hall, 35 High Street
Thornbury BS35 2AR
01454 857774
The Trust’s collection includes objects, a document archive, photographs and digital images which all help tell the story of Thornbury and its surrounding parishes. Some of the collection is placed in store and can be accessed by arrangement for research, as well as being used to create exhibitons and displays.
Wellington Aviation Museum
British School House, Broadway Road
Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0BG
01608 650323
Some years ago Gerry Tyack opened his small museum dedicated to all those who served or who passed through RAF Moreton-in-Marsh, on one of the many training courses for RAF bomber command. Though the airfield is now a fire training station Gerry keeps the memory of the base alive in the museum with his vast range of artefacts from the war years and beyond.
Wilson, The – Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum
Clarence Street
Cheltenham GL50 3JT
01242 237431
www.cheltenham.artgallery.museum
Gallery spaces allow visitors to explore highlights from the museum’s collections – including a new gallery space dedicated to the internationally renowned Arts & Crafts collection, open archives showing tales of local heroes, including the great Edward Wilson (one of Scott’s key men on his 1912 expedition to Antarctica) and temporary exhibition spaces filled with varied programming including fun shows for families.
Winchcombe Folk & Police Museum
Old Town Hall, Winchcombe
Cheltenham GL54 5LJ
01242 609151
Our police collection is a small part of the Simms Collection which was founded in 1953. Winchcombe’s Police Collection opened in 1983 in the Old Court Room of the Town Hall. On display we have British and International police uniforms, caps, helmets, badges, truncheons, handcuffs and other equipment.
Wotton Heritage Centre
The Chipping
Wotton-under-Edge GL12 7AD
01453 521541
Located in a converted fire station in the Chipping, Wotton-under-Edge, the museum provides visitors with an excellent introduction to this historic wool town and its surrounding area of outstanding natural beauty. Visit the Wotton Heritage Centre and discover intriguing artefacts from Wotton-under-Edge’s crafts and industry; changing exhibition displays; photographs, postcards, documents, maps and books of local interest; microfiches of parish registers; card indexes of family and local history and a variety of databases for family history research.
Yate & District Heritage Centre
Church Road
Yate BS37 5BG
01454 862200
www.yateheritage.co.uk
At present, the centre controls the two major local history collections in the area and these are both available to the public on open days and through appointment. There are over 3,000 objects in the centre.