| Didmarton | |
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Didmarton
Didmarton shown within Gloucestershire |
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| OS grid reference | ST8082 |
|---|---|
| District | Cotswold |
| Shire county | Gloucestershire |
| Region | South West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Gloucestershire |
| Fire | Gloucestershire |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| List of places: UK • England • Gloucestershire | |
Didmarton is a village and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It lies in the Cotswold District.
Since 25 March 1883, the civil parish has included the former parish of Oldbury-on-the-Hill.[1]
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A military survey of Didmarton in 1522 shows that it was then a very small village, overshadowed by the neighbouring Oldbury-on-the-Hill.[1]
In the 16th century, the manor of Didmarton was owned by the Seacole family. In 1571, Simon Codrington married Agnes, daughter and co-heiress of Richard Seacole, and the estate thus passed to their son Robert Codrington.[2] It was sold to Charles Somerset, 4th Duke of Beaufort, in about 1750, but has had a succession of other owners since then.
Together with Oldbury, the parish was subject to enclosure in 1829.[3][4]
According to The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868):[5]
| “ | DIDMARTON, a parish in the upper division of the hundred of Grumbald's Ash, in the county of Gloucester, 5 miles S.W. of Tetbury, and 9 N.E. of Yate station. It is situated near the river Avon, and consists of a few farmhouses. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol, annexed to the rectory of Oldbury-on-the-Hill. The church, dedicated to St Lawrence, is an ancient stone edifice in the early English style of architecture. The charities amount to £11 per annum. There is a school for the children of this parish and that of Oldbury-on-the-Hill. Roman coins are frequently found. The Duke of Beaufort is lord of the manor. A fair was once held here on St Lawrence's Day, which is now transferred to Lansdown, near Bath. | ” |
St Lawrence's church at Didmarton (Church of England) is an early English building with a later open bell tower, unusual in England.[6] Archaeological work at Didmarton church has suggested an origin in the 12th century.[7] The church's dedication is to St Laurence of Canterbury, whose feast day is on 3 February.[1]
The village's Congregational church is a square stone building with arched sash windows.[8]
Another Anglican church at the western end of the village, once dedicated to St Michael and All Angels, has been converted to a private house, but its churchyard is still consecrated ground.[9]
The village's present-day pub, the King's Arms, was first mentioned in 1772. The former George Inn dated from at least 1791, and the former Compasses Inn (or Three Compasses) from 1798.[1]
Parish registers from 1674 to 1991 are held at the Gloucestershire Record Office.[10]
Surnames in the marriages register for 1675 to 1751 are: Acton, Allen, Biggs, Bishop, Brooks, Brush, Burcombe, Byrton, Carey, Chapman, Chappel(l), Codrington, Collings, Davies, Drew, Emely, Frith, Gingill, Harris, Hatchett, Heaven, Iddols, Kingscott, Lewis, Milsum, Minchin, Porter, Powel, Power, Robbins, Scrope, Shipton, Smart, Sparkes, Taunton, Thompson, Walls, Watts, Weekes, White, and Witchell.[11]
The surnames recorded in the parish graveyard, and in that of the Didmarton Congregational church, include: Baker, Bickerton, Borham, Cox, Gould, Lucas, Pritchard, Short, Rice, Robbins, Till, and Tuck.[9]