Matson, Gloucester

MAN 18.220 ALX300 22378 on a Stagecoach West service 1 to Gloucester City at the Matson terminus with sheep grazing nearby

Matson is a suburb in the City of Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England.

History

Unlike neighbouring villages, such as Brookthorpe and Upton St Leonards, Matson is not mentioned in the Domesday Book. It appears to have been a part of Kings Barton at the time of the survey. The origins of the name are unclear but early versions recorded include Matesknolle, Mattesdune and Matesden[1] and it is likely that the names refer to Robinswood Hill,[1] a large hill which lay entirely within the ancient parish of Matson and on the flanks of which the village lies.

It has been suggested that iron ore was mined from Robinswood Hill in Saxon times[1] although there is little evidence for this. A spring called the Red Well rising just above Matson is ferruginous in nature.

Matson House, a large manorial house, was the headquarters of King Charles during the Siege of Gloucester.[2] It subsequently became the property of Major General William Selwyn in 1679.[3]

1950s to present

Today, Matson is best known for the council estate that was built in the village after the Second World War. Parmjit Dhanda former MP for Gloucester (2001-2010) lived in Matson with his family. Matson contains a ski slope, a pub, a shopping parade, doctors surgery, Neighbourhood Project and several churches.

Matson police station was closed in 1994 . In 2009 plans were revealed for the construction of a new motorway service station.[4] Following the planning process and a judicial review[5] Gloucester services was built near Matson with the northbound services opening on May 7, 2014[6] and the southbound services due to open in May 2015.[6]

Matson is bordered primarily by Robinswood Hill, a large hill that rises to 283m above sea level. Much of Matson is built on the sides of the hill including the Gloucester Ski Centre.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rudge, Thomas: The History of the County of Gloucester, page 171. 1803
  2. ↑ 16th Century Gloucester
  3. ↑ N.M. Herbert (editor) (1988). "Matson". A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 4: The City of Gloucester. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  4. ↑ New service station plan for M5
  5. ↑ Challenge to M5 motorway service area thrown out by High Court
  6. 1 2 Take a look around the new M5 motorway Gloucester Services

Coordinates: 51°50′N 2°13′W / 51.833°N 2.217°W / 51.833; -2.217


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