C ...0 C) C Cl) Cl) co .....J C ...0 C .....J L.. Q) > 0 - HIGHNAM,LINTON, • 5t . 0>...,a lc:1 - ~ OVER AND '\ LASSINGTON ,t, lVe:, f ,f ,f"ld RUDFORD ABOUT 1755 1 ' I, (,r~nf f'ork MAISE MORE ( ....._.. I / ~ .... ' -1 r, (l /1 " -~ . ~ ~¥~-~..,~~,.,., () I) I-,_,- - . () i;rQ~ 0 c,OQ 0 ~ East (I lli9lln,im (.I • Q lJr1wnf:. ~ {) Wooc,,- t;\ f,1 Tf>e -~ () Q (l l_O <:' 0 ~-::,. ,:, ~~-0 1,1 E II {J flc/'1 C' LINTON Crn .,t, Fi~ld " (' ,y ·! . ' Mi'ckl( -.. G1:r11,~II ·, - - , F iclrl • • l~....,f'.r , L,,.ton Ml'od " #1/ .I ' MINSTERWORTH ? ~ .... 7 I t f Tn Ch,pst ew HIGHNAM A History and Guide edited by Janet Frost HIGHNAM A History and Guide CONTENTS Introduction I Romans to Reformation II Reformation to Industrial Revolution III The Dawn of Change IV Twentieth Century Highnam V Highnam Today - a Guide . Acknowledgements ISBN 0 9530 820 0 80 Published by Oak Tree Publishers , Highnam, Gloucestershire. INTRODUCTION HIGHNAM - (High-ham) Ham is derived from the old English meaning water meadows belonging to a religious community, in this instance St. Peter's Abbey now Gloucester Cathedral. HAMME - Domesday Book. Later - HYNEHAMME, HINEHAMME, HINEHAME, HYNEHOMME, HYNEHAM, HYNAM, HYNHAM, HENHAM, HINAM. LASSINGTON - derived from the old English meaning lesser or smaller hill. It is said by some authorities that the hill with which Lassington was being compared was the hill at Churchdown. LESSEDUNE - Domesday book. Later - LASSENDON, LASSEDUNE, LESSENDEN. OVER - a slope or bank. The parish of Highnam as we know it today was formed in 1935, when the hamlets of Highnam, Over and Linton were united with the parish of Lassington. Prior to 1851, when H_ighnam church was built, the manor of Highnam and the manor of Churcham were one parish with Churcham church as the parish church. Lassington was a separate parish. In 1928, the churches of Highnam and Lassingt<;m were united and in 1935, under a Local Government Act, Lassington was included in the Civil parish of Highnam. In this booklet the definition of a manor is 'a medieval fanded estate held by a lord and worked by serfs and tenant farmers.' The lord held courts and exacted fees and fines. A brief description of each area will . enable newcomers to identify the old boundaries. HIGHNAM consists of the church and adjacent buildings, Highnam Court, Highnam Farm, Home Farm, Two Mile Lane, Highnam Woods, the golf course, Newent Road and most of Maidenhall and the houses built by Bovis. OVER consists of The Dog, the hospital site, Over Farm Market and nearby buildings, plus Over Farm. LINTON now only contains the farm and buildings extending 1 from the A40 over the railway to the Severn. They built a substantial bridge, probably mostly wooden, at Over, a LASSINGTON scares at the Old Rectory on Lassington Lane, second bridge in Gloucester and a causeway over the marshy flood includes Ascman's Farm, Lassington Court and the houses at the plain between. The Roman legions stationed in Gloucester end of the lane. Lassington Wood and the school, the Lovell devel­ (Glevum) were thus able to communicate by road with the Roman opment and a few houses on the Bovis development and on settlements at Caerleon, near Chepstow (A48) and Ariconium near Maidenhall are all in Lassington. So was Maidenhall Farm which Weston under Penyard (A40). The Romans marched across Over was demolished to make way for new houses. The chestnut tree Bridge and along a road, the remains of which have been found at below The Range was in the garden of Maidenhall Farm. Over on the south side of the road just west of the bridge. This book aims co show how a sparsely populated , rural area has There is evidence of a second, though minor Roman road in changed and developed into the village as we know it today. Highnam. This passed from Over up by Lassington Wood and down the ocher side co Lassington, and so in a north westerly direc­ tion towards mid Wales. This road became the original Lassingcon THE ROMANS TO THE REFORMATION Lane, passing from near The Dog inh to Lassington. The south west of England is separated from Wales and West Ac chis time the eastern border of the Forest of Dean was the Gloucestershire by the Severn estuary. From ancient times the Severn at Over. Deer and ocher wild animals roamed. The lase lowest point at which chis could easily be crossed was between remnants of ancient woodland left in Highnam are in Highnam Gloucester and Over. Above Maisemore at the Upper Woods, now owned by the RSPB. Deer are still occasionally Parting the Severn divides into two. The two sighted there. branches pass each side of Alney Island, which is No doubt the Romans cleared much of the woods near the river crossed by the A40 on a causeway between Over for bridge building and fuel, so creating the first pastures. They Bridge and Westgate Bridge. About half a mile would have built or improved the quay at Over, and also some further downstream the two branches rejoin to houses in Highnam, Over and Lassington. Pieces of Roman tiles become once again wide and deep. le is not and the engraved scone from a ring identified as Roman have been known whether the early Britons used a bridge or found in the fields now built on. whether the river was fordable in pre-Roman The Romans stayed for about three hundred years of relative times, but certainly there would have been trade peace and prosperity but by the beginning of the fifth century the between Over and Gloucester. Perhaps iron from legions had withdrawn. The Dark Ages had begun. the Foresc.~ f De,an was traded for wool from the The Saxons followed and the remaining evidence is the base of Cocswolds. · There was a third branch of the river the tower of Lassington church. Sc. Oswald's church was originally in ea"tJ.ytimes going further into Gloucester which built by Saxons who lived in a settlement in Lassington:. Their meant goods were lo~ded and off-loaded at a quay near Sc. village was near Ascman's Farm on the opposite side of the lane. As Nicholas' church as well as at a quay at Over, from boats travelling well as the church there was a small moated rectory for the rector. both up and downstream. The stone for building would have been brought by boar and When the Romans arrived in the Severn Vale about 47 AD, they landed on the bank of the Leadon. Travel at chat time was easier by quickly realised the key strategic importance of the crossing point. water than by road. Sc. Oswald's church was closely linked with Sc. 2 3 Oswald 's Priory in Gloucester. The Crown and the Church owned · King Harold at the Battle of Hastings and became King of England. most of the land in the country and Lassingcon was owned by the In order co gauge the extent and value of his new kingdom he Archbishop of York. ordered a comprehensi ve census co be taken - the Domesday Book. The entries for Highnam and Lassingcon were as follows :- The Abbey of Gloucester was founded in 680 AO, but the · building of the Cathedral was not co start for another five hundred LAND OF ST. PETER'S OF GLOUCESTER years. By about 800 AD, Ethelrick , son of King Ethelmund had In LONGBRIDGE HUNDRED - HAMME (HIGHNAM) 7 granted 30 messuages of land at Over to the secular clerks of ::it. hides. In lordship 3 ploughs; 22 villagers and 4 smallholders with 7 Peter's Abbey. (Rudder) During the reign of Edward the ploughs. 8 slaves; meadow, 30 acres; woodland sufficient for the Confessor, Ulfketel held Lassingcon and Wolphin le Rue held manor. Highnam and Churcham . In 1022, the Benedictine monks cook The value was 40s (in 1066) now £4 (in 1086). over the Abbey from the secular pnests. In 1779, Samuel Rudder wrote, "Wolphin le Rue was consul or governor of Gloucester in the LAND OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF YORK fifth year of the reign of King Canute (1022). He was also the lord In LONGBRIDGE HUNDRED - Ulfketel held LASSINGTON, of the two manors of Hamme (Highnam and Churcham) . At the a manor of 2 hides. Now Roger holds it from Archbishop Thomas. instigation ofWolstan, Bishop of Worcester, King Canute turned out This land pays tax. In ·lordship 1 plough; 5 villagers and 2 small­ the secular priests from the Abbey of Gloucester and placed monks holders with 3 ploughs. 3 slaves; meadow, 20 acres. of the order of St. Benedict in their stead, but this le Rue w·as so The value was 40s (in 1066) now 30s (in 1086). averse co monks that he slew seven (or some say six) of them not far from the town, between Churcham and Gloucester in the year 1033. The Pope afterwards obliged him co atone for his offence by giving those manors for the maintenance of St. Peters ." Rudder also wrote T~E \/INE'fAl'-D that after visiting the Pope "le Rue returned home cheerfully, and gave Chircham and Hynam with the meadows, plains, woods and pastures upon the condition that seven Over-1624- afterSpeed monks sho'iild be for ever maintained co pray to God on his behalf." That is how Highnam became ALNl::Y lSLl>.NP linked with Gloucester t\bbey for five hundred years. M In 1066, as everyone knows, William the Conqueror defeated 5 4 During the 11th century, Lassington church needed extensive the centuries until 1772, when there was a complete stack of corn repairs and renovation, so a Norman nave, chancel and side chapel mills.