Withington

THE parish and village of Withington is situated five miles south-east of Cheltenham in the hundred of Bradley. The Manor is substantial, covering over 6,000 acres. At the time of Domesday, the church at Worcester owned the Manor. The Church held Withington itself. 30 hides. Three of them have never paid tax. In Lordship two ploughs; 16 villagers and eight smallholders with seven ploughs. Six slaves; meadow, ten acres; woodland one league long and 1/2 wide. Also in this Manor four riding men who have two hides and three virgates; they have two ploughs; a priest who has 1/2 hide and one plough. In Gloucester four burgesses who pay 7d. Value of the whole manor before 1066 £38, now £33 between them.

This last line refers to the fact that the Manor consisted of several hamlets with a total of 51 villagers and seven smallholders with 28 ploughs, 41 slaves and three mills. Bishop Wulfstan held the Manor. In fact, the Bishops of Gloucester remained Lords of the Manor until this century, when the Ecclesiastical Commissioners sold it.

Gloucester Cathedral was originally a monastic church. It was founded in 679 as a nunnery by Wulphere, king of Mercia, whose brother, Ethelred became a monk. The first superior was Kyneberg, wife of the Northumbrian king Aldred. King Canute converted it to a Benedictine Abbey in 1022 and by 1104 there were over 100 monks there. Abbot Thokey of Gloucester was the only abbot in the area to accept the books of King Edward II, murdered at Berkeley Castle at abouts of Bristol, Keynsham and Malmsbury all refused. The fortunes of the abbey were greatly enhanced by this and led to the construction of many of the finest parts of the Cathedral, in particular the east window, regarded as one of the finest examples of perpendicular architecture anywhere. Henry III was crowned here in 1216 aged only 10 years.

The Manor of Withington was purchased from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, by R J Gunter Esq, in 1926. From him it passed to the mother of the Hon Gerard Noel, the vendor, who is the second son of the Earl of Gainsborough.

Associated manorial documents / archive references

• Presentments of Court
• Leet and Baron 1746 Glos RO
• Court Rolls
• (with Cold Aston) 1647-57 Worcs RO
• Presentments of juries,
• ministers of courts etc 1660-1859
• Copy surveys 1589-1793
• Rentals 1695-c1805
• Stewards Accts 1808-33
• Court Rolls 1497-98, 1649-57
• Court Rolls 1519-1681 (inc)
• Juror's Presentments 1753
• Plans 1859

Historical holder / succession information

1. Bishop Wulfstan
   held_manor · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: Bishop Wulfstan held the Manor.