Didmarton

History

A military survey of Didmarton in 1522 shows that it was then a very small village, overshadowed by the neighbouring Oldbury-on-the-Hill.

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. 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.

According to The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868):

In 1935, the parish's boundaries changed as a result of the County of Gloucester Review Order 1935, with part of the then parish of Hawkesbury including Saddlewood Manor transferring to become part of Didmarton parish. This now forms the northern edge of the Didmarton parish boundaries, adjoining Boxwell with Leighterton.

Places of worship

St Laurence's church at Didmarton (Church of England) is an early English building with a later open bell tower, unusual in England. Archaeological work has suggested an origin in the 12th century. The church's dedication is to St Laurence of Canterbury, whose feast day is on 3 February.

The village's Congregational church is a square stone building with arched sash windows.

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, although its churchyard is still consecrated ground.

Public houses

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.

Local names

Parish registers from 1674 to 1991 are held at the Gloucestershire Record Office.

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.

The surnames recorded in the parish graveyard, and in that of the Didmarton Congregational church, include: Baker, Bickerton, Borham, Cox, Gould, Hatherell, Inane, Lucas, Pritchard, Short, Rice, Robbins, Till, and Tuck.

Notes

References

1. "Parish population 2011".
2. ''AN ACT for inclosing Lands in the Manors and Parishes of Didmarton and Oldbury-on-the-Hill'' (HMSO, 1829, 18pp.)
3. [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O13604 Didmarton and Oldbury on the Hill enclosure] at nationalarchives.gov.uk (accessed 13 April 2008)
4. Hamilton, N. E. S. (ed.), ''The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland'' (London, J. S. Virtue, 1868)
5. (30 January 2007). "COMMONS AND RIGHTS OF WAY COMMITTEE, Parish of Didmarton".
6. "View map: Ordnance Survey, Diagram of Gloucestershire showing Administrative Boundaries - Administrative Areas revised: 11/11/1... - Half-Inch to the mile, England, Wales. Administrative".
7. [http://www.wishful-thinking.org.uk/genuki/GLS/Didmarton/StLawrence.html photograph of St Lawrence's Church, Didmarton] {{Webarchive. link. (20 September 2006 online at wishful-thinking.org.uk (accessed 13 April 2008))
8. Bryant, R., 'Observations at Didmarton church, 1981' in ''Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society'', vol. 101 (1983) pp. 183-185
9. [http://www.wishful-thinking.org.uk/genuki/GLS/Didmarton/CongregationalChurch.html photograph of the Congregational Church, Didmarton] {{Webarchive. link. (12 December 2006 , online at wishful-thinking.org.uk (accessed 13 April 2008))
10. ''Didmarton: A ramble through history'' (Didmarton Parish Council, 2000)
11. [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/GLS/Didmarton/ROStLawrence.html PARISH: Didmarton (St Lawrence)] - abstract of available parish records online at genuki.org.uk (accessed 13 April 2008)
12. [http://www.glosgen.co.uk/didmartonmar.htm Didmarton, Gloucestershire, Marriages 1675-1751] {{Webarchive. link. (5 May 2008 online at glosgen.co.uk (accessed 13 April 2008))
13. [http://www.wishful-thinking.org.uk/genuki/GLS/Didmarton/MIs.html Some Memorial Inscriptions - Didmarton, Gloucestershire, St Michael's & St Lawrence's Churchyards and Didmarton Congregational Church] {{Webarchive. link. (8 September 2008 online at wishful-thinking.org.uk (accessed 13 April 2008))