Editing Gloucestershire

{{short description|County of England}}
{{About|the English county|the Australian shire|Gloucester Shire| the pre-1832 constituency|Gloucestershire (UK Parliament constituency)}}
{{Redirect|County of Gloucester||Gloucester County (disambiguation)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{infobox English county
| official_name = Gloucestershire
| locator_map = [[File:Gloucestershire UK locator map 2010.svg|200px|Gloucestershire within England]]
| coordinates = {{coord|51|50|N|2|10|W|region:GB_type:adm2nd|display=title, inline}}
| region = [[South West England|South West]]
| established_date = [[Historic counties of England|Ancient]]
| lord_lieutenant_office = Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire
| lord_lieutenant_name = Edward Gillespie
| high_sheriff_office = High Sheriff of Gloucestershire
| high_sheriff_name = H C W Robinson (2023-2024)
| area_total_km2 = 3150
| area_total_rank = 16th
| ethnicity = 91.6% White British
| county_council = [[Gloucestershire County Council]]
| unitary_council1 = [[South Gloucestershire Council]]
| admin_hq = [[Gloucester]]
| area_council_km2 = 2653
| area_council_rank = 13th
| iso_code = GB-GLS
| ons_code = 23
| gss_code = E10000013
| nuts_code = UKK13
| districts_map = [[File:Gloucestershire numbered districts.svg|200px]]
| districts_key = {{Colorsample|#FEFE77}} Unitary {{Colorsample|#FEC1E9}} County council area
| districts_list = #[[Tewkesbury Borough|Tewkesbury]]
#[[Forest of Dean District|Forest of Dean]]
#[[Gloucester]]
#[[Cheltenham]]
#[[Stroud District|Stroud]]
#[[Cotswold District|Cotswold]]
#[[South Gloucestershire]]
| MPs = [[List of Parliamentary constituencies in Gloucestershire|List of MPs]]
| police = [[Gloucestershire Constabulary]]
| website = {{URL|gloucestershire.gov.uk}}
| image_main = {{multiple images
|border=infobox
|perrow=2 1
|total_width=270px
| image1 = Gloucester Cathedral - geograph.org.uk - 4144766 (cropped).jpg
| image2 = Arlington Row Bibury.jpg
| image3 = The Second Severn Crossing - panoramio (cropped).jpg
                              }}
| image_caption = [[Gloucester Cathedral]], the village of [[Bibury]] in the [[Cotswolds]], and the [[Second Severn Crossing]] in South Gloucestershire
}}
'''Gloucestershire''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=En-gloucestershire.ogg|ˈ|ɡ|l|ɒ|s|t|ər|ʃ|ər}} {{respell|GLOST|ər|shər}}, {{IPAc-en|-|ʃ|ɪər}} {{respell|-|sheer}}; abbreviated '''Glos.''')<ref>{{cite web|title=Abbreviations|url=https://public.oed.com/how-to-use-the-oed/abbreviations/#g|url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619202829/https://public.oed.com/how-to-use-the-oed/abbreviations/#g|archive-date=19 June 2020|access-date=2020-06-28|website=Oxford English Dictionary|language=en}}</ref> is a [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]] in [[South West England]]. It is bordered by [[Herefordshire]] to the north-west, [[Worcestershire]] to the north, [[Warwickshire]] to the north-east, [[Oxfordshire]] to the east, [[Wiltshire]] to the south, [[Bristol]] and [[Somerset]] to the south-west, and the [[Wales|Welsh]] county of [[Monmouthshire]] to the west. The city of [[Gloucester]] is the largest settlement and the [[county town]].

The county is predominantly rural, with an area of {{Convert|3150|km2|sqmi}} and a population of  916,212. After Gloucester (118,555) the largest distinct settlements are [[Cheltenham]] (115,940), [[Stroud]] (26,080), and [[Yate]] (28,350).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021 |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/articles/townsandcitiescharacteristicsofbuiltupareasenglandandwales/census2021 |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=Office for National Statistics |date=2 August 2023 }}</ref> In the south of the county, the areas around [[Filton]] and [[Kingswood, South Gloucestershire|Kingswood]] are densely populated and part of [[Bristol Built-up Area|Bristol built-up area]]. For [[Local government in England|local government]] purposes Gloucestershire comprises a [[non-metropolitan county]], with six districts, and the [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]] area of [[South Gloucestershire]]. [[South Gloucestershire Council]] is a member of the [[West of England Combined Authority]].

Gloucestershire is bisected by the river [[River Severn]], which enters the county near [[Tewkesbury]] and forms a wide valley down its centre before broadening into a [[Severn Estuary|large tidal estuary]]. The hills to the east form the majority of the [[Cotswolds]] [[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty|AONB]], and the uplands to the west are part of the [[Forest of Dean]] and the [[Wye Valley]] [[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty|AONB]], which stretches into Wales.

Gloucestershire was likely established in the tenth century, and expanded to approximately its current borders in the eleventh. The county was relatively settled during the late Middle Ages, and contained several wealthy monasteries such as [[Tewkesbury Abbey|Tewkesbury]], [[Gloucester Cathedral|Gloucester]], [[Hailes Abbey|Hailes]], and [[Cirencester Abbey|Cirencester]]; the Forest of Dean was also a major iron-producing region in this period. The city of Bristol became an independent county in 1373, by which point it was the third-largest city in England. Gloucestershire was not heavily industrialised during the [[Industrial Revolution]], but the Port of Gloucester was expanded with new [[Gloucester Docks|docks]] and the small [[Forest of Dean Coalfield|Forest of Dean coalfield]] was exploited.

==History==
{{Main|History of Gloucestershire}}[[File:Glocestria Atlas.jpg|thumb|Hand-drawn map of Gloucestershire by Christopher Saxton in 1579|left]]Gloucestershire is a historic county mentioned in the ''[[Anglo-Saxon Chronicle]]'' in the 10th century, though the areas of [[Winchcombe]] and the [[Forest of Dean]] were not added until the late 11th century.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Forest of Dean: Introduction |pages=285–294 |journal=A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 5, Bledisloe Hundred, St. Briavels Hundred, the Forest of Dean |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol5/pp285-294 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200403224606/https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol5/pp285-294 |archive-date=3 April 2020 |access-date=3 May 2021 |publisher=Victoria County History |via=British History Online}}</ref>

Gloucestershire originally included Bristol, then a small town. Members of local rural communities moved to the port city (as Bristol was to become), and Bristol's population growth accelerated during the industrial revolution. Bristol became a county in its own right, separate from Gloucestershire and Somerset, in 1373.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Liddy |first=Christian Drummond |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n7-SVwrExnoC&q=Bristol+1373&pg=PA195 |title=War, Politics and Finance in Late Medieval English Towns: Bristol, York and the Crown, 1350–1400 |date=2005 |publisher=Boydell & Brewer |isbn=978-0-86193-274-0 |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503163815/https://books.google.com/books?id=n7-SVwrExnoC&q=Bristol+1373&pg=PA195 |archive-date=3 May 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> It later became part of the administrative [[County of Avon]] from 1974 to 1996.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Local Government Bill (Hansard, 16&nbsp;November&nbsp;1971) |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1971/nov/16/local-government-bill#S5CV0826P0_19711116_HOC_316 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511175650/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1971/nov/16/local-government-bill |archive-date=11 May 2011 |access-date=7 March 2009 |date=16 November 1971 |work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]}}; {{Cite web |title=The Avon (Structural Change) Order 1995 |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1995/493/contents/made |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113203448/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1995/493/contents/made |archive-date=13 November 2012 |access-date=27 January 2013 |publisher=opsi.gov.uk}}</ref> Some northern parts of the county, including [[Long Marston, Warwickshire|Long Marston]] and [[Welford-on-Avon]], were transferred to Warwickshire in 1931.
[[File:Severn Cross.svg|left|thumb|The flag of the historic county of Gloucestershire]]
Upon the abolition of Avon in 1996, the region north of Bristol became a [[unitary authority]] area of [[South Gloucestershire]] and is now part of the [[ceremonial county]] of Gloucestershire.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Robbins |first=Bill |date=1997 |title=South Gloucestershire: The Transition to Unitary Authority Status |journal=Journal of Integrated Care |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=18–23 |doi=10.1108/14769018199700004}}</ref>

In [[2007 United Kingdom floods|July 2007, Gloucestershire was subject to some of the worst flooding]] in recorded British history, with tens of thousands of residents affected. The [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] conducted the largest peacetime domestic operation in its history to rescue over 120 residents from flood-affected areas. The damage was estimated at over £2&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 July 2007 |title=Flood crisis grows as rivers rise |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6911226.stm |url-status=live |access-date=15 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903224122/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6911226.stm |archive-date=3 September 2017}}</ref>

== Geography and environment==
Gloucestershire has three main landscape areas, a large part of the Cotswolds, the Royal Forest of Dean and the Severn Vale. The Cotswolds take up a large portion of the east and south of the county, The Forest of Dean taking up the west, with the Severn and its valley running between these features. The Daffodil Way in the [[River Leadon|Leadon]] Valley, on the border of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire surrounding the village of [[Dymock]], is known for its many spring flowers, orchards, and woodland, which attracts many walkers. In the west, the [[Wye valley]] borders Wales.

==Governance==
Gloucestershire is a ceremonial county in South West England. [[Gloucestershire County Council]]'s 53 seats are majority-controlled by the Conservatives, though the Liberal Democrats have a sizeable presence on the council.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-06 |title=Election results by party, 6 May 2021 |url=https://glostext.gloucestershire.gov.uk/mgElectionResults.aspx?ID=12 |access-date=2021-06-09 |website=Gloucestershire County Council}}</ref> The Council Leader is Mark Hawthorne. The County Council shares responsibility with six district councils: Tewkesbury, Forest of Dean, City of Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud and Cotswold.

The southernmost part of the county, South Gloucestershire is governed by [[South Gloucestershire Council]], which is a [[unitary authority]] council independent of the county council but the unitary authority is still part of the ceremonial county. Previously, the area of South Gloucestershire was part of the county of Avon. Although Avon was abolished in 1996, some services in South Gloucestershire are still provided in conjunction with other former parts of Avon county, such as the [[Avon Fire and Rescue Service]].<ref>{{cite web |title=About us |url=http://www.avonfire.gov.uk/about-us |access-date=12 May 2016 |website=Avon Fire & Rescue}}</ref> Since 2017, South Gloucestershire has been part of the [[West of England Combined Authority]], which is under the directly elected mayor [[Dan Norris]].<ref name="bbc-20160316">{{cite news |date=16 March 2016 |title=West of England £1bn devolution deal announced in Budget |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-35823771 |access-date=17 March 2016}}</ref>

There are six [[List of parliamentary constituencies in Gloucestershire|parliamentary constituencies in Gloucestershire]], all of which are Conservative controlled as of the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 general election]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Watson |first1=Christopher |last2=Uberoi |first2=Elise |last3=Loft |first3=Philip |date=2020-04-17 |title=General election results from 1918 to 2019 |url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8647/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417105325/https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8647/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |language=en-GB }}</ref> Due to the [[2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies]], Gloucestershire will be combined with Wiltshire for parliamentary boundary purposes, allowing cross-county electoral divisions.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-06-09 |title=Gloucestershire electoral boundary changes 'a dog's dinner' |language=en-GB |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-57398617 |access-date=2021-10-08}}</ref>

==Economy==
This is a chart of trend of regional [[gross value added]] of Gloucestershire at current basic prices [https://web.archive.org/web/20110728091019/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf published] (pp.&nbsp;240–253) by ''Office for National Statistics'' with figures in millions of Pounds Sterling.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year || Regional Gross Value Added<ref>Components may not sum to totals due to rounding</ref> || Agriculture<ref>includes hunting and forestry</ref> || Industry<ref>includes energy and construction</ref> || Services<ref>includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured</ref>
|-
| 1995 || '''5,771''' || 196 || 1,877 || 3,698
|-
| 2000 || '''8,163''' || 148 || 2,677 || 5,338
|-
| 2003 || '''10,617''' || 166 || 2,933 || 7,517
|}

The following is a chart of Gloucestershire's [[gross value added]] total in millions of Pounds Sterling from 1997 to 2009 based upon the [[Office for National Statistics]] figures<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/regional-accounts/regional-gross-value-added--income-approach-/december-2011/rft-nuts1.xls |title={title} |access-date=11 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924124645/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/regional-accounts/regional-gross-value-added--income-approach-/december-2011/rft-nuts1.xls |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year || GVA (£ million)
|-
| 1997 || '''7,167'''
|-
| 1998  || '''7,630'''
|-
| 1999 || '''8,034'''
|-
| 2000 || '''8,414'''
|-
| 2001 || '''8,947'''
|-
| 2002 || '''9,504'''
|-
| 2003 || '''10,117'''
|-
| 2004 || '''10,525'''
|-
| 2005 || '''10,680'''
|-
| 2006 || '''11,073'''
|-
| 2007 || '''11,563'''
|-
| 2008 || '''11,666'''
|-
| 2009 || '''11,452'''
|}

The 2009 estimation of £11,452&nbsp;million GVA can be compared to the South West regional average of £7,927&nbsp;million.

==Education==
===Secondary schools===
{{further|List of schools in Gloucestershire}}

Gloucestershire has mainly comprehensive schools with seven selective [[grammar school]]s; two are in Stroud, [[Stroud High School]] for girls and [[Marling School]] for boys, one in Cheltenham, [[Pate's Grammar School|Pate's Grammar]], and four in Gloucester, [[Sir Thomas Rich's School|Sir Thomas Rich's]] for boys (aged 11–18) and girls (aged 16–18, in the sixth form), and [[Denmark Road High School]] and [[Ribston Hall High School|Ribston Hall]] for girls and [[The Crypt School|The Crypt]] which is mixed. There are 42 state secondary schools, not including [[sixth form college]]s, and 12 independent schools, including [[Cheltenham Ladies' College]], [[Cheltenham College]] and [[Dean Close School]]. All but about two schools in each district have a sixth form, but the Forest of Dean only has two schools with sixth forms. All schools in South Gloucestershire have sixth forms.

===Higher and further education===
[[File:Oxstalls.JPG|thumb|A campus of the [[University of Gloucestershire]]]]
Gloucestershire has two universities, the [[University of Gloucestershire]] and the [[Royal Agricultural University]], and four higher and further education colleges, [[Gloucestershire College]], [[Cirencester College]], [[South Gloucestershire and Stroud College]] and the [[Royal Forest of Dean College]]. Each has campuses at multiple locations throughout the county.

The [[University of the West of England]] also has three locations in Gloucestershire; an associate faculty ([[Hartpury College]]) specialising in animal behaviour and welfare, agricultural and sports-related courses in [[Hartpury, Gloucestershire]]; a regional centre at the [[Gloucester Docks]], Alexandra Warehouse, specialising in Adult and Mental Health Nursing; and [[Frenchay|Frenchay Campus]] in [[South Gloucestershire]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Getting to and from UWE Bristol campuses |url=https://www.uwe.ac.uk/life/campus-and-facilities/getting-to-and-from-uwe#section-5 |publisher=University of the West of England |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=16 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416060045/https://www.uwe.ac.uk/life/campus-and-facilities/getting-to-and-from-uwe#section-5 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Towns and cities==
{{Main|List of places in Gloucestershire}}
{{see also|List of settlements in Gloucestershire by population}}

Gloucestershire has one city and 33 towns:

===Cities===
*[[Gloucester]]

===Towns===
The towns in Gloucestershire are:
{{div col|colwidth=10em}}
*[[Berkeley, Gloucestershire|Berkeley]]
*[[Bradley Stoke]]
*[[Cheltenham]]
*[[Chipping Campden]]
*[[Chipping Sodbury]]
*[[Cinderford]]
*[[Cirencester]]
*[[Coleford, Gloucestershire|Coleford]]
*[[Dursley]]
*[[Emersons Green]]
*[[Fairford]]
*[[Filton]]
*[[Kingswood, South Gloucestershire|Kingswood]]
*[[Lechlade]]
*[[Lydney]]
*[[Minchinhampton]]
*[[Mitcheldean]]
*[[Moreton-in-Marsh]]
*[[Nailsworth]]
*[[Newent]]
*[[Northleach]]
*[[Painswick]]
*[[Patchway]]
*[[Quedgeley]]
*[[Stonehouse, Gloucestershire|Stonehouse]]
*[[Stow-on-the-Wold]]
*[[Stroud]]
*[[Tetbury]]
*[[Tewkesbury]]
*[[Thornbury, South Gloucestershire|Thornbury]]
*[[Winchcombe]]
*[[Wotton-under-Edge]]
*[[Yate]]
{{div col end}}

Suburban town of [[Stroud, Gloucestershire|Stroud]]:
*[[Cainscross]]
Town in [[Monmouthshire]] with suburbs in Gloucestershire:
*[[Chepstow]]

=== Green belt ===
{{main|Avon Green Belt|Gloucester and Cheltenham Green Belt}}
The county has two green belt areas, the first covers the southern area in the South Gloucestershire district, to protect outlying villages and towns between Thornbury and Chipping Sodbury from the [[urban sprawl]] of the [[Bristol Built-up Area|Bristol conurbation]]. The second belt lies around Gloucester, Cheltenham, and Bishop's Cleeve, to afford those areas and villages in between a protection from urban sprawl and further convergence. Both belts intersect with the boundaries of the Cotswolds [[AONB]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Joint Core Strategy 2011 – 2031 |url=https://jointcorestrategy-my.sharepoint.com/personal/website_jointcorestrategy_onmicrosoft_com/_layouts/15/onedrive.aspx?id=%2Fpersonal%2Fwebsite%5Fjointcorestrategy%5Fonmicrosoft%5Fcom%2FDocuments%2FJoint%20Core%20Strategy%20%28JCS%29%20website%2FHome%2FJCS%20Plan%20Adopted%20Version%2011%20December%202017%2Epdf&parent=%2Fpersonal%2Fwebsite%5Fjointcorestrategy%5Fonmicrosoft%5Fcom%2FDocuments%2FJoint%20Core%20Strategy%20%28JCS%29%20website%2FHome&originalPath=aHR0cHM6Ly9qb2ludGNvcmVzdHJhdGVneS1teS5zaGFyZXBvaW50LmNvbS86YjovZy9wZXJzb25hbC93ZWJzaXRlX2pvaW50Y29yZXN0cmF0ZWd5X29ubWljcm9zb2Z0X2NvbS9FVzlMM3NPMk13QkxsRmlycEVScm1Xa0JpM0JNUFRPcDdWbzB6UF9LaVR2ZE9nP3J0aW1lPUQyMmtqRThPMlVn |publisher=Gloucester City, Cheltenham Borough and Tewkesbury Borough |access-date=3 May 2021}}</ref>

==Transport==
===Railways===
Gloucestershire once had a much larger railway network than it does now with over 100 stations in the county, the vast majority of which were closed during the [[Beeching cuts]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/history/gallery/gloucestershire-lost-railway-stations-trains-3800914 | title=The long lost railways stations of Gloucestershire | date=February 2020 }}</ref> Nowadays, only 15 remain within the county, mostly concentrated on the [[CrossCountry NE-SW route]] and around the [[North Fringe of Bristol]]. Some stations have been re-opened in recent years; [[Cam and Dursley railway station]] opened in 1994, with [[Ashchurch for Tewkesbury]] opening three years later in 1997. Local campaign groups are also seeking to reopen several disused stations, including [[Charfield railway station]] in [[South Gloucestershire]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/brunels-long-lost-charfield-railway-6247220 | title=Details of new railway station near Bristol and when it will open | date=23 November 2021 }}</ref>

==Antiquities==
There are a number of Roman remains scattered across the county, including the Eastgate Viewing Chamber in Gloucester and [[Chedworth Roman Villa]].

There are a variety of religious buildings across the county, notably the cathedral of [[Gloucester Cathedral|Gloucester]], the [[Tewkesbury Abbey|abbey church]] of [[Tewkesbury]] (which is over 500 years old and has the tallest Norman tower in England),<ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=https://www.tewkesburyabbey.org.uk/history/ |publisher=Tewkesbury Abbey |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=23 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123100552/https://www.tewkesburyabbey.org.uk/history/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and the church of [[Cirencester]]. Of the abbey of [[Hailes Abbey|Hailes]] near [[Winchcombe]], founded by [[Richard, Earl of Cornwall]], in 1246, little more than the foundations are left, but these have been excavated and fragments have been brought to light.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hailes Abbey |url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/hailes-abbey/ |publisher=English Heritage |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=27 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027081615/https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/hailes-abbey/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:October plenty.jpg|thumb|Parish Church of St. Mary, Fairford]]
Most of the old [[market town]]s have [[parish church]]es. At [[Deerhurst]] near Tewkesbury and [[Bishop's Cleeve]] near [[Cheltenham]], there are churches of special interest on account of the pre-Norman work they retain. There is also a [[Perpendicular Period|Perpendicular]] church in [[Lechlade]], and that at [[Fairford]] was built ({{Circa|1500}}), according to tradition, to contain a series of [[stained-glass windows]] which are said to have been brought from the [[Netherlands]]. These are, however, adjudged to be of English workmanship.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fairford, St Mary's Church |url=https://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=1564 |publisher=Britain Express |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=28 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028180307/https://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=1564 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Other notable buildings include [[Calcot Manor|Calcot Barn]] in Calcot, a relic of [[Kingswood Abbey]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.luminatechnologies.org/luminaaw2.html |title=C. Michael Hogan and Amy Gregory, ''History and Architecture of Calcot Manor'', Lumina Technologies, prepared for Calcot Manor, July 5, 2006 |access-date=2006-12-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070329164105/http://www.luminatechnologies.org/luminaaw2.html |archive-date=2007-03-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Thornbury Castle]] is a [[Tudor dynasty|Tudor]] country house, the pretensions of which evoked the jealousy of [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|Cardinal]] [[Thomas Wolsey|Wolsey]] against its builder, [[Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham|Edward Stafford, duke of Buckingham]], who was [[decapitation|beheaded]] in 1521. Near Cheltenham is the 15th-century mansion of [[Southam, Gloucestershire|Southam de la Bere]], of timber and stone.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.simonthurgoodimages.co.uk/outandabout/gloucestershire.asp|title=Simon Thurgood Images: Out and About in Gloucestershire|website=simonthurgoodimages.co.uk|access-date=2019-10-24|archive-date=24 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191024225211/http://www.simonthurgoodimages.co.uk/outandabout/gloucestershire.asp|url-status=live}}</ref> Memorials of the de la Bere family appear in the church at Cleeve. The mansion contains a tiled floor from [[Hailes Abbey]]. At Great Badminton is the mansion and vast domain of the Beauforts (formerly of the Botelers and others), on the south-eastern boundary of the county. [[Berkeley Castle]] at over 800 years old and the ruins of [[Great Witcombe Roman Villa|Witcombe Roman Villa]] at Great Witcombe are also notable heritage features.

There are several [[royal residence]]s in Gloucestershire, including [[Highgrove House]], [[Gatcombe Park]], and (formerly) [[Nether Lypiatt Manor]].

An annual "[[Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake|cheese-rolling]]" event takes place at Cooper's Hill, near [[Brockworth, Gloucestershire|Brockworth]] and the [[Cotswold Games]] occurred within the county.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cotswold Olimpicks |url=https://www.olimpickgames.co.uk/ |publisher=Cotswold Olimpicks |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=3 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503074512/https://www.olimpickgames.co.uk/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Places of interest==
{{EngPlacesKey|align=right}}
[[File:Gloucester cathedral west front.jpg|thumb|Gloucester cathedral west front]]
[[File:Aerial photo of Sudeley Castle.jpg|thumb|Aerial photo of Sudeley Castle]]
Places of interest in Gloucestershire include:

*[[Badminton House]], residence of the [[Duke of Beaufort|Dukes of Beaufort]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
*[[Berkeley Castle]], an example of a feudal stronghold. [[File:CL icon.svg]]
*[[Beverston Castle]] [[File:CL icon.svg]]
*[[Chavenage House]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
*[[Cheltenham Minster]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]]
*[[Clearwell Caves]]
*[[Dean Forest Railway]] [[File:HR icon.svg|Heritage railway]]
*[[Dyrham Park]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]] [[File:NTE icon.svg|National Trust]]
*[[Edward Jenner]]'s House [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]] [[File:Museum icon (red).svg|Museum]]
*[[Gloucester Cathedral]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]]
*[[Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway]] [[File:HR icon.svg|Heritage railway]]
*[[Hailes Abbey]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]] [[File:EH icon.svg]]
*[[Newark Park]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]] [[File:NTE icon.svg|National Trust]]
*[[Owlpen Manor]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
*Rodborough and Minchinhampton Commons [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]
*[[Snowshill Manor]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]] [[File:NTE icon.svg|National Trust]]
*[[Sudeley Castle]], burial place of Queen [[Catherine Parr]], 6th wife and consort of King [[Henry VIII]]. [[File:CL icon.svg]]
*[[Stanway House]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
*[[River Thames]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]
*[[Rodmarton Manor]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
*[[Severn Bore]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]
*[[Church of St. John the Baptist, Cirencester|St. John the Baptist Church, Cirencester]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]]
*[[Tewkesbury Abbey]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]]
*[[Tewkesbury Medieval Festival]]
*[[Tyndale Monument]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]
*[[WWT Slimbridge|Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, Slimbridge]]
*[[Westbury Court Garden]]
*[[Westonbirt Arboretum]]
*[[Woodchester Mansion]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]

Areas of countryside in Gloucestershire include:

*[[Forest of Dean]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]
*[[Wye Valley]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg|Accessible open space]]

Scenic Railway Line:

*[[Gloucester to Newport Line]]

==Media==
Gloucestershire's only daily newspaper is the [[Western Daily Press]], while [[The Citizen (Gloucester)|The Citizen]], which covers Gloucester, Stroud and the Forest of Dean, and the ''[[Gloucestershire Echo]]'', which covers Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and the Cotswolds, were published daily but since October 2017 have been weekly publications.  All three, along with free weeklies ''The Forester'', ''Stroud Life'', ''The Gloucester News'' and ''The Cheltenham and Tewkesbury News'', are published by [[Local World]].
The ''[[Stroud News & Journal]]'' is a weekly paid-for newspaper based in Stroud. It is published in a tabloid format by [[Newsquest]]. Newsquest also produces the weekly ''Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard'' newspaper, which covers the southern and eastern parts of the county as well as the weekly ''Gloucestershire Gazette'', which covers the south of the county and much of South Gloucestershire.<ref>{{cite web |title=Newsquest Gloucestershire |url=http://www.newsquestgloucestershire.co.uk/newspapers/ |publisher=Newsquest |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=24 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160724062204/http://www.newsquestgloucestershire.co.uk/newspapers/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

''Gloucester News Centre'' is an independent news website with news and information for Gloucestershire.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gloucester News Centre |url=https://gloucesternewscentre.co.uk/ |publisher=Gloucester News Centre |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=25 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210325090851/https://gloucesternewscentre.co.uk/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Radio stations in Gloucestershire include [[BBC Radio Gloucestershire]], [[BBC Radio Bristol]] (for [[South Gloucestershire]]), [[Heart West]], [[Sunshine 855|Sunshine Radio]] and [[The Breeze (Cheltenham & North Gloucestershire)|Greatest Hits Radio Gloucestershire]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Listen to 7 radio stations in Gloucester online |url=https://uk.radio.net/city/gloucester |publisher=Radio net |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=25 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925132053/https://uk.radio.net/city/gloucester |url-status=live }}</ref> There are also several [[community radio]] stations including [[Gloucester FM]], [[Radio Winchcombe]], [[Forest of Dean Radio]], [[North Cotswold Community Radio]], and [[Severn FM]].

Local TV for the county is provided by [[BBC West]] and [[ITV West Country]] from Bristol, although in the northern extremes of Gloucestershire, [[BBC West Midlands|BBC Midlands]] and [[ITV Central]] (West) from Birmingham covers this area.<ref>{{cite web |title=Local news area |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/england/regions |publisher=BBC |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=16 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416124800/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/england/regions |url-status=live }}</ref> Some eastern parts of the county (Cirencester and parts of the Cotswolds) receive [[BBC South]] and [[ITV Meridian]] from Oxford.

==In popular culture==
[[File:South cloister of Gloucester Cathedral.jpg|thumb|The south cloister of [[Gloucester Cathedral]] was used for filming scenes in the [[Harry Potter (film series)|Harry Potter]] films.]]
There are two well-known accounts of childhood in rural Gloucestershire in the early 20th century, [[Laurie Lee]]'s ''[[Cider With Rosie]]'' and [[Winifred Foley]]'s ''A Child in the Forest''. Part of [[Dinah Craik|Mrs. Craik's]] novel ''[[John Halifax, Gentleman]]'' is set in Enderley, a thinly disguised [[Amberley, Gloucestershire|Amberley]], where she lived at the time of writing.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=19101 |title=Minchinhampton – Introduction &#124; A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 11 (pp. 184–190) |publisher=British History Online |date=22 June 2003 |access-date=15 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025071316/http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=19101 |archive-date=25 October 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> Most of the book is set in Nortonbury, easily recognisable as [[Tewkesbury]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Literary Tewkesbury |url=https://tewkesburyhistory.org/Print-Literary-Tewkesbury |publisher=Tewksbury History |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=3 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503163859/https://tewkesburyhistory.org/Print-Literary-Tewkesbury |url-status=live }}</ref>

The county has also been the setting for a number of high-profile movies and TV series, including ''[[Die Another Day]]'', [[Harry Potter (film series)|the Harry Potter films]] and [[Butterflies (TV series)|the BBC TV series ''Butterflies'']].<ref>[http://www.gloucestershireonscreen.co.uk 'Gloucestershire TV and Movie Locations'] at [[Gloucestershire on Screen]] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100822075616/http://www.gloucestershireonscreen.co.uk/|date=22 August 2010}}</ref>

"[[A Girl's Best Friend]]", the pilot for the proposed ''[[Doctor Who]]'' spin-off ''[[K-9 and Company]]'', was filmed in Gloucestershire.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.doctorwholocations.net/stories/k9andcompany |title=Doctor Who Locations Guide: K9 and Company |publisher=Doctorwholocations.net |access-date=15 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231002153/http://www.doctorwholocations.net/stories/k9andcompany |archive-date=31 December 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> The setting is the fictional town of Moreton Harwood.<ref>{{cite web |title=K-9 and Company |url=http://www.drwhoguide.com/k9_cie.htm |publisher=Doctor Who Reference Guide |access-date=29 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510163247/http://drwhoguide.com/k9_cie.htm |archive-date=10 May 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> The fictional town of Leadworth in ''[[Doctor Who]]'' is in Gloucestershire.<ref>{{Cite episode |title=The Eleventh Hour |episode-link=The Eleventh Hour (Doctor Who) |series=Doctor Who |series-link=Doctor Who |first=Steven |last=Moffat |network=BBC |station=BBC One |date=3 April 2010 |series-no=5 |number=1 }}</ref> It is the home of [[Companion (Doctor Who)|companion]]s [[Amy Pond]], [[Rory Williams]] and [[River Song (Doctor Who)|River Song]] in their childhoods and young adulthoods.<ref>{{Cite episode |title=The Eleventh Hour |episode-link=The Eleventh Hour (Doctor Who) |series=Doctor Who |series-link=Doctor Who |first=Steven |last=Moffat |network=BBC |station=BBC One |date=3 April 2010 |series-no=5 |number=1 }}<br />{{Cite episode |title=The Big Bang |episode-link=The Big Bang (Doctor Who) |series=Doctor Who |series-link=Doctor Who |first=Steven |last=Moffat |network=BBC |station=BBC One |date=26 June 2010 |series-no=5 |number=13 }}<br />{{Cite episode |title=Let's Kill Hitler |episode-link=Let's Kill Hitler |series=Doctor Who |series-link=Doctor Who |first=Steven |last=Moffat |network=BBC |station=BBC One |date=27 August 2011 |series-no=6 |number=8 }}</ref> Additionally, the 2020 episode "[[Fugitive of the Judoon]]" was set and filmed at [[Gloucester Cathedral]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Norris |first1=Phil |title=Doctor Who in Gloucester: This is probably the strangest thing you'll ever see in a cafe |url=https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/gloucester-news/doctor-who-gloucester-probably-strangest-3760360 |access-date=3 May 2021 |work=Gloucestershire Live |date=21 January 2020 |archive-date=26 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200126212537/https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/gloucester-news/doctor-who-gloucester-probably-strangest-3760360 |url-status=live }}</ref>

A fictional [[Brimpsfield]] was the village, home of Peter and Abby Grant, in the 1970s BBC TV series ''[[Survivors (1975 TV series)|Survivors]]'', with a railway connection to London.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Fourth Horseman |url=http://www.survivorstvseries.com/The_Fourth_Horseman.htm |publisher=Survivors Series |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=20 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220085239/http://www.survivorstvseries.com/The_Fourth_Horseman.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Witcombe Festival]] is an annual [[music festival]] held in [[Brockworth]]. As well as music, the three-day festival has it roots deep in [[cider]]. The festival consists of four stages and has been headlined by [[Dizzee Rascal]], [[Plan B (musician)|Plan B]], [[Sigma (DJs)|Sigma]], [[Ella Eyre]], [[Example (musician)|Example]], [[Wiley (musician)|Wiley]], [[Heather Small]], [[Lethal Bizzle]] and [[Tinchy Stryder]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gibbon |first1=Tom |title=Fix up look sharp! Dizzee Rascal tops incredible line-up for Witcombe Cider Festival 2019 |url=https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife/fix-up-look-sharp-dizzee-2918584 |access-date=23 August 2020 |work=Gloucestershire Live |date=30 May 2019 |archive-date=31 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531150730/https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife/fix-up-look-sharp-dizzee-2918584 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Romano/Celtic temple ruins in [[Lydney Park]] contributed to [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s description of [[The Shire]] in his [[Middle-earth]] [[Tolkien's Legendarium|Legendarium]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/films/tolkien.shtml |title=Gloucestershire films – JRR Tolkien and Lydney Park's links with Lord of the Rings |publisher=BBC |date=2014-09-24 |accessdate=2022-03-16}}</ref>

==Animals==
[[File:Gloucester Old Spot Boar, England.jpg|thumb|A boar of the local [[Gloucestershire Old Spot]] breed.]]
The famous [[Gloucestershire Old Spots]] pig is named for Gloucestershire and is historically associated with the county.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rbst.org.uk/watch-list/pigs/gloucestershire-old-spots |title=Gloucestershire Old Spots |publisher=Rbst.org.uk |access-date=23 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227044729/https://www.rbst.org.uk/watch-list/pigs/gloucestershire-old-spots |archive-date=27 February 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Sheep roam widely in the Forest of Dean. The Forest of Dean and the [[Wye Valley]] also have [[wild boar]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Vidal, John |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/apr/05/hundreds-wild-boar-cull-forest-of-dean |title=Hundreds of wild boars face cull in Forest of Dean |work=The Guardian|date=5 April 2013 |location=London |access-date=23 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302153756/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/apr/05/hundreds-wild-boar-cull-forest-of-dean |archive-date=2 March 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Gloucester cattle]], a rare<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rbst.org.uk/sitemanager/uploads/ck_files/files/Gloucester%20-%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf|title=Gloucester|publisher=Rare Breeds Survival Trust|access-date=23 February 2014|date=2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227045448/https://www.rbst.org.uk/sitemanager/uploads/ck_files/files/Gloucester%20-%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf|archive-date=27 February 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> breed, can still be found in and around Gloucestershire.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gloucestercattle.org.uk/|title=Gloucester Cattle Society|work=gloucestercattle.org.uk|access-date=23 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227081428/http://www.gloucestercattle.org.uk/|archive-date=27 February 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> They can be recognised by the white stripe that runs down the centre of their backs to the tip of their tails. The cattle are famous for producing milk for both [[Gloucester cheese|Single Gloucester and Double Gloucester]] cheeses.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gloucester cattle breed at increased risk of extinction |publisher=BBC News |date=11 April 2021 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-56673931 |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=11 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411080254/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-56673931 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|England}}
*[[Custos Rotulorum of Gloucestershire]] – Keepers of the Rolls
*[[Diocese of Gloucester]]
*[[Gloucestershire (UK Parliament constituency)]] – Historical list of MPs for Gloucestershire constituency
*[[Gloucestershire County Cricket Club]]
*[[Gloucestershire Police and Crime Commissioner]]
*[[Gloucestershire Regiment]]
*[[High Sheriff of Gloucestershire]]
*[[Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire]]
*[[List of people from Gloucestershire]]
*[[List of hills of Gloucestershire]]
*[[Royal Gloucestershire Hussars]]
*[[West Country dialects]]
*[[:Category:Grade I listed buildings in Gloucestershire]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
[[Samuel Rudder|Rudder, Samuel]]. (1779) ''A New History of Gloucestershire''. Reprint: Nonsuch Publishing, 2006. {{ISBN|1-84588-023-4}} (Free download of original here: ''[[commons:File:Samuel Rudder A New History of Gloucestershire 1779.pdf|A New History of Gloucestershire]]'')

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline|Gloucestershire}}
*{{wikivoyage inline}}
*[http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/ Gloucestershire County Council] Local government web site
*[https://www.visitgloucestershire.co.uk/ Visit Gloucestershire] Gloucestershire Guide
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120907195225/http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/results.aspx?index=0 Images of Gloucestershire] at the [[English Heritage Archive]]

{{Gloucestershire}}
{{England counties}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Gloucestershire| ]]
[[Category:Non-metropolitan counties]]
[[Category:Counties in South West England]]
[[Category:Counties of England established in antiquity]]