 Proud Stroud a pleasant memory
by Nilma Dole
Walking along the cobble stone
pavement past the crazy-paving rock walls, you know you’ve reached the
town of Stroud which is a civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire,
England. Empowering you with a subtle charm of county life, the main
town in the Stroud District has character that is uncompromised in its
ability to please.
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Last sunlight
over Stroud |
The road winds down at a slope where you’ll see some famous names
like W. H. Smith’s and the recently closed Woolworth’s with the urgent
economic recession. However, you’ll see the local railway station with
the smiling locals and well-kept plant bushes. Situated below the
western escarpment of the Cotswold Hills at the meeting point of the
Five Valleys, the town is noted for its steep streets and cafe culture.
The Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty surrounds the town in
all directions, and the Cotswold Way path passes by it to the west. True
to its graceful spirit, Stroud even has its ‘Made in Stroud’ shop where
one can buy everything from hand-made glass paintings to woven fabric.
Specially made sauces and condiments lurk in every nook and cranny of
the shop making it a cosy place to find a tourist item to keep your
Stroud visit a pleasant memory.
Stroud is known for its involvement in the Industrial Revolution for
it was a cloth town. One can faintly see the woollen mills over the
horizon that were powered by the small rivers which surge through the
five valleys, and marked by Cotswold sheep grazing on the hills above.
It is no secret that the noteworthy production of it was military
uniforms in the colour Stroudwater Scarlet. You can see friendly Irish
faces with their interesting tongue making the area more multi-cultural
since the area was made home by a sizable Huguenot community in the 17th
century, fleeing persecution in Catholic France, followed by a
significant Jewish presence in the 19th century, linked to the tailoring
and cloth industries.
High Street, Stroud’s main shopping street is the place for all your
essentials though the nearby Sainsbury’s is also a favourite among
residents for their requirements. Though there is much evidence of early
historic settlement and transport, Stroud parish was originally part of
Bisley, and only began to emerge as a distinct unit by the 13th century,
taking its name from the marshy ground at the confluence of the Slad
Brook and the River Frome called ‘La Strode’ and was first recorded in
1221. The church was built by 1279, and it was assigned parochial rights
by the rectors of Bisley in 1304, often cited as the date of Stroud’s
foundation.
Many historic buildings and places of interest can be found in the
area which proves that Stroud is indeed deeply rooted to its humble
origins. It’s like taking a trip back in time to the days when neolithic
long barrows(Uley Long Barrow) at Uley, Selsley Common and Nympsfield to
the west were prevalent. Also influenced by the Roman era, see the
remains at Frocester, West Hill near Uley, Woodchester and Calcot Manor
or even tantalise your senses with the medieval buildings at Beverston
Castle. Don’t forget to check out the outstanding Tudor houses at Newark
Park and Owlpen Manor.
Woodchester Mansion is a masterpiece of the Gothic Revival by local
architect Benjamin Bucknall.
Stroud has a thriving artistic community that can be traced back to
the early part of the twentieth century. The town was one of the
birthplaces of the Organic food movement and was home to Britain’s first
fully-organic cafe, Woodruffs. For many years Stroud has hosted a fringe
festival on the second weekend in September. The town also hosts a
regular Vintage Fashion, Textile and Accessories Fair in the Stroud
Subscription Rooms, and the fourth annual International Textile Festival
was held in May 2009. This is the U.K’s only festival to celebrate the
diverse culture of textiles.
Indeed, Stroud seems proud with its interesting history and homely
feeling like you’ve come to a part of England that is in dire need of
discovering. |
