THE HISTORY OF THE HEAVENS
Heavens Valley archaeologist Neil Baker has been conducting walks for the Stroud Valleys Project since 2015. He has been running the Heavens Archaeological Research Project [HARP] since 2011 and here he shares some of his insights.
The Heavens Archaeological Research Project (HARP) began in 2012 after numerous areas of archaeological potential were noticed during daily (ongoing) dog walks at an area east of Stroud,
Gloucestershire, known locally as the ‘Heavens’ (OS grid ref SO 86325 04431). The Heavens as we know it today straddles the tithings of both Nether Lypiatt and some parts of Over Lypiatt, and wholly within the Cotswold AONB. The land was once part of a single unified estate belonging to the Freame family. They held it from c. 1220 until 1664 when the last of his family line, Thomas Freame died, and his estate was inherited by his 3 daughters Sarah, Anne and Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s portion of the estate in 1690 covered some 66 hectares (163 acres), most of which lies in the Heavens and is the focus of the HARP study (Gloucestershire Archives, D1157, Box 97835, Clutterbuck family of Nether Lypiatt 1584 – 1911, ‘Deeds relating to Land taken in exchange with
George Playne’). Elizabeth’s inheritance remained in the Clutterbuck & later the Clutterbuck Chambers family until it was sold in 1939 (Baggs et al, 1976, 111 – 119).
Since 2012, HARP has been conducting an ‘extensive evaluation’ of the research area to broadly understand what and where the archaeology is and has thus far uncovered evidence of at least 3000 years of activity at the Heavens. This includes several mill sites and numerous small, scattered communities of handloom weavers and other associated cloth-based trades. There is also a farmstead, an ‘ancient’ sheep house, together with open field systems and strip lynchets which probably date from the medieval period and an increasing body of evidence suggesting that there is a Roman period building at the Heavens (J. Timby, 2013, pers. comm.).
Topography & Geology
The area under discussion, lies roughly at the midpoint of the Cotswold Hills where they encircle the eastern division of the modern parish of Stroud. The local geography consists of a fairly level irregular spur which is deeply incised by a number of spring-fed, stream cut valleys or to use a more local term, ‘bottoms’ (Urdank, 1990, 37). The streams flow south and feed into the river Frome, which flows west to join the River Severn. The Horns Valley is typical of the area and has a V-shaped, concave profile, with its’ ‘bottom’ sitting on Upper Lias Clay. This is overlaid successively on the hill slopes by Inferior Oolite and a narrow band of Fuller's Earth. The high ground on top of the spur is formed of Great Oolite. It is from the strata of Fullers Earth clays and Great Oolite at the head of the Horns Valleys where the springs feeding the Limebrook emerge (Woodwood, 1894 Geological Survey. Map 1", solid, sheet 34, 1857 edition; Urdank, 1990, 35). The Heavens is a typical form of landscape that developed in the 16th century as the cloth industry evolved in the area region around Stroud. The mills were located primarily along streams in the valley bottoms, with clothier’s houses attached or adjacent, and isolated cottages and small hamlets scattered along the often-steep valley sides (Mills, 1997, 7 & 37). Figures 1 & 2 are maps from c. 1690 & 2023, which both show the Heavens. The numbers relate to the major focii of archaeology that is currently being researched by the Heavens Archaeological Research Project (HARP). The highlighted part of the modern map shows the fields that are depicted on Elizabeth Clutterbuck’s 1690 estate map (Gloucestershire Archives, D1756/6).
Figure. 1: Elizabeth Clutterbuck’s estate map c. 1690 (Gloucestershire Archives, D1756/6).
Figure 2: Modern Ordnance Survey 1:25000 map.
Bibliography
Baggs, A. P., Jurica, A. R. J & Sheils, W. J. (1976). ''Stroud: Manors and other estates', in Herbert, N. M. & Pugh, R. B. (Eds.) ‘A History of the County of Gloucester: Vol. 11: Bisley and
Longtree Hundreds’ pp. 111-119.
Baker, N. 2009. Lost and Found; An Investigation into the forgotten medieval parks of Gloucestershire. University of Bristol: Unpublished BA Dissertation.
Lloyd Laing (2003). Pottery in Britain 4000BC to AD1900. Greenlight Publishing: Witham.
Mackintosh, I (1984). ‘Exploring Stroud’s Origins. An Introduction’, in Gloucestershire Society for Industrial Archaeology Journal, pp. 13 – 18.
Mills, S. (1997). The Origins, Development, Decline and Reuse of the Cloth Mills of the Stroud Valleys of Gloucestershire: A Study in Industrial Archaeology. A thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy: The University of Leicester.
Smith, A. H (ed.) 1964a. The Place-Names of Gloucestershire. Vol. XXXVII, Part 1: The River and Road-Names of the East Cotswolds. Cambridge: University Press.
Stroud District Landscape Assessment (2000): Supplementary Planning Guidance. Stroud:
Stroud District Council.
Tann, J (1965). ‘Some problems of Water Power – a Study of Mill Siting in Gloucestershire’, in ‘Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, Vol.
84, pp. 53-77. Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society:
Woodward, H B. (1894). The Jurassic rocks of Britain. Vol.4. The Lower Oolitic rocks of England (Yorkshire excepted). Memoir of the Geological Survey of the United Kingdom. British Geological Society: London.
Gloucestershire Archives
Documents:
D1157 BOX 97832, Various Uncatalogued Deeds of Stroud “Bundle 3 1688 – 1765.
D1157 BOX 97832, Various Uncatalogued Deeds of Stroud “Bundle 4 1692 – 1766).
D1157 BOX 97833, Clutterbuck family of Nether Lypiatt 1584 – 1911).
D1157 BOX 97834, Deeds Relating to Nether Over Lypiatt, Stroud 1649-1801:
D1157 Box 97835, Clutterbuck family of Nether Lypiatt 1584 – 1911, ‘Deeds relating to Land taken in exchange with George Playne’.
Maps:
D1756/6. c.1690 ‘Estate map of lands in Stroud parish, part of the manor of Nether Lyppiatt, now belonging to Mrs. Clutterbuck, widow’.
Internet searches https://ncap.org.uk/about-ncap/our-work: accessed 15/11/23).
https://heritagedata.org/live/schemes/eh_tmt2/concepts/68628.html: accessed 15/11/23
Personal comments
Jane Timby, (archaeological consultant) 2013.
Photography credit
Deborah Roberts
Crease Gate [means ‘gate at the crest’]: This is the ‘gateway’ to the Heavens from Bowbridge Lane, and the earliest mention of activity at Crease Gate is a property indenture of 1648 when a cottage called ‘Birds’ is noted as belonging to William Fream (D1157 BOX 97832, Various
Uncatalogued Deeds of Stroud “Bundle 3 1688 – 1765). In 1933 there were still 5 buildings of a pre 19th century date @ Crease Gate, but by 1968, some had been demolished by 1968 to facilitate new housing. This was sadly the fate of many older buildings in the local area as at that time, there weren’t any real safeguards or protection in the form of listing. Today, of the 16 properties that now occupy Crease Gate, only 3 can be considered old (18th & early 19th century).The Lime Brook: This tiny watercourse had a major influence on the historical and commercial development of the local area, and once provided power for several mills (Baggs et al, 1976, 130; Stroud District Landscape Assessment, 2000; Tann, 1965). The earliest mention of activity at the Limebrook dates to 1460, when a garden belonging to Margaret Dudbridge was recorded there (Mackintosh, 1984, 15). By the late 1600’s/early 1700’s, the Lime Brook was providing power for at least 4 separate mills, and in 1677, the residents of Crease Gate had ‘free liberty to & from the [Lime] brook for fetching of water & washing lying in Over Lippiat’ (D1157 BOX 97834: Deeds Relating to Nether Over Lypiatt, Stroud 1649-1801)
Hannis’s Patch & Widow Pettat’s Coneygar: Hannis’s Patch was first mentioned in 1688. John Hannis was Stroud broadweaver who gave his name to the field. He was recorded as having undertenants in two cottages, together with a barn next to the Lime Brook. His son Daniel, also a Broadweaver, continued the family business at the same location into the 18th century. Widow Pettat was Mary Pettat, the widow of a Stroud Clothworker William Pettat. She was renting a field called Coneygar, which was an artificial rabbit or hare warren. Typically, this was an area of land set aside used for the breeding and management of rabbits or hares in order to provide a constant supply of fresh meat and skins (Baker, 2009: D1157 BOX 97832, Various Uncatalogued Deeds of Stroud “Bundle 4 1692 – 1766).
Weyhouse: Less than 200m from the mill site is the settlement of Weyhouse proper where medieval pottery dated to the 13th century has been recovered during HARP fieldwalking exercises (J. Timby, pers. comm. 2012, Laing, 2003). It is the largest settlement in the Heavens and lies on the old route from Stroud high street to Nether Lypiatt house via Bowbridge Lane. In 1507 only one dwelling was recorded there, but by 1946, when the site had been completely abandoned there were six houses together with some ancillary structures, most of which throughout their history have had some association with the cloth trade (Smith, 1954, 140). Geophysical survey of the area around Weyhouse has shown that other potential structures may exist. One may be the ‘ancient building known as the sheepehouse’ which was recorded in 1649 and may also be where the ‘old tenement anciently stood’ to the north of Weyhouse (D1157 BOX 97834, Deeds Relating to Nether Over Lypiatt, Stroud 1649-1801).
The Dry Hill: Originally called Weyhouse Hill, the name Dry Hill had superseded it by 1701 and is probably derived from ‘the Drying Hill’, a reminder of when cloth was hung out to dry on the land around the Heavens. There was a cottage there by 1688, and by 1756 another 4 cottages had been built. Some also had additional workshops or ‘shops’ as they were known where large, weaving looms were installed (D1157 BOX 97833, Clutterbuck family of Nether Lypiatt 1584 – 1911; D1157 BOX 97834, Deeds Relating to Nether Over Lypiatt, Stroud 1649-1801)
Kinners Grove: Kinners Grove was first recorded in 1688 but contains some of the oldest archaeology at the Heavens. Geophysical survey of the area around Kinners grove suggest that more than one structure may exist. This site has also produced large amounts of local Roman pottery from the 1st-3rd century AD, olive oil amphora from Spain, and Samain ware from easterncentral France. Internal floor tile and box-flue tile fragments of Roman date have also been found, suggesting the remains of a structure with a hypocaust system lies beneath the Heavens (J. Timby, pers. comm. 2012, Laing, 2003). A more recent history shows that Kinners grove was occupied again much later in 1688. Two ‘tenements’ were recorded there between 1688 and 1841. A property indenture dated to 1691 states that John Kinner ‘formerly’ lived at Kinners Grove in 1691, and another indenture dated 1701, mentions that William Kinner ‘once lived’ there (D1157 BOX 97834, Deeds Relating to Nether Over Lypiatt, Stroud 1649-1801: D1157 BOX 97833, Clutterbuck family of Nether Lypiatt 1584 – 1911).
Medieval Strip Lynchets: The lynchets at the Heavens are part of a group that extends along the south-side of the Horns Valley and have been recorded as part of the Severn Vale National Mapping Project (https://ncap.org.uk/about-ncap/our-work). They generally consist of a terraced field, and are usually found on hillsides, and comprise a flat strip of land, called the tread, and a steep, scarped lynchet or edge, called the riser (https://heritagedata.org/live/schemes/eh_tmt2/concepts/68632.html).
Medieval ridge & furrow: The Severn Vale National Mapping Project has also recorded ridge and furrow at the Heavens (https://ncap.org.uk/about-ncap/our-work). It comprises of a series of long, raised ridges separated by ditches used to prepare the ground for arable cultivation. This was a technique, characteristic of the medieval period. The ridge and furrow at the Heavens also has a headland. This is narrow strip of land where a plough and team could turn, and often remains higher than the ploughed land (https://heritagedata.org/live/schemes/eh_tmt2/concepts/68628.html).