76-685: Stagecoach West is a bus operator providing services in Gloucestershire , Bristol , Swindon , Oxfordshire , Wiltshire , North Somerset and Herefordshire , in the West of England. The company is a subsidiary of the Stagecoach Group . On 11 September 1983, the National Bus Company (NBC) split its loss-making Bristol Omnibus operation into three separate companies, with Gloucestershire-based operations transferred to
152-560: A civil parish council could be set up, which happened in 2000. Hereford is one of only eight civil parishes in England which have city status . It is based at Hereford Town Hall . Hereford was the name of a parliamentary constituency that was centered in the city, from 1295 to 2010, when it was renamed as Hereford and South Herefordshire. The current Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons for Hereford and South Herefordshire
228-400: A "City Council" but this is actually a parish council with city status , and has only limited powers. Historically Hereford has been the county town of Herefordshire . In 1974 Herefordshire was merged with Worcestershire to become part of the county of Hereford and Worcester , and Hereford became a district of the new county. Hereford had formed a historic borough and was reformed by
304-546: A city since time immemorial , with the status being reconfirmed in October 2000. Hereford has been a civil parish since 2000. It is known for being a trading centre for a wider agricultural and rural area. Products from Hereford include cider , beer , leather goods, nickel alloys, poultry , chemicals and sausage rolls , as well as the famous Hereford breed of cattle. The Herefordshire edition of Cambridge County Geographies states "a Welsh derivation of Hereford
380-561: A fleet of 46 new double-decker buses. On 15 January 2024, the Oxford SmartZone was officially relaunched as an enhanced partnership between Stagecoach West and the Oxford Bus Company, with the aim to reduce bus journey times by 10%. Orders for battery electric buses have been funded for both operators, with Stagecoach West taking delivery of the first of 55 'electro'-branded Alexander Dennis Enviro400EVs for use in
456-413: A manor built there by Peter of Aigueblanche , Bishop of Hereford , in the middle of the 13th century. Hereford, a base for successive holders of the title Earl of Hereford , was once the site of a castle , Hereford Castle , which rivalled that of Windsor in size and scale. This was a base for repelling Welsh attacks and a secure stronghold for English kings such as King Henry IV when on campaign in
532-869: 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 . 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 . There are
608-636: A new company named the Cheltenham and Gloucester Omnibus Company. The NBC's National Travel (South) coaching operation would be transferred to Cheltenham and Gloucester during 1984, while the Swindon and District bus operation would follow in 1985. In 1986, in preparation for the break-up of the National Bus Company as a result of bus deregulation , all company assets were transferred to a new legal entity named Western Travel. Western Travel
684-488: A new higher education institution NMITE (New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering) welcomed its first students who are undertaking an MEng Integrated Engineering. There have been a number of improvements at Hereford Sixth Form College , where a new business block extension was completed in 2013 and a new reception area was completed in 2015. Hereford benefitted from the PFI reconstruction schemes for NHS hospitals, with
760-648: A north–south bypass and currently the plan is for a nine-mile (14 km) dual carriageway ; however, HM Government as yet has refused to grant permission or supply funds. However, the Hereford Link Road was completed in December 2017, costing around £34,000,000 to build. There are plans to add new homes, a university building and a transport hub to this area. Plans for the north–south bypass were scrapped in February 2021. Hereford railway station
836-684: 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 , the abbey church of Tewkesbury (which is over 500 years old and has the tallest Norman tower in England), and the church of Cirencester . Of the abbey of Hailes near Winchcombe , founded by Richard, Earl of Cornwall , in 1246, little more than
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#1732791843027912-728: A regional centre at the Gloucester Docks , Alexandra Warehouse, specialising in Adult and Mental Health Nursing; and Frenchay Campus in South Gloucestershire . Gloucestershire has one city and 33 towns: The towns in Gloucestershire are: Suburban town of Stroud : Town in Monmouthshire with suburbs in Gloucestershire: The county has two green belt areas, the first covers the southern area in
988-663: A sculpture and stained glass window dedicated to the SAS. On 17 October 2017 Ascension , a new sculpture and window honouring the Special Air Service Regiment in Hereford Cathedral , was dedicated by the then Bishop of Hereford . The main public service employers in Hereford include: In 2005 Hereford was granted Fairtrade City status. Major employers in the city include: Herefordshire
1064-536: 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. Other notable buildings include Calcot Barn in Calcot, a relic of Kingswood Abbey . Thornbury Castle is a Tudor country house, the pretensions of which evoked the jealousy of Cardinal Wolsey against its builder, Edward Stafford, duke of Buckingham , who
1140-547: A straight line from east to west. Only one of these major routes crosses the River Wye , the A49/Victoria Street, which is carried by Greyfriars Bridge. In 2017, Hereford was named Britain's second slowest city , with an average traffic speed of 14.09 mph. Cambridge topped the list, whilst London came third with vehicles travelling at an average 14.59 mph. There have been plans for many years for
1216-615: A successor to the Plus+Pass scheme, which had ceased operations three years earlier. This ticketing scheme, introduced by Oxfordshire County Council following the passage of the Local Transport Act 2008 , allowed for bus users in Oxford to buy and use one paper ticket until its expiry on services operated by both Stagecoach and the Oxford Bus Company, who worked with the council to introduce coordinated service timetables using
1292-573: Is Jesse Norman of the Conservative Party . As with all of the UK, Hereford experiences a maritime climate , with limited seasonal temperature ranges, and generally moderate rainfall throughout the year. The nearest Met Office weather station for which 30-year averages are available is Credenhill weather station, about 4 miles (6 km) north west of the city centre. Before 2001, the weather station at Preston Wynne (7 miles, 11 km to
1368-551: Is Kilpeck Castle . The route passes through Abergavenny and the Heads of the Valleys as it enters Wales . As of Summer 2020, Sustrans proposes an extension to Route 46 running eastbound from Hereford to Worcester . National Cycle Route 44 leaves Hereford to the southeast and runs as far as Rotherwas . The route is incomplete; once completed, Route 44 will run to Ludlow Castle to the north and Cinderford , Forest of Dean to
1444-707: Is a cathedral city and the county town of the ceremonial county of Herefordshire , England. It is situated on the banks of the River Wye and lies 16 miles (26 km) east of the border with Wales , 23 miles (37 km) north-west of Gloucester and 24 miles (39 km) south-west of Worcester . With a population of 53,112 in 2021, it is the largest settlement in Herefordshire. An early town charter from 1189, granted by Richard I of England , describes it as "Hereford in Wales ". Hereford has been recognised as
1520-502: Is a centre for cider production as it supports many acres of orchards, so many breweries and associated organisations exist here, along with other heavy and light industries. Within the city, many are based at the Rotherwas Industrial Estate. Many of the schools in Hereford have been rebuilt and improved. The Herefordshire and Ludlow College has also been rebuilt to a 21st-century standard. In September 2021
1596-507: Is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Gloucestershire at current basic prices published (pp. 240–253) by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of Pounds Sterling. 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 The 2009 estimation of £11,452 million GVA can be compared to
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#17327918430271672-907: 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. Gloucester News Centre is an independent news website with news and information for Gloucestershire. Radio stations in Gloucestershire include BBC Radio Gloucestershire , BBC Radio Bristol (for South Gloucestershire ), Heart West , Sunshine Radio and Greatest Hits Radio Gloucestershire . 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
1748-578: 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 large tidal estuary . The hills to the east form the majority of the Cotswolds AONB , and the uplands to the west are part of the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley AONB , which stretches into Wales. Gloucestershire was likely established in
1824-419: Is maintained by Herefordshire Council and Sustrans . An unbroken shared-use path for cyclists and pedestrians runs along the western rim of the city, from Newton Farm to Holmer . The Great Western Way route crosses the River Wye using Hunderton Bridge. National Cycle Route 46 runs southbound from Hereford to Swansea. The route is signposted and unbroken, and the next destination from Hereford en route
1900-543: Is mixed. There are 42 state secondary schools, not including sixth form colleges , 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. Gloucestershire has two universities,
1976-564: Is more probable than a Saxon one" but the name "Hereford" is also said to come from the Anglo-Saxon " here ", an army or formation of soldiers, and the " ford ", a place for crossing a river (cf. Herford , Westphalia, with the same Saxon etymology). If this is the origin it suggests that Hereford was a place where a body of armed men forded or crossed the Wye . The Welsh name for Hereford is Henffordd , meaning "old road", and probably refers to
2052-839: Is named for Gloucestershire and is historically associated with the county. Sheep roam widely in the Forest of Dean. The Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley also have wild boar . Gloucester cattle , a rare breed, can still be found in and around Gloucestershire. 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 Single Gloucester and Double Gloucester cheeses. Rudder, Samuel . (1779) A New History of Gloucestershire . Reprint: Nonsuch Publishing, 2006. ISBN 1-84588-023-4 (Free download of original here: A New History of Gloucestershire ) Hereford Hereford ( / ˈ h ɛr ɪ f ər d / HERR -if-ərd )
2128-610: Is situated to the north of the city centre. The station is the western terminus of the Cotswold Line ; it is a through station on the Welsh Marches Line between Abergavenny and Leominster . The station is managed by Transport for Wales , which operates services to destinations such as Newport , Cardiff and Swansea to the south. Transport for Wales also operates services northbound towards Leominster , Shrewsbury , Chester , Manchester and Holyhead . On
2204-663: Is the Western Daily Press , while 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
2280-618: The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 . On 1 April 1998 the County of Hereford and Worcester was abolished, and Herefordshire and Worcestershire were re-established as separate counties. However the new Herefordshire was a unitary authority without any districts, and so Hereford lost its district status (although, confusingly, the authority's full legal name is the County of Herefordshire District Council). Charter Trustees were appointed to preserve mayoral traditions until
2356-535: The Roman road and Roman settlement at nearby Stretton Sugwas . Some historical documents refer to "Hereford in Wales". Hereford became the seat of Putta , Bishop of Hereford , some time between 676 and 688 AD, after which the settlement continued to grow due to its proximity to the border between Mercia and Wales , becoming the Saxon capital of West Mercia by the beginning of the 8th century. Hostilities between
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2432-823: 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 ;
2508-726: The Welsh Marches against Owain Glyndŵr . The castle was dismantled in the 18th century and landscaped into Castle Green. After the Battle of Mortimer's Cross in 1461, during the Wars of the Roses , the defeated Lancastrian leader Owen Tudor (grandfather of the future Henry VII of England ) was taken to Hereford by Sir Roger Vaughan and executed in High Town. A plaque now marks the spot of
2584-493: The West of England Combined Authority , which is under the directly elected mayor Dan Norris . There are six parliamentary constituencies in Gloucestershire , all of which are Conservative controlled as of the 2019 general election . Due to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies , Gloucestershire will be combined with Wiltshire for parliamentary boundary purposes, allowing cross-county electoral divisions. This
2660-942: The 2020 episode " Fugitive of the Judoon " was set and filmed at Gloucester Cathedral . A fictional Brimpsfield was the village, home of Peter and Abby Grant, in the 1970s BBC TV series Survivors , with a railway connection to London. 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 , Sigma , Ella Eyre , Example , Wiley , Heather Small , Lethal Bizzle and Tinchy Stryder . The Romano/Celtic temple ruins in Lydney Park contributed to J.R.R. Tolkien 's description of The Shire in his Middle-earth Legendarium . The famous Gloucestershire Old Spots pig
2736-470: The 2021 Census was recorded as: Hereford, as an ancient crossing over the River Wye, has long been important within the regional and national transport network. Today, the town is served by several major routes, including: The nearest motorway is the [REDACTED] M50 , which passes to the south of Ledbury. Along the northern rim of the city, the A4103 is named Roman Road , running in
2812-554: The 53-vehicle South Gloucestershire Bus & Coach business for an undisclosed sum after the SGBC's owners decided to step down. This takeover saw 100 employees transferring to Stagecoach West, with Stagecoach taking on SGBC's existing local bus and private hire work in the Bristol area, as well as their Megabus contract. In February 2021, it was announced that Stagecoach West would merge with neighbouring Stagecoach Oxfordshire , with
2888-808: The Anglo-Saxons and the Welsh came to a head with the Battle of Hereford in 760, in which the Britons freed themselves from the influence of the English. Hereford was again targeted by the Welsh during their conflict with the Anglo-Saxon King Edward the Confessor in 1056 when, supported by Viking allies, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn , King of Gwynedd and Powys, marched on the town and put it to
2964-571: The Conservatives, though the Liberal Democrats have a sizeable presence on the council. 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
3040-483: The Cotswold Line, services are operated by West Midlands Railway towards Birmingham , via destinations such as Great Malvern , Worcester and Bromsgrove . Great Western Railway operates regular services to London Paddington via Worcester , Oxford and Reading , amongst other destinations. A second station served Hereford, Hereford Barton , which closed in 1893. Cycling infrastructure in Hereford
3116-628: The Harry Potter films and the BBC TV series Butterflies . " A Girl's Best Friend ", the pilot for the proposed Doctor Who spin-off K-9 and Company , was filmed in Gloucestershire. The setting is the fictional town of Moreton Harwood. The fictional town of Leadworth in Doctor Who is in Gloucestershire. It is the home of companions Amy Pond , Rory Williams and River Song in their childhoods and young adulthoods. Additionally,
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3192-526: The Oxford SmartZone area in March 2024. Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( / ˈ ɡ l ɒ s t ər ʃ ər / GLOST -ər-shər , /- ʃ ɪər / -sheer ; abbreviated Glos. ) is a 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
3268-643: The Severn and its valley running between these features. The Daffodil Way in the 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. Gloucestershire is a ceremonial county in South West England. Gloucestershire County Council 's 53 seats are majority-controlled by
3344-436: The South Gloucestershire district, to protect outlying villages and towns between Thornbury and Chipping Sodbury from the urban sprawl of the 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 . Gloucestershire once had
3420-455: The South West regional average of £7,927 million. Gloucestershire has mainly comprehensive schools with seven selective grammar schools ; two are in Stroud, Stroud High School for girls and Marling School for boys, one in Cheltenham, Pate's Grammar , and four in Gloucester, 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 for girls and The Crypt which
3496-692: The Stagecoach West fleet consists of 270 buses and coaches. Stagecoach West mainly operates local bus services in Gloucestershire , Bristol , Herefordshire , Wiltshire , Oxfordshire and into South Gloucestershire , although some routes serve more distant destinations including Brackley , Hereford , Monmouth and Bath . Routes branded as Stagecoach Gold have vehicles of a higher specification and provide more frequent, higher profile or interurban journeys. These services are: Gloucester depot's 10 and 97/98 services were previously among these Gold routes, however in June 2021, 21 new Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC bodied Scania N250UD double-decker buses in
3572-419: The T14 service. Stagecoach South Wales has the 23 which runs to Abergavenny and Newport In 1999, the British Army Special Air Service (SAS) moved from their base at Stirling Lines (formerly Bradbury Lines) in Hereford, their home since 1960, to a former Royal Air Force base RAF Credenhill in Credenhill that had been redeveloped and was designated as Stirling Lines in 2000. The clock tower on which
3648-429: The cathedral was built in 1204 and is continually used to the present day. Hereford Cathedral School is one of the oldest schools in England. The Harold Street Barracks were completed in 1856. During World War I , in 1916, a fire at the Garrick Theatre killed eight young girls who had been performing at a charity concert. The main local government body covering Hereford is Herefordshire Council . Hereford has
3724-413: The company would go on to acquire the eastern division of National Welsh Omnibus Services in February 1991, reforming the division as a reconstituted Red & White Services , which was based out of depots in Cwmbran , Chepstow , Brynmawr and Crosskeys , with an additional depot in Merthyr Tydfil opening in May 1993. After having also purchased the independent Circle Line of Gloucester earlier in
3800-408: 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 . Since 2017, South Gloucestershire has been part of
3876-405: The county is provided by BBC West and ITV West Country from Bristol, although in the northern extremes of Gloucestershire, BBC Midlands and ITV Central (West) from Birmingham covers this area. Some eastern parts of the county (Cirencester and parts of the Cotswolds) receive BBC South and ITV Meridian from Oxford. There are two well-known accounts of childhood in rural Gloucestershire in
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#17327918430273952-463: The county, including Long Marston and Welford-on-Avon , were transferred to Warwickshire in 1931. 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. In July 2007, Gloucestershire was subject to some of the worst flooding in recorded British history, with tens of thousands of residents affected. The RAF conducted
4028-454: The early 20th century, Laurie Lee 's Cider With Rosie and Winifred Foley 's A Child in the Forest . Part of Mrs. Craik's novel John Halifax, Gentleman is set in Enderley, a thinly disguised Amberley , where she lived at the time of writing. Most of the book is set in Nortonbury, easily recognisable as Tewkesbury . The county has also been the setting for a number of high-profile movies and TV series, including Die Another Day ,
4104-471: The east, Wiltshire to the south, Bristol and Somerset to the south-west, and the 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 3,150 square kilometres (1,220 sq mi) 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). In
4180-441: The execution. Vaughan was later himself executed, under a flag of truce, by Owen's son Jasper . During the English Civil War , the city changed hands several times. On 30 September 1642 Parliamentarians led by Sir Robert Harley and Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford occupied the city without opposition. In December they withdrew to Gloucester because of the presence in the area of a Royalist army under Lord Herbert. The city
4256-461: The faith" and the even rarer gold-barred peer's helm, found only on the arms of one other municipal authority: those of the City of London . Nell Gwynne , actress and mistress of King Charles II , is said to have been born in Hereford in 1650 (although other towns and cities, notably Oxford , claim her as their own); Gwynn Street is named after her. Another famous actor born in Hereford is David Garrick (1717–1779). The Bishop's Palace next to
4332-458: The foundations are left, but these have been excavated and fragments have been brought to light. Most of the old market towns have parish churches . 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 church in Lechlade , and that at Fairford was built ( c. 1500 ), according to tradition, to contain
4408-423: The group's replacement "Long Distance" livery were delivered for service on the routes. The Oxford Tube service is a limited-stop express coach service between Oxford and Victoria Coach Station in London , using a fleet of 34 Plaxton Panorama double-decker coaches on Volvo B11RLE chassis, uniquely equipped with solar panels on the roof, which began to enter service on the route from October 2020. The service
4484-480: The headquarters of the combined operating company located in Gloucester. Stagecoach West would take on Stagecoach Oxfordshire's three depots in Banbury , Oxford and Witney and outstations at Bicester , Chipping Norton and Grove , along with around 500 vehicles and the Oxford Tube coach service between Oxford and London . Stagecoach West has eight depots: There are also outstations at Bicester , Coleford , Chipping Norton and Grove . As of October 2022,
4560-408: The largest peacetime domestic operation in its history to rescue over 120 residents from flood-affected areas. The damage was estimated at over £2 billion. 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
4636-452: The late 11th century. 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. It later became part of the administrative County of Avon from 1974 to 1996. Some northern parts of
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#17327918430274712-434: The names of deceased SAS soldiers are inscribed was re-located. The local Anglican church of St Martin's has part of its graveyard set aside as an SAS memorial, over twenty SAS soldiers are buried there. There is also a Wall of Remembrance displaying memorial plaques to some who could not be buried, including the 18 SAS men who lost their lives in the Sea King helicopter crash during the Falklands Campaign on 19 May 1982 and
4788-432: The north-east) provided the data. Since 2001, extremes at Hereford Credenhill have ranged from 33.6 °C (92.5 °F) during July 2006, to as low as −15.8 °C (3.6 °F) during December 2010. In February 2020 many houses in Hereford were evacuated due to floods. Hereford and its surrounding urban area were recorded as follows in the table below at the 2021 Census: The religious composition of Hereford at
4864-536: The ruins of Witcombe Roman Villa at Great Witcombe are also notable heritage features. There are several royal residences in Gloucestershire, including Highgrove House , Gatcombe Park , and (formerly) Nether Lypiatt Manor . An annual " cheese-rolling " event takes place at Cooper's Hill, near Brockworth and the Cotswold Games occurred within the county. Places of interest in Gloucestershire include: Areas of countryside in Gloucestershire include: Scenic Railway Line: Gloucestershire's only daily newspaper
4940-400: The south of the county, the areas around Filton and Kingswood are densely populated and part of Bristol built-up area . For local government purposes Gloucestershire comprises a non-metropolitan county , with six districts, and the unitary authority area of South Gloucestershire . South Gloucestershire Council is a member of the West of England Combined Authority . Gloucestershire
5016-556: The south. The nearest bike park is the Black Mountain Bike Park. Since the decision of First Midland Red to pull out of the city in 2015, the majority of bus routes have been operated by Hereford bus and coach operator Yeomans Canyon . The 33 service to Gloucester is operated by Stagecoach and the 66 service to Monmouth is operated by Newport bus , services historically in the hands of Red & White . Other bus services are operated by various operators. TrawsCymru links Hereford railway station to Hay-on-Wye and Brecon on
5092-405: 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 , Gloucester , Hailes , and 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
5168-473: The torch before returning home in triumph. Hereford had the only mint west of the Severn in the reign of Athelstan (924–939), and it was to Hereford, then a border town, that Athelstan summoned the leading Welsh princes. The present Hereford Cathedral dates from the early 12th century, as does the first bridge across the Wye . Former Bishops of Hereford include Saint Thomas de Cantilupe and Lord High Treasurer of England Thomas Charlton . Hereford
5244-442: The year, Western Travel was purchased by Stagecoach Holdings in November 1993 for £9.25 million (equivalent to £23,800,000 in 2023). Red & White's Welsh operations would be transferred to what is today Stagecoach South Wales , with the remainder of Western Travel eventually rebranded as Stagecoach West. Having worked in partnership with the company's owners from 2017 onwards, in September 2019, Stagecoach West took over
5320-432: Was beheaded in 1521. Near Cheltenham is the 15th-century mansion of Southam de la Bere , of timber and stone. 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
5396-418: Was again occupied briefly from 23 April to 18 May 1643 by Parliamentarians commanded by Sir William Waller but it was in 1645 that the city saw most action . On 31 July 1645 a Scottish army of 14,000 under Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven besieged the city but met stiff resistance from its garrison and inhabitants. They withdrew on 1 September when they received news that a force led by King Charles
5472-430: Was approaching. The city was finally taken for Parliament on 18 December 1645 by Colonel Birch and Colonel Morgan . King Charles showed his gratitude to the city of Hereford on 16 September 1645 by augmenting the city's coat of arms with the three lions of Richard I of England , ten Scottish Saltires signifying the ten defeated Scottish regiments, a very rare lion crest on top of the coat of arms signifying "defender of
5548-640: Was founded in 1987 by Thames Transit in competition with the Oxford Bus Company 's X90 service , withdrawn in January 2020 as it had become unprofitable, and was originally operated by Stagecoach Oxfordshire before being included in the merger with Stagecoach West in February 2021. Stagecoach West's operations in the City of Oxford, in partnership with the Oxford Bus Company, are part of Oxford SmartZone joint ticketing scheme, launched on 24 July 2011 as
5624-673: Was home to a small but relatively important Jewish community until 1290, when Jews were expelled from England by Edward I . Jews from Worcester and Gloucester moved to Hereford after their expulsion in January 1275 by the Queen mother, Eleanor of Provence . The Bishops of Hereford campaigned against the presence of the community, including Cantilupe, and Richard Swinefield , who tried to stop social contact between Christians and Jews. The city gave its name (translated to French) to two suburbs of Paris , France : Maisons-Alfort (population 54,600) and Alfortville (population 36,232), due to
5700-498: Was the fourth NBC subsidiary to be privatised following deregulation, being purchased in a £1 million (equivalent to £3,701,000 in 2023) management buyout in November 1986. The Cheltenham and Gloucester and Swindon and District companies were maintained as subsidiaries, joined in December 1987 by Midland Red South following Western Travel's purchase of the company. Among other acquisitions in and around their operating area,
5776-610: 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 docks and the small Forest of Dean coalfield was exploited. 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
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