Stroud, Gloucestershire

Stroud is a town and civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It is the main town in Stroud District. 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. Although not formally part of the town, the parishes of Rodborough and Cainscross lie adjacent to Stroud and are often considered part of it. The three parishes had a combined population of 23,644 at the time of the 2001 census.

History

Historically, Stroud is known for its involvement in the Industrial Revolution. It was a cloth town; woollen mills were powered by the small rivers which surge through the five valleys, and supplied by Cotswold sheep grazed on the hills above. Particularly noteworthy was the production of military uniforms in the trademark Stroudwater Scarlet colour. There was a significant Jewish presence in the 19th century, linked to the tailoring and cloth industries. Similarly, the area was made home by a sizable Huguenot community in the 17th century, fleeing persecution in Catholic France. Stroud was a fairly major industrial and trading location in the nineteenth century, and so needed transport links. It first had a canal network in the form of the Stroudwater Navigation and the Thames & Severn Canal, both of which struggled to survive until the early 20th century. These canals are now being restored as a leisure facility by a partnership of British Waterways and the Cotswold Canals Trust (formerly the Stroudwater, Thames and Severn Canal Trust) with a multi-million pound Lottery grant.

Stroud railway station (on the Gloucester-Swindon "Golden Valley" line) was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. High Street, Stroud's main shopping street High Street, Stroud's main shopping street 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. They include the neolithic long barrows at Uley, Selsley Common and Nympsfield to the west; Roman remains at Frocester, West Hill near Uley, Woodchester and Calcot Manor; the medieval buildings at Beverston Castle; and the outstanding Tudor houses at Newark Park and Owlpen Manor. Woodchester Mansion is a masterpiece of the Gothic Revival by local architect Benjamin Bucknall.

Business

There is still a small textile industry (the green baize cloth used to cover snooker tables is made here), but today, the town functions primarily as a centre for light engineering and small-scale manufacturing, and a provider of services for the surrounding villages.

Farmers' Market

A farmers' market, launched in 1999, takes place every Saturday at the Cornhill market. It was nominated for Farmers' Market of the Year in 2001 and won it in 2007. It also won the Cotswold Life magazine award for the best farmers' market in Gloucestershire in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Stroud is also home to the headquarters of the renewable energy provider Ecotricity.

Education

The town is home to two of Gloucestershire's last remaining state grammar schools: Marling School for boys and the Stroud High School for girls. They continued on long after the comprehensive school became the norm in secondary education, and their future was the subject of long-running controversy; they were among the first schools to "opt out" and become grant-maintained. The two schools now share a mixed sixth form, called the Downfield Sixth Form, which works in a three-way consortium with Archway Sixth Form and Stroud College and attracts pupils from many surrounding schools.

The town's other secondary schools are Archway School, a comprehensive school located in the Paganhill area, and Thomas Keble School in Eastcombe.

Character and amenities

Visitors and locals say that there is a unique and 'laid back' air to the town, which is home to a significant number of artists, authors and poets. Stroud has a significant 'bohemian' community that dates back to the early part of the twentieth century, and today includes a number of people with New Age beliefs.[citation needed] Britain's first purpose-built cohousing community was built in the town.

"Stroudie" (Sometimes spelt "Stroudy") is a locally used term for residents of Stroud. There is a stereotype of the Green Party-supporting Stroudie, generally opposed to genetically-modified produce, oil companies (Esso in particular) and McDonalds, though one has now opened, after much protest. Stroud was one of the birthplaces of the Organic food movement and was home to Britain's first Organic Cafe, Woodruffs. For many years Stroud has hosted a fringe festival on the second weekend in September. The town also now hosts regular monthly Vintage Fashion, Textile and Accessories Fairs in the Stroud Subscription Rooms, and is holding an International Textile Festival in 2008.

The Green Party came to national prominence here in the early 1990s when a new large Tesco supermarket was planned for the vicinity of Stratford Park. This would have led to the removal of a long line of mature trees. After a long running battle a compromise was eventually found. (See Shepton Mallet for a similar recent controversy).

Stroud has a strong community of independent shops and cafes, which provide the mainstay of the retail experience in the town. Alongside this, the town centre has recently witnessed two controversial developments in the form of a new cinema (which replaced the bus station) and a branch of McDonalds which, when plans were unveiled in 2004, came against a lot of opposition from locals. The success of small businesses has, in recent years, caused a number of national retail chains to open outlets in the town.

The Subscription Rooms in the heart of the town centre provide a venue for entertainment and also house the local tourist information centre. In addition to the farmers' market there is a smaller market held in The Shambles, an area adjacent to the steep High Street. On the fringes of the town is Stratford Park, originally the park of a small stately home, now home to a leisure centre with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and the Museum in the Park, a museum of the history and culture of the Stroud valleys.

Stroud acts as a centre for many surrounding villages, hamlets and market towns including:
Minchinhampton, Amberley, Slad, Bisley, Stonehouse, Woodchester, Painswick, Chalford, Thrupp, Sheepscombe, Nailsworth and Dursley.

 

Famous inhabitants

The town's most famous children and residents are mainly authors and artists:

• W. V. Awdry, creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, moved to the area
• Leo Baxendale, creator of Minnie the Minx lives nearby
• Isabella Blow, fashion stylist extraordinaire, lived in Edge, nearby
• Edwin Beard Budding, (1795-1846) inventor of the lawnmower and adjustable spanner, born and died in Stroud
• John Canton (1718–1772), physicist
• Lynn Chadwick, sculptor
• Jasper Conran, designer and son of Terence Conran lives nearby
• Jilly Cooper, author, moved to the area
• Katie Fforde, author, moved to the area
• Damien Hirst, artist, has a studio in Chalford
• Alan Hollinghurst, author, born in Stroud
• Jamila Gavin, children's author, moved to Stroud
• Jenny Joseph, writer of "I Shall Wear Purple" lives in nearby Minchinhampton
• Laurie Lee was born in Stroud and bred in the Slad Valley, the setting of Cider with Rosie
• Ted Milton, poet, puppeteer and founder of the band Blurt
• Robert Charles "Jack" Russell, former Gloucestershire and England cricketer, and now artist.
• Matthew Fort, food writer, critic and Guardian food columnist
• Eamon Hamilton, frontman of Brakes and former keyboard player of British Sea Power, was raised in Stroud.
• Emma Samms, actress, lives in Stroud
• Sade, musician, lives nearby
• Tom Smith, lead singer of Editors, was born in Stroud.
• Keith Allen, actor, comedian, singer, writer, and father of singer-songwriter Lily Allen, has a home in Slad and is often seen in town.
• Peter Hennessy, English historian of government and Attlee Professor of Contemporary British History at Queen Mary, University of London, attended Marling School.
• Colin Prockter, actor, moved to Stroud from London. Co-wrote the TV programme Luna and has recently been in Doctor Who.
• Tim McInnerny, actor (probably most famous for his roles in BBC TV's Blackadder), attended Marling School.
• Jamie Horn-Smith, Bass Guitarist of The Rakes and award winning print artist.
• Sir Martin Evans, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was born in Stroud.

From 1837 to 1841, Stroud's MP was Lord John Russell of the Whig party who was later to become Prime Minister. Russell was one of the most important politicians of his day, responsible for passing many acts of parliament such as the Public Health Act of 1848, but he is mainly remembered as one of the chief architects of the Reform Act 1867. This act, also known as the Second Reform Act, gave the vote to every urban male householder, not just those of considerable means. This resulted in the electorate being increased by 1.5 million voters. Lord Russell is remembered in the town by two street names, John Street and Russell Street, as well as in the name of the Lord John public house.

Leisure and Culture

Stroud District prides itself on its market towns, unspoiled villages and countryside, unique attractions and high quality accommodation. Encircled by five sweeping valleys, the scenery is dramatic and the towns have a bohemian feel, with cafes, galleries, markets and bookstores to potter around.

The local countryside made famous as the setting for Laurie Lee's "Cider With Rosie" possesses an intimacy, at once enveloping and easily accessible, that has long been an inspiration to artists and writers.

This beautiful landscape, coupled with the artistic culture of the population, makes Stroud District the ideal place to get out and explore. Take a look at the web sites for the Subscription Rooms and the Museum in the Park, or see the Visit the Cotswolds Tourism website for a full list of attractions.

The area is a great place to stimulate the body as well as the mind. The hills and valleys provide excellent walking and cycling for all abilities and there are many sports facilities throughout the district. For a wealth of information on local leisure and recreation facilities, see the Leisure website.

Stroud District Council has a very proactive Sports Development team with a variety of projects and delivery connected to sports, health and wellbeing, disability and social inclusion. Check out the Sports Development section to view potential volunteering opportunities and what's on.

If you are planning on visiting us then you can find out all you need to know from the Tourist Information Service. To find out about up-and-coming events in the district please consult our events calendar, the This is Stroud events pages is also a good place to find out about local leisure activities.