WELCOME TO STROAT.
If YOU have ANY information on the village of Stroat
PLEASE contact the blog owner as soon as possible
for it to be added.
.
some of STROAT’s Background History
Hi,
the section of history below is sourced, in the main, from ‘British History Online‘ being in Tidenham CLICK HERE & from
‘A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 10 – Westbury and Whitstone Hundreds’
.
The settlement at Stroat grew up where the main Gloucester-Chepstow road was crossed by the ancient trackway from the Severn.
In the earlier 18th century a track, variously described as a highway and a horse-path, still linked Stroat to the river (fn. 69) and the landing-places and fisheries at the two inlets known by the 16th century as Horse Pill and Walden Pill. (fn. 70)
(Horse Pill can be accessed via the path to the left of Stroat House across the land of Stroat Farm,
past the Dolmen (see: CLICK HERE) on your right and
60 yards later through the rather mud and waterlogged bridge under the railway and Horse Pill is still clearly visible to your left – though clearly it has not been used for many years!)
The hamlet was linked to Churchend by an alternative route running through the fields to the north of the main road by Garston and Philpots Court; it was known as Hoball Lane in 1630 and was described as the way from Stroat to Tidenham church. (fn. 71)
Most of the seven customary tenants holding land at Stroat from Tidenham manor in 1584 (fn. 72) and the 14 families recorded in the tithing c. 1775 (fn. 73) evidently lived in houses on the main road.
The settlement there has remained a small one.
There are only two houses of any size, the 17th-century Stroat Farm on the north-west of the road and the 18th-century Stroat House (fn. 74) on the opposite side, and there are a number of 18th- or early-19th-century cottages.
A cottage opposite Stroat House was the George Inn from at least 1744 and was for many years the meeting-place of the Tidenham manor court. (fn. 75)
The inn, which in the later 19th century was known as the ‘George and Dragon’, was closed c. 1900. (fn. 76)
At Clap-y-Atts between Stroat and Woolaston a pair of stone cottages with mock timber-framing in the gables was built by Sir Percival Marling in 1905 to house disabled soldiers of his regiment. (fn. 77)
The population of Stroat tithing had risen to 176 in 37 houses by 1841, (fn. 78) apparently the result of scattered building both on the main road and in the north part of the tithing after inclosure of the chase.
Only one house had apparently existed before the 19th century in the chase area of the tithing, the Chase House, a stone cottage faced in plaster standing by the Coleford road, which had been built by 1769. (fn. 79)
It was an inn in the early 19th century, (fn. 80) but in 1920 the forester on the Marling estate lived there while the estate carpenter and mason occupied a pair of stone cottages further north (fn. 81) built by Sir William Marling in 1898. (fn. 82).
| 69 | N.L.W., Badminton MSS. 2494 (entry for 1707), 2535. |
| 70 | Ibid. 2494; cf. G.D.R. Tidenham tithe award. |
| 71 | Glos. R.O., EL 201, p. 118. |
| 72 | N.L.W., Badminton MS. 2494. |
| 73 | Rudder, Glos. 765. |
| 74 | See p. 66. |
| 75 | N.L.W., Badminton MSS. 2536/1, 2563; Glos. R.O., D 1430B/8; cf. G.D.R. Tidenham tithe award. |
| 76 | Ex inf. Miss Joyce. |
| 77 | Glos. R.O., D 262/T 25A; date and inits. on bldg. |
| 78 | Census. |
| 79 | Badminton Mun. F Drawer 2, map, 1769. |
| 80 | Ibid. 104. 1. 11. |
| 81 | Glos. Colln. RV 306. 1. |
| 82 | Date and inits. on bldg. |
.
Posted by: Greg Lance-Watkins
tel: 01594 – 528 337
Accuracy & Copyright Statement: CLICK HERE
.
DO MAKE USE of LINKS & >Right Side Bar< & The Top Bar >PAGES< Also:
Details & Links: http://GregLanceWatkins.Blogspot.com
Views I almost Totally Share: CLICK HERE Personal Political Comments: CLICK HERE Archive of General Stuff: http://gl-w.blogspot.com
General Stuff ongoing: CLICK HERE
Health Blog.: http://GregLW.blogspot.com
TWITTER: Greg_LW
STROAT - Gloucestershire - Forest of Dean 
Very interesting site ,looks like the perfect place to ask for a little help on a family history matter.
Trying to locate “Willdon/Wilden ? Cottage ,Stroat. ,I see from Street view there is a Wibdon Cottage and a Little Wilbden Cottge?,which would seem to be reasonable matches ,but are there any other candidates?
From the 1911 Census the house after the one in question was on Rosemary lane and the one before was Stroat Cottage.
Hoping you can help
Paul
LikeLike
Hi,
though I live in Stroat, that is only recently having bought Home Cottage just over a year ago I do not know of any such house or cottage and feel fairly sure that it is an error in transcription from the rather less likely spelling of Wibdon!
You might find it of help to write to the present occupiers of the ‘Wibdon’ properties – If you are fortunate enough to gain a response and the information you seek a copy would be appreciated for inclusion on this site!
Thanks,
Greg_L-W.
LikeLike
Greg
Thanks for the reply.
I have been back over the 1911 Census and made a note of all the properties listed and checked them against Street view and worked out that Wibdon Cottage is the right one,and it was the handwritting and transcription that threw me.
Also It didn’t look big enough for its stated 8 rooms,until you realise that it is twice the depth ,looks like two houses one behind the other.
I see there was no Home cottage ,Stroat listed on the census so were you able to work out who was living in it in 1911 and before?
Paul
LikeLike
Hi,
well done 😉
I’m afraid I’m rather behind on this blog and ought really to make the effort and put out a circular to all the residents of Stroat to see if they would help provide any (ALL) the information they can to help each other and people outside of the hamlet.
Unfortunately with no local shop and no pub meeting is rather a problem in the daily course of events!
I have published my details as a contact and can but hope!
I’ll try and be rather more proactive as time passes.
As to Home Cottage: I have not done much checking and would always be glad of info and would put it on the site.
The house/cottage would seem to have been developed from a single story barn developed, at a guess, into a two room single story very small cottage around the 1830s.
That is the lower section to the right parallel to the road, as you see it on Google.
The next move seemingly was a second floor and about the same time an extension to the right rear as a kitchen and the construction of an outside toilet, probably mid to late 1800s.
Next the room to the right built as a single story forward extension.
At some time a kitchen was added at the left rear of the then cottage, this would seem to have been extended, probably after WWI.
The garage to the rear is built in block so probably after WWII.
In early 1970s the then owner Phillip Blatchley (a local undertaker) built the double story conventionally shaped higher structure to the left and wouuld seem to have further extended the kitchen and the garages.
Anyone who can give more detail – or correction to my speculation is encouraged to contact me.
The same is true of any information that people can give for any other property in the hamlet.
Your discoveries from your research would also be welcome Paul.
Good luck.
Regards,
Greg_L-W.
01594 – 528 337
LikeLike
Greg
I have had a look at some of the latter census records for Stroat,(I cannot search by address on Ancestry so that makes it more difficult) and it seems unlikely that you could find any particular property in different years,unless it is Stroat House,or Stroat Farm although even that is not certain.
Part of the problem is that the dwellings don’t have names ,or that they didn’t transcribe the names if they did,the other problem is trying to understand the route the enumerator took,i.e 1891 Census
Comes out of Rosemary Lane..a Cottage Stroat,…Stroat Farm…Then Clap Yatts,(Clap-Y-Atts) 3 houses,then back into Stroat….,Cottage…. ,Cottage….,House…,Inn..
Cottage,…etc ..for a total of 12 Dwellings in Stroat,and only 3 have a distinguishing feature, and no idea which side of the street anything is on.
Contrast that with today and you have what? 15/16 Dwellings and all have a name,(is that down to not having numbers?).
I did only have time to look at 1911/1901/1891 Census,you never know it might suddenly get a lot clearer in earlier years,with lots of dwelling names and an obvious up the left hand side and back down the right hand side route by the enumerator,good luck with that!
Paul
LikeLike
I have very happy memories of Stroat House during WW2. The house was run as guest house by Gladys and Gwen Joyce. My grandparents had stayed there on holiday before the war so when my mother and I became homeless due to the bombing, towards the end of the War we went to stay there for some months. My father was a Merchant Navy officer and rarely home..
It was like stepping back in history. Very much like Downton Abbey. There was a Butler’s Pantry and a servants’ dining room with a huge Range. Down a slope from that led to the Dairy, a kitchen, laundry and the cellar.
Beyond the stables and hayloft was the big wall garden which I loved. Then there was rose garden, and a shrubbery.
When I read Jane Austen’s novels I mentally set them at Stroat.
Mostly we were untouched by the War, or I was as a child, but then one day there was a lot of noise and vehicle after vehicle rumbled past, all in camouflage. I now think they were going to go to the D Day landings. I leant over the wall and watched them.
It would have been about 1944 but I’m not sure.
While there I had to have my tonsils out and I was taken into Chepstow Hospital.. My mother just handed me over and left me, as was the custom in those days. I remember my bed had a view of the Castle which gave me a lot of pleasure.
I have such happy memories of Stroat House and hope people still enjoy it with the marvellous
views of the Severn and the history of the House.
Hilary Unwin, Chesham , Bucks
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your information.
Firstly Hilary I do hope your Father survived the war and your parents were able to rebuild their livespost 1945.
You didn’t say from where you and your Mother were evacuated.
I am printing a copy of your letter on the website & will also include a copy under Stroat House – which you will have seen, has been extensively refurbished and I will pass a copy of your comments to Dai Morgan & his wife who currently live in the house.
If you have any further memories of Stroat they would be most welcome.
Regards,
Greg_L-W.
LikeLike
Thank you Greg for making my wife and I aware of the email from Hilary recounting her memories of Stroat during WWII. Your efforts on keeping the community history of Stroat alive is very much appreciated.
Hillary,
We were pleased to hear of your happy memories from your time here at Stroat House. We also regard it as a very happy place and are thoroughly enjoying our time as temporary guardians of the property. As Greg mentioned there has been significant renovation of Stroat House by the previous owners and since taking ownership nearly two years ago we have been focused on restoring the gardens.
To reiterate, it would love to hear further accounts of your time spent here and if you are ever in the area you would be most welcome to call in and pay us a visit at Stroat House.
Take Care,
Dai Morgan
LikeLike