Local History and Heritage
Profile and HistoryThe Borough of Tewkesbury forms the Northern Boundary of both Gloucestershire and the South West Region.
Covering an area of 163 square miles, it is unique in having borders with all five of the other Gloucestershire Districts as well as Malvern Hills and Wychavon District Councils to its north. The 2000 mid year estimates gave the Borough a population of 76,248, comprising of 33,865 properties.
Straddling the M5 corridor, the Borough displays not only the rich environmental variety of the Cotswold escarpment to the east and the Severn Vale to the west, but also a fascinating historical heritage.
Features
Consisting of 49 parishes, the Borough contains market towns, as well as urban and rural areas, including Winchcombe (once the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Mercia and famous for Sudeley Castle, the burial place of Catherine Parr, the last wife of King Henry VIII), and the ancient settlement of Tewkesbury at the confluence of the Rivers Severn and Avon, with its remarkable mixture of medieval timber and Georgian brick facades. as well as the magnificent 12th Century Abbey and historical alleyways.
Transport
This beautiful area of Gloucestershire is underpinned by strong commercial attributes, particularly a robust transport infrastructure. Well served by the M5 road links to Birmingham and the South West, the M50 to South Wales and the A417 to the M4 at Swindon, Tewkesbury town is also only a 40 minute rail journey from Central Birmingham following the reopening of the nearby Ashchurch station.
Borough Status
Until 1974, Tewkesbury Borough Council comprised for the most part, of Tewkesbury Town and had Borough status by virtue of various Charters going back as far as 1109 when Tewkesbury was first made a free borough by Robert, Earl of Gloucester. The rights and privileges granted to the townsmen were listed as well as those things which they might or might not do. The Second Charter was granted by Gilbert De Clare in 1314 in the reign of Edward II.
Incorporation
Incorporation by Royal Charter followed in 1574 in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The Queen granted that the town of Tewkesbury with the Abbey Fee and the Manor and Liberties of the late Monastery should from thence be a free borough and defined the extent of the borough and granted jurisdiction over the whole area. Power was given to make byelaws, to hold a weekly court and to raise fines, also to deal with pleas of debt, etc., as well as power to possess lands and appoint the Council, Constables and Town Clerk. (It is now thought by the County Records Office that this Charter was in fact granted in 1575 and not 1574).
A Second Royal Charter was granted by King James I in 1605, which extended and more carefully defined borough rights, giving power to tax inhabitants towards the necessary expense of the borough with power to enforce payment and power to appoint a Coroner and confirmed former liberties.
In 1608 King James the First sold the Manor of Tewkesbury to the Corporation and Tewkesbury was completely free of the Crown as Lord of Manor, and in fact obtained manorial rights over an area much larger than the Borough. This necessitated a new Charter granted by King James I in 1609 which extended the Borough's privileges very considerably as well as giving power to provide a Gaol and to have a free school. This Charter conferred the privilege of sending two representatives to Parliament.
In 1684, the Crown, being in want of funds, demanded a surrender of the Charter.
In 1686 King James II granted the Fourth Royal Charter which recited former charters, confirmed former liberties, privileges, etc., and added the village or hamlet of Walton Cardiff to the Borough.
The Fifth Royal Charter was granted in 1698 by King William III and confirmed former liberties and granted privileges which few other boroughs could boast. Inhabitants were exempt from service on county juries and from payment of county rates. Power of admitting honorary freemen was given in this charter.
Present Day
In 1974 by virtue of the Local Government Act, 1972, Tewkesbury became part of a new enlarged Tewkesbury Borough Council with the addition of the Rural District of Cheltenham and part of the Rural District of Gloucester. By virtue of the Royal Charter of Queen Elizabeth II, the District of Tewkesbury was given the Status of a Borough and any powers to appoint local officers of dignity. Any privileges or rights belonging immediately before the 1st April, 1974 to the Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the earlier Borough of Tewkesbury could be exercisable by the Council of the Borough of Tewkesbury in respect of the whole of the new Borough.
In the early 1990's boundary changes reduced the area slightly but apart from that there has been no other material alteration since 1974.