Quedgeley: Local government

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

In 1236 a dispute over the right to take and try thieves in Quedgeley was settled by an agreement that the Prior of Llanthony's bailiff could take thieves who were, however, to be tried in the Earl of Hereford's court at Haresfield, and that the prior's men should be freed from suit of the earl's court. (fn. 1) The prior was said in 1276 to have withdrawn his suit from the hundred court of Whitstone 30 years ago, (fn. 2) and in 1292 he claimed view of frankpledge for Quedgeley at his court of Hempsted. (fn. 3) Robert de Pontlarge was said to have done suit for Woolstrop at the hundred court of Barton, and to have paid a rent for having view of frankpledge in Woolstrop, where the amercement of brewers breaking the assize belonged to the Crown; by 1252 William de Valence had withdrawn all those suits. (fn. 4) In 1275 William de Pontlarge was said to have withdrawn suit and 10s. rent from the Barton hundred court, (fn. 5) where in 1329 William Walsh owed suit every three weeks for his land in Woolstrop. (fn. 6)

There is no evidence of a separate manor court for Quedgeley before the Dissolution, and some matters at least relating to tenures in Quedgeley were dealt with at Llanthony. (fn. 7) Court rolls of Quedgeley manor survive for nine half-yearly courts of 1574-80, and for 23 courts in the period 1610-40, each session (except for a court baron in 1630 and two in 1639) comprising the view of frankpledge and court baron. (fn. 8) The court was apparently held until 1691 or later. (fn. 9) In 1824 a steward was appointed with the right to hold courts, (fn. 10) but there is no indication that he exercised it.

Overseers' accounts survive for 1662-92. For some years the receipts of rates from Woolstrop were separate, but the hamlet did not have separate overseers. In 1668 the overseers paid for the repair of a poorhouse. (fn. 11) Expenditure on poor-relief almost doubled between 1776 and 1803, when £141 was spent on 20 people relieved regularly and 10 occasionally. By 1813 expenditure had again increased to £215 and the numbers relieved had also risen. (fn. 12) The cost of poor-relief in the period 1825- 34 fluctuated considerably, between extremes of £98 in 1828 and £229 in 1832. (fn. 13) Quedgeley became part of the Gloucester Poor Law Union in 1835, (fn. 14) and remained in the Gloucester Rural District in 1967.