ECONOMIC HISTORY:
AGRICULTURE. There
were 4 servi with 2 ploughs on the demesne of
King's Stanley manor in 1086; (fn. 20) the demesne arable
was said in 1295 to be 2 plough-lands amounting to
196 a., or alternatively 248½ a. Seventeen acres of
demesne meadow were also recorded in 1295. (fn. 21) In
1322 there were 220 a. of arable on the demesne,
of which all but 14 a. lay in the open fields. (fn. 22)
In 1086 the manor supported 8 villani and 6
bordars with 10 ploughs. (fn. 23) In 1295 the rent of the
free tenants made a total of £7 16s., and the works
and customs of the other tenants were valued at
£8 13s. About 50s. of the free rent was paid by the
inhabitants of the borough, (fn. 24) indicating that there
were then as in 1322 50 burgages each held at a
rent of 1s. (fn. 25) In 1533 no relief was due on the death
of the holder of a burgage but the heir had to do
fealty in the court on taking possession. (fn. 26) In 1322
there was a fairly high proportion of free tenants on
the manor, including 6 who held messuages and
½ yardlands and c. 12 who held messuages and
1-10 a.; 8 tenants held tenements of various sizes
for life at cash rents, and 11 others owed rents of
cash and hens and eggs and labour-services, of
whom two had ½ yardlands, 5 had fardels, two had
5 a., and two had mondaylands. (fn. 27) A fardel, later said
to be 10 a., (fn. 28) was a ¼ yardland, and holders of fardels
owed half the services of the ½ yardlanders. Copyholds were mentioned on the manor from 1461 when
a tenant's widow and son, for whose lives the
tenement had been granted, were refused admission
because they were too poor to find security for rent
and repairs. (fn. 29) Several former copyhold tenements
were leased for lives, with heriots still payable, in
the later 16th century. (fn. 30) Some customary land was
enfranchised by Sir George Huntley when he
became lord in 1610, (fn. 31) but there was still some
copyhold in 1767. (fn. 32)
In 1331 a three-course rotation was apparently
being followed on the manor when the open-field
arable on the demesne lay in West field, in the
south-west corner of the parish, Nether field (or
Lower field), north of King's Stanley village, and
Halfecombe (or Hautecombe) field; (fn. 33) the wheat field
was mentioned in 1461, (fn. 34) and the stubble and the
Lent fields in 1522. (fn. 35) Over (or Upper) field, south
of King's Stanley village, was recorded in 1533, (fn. 36)
and Redhill field, east of the village, and another
called Park field, in 1705. (fn. 37) Two crops and a fallow
remained the practice in the west of the parish in
1776. (fn. 38) Nast field (later Stanley End Far field) (fn. 39) and
Stanley End field recorded in 1759, both to the
south-east of Selsley, formed another group of
fields. (fn. 40) Far Redhill field, east of Redhill field, was
not recorded before 1839. (fn. 41) Wheat, beans, barley,
and oats were being grown in 1794, (fn. 42) and small
acreages of turnips and peas and a comparatively
large acreage of potatoes were recorded among a
total arable of 218 a. in 1801. (fn. 43)
Ten acres of meadow were recorded in 1086. (fn. 44)
Stanley Meadow, the main common meadow,
recorded from 1618, (fn. 45) lay by the river north of
Stanley Park, (fn. 46) and 16 a. in Stonehouse Ham
belonged to tenants of King's Stanley. (fn. 47) In the early
18th century Stanley Meadow and another called
Selsley Meadow were said to contain c. 50 a. each
and to be common to all after the hay-harvest. (fn. 48) In
1856 all resident occupiers of land had common in
c. 40 a. of meadow in the north of the parish, by then
inclosed and owned by the Marling family, and
compensation for loss of common was obtained
from the Nailsworth Railway Company in the 1860s,
and claimed from the Stroud Rural District, which
had laid a sewerage pipe there, in 1905; (fn. 49) in 1967
the rights of common were in dispute between the
owner of the land and the farmers of the parish. (fn. 50)
The main common of the parish, however, was on
Selsley Hill estimated at 150 a. in 1766. (fn. 51) In 1831
encroachments on the common were opposed and
walls pulled down by order of the vestry, which
stinted the common and made regulations for its
use in 1836. (fn. 52) In 1852 a plan to inclose Selsley Hill
was opposed by the Revd. Benjamin Parsons of
Ebley on the grounds that it would cause hardship to
the poor. (fn. 53) In 1967 commoning rights on the hill
were still exercised by the farmers from May to
October; they were regulated by a grazing committee
under the. parish council, which appointed a hayward. (fn. 54)
Some land had been inclosed out of West field,
Lower field, and Upper field by the early 17th
century. (fn. 55) The Coombes, three closes of arable
containing 13 a. under Pen Wood mentioned in 1759,
probably represented part of the field called Hautecombe, (fn. 56) and uninclosed arable in the valley on the
east of the wood, known as the Lots in 1839, was
perhaps the remnant of the field. In 1839, however,
there were still over 100 a. of uninclosed arable in
the parish; West field, Upper field, and Redhill field
each had about 30 a., and three of the other fields
had c. 10 a. About 10 a. in Stanley Meadow remained uninclosed in 1839. (fn. 57) There was still some
uninclosed arable in West field in 1855. (fn. 58)
The main farms in 1839 were Court farm (c.
140 a.), Redhill farm (c. 130 a.), lands owned and
leased by William Marmont of Peckstreet (c. 100 a.),
a farm at Middle Yard (c. 66 a.), and Woodside farm
(c. 50 a.). (fn. 59) In 1906 there were 6 farms near King's
Stanley village and 8 in the area of Selsley. (fn. 60) In
1967 there were c. 10 farms in the parish. They were
still mainly pasture farms, although several had
given up dairying in recent years in favour of other
kinds of farming. (fn. 61)
MILLS AND THE CLOTH INDUSTRY.
Two mills were
recorded in 1086; they were the most valuable of
those mentioned in the county. (fn. 62) One or both
probably occupied the site of Stanley Mill on the
Frome which was perhaps the ruinous mill recorded
on the manor in 1322. (fn. 63) In the later 16th century
Stanley Mill was owned by the Harmer family; it
may have incorporated a fulling-mill by 1533 when
William Harmer was among those recorded as
digging fuller's earth, (fn. 64) and John Harmer of King's
Stanley was described as a clothman in 1549. (fn. 65) In
1562 a moiety of the mill, then comprising a fullingmill and corn-mill, was leased to Robert Clutterbuck
by John Harmer, (fn. 66) and Richard Harmer sold the mill
in 1579 to Robert's brother, Richard Clutterbuck; (fn. 67)
the ownership of the mill by the Clutterbucks of
Stanley House and their successors is traced above. (fn. 68)
Jasper Clutterbuck (d. 1627) rebuilt part of the mill
and made a new floodgate near Ebley where the
southern branch of the river parts from the northern. (fn. 69) Thomas Clutterbuck and his brother Jasper (d.
1752) were apparently the only Clutterbuck owners
who did not work the mill themselves, being styled
gentlemen rather than clothiers; (fn. 70) William Payne,
clothier, their stepfather, evidently worked it until
his death in 1731, (fn. 71) and it was probably the mill with
three stocks and a gig-mill advertised for letting in
that year. (fn. 72) Jasper's son Jasper (d. 1782) was
working the mill in 1773 and had a spinning-house
at Sherston (Wilts.). (fn. 73) Part of Stanley Mill remained
a corn-mill until 1783 or later. (fn. 74)
The building of a new mill on the site had perhaps
been begun by 1811 when Joseph Wathen, the
owner, was installing a new water-wheel, and when
he sold Stanley Mill to George Harris and Donald
Maclean in 1813 the old mill had been dismantled
and the foundations of the new one begun; newly
erected dye-houses, wool-lofts, stoves, cloth-rooms,
and workshops were also mentioned. Harris and
Maclean were joined by Charles Stephens by 1821,
and in 1827 Harris left the partnership. (fn. 75) Maclean
lived in London and acted as the buyer of wool and
seller of the cloth until c. 1827; (fn. 76) he sold his share
of the business to Stephens in 1839. (fn. 77) The new mill
was powered by five water-wheels; (fn. 78) a steam-engine
had been installed by 1827. (fn. 79) In 1833 Maclean
claimed that the mill gave employment to 800-900
people, including the outdoor weavers. (fn. 80) In 1839
there were 90 handlooms at work in the mill,
employing 132 workers, about half of them women
and children. (fn. 81) Stanley Mill was owned by the
Marlings from 1842, and, with Ebley Mill, by the
Marlings of Stanley Park from 1854; (fn. 82) the family
relinquished its ownership in 1920 when a public
company was floated under the name of Marling &
Evans Ltd. (fn. 83) In 1967 the firm employed c. 250
people, including those at Ebley Mill, and produced
both woollen cloth and materials made from synthetic fibres. Water-power was used until the 1930s
to drive a turbine to provide electricity. (fn. 84)
The main block of Stanley Mill, the building of
1813, (fn. 85) has five stories, the lowest of stone and the
others of brick. It is an early example of a mill built
with a metal frame to cut down fire risks; each floor
is supported by a series of brick vaults carried by
double rows of cast iron pillars. (fn. 86) The windows have
metal glazing-bars, and the central window on each
face is of the Venetian type with cast iron pillars
dividing the lights. A rather later block on the west (fn. 87)
is constructed of stone piers with brick filling. A
two-story block on the east is dated 1815. New
weaving-sheds were built north of the mill c. 1946. (fn. 88)
A house which stood on the other side of the road,
between the river and the brick cottages there, was
apparently built by Thomas Clutterbuck (d. c.
1717), (fn. 89) and was described as Jasper Clutterbuck's
lower house in 1773. (fn. 90) It had been converted to form
part of the mill by 1813 (fn. 91) and housed weaving-shops
in 1837; (fn. 92) it was pulled down in 1959. (fn. 93)
A cloth-mill north-west of King Stanley village
driven by the brook which formed the boundary
with Leonard Stanley was owned in 1820 by Paul
Beard. (fn. 94) In 1826 Beard's machinery at the mill,
which included two steam-engines, was sold under
distraint for rent. (fn. 95) In 1834 the mill was owned by
Walter Palmer, (fn. 96) but in 1839 it was the property of
Charles Beard who was leasing it to Donald Maclean
of Stanley Mill. (fn. 97) In 1882 ownership of the mill,
described as a spacious building of two floors, and
of the near-by mansion, Beech House, was contested
among the heirs of William Fowler. (fn. 98) The mill and
a cottage adjoining, formerly the home of the poet
Jeptha Young, were demolished c. 1908. (fn. 99)
A mill called Cherynges Mill, in King's Stanley
parish but belonging to Frocester manor, was
apparently at Dudbridge, (fn. 1) and its history is reserved
for inclusion with Rodborough in another volume.
By the later 16th century and probably earlier the
cloth industry dominated the economic life of King's
Stanley. In 1608 81 people employed in the industry
were recorded as against 18 in other trades and 27
in agriculture. (fn. 2) In 1633 when tighter regulations
imposed by the government caused many clothiers
to cut back production it was claimed that there were
800 people in King's Stanley and Leonard Stanley
whose livelihood depended on the trade. (fn. 3) In
1831 317 families in the parish were supported by
trade, most, evidently, by the cloth trade, and 72
families by agriculture. (fn. 4) The cloth-makers listed
in 1608 included 6 clothiers, 12 tuckers, and 63
weavers of whom 16 were distinguished as broadweavers. The number of weavers was higher than
in any of the other Stroudwater clothing parishes
at the time, and presumably they supplied much of
the cloth for the mills in Stonehouse parish, which
had relatively few weavers. Forty-five of the weavers
were listed under the manor, and 18 (including all the
broadweavers) under the borough, so presumably
there were as many living in the smaller settlements
in the east of the parish as in King's Stanley village. (fn. 5)
In 1766 a scribbler and a shearman were among the
inhabitants of the parish. (fn. 6) In 1820 34 houses in the
parish which had 'shops' adjoining were presumably
occupied by weavers, (fn. 7) although already the number
of outdoor weavers was falling as weaving-factories
were established at the local mills. The tithe award
of 1839 distinguished only one house, at Middle
Yard, as having a loom-shed adjoining. (fn. 8) Four houses
with loom-sheds were mentioned at Middle Yard in
1855, (fn. 9) and there was a weaver's shop in King's
Stanley village in 1852. (fn. 10)
OTHER INDUSTRY AND TRADE.
Most of the usual
village trades were regularly represented at King's
Stanley. A wheelwright was recorded in 1311 (fn. 11) and
a tailor in 1327. (fn. 12) In 1608 the craftsmen included 4
carpenters and a sawyer, 3 smiths, and 3 tailors; a
badger and two carriers were also mentioned. (fn. 13)
Carpenters were mentioned in 1641 (fn. 14) and 1665, (fn. 15)
and a carpenter and a cooper in the 1760s. (fn. 16) In 1856
3 carpenters and a cooper were living in the parish, (fn. 17)
and in 1906 a carpenter and a cabinet-maker. (fn. 18)
Shoemakers were regularly recorded in the 18th
century; (fn. 19) there were 3 in the parish in 1856 (fn. 20) and
one in 1906. (fn. 21) Tailors were mentioned in 1662 (fn. 22) and
1815; (fn. 23) two were recorded in 1856 (fn. 24) and a tailor
and draper in 1906. (fn. 25) There were two blacksmiths in
the parish in 1856 and one in 1906. (fn. 26) Thomas
Harrison, a mason who had the lease of a stonequarry on Selsley Hill from 1745, (fn. 27) was probably of
the same family as the stonemasons Daniel Harrison
(fl. 1794, 1813) and Thomas Harrison (fl. 1818,
1836); (fn. 28) three members of the Harrison family were
among the five masons in the parish in 1856, (fn. 29)
George Harrison built the masonry of Selsley church
in 1862, (fn. 30) and Frederic Harrison was a stonemason
at King's Stanley in 1879 and until c. 1906. (fn. 31) John
Coiling recorded as doing repairs at King's Stanley
church in the early 19th century (fn. 32) was probably the
man who signed a number of metal inscription plates
on tombstones in the locality. (fn. 33) Other plates were
engraved in the 1820s by Richard Dean of King's
Stanley. (fn. 34) There were cork-cutters in the parish in
1856 and until c. 1919. (fn. 35)
A butcher was recorded in the parish in 1550 (fn. 36)
and there were two there in 1608. (fn. 37) Three brewers
and bakers were mentioned in 1550, (fn. 38) and a baker
in 1729. (fn. 39) John Wathen of Picked Elm Farm (d.
1752), his son John, and grandson Thomas, were all
maltsters, but Thomas had apparently ceased to
follow the trade by 1785 when he leased his malt-house
to William Martin. (fn. 40) Another malt-house,
described in 1761 as adjoining the Upper and Lower
House at Stanley's End, (fn. 41) was probably the one
owned in the early 19th century by George Wathen
who owned the farm-house at Water Lane. (fn. 42) In
1820 the malt-houses of Thomas and George
Wathen, and a third owned by Samuel Pegler, were
out of use, (fn. 43) and none of them was recorded as
working later. Various trades were followed by the
Pauls of Peckstreet House: (fn. 44) Nathaniel Paul (fl.
1684) was described as a soap-boiler; (fn. 45) his son
Nathaniel (d. 1737) was a-tobacconist
(fn. 46) and perhaps
continued the business that had employed the King's
Stanley man described as a tobacco-cutter in 1691; (fn. 47)
Onesiphorus Paul (d. 1770), son of the second
Nathaniel, was trading as a mercer in 1753, (fn. 48) and
his business was perhaps being carried on by his
relations the Pierces in 1773 when a 'Mr. Pearce' had
a shop in Peckstreet. (fn. 49) A surgeon of King's Stanley
was licensed in 1716. (fn. 50)
MARKET AND FAIR.
In 1253 Adam le Despenser
was granted a weekly market on Tuesdays and a fair
on the eve, day, and morrow of St. George. (fn. 51) The
market was perhaps still being held in 1497 when a
fine was paid in the borough court for licence to buy
and sell, (fn. 52) but no later specific mention of it or the
fair has been found. Presumably they suffered from
competition with those held at Leonard Stanley. (fn. 53)
The market had almost certainly lapsed by 1650
when Leonard Stanley, but not King's Stanley, was
designated a market town. (fn. 54)