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{{Short description|Village in South Gloucestershire, England}}
{{About|the village in South Gloucestershire|the Warwickshire village of the same name|Alveston, Warwickshire}}
{{distinguish|Alvaston|Alverstone}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox UK place
|country = England
|coordinates = {{coord|51.589|-2.533|display=inline,title}}
|official_name= Alveston
| static_image_name = DM2025 Alveston, South Gloucestershire.jpg
| static_image_caption = Alveston, looking east-northeast
| population = 3,048
| population_ref = (2021 Census)<ref name="bua2011">{{cite web |title=Alveston |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/southwestengland/admin/south_gloucestershire/E04001040__alveston/ |website=City population |access-date=25 October 2022}}</ref>
|civil_parish=Alveston
|unitary_england= [[South Gloucestershire]]
|lieutenancy_england=[[Gloucestershire]]
|region= South West England
|constituency_westminster= [[Thornbury and Yate (UK Parliament constituency)|Thornbury and Yate]]
|post_town= [[Bristol]]
|postcode_district = BS35
|postcode_area= BS
|dial_code= 01454
|os_grid_reference= ST631879
}}
[[File:Alveston-sthelens.jpg|thumb|250px|Alveston New Church of St Helen's]]
'''Alveston''' is a village, [[civil parish]] and former royal [[Manorialism|manor]] in [[South Gloucestershire]], England, inhabited in 2014 by about 3,000 people.<ref name=Neighbourhood>{{Cite web |url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/ |title=Neighbourhood Statistics |access-date=18 August 2006 |archive-date=11 February 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030211201309/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The village lies {{convert|1|mi|km}} south of [[Thornbury, South Gloucestershire|Thornbury]] and {{convert|10|mi|km}} north of [[Bristol]]. Alveston is [[town twinning|twinned]] with [[Courville sur Eure]], France. The civil parish also includes the villages of [[Rudgeway]] and [[Earthcott]].
==Neolithic to Bronze Age==
A scheduled [[Round barrow]] is situated next to Vattingstone Lane on the summit of the prominent hill called Alveston Down. The barrow survives as a circular flat-topped mound measuring approximately {{Convert|25|m|abbr=on}} in diameter and {{Convert|1|m|abbr=on}} high.
The barrow is known in old documents by the place name 'Langeley' and is mentioned in charters as being re-purposed as a moot/ meeting place for the Anglo-Saxon [[Langley and Swinehead Hundred|'Langeley Hundred']]. It was partially excavated in 1890 when a primary deposit of ashes and burnt bone was discovered beneath a covering of sand and small stones.
<ref>Bowl barrow re-used as a moot 205m SSE of Chelwood. Source: PastScape 201506, Historic England
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1004805?section=official-list-entry
</ref>
==Iron Age==
A ritual deposit of bones, dating to about 2000 years ago, has been found in a cave in the village. The remains of at least seven humans have been excavated. At least one skull showed signs that it had been pole-axed and then smashed inwards. An adult human femur had been split lengthwise so that the bone marrow could be scraped out. This finding is evidence of cannibalism, which is also suspected from other Iron Age deposits in Britain. Many bones of dogs, and a few cattle and possibly one bear bone, were also found.<ref>Cannibalistic Celts discovered in South Gloucestershire. UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL. Press release issued: 7 March 2001 http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2001/cannibal.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819071901/http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2001/cannibal.html |date=19 August 2019 }}</ref>
==Descent of the manor==
===Domesday Book===
[[File:AlvestonDomesday.jpg|thumb|500px|[[Domesday Book]] entry for Alveston]]
The [[Domesday Book]] of 1086 recorded the following entry for Alveston: {{lang|la|In Langelei Hundredum tenuit comes Herald Alwestan ibi erant X hidae in dominio, I carruca, XXIII villi, V bordarii cui XXII carrucae, II servii. Ibi ppos..accrevc.. II carucae, V servos. Reddat XII libri ad pensu}}. Translated as follows: "In Langeley Hundred Earl [[Harold Godwinson|Harold]] held Alveston. There were there 10 [[hide (unit)|hide]]s in [[demesne]], 1 plough-team, 23 villeins, 5 bordars for whom there were 22 plough-teams, 2 serfs. There....2 plough-teams, 5 serfs. It returned £12...." This was a very large manor, of 35 households in total.<ref>{{OpenDomesday | OS=ST6288|name=alveston|display= Alveston | accessdate = 20 May 2012}}</ref> As the manor had been held by King [[Harold Godwinson]] it was seized into the royal [[demesne]] by [[William the Conqueror]] and remained in use as a royal hunting park until 1149.
===Illness of William Rufus===
Early in March 1093 [[William II of England|King William II]] (1087–1100) was at the royal manor of Alveston, possibly awaiting his passage across the [[River Severn]] to Wales via the [[Aust]] ferry. He was suddenly attacked by a serious illness, thought to have been a disorder of the stomach or bowels. He was immediately rushed to Gloucester Castle 25 miles to the north, near which the monks of [[Gloucester Abbey]] were relied upon to provide a medical cure. It was believed the illness had been brought on as a result of the king's sinful behaviour and he determined to repent and make amends. This illness contracted at Alveston thus resulted in the issuance of a charter which elaborated the king's coronation pledge, akin to a charter of liberties. He pledged to protect and defend the church, to abolish [[simony]], to abolish unjust laws and deter wrong-doers. He ordered the release of prisoners, remission of debts and all offences against himself he pardoned. He was confined to his chamber for the whole of [[Lent]], covering the period 2 March to 17 April 1093. On 6 March he consented to appoint [[Anselm of Canterbury|Anselm]] Abbot of [[Abbey of Bec|Bec]] as [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], which he had previously strongly opposed.<ref>Barlow, Frank. William Rufus, p.298-9</ref>
===FitzWarin===
[[File:Arms of Fitzwarin.svg|thumb|200px|Arms of Fulk V FitzWarin, St George's [[Roll of Arms]], 1285: ''Quarterly per fess indented argent and gules''<ref>briantimms.com, St George's Roll, part 1, no. E69</ref>]]
[[File:AlvestonOldChurch.jpg|thumb|250px|Alveston Old Church of St Helen's, next to Alveston Manor (now called "Old Church Farm"), Rudgeway. The church is now ruined, with only the tower and south wall of the nave remaining]]
In 1149 it was granted by [[Henry II of England|Henry Plantagenet]],<ref>Meisel, p.34, quoting Regesta Regum Anglo-Normanorum 1066–1154, Ed. Cronne, H.A., Davis, R.H.C. & Davis H.W.C.: 3:121, no 320 (in which editors confused Alveston with Alceston, Salop.)</ref> then heir to the throne of [[Stephen, King of England|King Stephen]] (1135–1154) to [[Fulk I FitzWarin]] (died 1171), a powerful [[Marcher Lord]] from [[Shropshire]].<ref>Meisel, p.34</ref> In 1160 Fulk was in charge of arming and provisioning for [[Henry II of England|King Henry II]] (1154–1189) [[Dover Castle]],<ref name="Maisel, p.35">Maisel, p.35</ref> the second most important fortress in England after the [[Tower of London]]. Henry trusted Fulk and valued his services.<ref name="Maisel, p.35"/> The grant was a reward for Fulk's loyalty to the cause of Henry's mother the [[Empress Matilda]] in the civil war with "The Usurper" Stephen.
Alveston was inherited in 1171 by Fulk's son Fulk II.<ref>Pipe Roll, 17 Henry II, p.84</ref> During the Barons' wars of the reign of [[John, King of England|King John]] (1199–1216) which led up to [[Magna Carta]] signed in 1215, Fulk II's son and heir [[Fulk III FitzWarin]] (died 1258) rebelled, and the manor [[escheat]]ed to the crown and passed temporarily into the stewardship of Hugh de Nevill. In 1204 Fulk III regained possession, but on 30 June 1216 [[John, King of England|King John]] ordered that Alveston should be seized once again from Fulk III FitzWarin. On 15 January 1230 [[Henry III of England|King Henry III]] granted the park of Alveston back to Fulk III FitzWarin,<ref>Meisel, p.46, quoting Close Rolls, 1:112 (or poss. Calendar of Charter Rolls 1:112)</ref> and Fulk is recorded as having incurred a debt of 300 marks for this grant<ref>Meisel, p.47, quoting PRO MS E372/74/9r</ref> As a royal favour the king pardoned Fulk 200 marks of this debt.<ref>Meisel, p.176, note 126, quoting PRO MS E368/16/3r</ref>
Clearly Fulk was then in royal favour as in June 1234 he received from the king a gift of three deer from the royal [[Cannock Chase|Forest of Cannock]]. In September he received two [[Deer|bucks]] and eight [[List of animal names|does]] from the royal [[Forest of Braydon|Forest of Braden]], north Wiltshire, to help him to stock his deer park at Alveston.<ref>Meisel, p.46, quoting Close Rolls, 1231–34, p.159</ref> In 1236 Fulk was given another six does from Braden and six more from the [[Forest of Selwood]], again to help him stock his park at Alveston.<ref>Meisel, p.46, quoting Close Rolls 1234–37, p.237</ref> In November 1246 the king gave Fulk another six bucks and ten does for the same purpose.<ref>Meisel, p.46, quoting Close Rolls 1242–47, p.486</ref> In 1249 Fulk III became involved in a lengthy legal dispute brought against him by Nicholas Poyntz, his near neighbour from [[Iron Acton]] who had accused Fulk of expelling him from the [[common land|common pasture]] of [[Tockington]], which adjoined Alveston manor.<ref>Meisel, p.193, note 73, quoting PRO MS KB 26/136/11r</ref>
Fulk IV FitzWarin fell at the [[Battle of Lewes]] in 1264, loyally supporting King Henry III in his struggle against the barons. He left his son and heir a minor, [[Fulk FitzWarin, 1st Baron FitzWarin|Fulk V (died 1314)]]. Fulk V was awarded in [[Wardship]], probably by [[Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester|Simon de Montfort]], victor of Lewes, to [[Peter de Montfort]] (died 1265), "The [[Archenemy|Nemesis]] of the Marcher Lords". He was rescued from this unpleasant position by his warder's death at the [[Battle of Evesham]] following which King Henry III re-granted him in wardship to the Fitzwarin's long-time friend Hamo le Strange. In 1273 Fulk V attained his [[majority]] of 21 years of age and gained possession of his father's lands including Alveston.<ref>Meisel, p.53</ref>
====Legend of Fouke le Warin====
The early 14th-century legend, based on a lost 13th-century [[Romance (heroic literature)|ancestral romance]] relates as follows, regarding the donation of Alveston ("Alleston") to Fulk by King Henry (translated from French):<ref>Wright, Thomas (1855) op.cit. pp.59–61</ref>
<blockquote>
King Henry called Fulk, and made him constable of all his host; and placed under his command all the force of his land, and that he should take people enough and go to the march, and drive thence Jervard Droyndoun and his power
out of the march. Thus was Fulk made master over all; for he was strong and courageous. The king remained at Gloucester; for he was ailing, and not in a condition for labour. Jervard had taken entirely the whole march from Chester to Worcester, and he had disinherited all the barons of the march. Sir Fulk, with the king's host, gave many fierce assaults to Jervard ; and in a battle near Hereford, at Wormeslow, made him fly and quit the field. But before he fled, many were killed on both sides. Fierce and hard war between Fulk and the prince lasted four years, until at the request of the king of France a love-day was taken at Shrewsbury between the king and Jervard the prince, and they embraced mutually and came to an agreement. And the prince restored to the barons of the march all the lands which he had taken from them, and restored Ellesmere to the king; but for no gold would he render White-Town and Maelor. " Fulk," said the king, " since you have lost White-Town and Maelor, I give you instead '''Alleston''' and all the [[Honour (feudal land tenure)|honour]] which belongs to it, to hold for ever." Fulk thanked him dearly.</blockquote>
Furthermore:<ref>Wright, Thomas (1855) op.cit. pp.178-7</ref>
<blockquote>''Cesti Fouke fust bon viaundour e large; e fesoit turner le real chemyn par mi sa sale a soun maner de Alleston, pur ce que nul estraunge y dust passer s'il n'avoit viaunde ou herbergage ou autre honour ou bien du suen''.
(This Fulk was very hospitable and liberal; and he caused the king's road to be turned through his hall at his manor of '''Alleston''', in order that no stranger might pass there without having meat or lodging or other honour or goods of his)".</blockquote>
===De Gloucester===
On 28 September 1309 Fulk V obtained royal licence to grant the manor of Alveston, which was held [[tenant-in-chief|in-chief]] from the king, to Walter de Gloucester (died 1310) for life.<ref>Chancery Inq. Ad Quod Damnum, C 143/79/6; Licence: Patent Rolls, 3 Edward II, m.28</ref> Walter was [[List of High Sheriffs of Somerset|Sheriff of Somerset & Dorset]] 1293–1298 and in 1309 [[Escheat]]or ''citra Trentam'' ("on this side of the [[River Trent]]").<ref name="Glos. Notes 1887, p.295">Glos. Notes & Queries, vol.3, 1887, p.295</ref> Little is known of the origin or history of this family, but [[Robert Atkyns (topographer)|Sir Robert Atkyns]] (died 1711) in his "History of Gloucestershire" stated him to be a younger son of Fulk FitzWarin, yet failed to explain his deduction.<ref name="Glos. Notes 1887, p.295"/> He may in fact have been the son-in-law of Fulk as his widow is recorded with the name of "Margaret Waryn" and was still alive in 1322, as the Inquisition ''post mortem'' of Walter's son Walter (died 1322) (sometime Escheator of Gloucestershire<ref>Corbet, Augusta E., p.178</ref>)states her to have been then holding in dower 1/3rd of the manor of Alveston.<ref name="Glos. Notes 1887, p.295"/> The grant to Walter (died 1310) in 1309 was in fact made, contrary to the licence, "[[Fee (feudal tenure)|in fee]]" (i.e. hereditable) and Walter's grandson, another Walter de Gloucester (died 1360) was still in possession of the manor of Alveston in 1340/1.<ref>Chancery Inq. Ad Quod Damnum, C 143/252/5</ref> The trespass of obtaining a grant in fee without licence to alienate a tenancy-in-chief was pardoned on 28 July 1340 to Walter of Gloucester on payment of a fine.<ref>Cokayne, ''[[The Complete Peerage]]'', new edition, p.498, note (b){{volume needed|date=October 2020}}, quoting Patent Rolls, 14 Edward III, p.3, m.48</ref>
===Corbet===
[[File:ArmsCorbetofSiston&Hope.jpg|thumb|200px|Arms of Corbet of Hope (Salop.), [[Siston]] & Alveston: ''Argent, a raven proper within a bordure sable bezantee'']]
The de Gloucester manors of Alveston and "Urcott" ([[Earthcott Green]]) together with Langley [[Hundred (county division)|Hundred]] were settled during the reign of [[Edward III of England|King Edward III]] (1327–1377) onto the heir of Peter Corbet (died 1363) of Hope, Salop., and later of [[Siston]]. Walter FitzWalter de Gloucester (died 1360) had married Petronilla (or Pernel), one of the three daughters of William Corbet (born c. 1280) of [[Chaddesley Corbett]], Worcs., and [[Siston]], Gloucestershire. In 1342 following this marriage Walter settled the manors of Alveston and Erdecote and the hundred of "Langele" on himself and his wife for their joint lives and the life of the survivor of them, with remainder to their joint issue, and in default of such issue with remainder to Peter Corbet of Syston and his heirs.<ref>Glos. Notes & Queries, p.295, quoting Fine Roll 16 Edward III (1342)</ref> Peter Corbet (died 1362) was the next younger brother and heir of William Corbet (who presumably was dead by then and unlike his brother had no male offspring) and was therefore Petronilla's uncle.<ref>Corbet, Augusta E., p.178. Glos. Notes & Queries, p.295 incorrectly gives her as Peter Corbet's daughter</ref> Walter and Petronilla's son Peter de Gloucester married a certain Alice. Peter de Gloucester died childless before 1370, as is apparent from the fact that the settlement made by his father had taken effect by then in granting the de Gloucester lands, including Alveston, to John Corbet (died 1370), the grandson and heir of Sir Peter Corbet (died 1362). John Corbet had outlived his father William who had a short life, but himself died aged only 17, leaving his triplet William Corbet (1353–1378) his heir, who in turn also died young in 1378 aged only 25. Alice de Gloucester, widow of Peter de Gloucester, was then still alive and was recorded in the Inquisition ''post mortem'' of William Corbet dated 1378 as holding 1/3rd dower share of Alveston.<ref>Inq. p.m. William Corbet, 1378</ref> The young William Corbet had become a merchant dealing in the wool-trade as on his death he owed the very great sum of £320 for merchandise received to the Bristol merchant and clothier John Canynges (died 1405),<ref>National Archives: Chancery: Certificates of Statute Merchant and Statute Staple C 241/162/33</ref> father of the great Bristol merchant [[William II Canynges]] (died 1474). This sum had been incurred before 1375, as a record from that year of Extent for Debts heard before Walter Frampton, Mayor of the Staple of Bristol reveals,<ref>National Archives, Chancery, Extent for Debts, Series I C 131/26/1</ref> and represented several multiples of the annual value of the revenue from all the Corbet family's Gloucestershire manors, and clearly placed the inheritance in a precarious position. Indeed, John Canynges and his business partner William Cheddar the Elder had taken temporary possession of William Corbet's 2/3rds occupancy of Alveston manor as security for their debt, and later granted it by gift to William II Canynges (died 1474) who held it from them as a "free tenant".<ref>Bush, Thomas, 1901, Bath Natural History & Antiquarian Field Club, vol 9, pp.58–70</ref> Young William's own heir was his sister Margaret Corbet (died 1398), who brought the Corbet manors to her husband William Wyriott (died 1379) from Pembrokeshire. Wyriott died before the couple had produced any offspring and Margaret married secondly [[Gilbert Denys, knight|Sir Gilbert Denys]] (died 1422) from [[Waterton, Bridgend|Waterton]] in the lordship of [[Coity Castle|Coity]], Glamorgan. Thus the manors of Alveston, Earthcott Green and Siston together with Langley Hundred entered into the possession of the Denys family.
===Denys===
The widow Alice de Gloucester remarried to Alan Eckylsale and the couple remitted all their rights in her 1/3 dower in Alveston in consideration of 100 marks paid by Gilbert Denys and Margaret.<ref>Feet of Fines 1395, quoted by Bush, Thomas, Proceedings of Bath Natural History Society etc. vol. 9, pp.58–70</ref> who thus had obtained vacant possession of the manor.
==Modern Alveston==
In the 19th century, the village of Alveston was centred on Church Farm, on the lane leading from [[Rudgeway]] to [[Iron Acton]]. Some people consider the modern Alveston to be centred on the Ship Inn. The Ship Inn at Alveston is an old Coaching House which dates back to 1589. In the 19th century, the area around the Ship Inn was known as Alveston Green. Most consider Alveston Parade – a small shopping area – to be the centre.
The main road to Gloucester originally passed the Ship Inn, before turning east to join the current line of the A38 trunk road. A short bypass was added during the 20th century.
Alveston Golf Club (now defunct) was founded in 1903/4. The club was wound up in 1948.<ref>[http://www.golfsmissinglinks.co.uk/index.php/england/central-west/gloucestershire/713-glos-alveston-golf-club-rudgeway-glos “Alveston Golf Club”] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924022942/http://www.golfsmissinglinks.co.uk/index.php/england/central-west/gloucestershire/713-glos-alveston-golf-club-rudgeway-glos |date=24 September 2015 }}, "Golf's Missing Links".</ref>
==Marlwood School==
[[Marlwood School]] is a mixed [[Comprehensive school|comprehensive]] which serves Alveston and the surrounding area. The school was founded in
==Two St Helens Churches==
[[File:Old Church Farm, Rudgeway - geograph.org.uk - 381343.jpg|thumb|200px|Ruins of Alveston Old Church, next to Alveston Manor (now called "Old Church Farm)]]
[[File:AlvestonCourtKipCol2.jpg|thumb|200px|Alveston Manor House, drawn by [[Johannes Kip]], c. 1712. Alveston Old Church of St Helen is visible next to the house.]]
The ruins of Alveston Old Church of St Helens is situated in Rudgeway, south of the modern village of Alveston, along the A38. The separate parish of Alveston was not formed until 1846, before which time Alveston manor was within the parish of [[Olveston]]. Following the development and growth of the modern village of Alveston some distance away from the manor house and the Church of St. Helen next door to it, it was determined by the village authorities to build a new church, again dedicated to St Helen, nearer to the new village. The old church fell into disuse and decay, and today only the tower and south aisle wall remain standing, although the structure has been restored to a high standard by the aerospace company [[Rolls-Royce plc]], the owner of both the former manor house, now used for corporate hospitality and known as "Old Church Farm", and the church itself.
==
*Meisel, Janet. Barons of the Welsh Frontier: the Corbet, Pantulf and FitzWarin Families, 1066–1272, 1980.
*Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004, Vol "F", pp. 953–954 "Fitzwarine (''sic'') family"
*Athenaeum, 3 October 1885, Review of MacLean, Sir John, Historical and Genealogical Memoir of the Family of Poyntz, Exeter, 1885, reprinted in [https://archive.org/stream/gloucestershiren03londuoft/gloucestershiren03londuoft_djvu.txt Gloucestershire Notes & Queries, Vol.3, London, 1887], No.1246, pp. 293–296, The Manor of Alveston
*[https://archive.org/stream/familyofcorbetit02corb/familyofcorbetit02corb_djvu.txt Corbet Augusta E. The Family of Corbet, 2 vols., vol.2], pp. 167–180, Corbet of Hope, Siston & Alveston
*[https://archive.org/stream/proceedingsofbat09bath/proceedingsofbat09bath_djvu.txt Bush, Thomas S., The Denys Family and their connection with the Manors of Alveston, Siston and Dyrham. Published in Proceedings of the Bath Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, no.9, Bath, 1901], pp. 58–70
*[https://archive.org/stream/historyoffulkfit00wriguoft/historyoffulkfit00wriguoft_djvu.txt Wright, Thomas, (Ed.) The History of Fulk FitzWarin, an Outlawed Baron, in the Reign of King John. Edited from a Manuscript Preserved in the British Museum, with an English Translation and Illustrative Notes, London, 1855, Printed for the Warton Club]. pp. 1–183 text, pp. 183–231 notes.
==Further reading==
*King, Rosemary, Alveston Through Time, published by Amberley Press. Includes 96 early photographs of Alveston landmarks.
==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
* [https://www.alveston.org/ Alveston Village Website]
* [http://www.alveston.org/alveston/community/st_helens_church/ St Helen's Church]
* [http://www.sthelensprimaryalveston.org.uk/ St Helen's primary school]
* [http://www.marlwood.com/ Marlwood secondary school]
* [http://www.standbrook-guides.com/maps/THORNBURY_and_ALVESTON/THORNBRY.HTM Map of Alveston and Thornbury]
* [http://www.whitecottage.org/ White Cottage Website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120326160608/http://alvestonmethodists.com/ Alveston Methodist Church]
{{South Gloucestershire}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Villages in South Gloucestershire District]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Gloucestershire]]
[[Category:Prehistoric cannibalism]]
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