17th. CENTURY.
For the greater part of the century, the manor of Highnam was held by members of the Cooke family which extended into the early part of the 18th. century. It was during this century that the Cooke family obtained the Lassington manor.
Early in the century there were 36 Copyholders in Highnam manor having most of their land in open fields and 50% holding less than 20 acres. The largest Copyhold was 71 acres. Copyholds lasted up to 3 lives. In Lassington, life remained as in earlier times with there being a very small number of smallholders.
Highnam hamlet centred round the Green and Two Mile Lane. In 1607 there were 23 houses in Two Mile Lane ( also known as Buttingtons Lane), 2 houses in Slade Lane (a lane which linked Two Mile Lane with the Newent Road), 7 houses on Highnam Green and 5 farmhouses at Linton occupied by the larger Copyholders.
In addition were Highnam Court, The Vineyard and several houses at Over. In Lassington 10 houses were sited at the lower end of Lassington Lane and these included Astmans Farm House and opposite a Rectory which was moated. There were 15 open fields in Highnam Manor and 6 of them were reserved for residents. The land comprised 153 acres of arable land, 77 1/2 acres of meadow and 139 acres of pasture.
Lassington had 7 open fields these being sufficient to support the small population. Also in 1607 there was 182 acres of woodland in Highnam of which 21 acres stood at Pipers Grove.
18th. CENTURY.
By 1710, many houses in Highnam manor had been demolished and there were 20 houses in Highnam, 12 in Over and 5 in Linton. Lassington remained almost unchanged at 10 houses.
The largest farm in Highnam was Home Farm having 251 acres and there were two others having 181 acres and 72 acres. In Over there was one farm of 103 acres and another at 69 acres. Linton had three farms comprising 148, 108 & 100 acres.
Land mainly pasture but hops were still being grown at the Court and Home Farm were growing turnips, potatoes, oats, barley and wheat. They also produced a number of cheeses at Home Farm.
Mid. century, the Guise family became the Lords of Highnam and Lassington manors.
The interior of Highnam Court was completely refitted which included decorative plasterwork in the principle rooms several new floors were layed. To the East of the court there was a grove of trees running to the parish boundary. The Great Pool at this time was stocked with a variety of fish and wildfowl and swans were kept. To the east of the pool was a mill.
It was during this century that either the Cook family or the Guise family built Lassington Court.
19th. CENTURY – The dawn of change. This century brought many changes in the area leaving many landmarks in common use today.
In the early part of the century, the Guise family held the Hignam and Lassington manors.
1837 saw a new owner of the Highnam estate when Sir John Wright Guise sold Highnam manor to Thomas Gambier Parry. Included in the estate that he purchased was a manor house, woodlands, mills, wharf and over 1,100 acres of farmland.
At the time of purchase, Highnam Court was found in poor state of repair and immediately T.G.P. commenced repair works and alterations to the property. During his lifetime, he carried out extensive alterations and additions to the Court and grounds.
The 1801 census shows a population of 202 persons living in Highnam, Linton and Over comprising 58 families and living in 52 houses. In Lassington there were 85 persons comprising 14 families living in 13 houses. Most of the working population was employed in agriculture.
By the middle of the century, the population of both manors had increased to around 500. 42 people were employed on local farms and Thomas Gambier Parry employed 19 persons. Many tradesmen were now living locally which included a Lessee of Tolls, Innkeeper, Lock Keeper, Boatman, Boatowner, Waterman, Blacksmith, Straw Bonnet Maker, Tailor, Dressmaker, Shopkeeper, MIller, Wheelwright, Carpenter, Butcher, Bricklayer and Mason.
Estate workers gained from the arrival of the new squire for in the 1840’s he commenced the building of cottages on his estate which finally totalled over 30 properties.
Mid. century, Thomas Gambier Parry demolished a Smithy’s shop at Over and replaced it with a new building. Sometime later he erected a Coachbuilders Workshop alongside the Dog Inn and rebuilt many of the inn buildings.
Mid. century, there were 6 large farms in Highnam and Lassington. A new farmhouse was built at Linton Farm which had 500 acres of farmland. Over Farm had 330 acres, Home Farm 269 acres, Highnam Farm 270 acres, Lassington Court Farm 147 acres and Maidenhall Farm 130 acres. Most of the farms produced cider and cheeses.
The Great Western Railway was incorporated in 1835 and by 1840 England was in a period known a “railway mania.” This new cheap and fast transport brought about the decline of canal and road long distance transport. In 1844 a proposal was made to build a railwav line from the G.W.R. line at Standish to South Wales. Later a new line was proposed through Gloucester and Grange Court
By 1850 a new line was open from Chepstow to Swansea and it was during this period that the line from Gloucester to Chepstow was under construction. A great deal of activity must have occurred at Linton Farm during this time. Thomas Gambier Parry sold parts of Linton Farm to allow the railway to be built. By 1853 the rail line from Gloucester to Swansea was fully open. Today, this track still forms part of British Rail’s network.
Thomas Gambier Parry was married to Isabella Tynes Clinton who sadly died in 1848 following just nine years of marriage. Three years after the death of Isabella, Mr. Parry married Ethelinda the daughter of the Dean of Salisbury. They had 6 children. During his Iifetime at Highnam he made a great impact on village life. The estate contained many farms with timber buildings and he employed a Scot named Dickson to rearrange the farms and replace the timber buildings with brick and stone buildings. Good housing was provided for his workers and he constructed over 30 houses on the estate.
Following great contribution to Highnam and Gloucester, Thomas’s health deteriorated towards the end of his life. Suffering from heart disease, the last five years of his life were a constant source of anxiety. On Friday 28th. September 1888 he dined as usual at Highnam Court and just before 11pm was taken suddenly ill. By the time his Medical Advisor arrived he had died.
Ethelinda T.G.P.’s wife inherited the estate and on her death in 1896, the estate was inherited by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry. After a lifetime dedicated to music, Sir Hubert Parry died in 1918. Major Ernest Gambier Parry inherited the Highnam Estate. He was a Lieutenant in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and was promoted to Major for services in the Sudan. Locally, he was a J.P. and was involved with many local affairs. He died in 1936 and was succeeded by his son Thomas Mark Gambier Parry.
Thomas, Mark was a quiet and private man and lived at Highnam Court. By deed of gift 1. 1950 he conveyed all the estate farms to his cousin Mr. W.P. Cripps but retained Highnam Court and grounds.
Thomas Gambier Parry built many estate properties during his lifetime but it was during the 1930’s that the foundation plans were made leading to the Highnam of the 1980’s. 1933 saw 5 landowners applying for planning permission to develop a housing estate in Highnam and Lassington. The land area involved comprised 600 acres containing
2,000 houses with a house density of 4 houses per acre. Planning permission was refused by Gloucester City Council and all of the local authorities including the Parish Council objected to the development.
Known as the Lassington Building Scheme, the development was planned to be a ” Garden City for Gloucester.” The Landowners appealled against the refusal for planning and a Public Inquiry was held in October 1933 at the Guildhall Gloucester.
Between 1934 and 1937 many planning applications were made for development and many in 1935 permission was granted for 60 houses on Maidenhall However, by 1937 a much larger housing scheme was approved which provided 419 housing plots, shops, hall, open spaces, and land reserved for tennis courts, bowling green and swimming pool.
1940 – 1950
At the outbreak of war in September 1939, 30 evacuees from the Midlands arrived in Highnam but their stav was not very long. During the war years children collected blackberries and rose hips to raise funds for the Red Cross.
The Council House was used as a Wartime Reception Centre and gas masks were issued from here to residents. Several farms gave space for the storage of scrap metal and many employed Land Army girls. A gun emplacement was built at Over Farm and at least one aircraft crash in Highnam. Some military use was made at Over Hospital.
In 1965, there were 7 farms in Highnam varying in size from 55 acres to 475 acres being a mixed of arable, fruit and animal production.
Between 1966 and 1969 several planning applications were made to develop land at Maidenhall farm. A proposal was also made in a Countv Structure Plan to provide housing for 2,000 people at Highnam. Very strong local opposition was being voiced regarding any major housing development in Highnam. However, in 1974, Bovis Homes were gIven permission to develop 35 acres of the then dilapidated Maidenhall Farm site and the development to include houses, estate roads, school and open spaces.
Old field names of the site were used for the new street names and the first phase of buildings supplied with gas from gas tanks on site because no gas main existed to the development.
1980 – 1990.
The period 1970 – 1990 saw considerable growth in Highnam. The number of houses grew from l80 in 1970 to over 700 in 1990. The Bovis / Lovell developments were completed in 1988 and between the two developers they erected 526 houses.
With the housing development came a steep rise in the population where this increased from 590 in 1970 to over 2,000 in 1990.
Of the seven farms in 1965, three remain as working Farms today. Altman’s, Lassington Court and Over.