Heritage Trail


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Anyone driving along the highway perceives this as just another suburban village, yet stay awhile to look at older buildings while learning of their colourful history. Since Frampton Cotterell is twinned with Kelbra, a German translation is available.
 

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(1) Church Bridge.  The village of Frampton Cotterell (principal settlement on R. Frome) was being developed 1000 years ago where tracks came together to ford the river with a church nearby. This archive photo shows the arched bridge sadly destroyed by floods in 1966, also leafy trees around St Peter's Church with the farm cottage opposite.
 

(2) St Peter's Church.  The Parish Church was rebuilt 1858 in Perpendicular Style having embattled parapets with pointed pinnacles and walls of Pennant stone. It retains the medieval tower built in 1315 with dressed Pennant blocks that houses a peal of 6 bells with one inscribed 1627. There is a parish chest from 1600. Observe the wrought-iron gate that formerly enclosed stray animals but is now entrance to a graveyard having several 18th century chest tombs.
 

(3) Globe Inn & nearby buildings.  Despite extensions observe the original 3-storey red Pennant structure of this 18th century Globe Inn in spacious grounds. A second 3-storey hostelry was built close by named New Inn now converted to a residence - 4 Mill Lane. See at 32 Mill Lane this rambling 19th century building once the village mill having a pond, millrace and paddle wheel.
 

(4) Step House.  Walk along Park Lane to see our only Georgian style residence built in 1733. It has five windows with a central door having shell porch above, and its name derives from 'stype' - built on a steep place. Mr Hall lived here while manufacturing felt hats in outbuildings. A group of pious ladies 'Sisters of Charity' lived at the house in the late 19th century where they trained nurses but later used the building as St Michael's Orphanage.
 

(5) Hat Factory.  The firm of Christy's hatmakers operated from 1820 at two parallel 3-storey buildings in Park Lane. The upper floors are divided into cubicles with tiny closed windows to minimise draughts that disturb fine wool used for hats. This road was named Penny Lane because householders got one penny per bucket of urine used in hatmaking. There were 120 employees in 1834 making 1300 hats per week so we were world leaders, yet in 1866 the firm relocated to larger premises at Stockport.
 

(6) Live & Let Live.  Return along Park Lane to see a fine 17th century Inn 'Live & Let Live'. Observe its thick walls with buttresses, low ceilings and open fireplace. When Field Marshall Colin Campbell relieved Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny he became a national hero and in 1858 was created Baron Clyde (Glasgow birth) just as Clyde Road was being developed. Walk along Clyde Road and note No.12 occupies site of the Meeting Room for Salvation Army gospel singers. Make a short left-right diversion to walk up Church Road.
 

(7) Country Stores.  This picturesque group of 18th century shops is sited around an earlier cobbled-stone yard at highest elevation in the village. Imagine a horse-drawn cart receiving animal-feed using a pulley hoist supported from a beam at the upstairs hatch near road. The 3-storey shop has a large chimney-stack also mullioned windows. Extensive views are possible from nearby towards the east and west. Now go along Upper Stone Close also traversing the footpath to reach Ryecroft Road.
 

(8) Windmill.  This windmill was built in 1825 by a Mr Pocock and is visible from afar. It was 60ft high so its sails caught the wind to turn the grindstones via wooden cogwheels. The circular tapering walls have lost 15ft by decaying stonework with also its sails removed after the 40ft chimney was added in 1850 as flue for a small steam engine. The derivation of Ryecroft is a 'small field on rough terrain'.
 

(9) Zion United Church.  In 1795 Thomas Humphries a colliery manager built the first Zion Chapel though used now as the church hall. Soon worshippers totalled 300 adults with 200 children so in 1873 this larger chapel replaced it. Three Methodist chapels closed in 1968 and their combined congregations moved into these larger premises. Replacement cottages were added at the rear in 1990 to provide extra accommodation.
 

(10) British School.  Just down the hill is Brockeridge School built in 1846 by non-conformists using funds from 'British & Foreign Schools Society' to provide a basic education for 2p a week. The 1876 Education Act changed its status to a Council School, teaching pupils to age14yr. Further reorganisation followed after the 1945 Education Act when it became an Infants' School with pupils transferring aged 8yr to Highcroft Junior.
 

(11) Woodend Road.  Walk westwards down the narrow twisting Woodend Road with terraced 18th & 19th century cottages on either side constituting the hamlet of Brockridge. Similar hamlets also remain at Adam's Land & Frampton End. Houses 178-198, Woodend Road (early 1920s) are 'Wheatley' Homes from the first Labour Minister of Housing who planned substantially-built Council Houses around the Country.
 

(12) Harris Barton.  Take a left-right diversion into attractive Harris Barton and observe its narrow winding roadway with grass verges and see how the Pennant rubble-stone cottages face the sun. Possibly houses numbered 10-16 follow foundations of a 'Barton' which was a 'Barn used as Grain-Store'. When Harry Symes was 'Lord of Manor' at Frampton Court he stored his grain here, hence Harry's Barton.
 

(13) Nightingale's Bridge.  Continue down the bridleway into a picturesque Frome Valley and maybe rest awhile at a favoured picnic spot beside Nightingale's Bridge. This is built from Pennant stone with 2 arches. Visualise pack-horses traversing the bridge 2 centuries ago. The shallow river rises rapidly during heavy rain occasionally making the bridge impassable. Overlooking at the hilltop is the former Manor-house.
 

(14) Frampton Court.  Frampton Court began as the Village Manor in 15th century, but was altered and extended during the 17th century and is converted now into private residences. It has medieval features including an enclosed paved courtyard, with a stone over-mantle above the doorway also lattice windows having stone mouldings to deflect rainwater. The Coteles were early Lords of the Manor adding the distinctive Cotterell to our village name. During Civil War of 1643 /46 Harry Symes was 'lord of manor' and loyal to the king.
 

(15) The Park.  Follow a footpath across the sports field that was once the formal parkland of Frampton Manor with a concealed ditch called a ha-ha to keep out farm animals. A short length of Park Row lies along this ditch. The sports pavilion was built in 1986 complete with changing rooms & showers. Go next into School Road - which is aptly named.
 

(16) National School.  The National School was built 1842 and extended 1856 some twenty years before State-Schools were established, having its trustees from St Peter's primarily to educate the children from church families. In 1968 a new Church School was built then the Community Association purchased this building in 1973 renamed it Crossbow House and are using it for social activities. Look next door at the 17th century 'Day' House short for 'Dairy', where butter and cheese were made for the Manor.
 

(17) Little London.  Walk along School Road into Church Road to see the terraced cottages of Little London. Christy housed staff members here who came from London to manage his hat factory. No. 404 Church Rd. bearing the name of Cherry Cottage is dated 1683 and it is 3-storeys high. Look across an adjoining paddock towards another 3-storey house of the same period altered during Victorian era where Brookmans sold bread baked on the premises.
 

(18) Benson's Estate.  This estate of chalet bungalows was built on Church Farm during1950s and has roads named after church benefactors. Beaufort Road recalls that the Duke of Beaufort supported the ecclesiastical living. Winchcombe Road reminds us Winchcombe Abbey provided wealth within the diocese. Foxe Road after Rev Foxe (vicar) who financed rebuilding of St Peter's Church in 1858. Continue along Church Road to the Parish Church, which concludes this Trail.
 

Graham Hayter assisted by Jeffrey Spittal (local historian) prepared this Trail
German translation by Barbara Naish (Minutes Secretary of the Twinning Association)