Alderton, Gloucestershire
Historical Description
Alderton, a village and a parish in Gloucestershire, 2 miles SE of Beckford station on the M.R., and 10 NNE of Cheltenham, with a post office under Winchcombe (R.S.O.); money order office, Beckford; telegraph office, Beckford station. The parish contains the hamlet of Dixton. Acreage, 1579; population, 472. The marlstone quarries on the surrounding hills yield numerous fossil fish. At Dixton is a large manor-house, dating from 1555, and for many generations the seat of the Higford family; hard by are remains of a Saxon camp. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol; value, £338. The church is an ancient stone Gothic edifice, and has been recently restored. During the progress of the work a pure Saxon font was discovered in the fillings of the north wall, and a Saxon wheel cross; a piscina was also found in the excavation of the chancel wall, besides several other interesting relics. An image of the patron saint St Margaret was likewise found, and has been placed over the south door. There is a Wesleyan chapel.
Administration
The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.
| Ancient County | Gloucestershire | |
| Ecclesiastical parish | Alderton St. Margaret | |
| Hundred | Tewkesbury | |
| Poor Law union | Winchcomb |
Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.
Church Records
The parish register dates from the year 1596.
We have transcribed the marriages at Alderton St. Margaret, 1754-1812
The Gloucestershire Parish Registers are available online at Ancestry, in association with Gloucestershire Archives.
Churches
Church of England
St. Margaret of Antioch, St. Margaret's Road (parish church)
The church of St. Margaret is an ancient building of stone in the Gothic style of the 14th century, consisting of chancel, nave of three bays, south aisle, south porch and an embattled western tower containing 6 bells: on the south side of the chancel is a mural tablet to the Rev. Henry Higford, a former rector of this parish, who died March 24th, 1795, and was the last male representative of the ancient family of that name, who resided at Dixton Manor House, and were large land-owners in the county for over 300 years: the church dates back to Saxon days, a Saxon font having been excavated near the north door, and a fine specimen of piscina was discovered at the northern side of the chancel: there are some remains of ancient stained glass, and a church chest of early date: the church was restored in 1890 and re-opened in 1892, at a cost of £1,400, and affords 200 sittings.
Methodist
Alderton Methodist Chapel
The Wesleyan Methodist chapel is a structure of brick, erected in 1899, and will seat about 100.
Civil Registration
For general information about Civil Registration (births, marriages and deaths) see the Civil Registration page.
Directories & Gazetteers
We have transcribed the entry for Alderton from the following:
- Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858. (Alderton (St. Margaret))
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Gloucestershire is available to browse.
Maps
Online maps of Alderton are available from a number of sites:
- Bing (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- Google Streetview.
- National Library of Scotland. (Old maps)
- OpenStreetMap.
- old-maps.co.uk (Old Ordnance Survey maps to buy).
- Streetmap.co.uk (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- A Vision of Britain through Time. (Old maps)
Newspapers and Periodicals
The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following newspapers covering Gloucestershire online:
- Gloucester Citizen
- Gloucester Journal
- Gloucestershire Chronicle
- Gloucestershire Echo
- Cheltenham Chronicle
- Cheltenham Looker-On
Visitations Heraldic
The Visitation of the county of Gloucester, 1623 is available on the Heraldry page.