Matson, Gloucestershire
Historical Description
Matson, a parish in Gloucestershire, 2 miles S of Gloucester. Post town, Gloucester. Acreage, 655; population of the civil parish, 120; of the ecclesiastical, including part of Upton St Leonard, 345. Before the dissolution there-were two manors, one belonging to Gloucester Abbey and the other to Llanthony. The former was given to the Dean and Chapter of Gloucester, and was purchased by the first Lord Sydney about 1799. The latter was granted to th& mayor and corporation of Gloucester, and was bought by Jasper Selwyn about 1596. Both manors are now vested in Mr Marsham-Townshend as heir of Lord Sydney and of Albinia Selwyn, who married the Hon. Thomas Townshend in 1730. Matson House, the residence of the Selwyns for 200 years, was built or largely added to in the time of Queen Elizabeth, was occupied by Charles I. during the siege of Gloucester in 1643, and was visited by George III., Queen Augusta, and the Princesses in 1788. Eobinswood Hill, formerly called Mattesdon, which has for many centuries given to Gloucester its water supply, is in this parish. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol; net value, £140 with residence, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Gloucester. The first church existed in the 12th century, was taken down in 1739, and rebuilt in the Georgian or Churchwarden style. It has been most beautifully restored to what is believed to be its original character. It contains monuments to the Selwyns and the Robinses.
Administration
The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.
| Ancient County | Gloucestershire | |
| Hundred | Dudstone and Kings Barton | |
| Poor Law union | Gloucester |
Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.
Church Records
The parish register dates from the year 1553.
The Gloucestershire Parish Registers are available online at Ancestry, in association with Gloucestershire Archives.
Churches
Church of England
St. Katherine (parish church)
The church of St. Katherine (so named in 1893) is a building of stone in the Early English style, consisting of chancel, nave, north porch and central turret containing 2 bells.
The former church (the dedication of which was unknown) was rebuilt in 1739, by direction of the will of Albinia, widow of Gen. Selwyn, formerly governor of Jamaica: the chancel was rebuilt in 1852, the church restored in 1876, and in 1893-94 the nave was entirely rebuilt at a cost of £2,000, including internal fittings, and now affords 200 sittings.
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 Matson from the following:
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Gloucestershire is available to browse.
Maps
Online maps of Matson 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.