Maisemore
Encyclopedia
Maisemore is a village and civil parish
in Gloucestershire
, England. It lies on the A417 road
2.5 miles northwest of Gloucester
, on the west bank of the River Severn
. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 488. There is a church, dedicated to St Giles.
Maisemore Bridge connects the village to Alney Island
, and provides a viewpoint for the Severn bore
. Maisemore Weir and Lock were built in about 1870. The weir is at the upper limit of the tides on the Severn. The lock is no longer in use.
The name of the village appears to be of Welsh
origin, meaning "great field" . The northern part of Alney Island, which is within the parish of Maisemore, is known as Maisemore Ham, combining Welsh
and Old English words for field or meadow (ham, meaning "meadow").
The area is prone to flooding, which from time to time closes the A417 between Maisemore and Gloucester, especially in the spring when the swollen River Severn meets high tides coming up the estuary.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England. It lies on the A417 road
A417 road
-Streatley - Gloucester :It runs from Streatley at its junction with the A329 to Wantage, over the picturesque Berkshire Downs. In Wantage, it negotiates the market place -Streatley - Gloucester (M5):It runs from Streatley at its junction with the A329 (between Reading and Wallingford) to Wantage,...
2.5 miles northwest of Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, on the west bank of the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 488. There is a church, dedicated to St Giles.
Maisemore Bridge connects the village to Alney Island
Alney Island
Alney Island is an island in the River Severn near Gloucester. The Severn splits into two channels at Upper Parting , and merges together again at Lower Parting to the south...
, and provides a viewpoint for the Severn bore
Severn bore
The Severn bore is a tidal bore seen on the tidal reaches of the River Severn in England. It forms somewhat upstream of Sharpness, and can be seen as far upstream as Maisemore.- Formation :...
. Maisemore Weir and Lock were built in about 1870. The weir is at the upper limit of the tides on the Severn. The lock is no longer in use.
The name of the village appears to be of Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
origin, meaning "great field" . The northern part of Alney Island, which is within the parish of Maisemore, is known as Maisemore Ham, combining Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
and Old English words for field or meadow (ham, meaning "meadow").
The area is prone to flooding, which from time to time closes the A417 between Maisemore and Gloucester, especially in the spring when the swollen River Severn meets high tides coming up the estuary.
Notable residents
- George Wilson BridgesGeorge Wilson BridgesReverend George Wilson Bridges was a writer, photographer and Anglican cleric. After eloping with his wife, he was rector for the Jamaican parish of Manchester from 1817 to 1823. He was then rector at the neighbouring parish of St Ann from 1823 to 1837...
was rector here in 1843 (where he found his interest in photography) - William Stephen Raikes HodsonWilliam Stephen Raikes HodsonBrevet Major William Stephen Raikes Hodson was a British leader of irregular light cavalry during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 . He was known as "Hodson of Hodson's Horse."His most notable action was to apprehend the Emperor of India...
was born on 9 March 1821 at Maisemore Court, the third son of the curate, Rev. George Hodson.