SNJ READER Diane Prosser found a fascinating write-up about Gloucestershire from 1750 which she has kindly shared with us.

It is part of a very old book entitled “A New General English Dictionary, Peculiarly calculated for the use and improvement of such as are acquainted with the learned languages” which Diane, who lives in Ebley, found in her dad's shed.

The passage reads: “Gloucestershire is an inland county, of a healthful air, and fertile soil, as well for corn as pasturage, yielding plenty of corn, and feeding abundance of cattle and great flocks of sheep, especially, in and near Coteswold, whose wool is much esteemed for its fineness; the east part called Coteswold is somewhat hilly and is principally employ’d in grazing; the middle part lies low and is watered by the Severn, which renders the plains very fruitful; the western part is over-spread with wood, and called Dean Forest, where grow great numbers of excellent timber trees, for ship-building and coal and iron mines, on which are many furnaces and forges, for working the same; this forest is 20 miles long and 10 broad, and contains 3 hundreds, 23 parish churches, 1 castle, 1 abbey, 3 market-towns, 1 mayor-town, and the common thereof (besides the purlieus and abbey woods) is said to contain 32,000 acres of ground.

"The whole county is about 50 miles long, and 25 broad, containing 30 hundreds, in which are 25 market towns, 280 parishes, 1 castle, 2 forests, 19 parks, several large rivers, 27,000 houses and about 160,000 people; it sends 8 members to Parliament and is about 140 miles in circumference; it is remarkable for the large manufacture of cheese, though that which is so called in London comes principally out of Wiltshire, the real cheese of this county going more to Bristol that to London; the woollen manufacture of this county is exceeding good and fine, and is very large in quantity.”

"What would those 18th century folk make of their county today where the population is over 600,000 and houses and industry are everywhere?" said Diane.

"Hopefully they would rejoice that many of our hills and valleys remain as spectacularly scenic as they were then."