Oldland

Oldland was mentioned in the Domesday Book as Aldeland, the Saxon name for "old tract of land".{{Cite web | url=http://www.radisol.co.uk/districtweb/main-site/timeline-1086-1699.htm |title=Historical Timelines Oldland |publisher=Warmley District |access-date=2020-03-26}} Before the Norman Invasion of England, the overlord of Oldland was King Harold Godwinson, who had appointed Alwy as Lord of the area.{{Cite web | url=https://opendomesday.org/place/ST6671/oldland/ |title = Oldland |publisher=Open Domesday |access-date=2020-03-26}} After the conquest, King William I of England confiscated the land of Oldland and gave it to the Bishop of Exeter as tenant-in-chief.{{Cite web | url=https://opendomesday.org/name/exeter-st-peter-bishop-of/ |title = Exeter (St Peter), bishop of |publisher=Open Domesday |access-date=2020-03-26 }} Oldland consisted of six houses with two plough teams. Oldland went through several variations of its name throughout history. Some of the names were Holande, Wholdland, Wooland during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Ouldland after the Restoration of the Monarchy and Eland.

Barrs Court is a moated ancient monument which was part of Kingswood Chase, a royal hunting forest (successor to the larger forest of Kingswood, deforested in 1228).{{cite web|title=Moated site 725m north east of Mount Pleasant Farm|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1004522|website=National Heritage List for England|publisher=Historic England|accessdate=18 February 2016}} The name comes from Lady Jane Barre who owned the land in the mid 15th Century.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}} A manor house existed here from 1485, owned by the Newton family, until it was dismantled in 1740 and replaced with a farmhouse, which is now a ruin.{{cite news|title=Footsteps into History - Barrs Court|url=http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Footsteps-History-Barrs-Court/story-11283974-detail/story.html|accessdate=18 February 2016|work=Bristol Post|date=24 November 2009}}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} There are a number of monuments in Bristol Cathedral to the Newton family.

One of the original outbuildings, the large cruciform tithe barn, was converted in the late 1980s into a public house; it is now an Indian restaurant.{{Cite web |title=Mughal Palace - Contact & Map |url=https://mughalpalace.co.uk/contact |access-date=2023-11-16 |website=mughalpalace.co.uk}}

Oldland had a chapel constructed in 1280. The chapel served the village as a part of the parish of Bitton with clergymen alternating services fortnightly between Oldland chapel and Hanham after performing services in the morning at Bitton's parish church.{{cite magazine |title=Oldland Chapel|magazine=The Gentleman's Magazine |page=393 |volume=148 |year=1830 |publisher=R. Newton |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QDxDAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22oldland+chapel%22&pg=PA393}} The churchyard contained a large yew tree which had been growing since the Tudor period. It remained standing until 2020 when it was blown down by a storm.{{Cite web | url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/st-annes-church-oldland-common-3892230 |title = Graves to be relocated after 400-year-old tree ripped up in storm |publisher=Bristol Post |date = 27 February 2020 |access-date=2020-03-26}} In 1827, the medieval chapel was demolished following Oldland being made its own parish. The newly constructed St Annes Church was consecrated by the Bishop of Lichfield and the Bishop of Gloucester. In 1981, it was granted grade II listed building status by English Heritage.{{Cite web | url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1278158 | title=CHURCH OF ST ANNE, Oldland |publisher=Historic England |access-date=2020-03-26}} The church's vicarage and gateway were each granted separate grade II listings.{{Cite web | url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1231400 | title=ST ANne's VICARAGE, Oldland |publisher=Historic England |access-date=2020-03-26}}{{Cite web | url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1278119 | title=GATEWAY AND DOORS TO ST ANne's VICARAGE, Oldland |publisher=Historic England |access-date=2020-03-26}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110727132020/http://communities.southglos.gov.uk/Sites/Default.aspx?alias=communities.southglos.gov.uk%2FSites%2Foldlandparish Parish Council website]
• [http://www.stanneschurcholdland.org.uk/ St Anne's Parish Church, Oldland]
• {{Commons category inline|Oldland}}

{{South Gloucestershire}}

Category:Villages in South Gloucestershire District

Category:Civil parishes in Gloucestershire