Villages Of The Forest of Dean
Aylburton
I set out today with not much confidence as it was misty, grey and overcast albeit quite mild for the time of year. Having parked on the road to Aylburton Common I decided I would just go for my daily exercise walk, taking my camera with me of course. I took a few shots which were 'ok'!, and then the clouds started to break up and the light began to improve; so whilst not wall-to-wall sunshine I was happy with most of the resulting images and the moody skies.
The centre of the Aylburton Village is a Conservation area. There are elements of medieval buildings in The Cross, and a Cruck frame hall was later converted to a terrace of cottages. During the Roman period most of the slopes of the parish were originally covered in woodland and the bank of the River Severn was more than 1 km closer to the main road, with around half of the current "levels" being reclaimed before about 450 AD. The area would have been dominated by the Roman villa and temple in the grounds behind what is now the Lydney Park House*.
The centre of the Aylburton Village is a Conservation area. There are elements of medieval buildings in The Cross, and a Cruck frame hall was later converted to a terrace of cottages. During the Roman period most of the slopes of the parish were originally covered in woodland and the bank of the River Severn was more than 1 km closer to the main road, with around half of the current "levels" being reclaimed before about 450 AD. The area would have been dominated by the Roman villa and temple in the grounds behind what is now the Lydney Park House*.
By 1219 Aylburton had its own chapel situated on Chapel Hill attributed to St. John (it became St. Mary's sometime before 1750). In the same year, Lire Abbey granted Lydney church to the dean and chapter of Hereford. Following the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII, William Wyntour purchased the manor from the Crown in 1599. It remained in Wyntour hands (apart from a period covering the "Commonwealth") until purchased by the Bathurst family in 1723.* With lovely leafy lanes heading off towards the Forest and wonderful views across the Estuary, It's easy to miss the beauty of the village as you travel through it along the A48.
* INFORMATION COURTESY OF: WIKIPEDIA