Elmore
A short tour of the village compiled by Pauline & Colin Ellis
Elmore lies five miles south of Gloucester, lying in the first loop of the River Severn. A mile after crossing the Gloucester – Sharpness Canal you will immediately find yourself in rural England in the parish of Elmore amidst farms and country dwellings, with a population of 178 active people.
The Rea Bridge via Stonebench in the North East, the Pilot Bridge to the East and from Longney in the South West, provide the three routes into the village.
Elmore retains some of its Elizabethan houses with the remaining dwellings constructed in different periods providing an interesting variety. In addition there are, in total, nine working farms which are predominantly dairy and arable.
As you progress through the village you will notice the wide greens, some parts trimmed others left for wild flowers and other plants to matur
Five ponds were developed to celebrate the Millennium and these are now mature with all the aquatic plants taken from within the Parish.
Elmore has sustained a long-term commitment to the planting of trees.
As you enter the Village from the North East or East, your first port of call will be Weir Green – a fine viewing point for the Severn Bore. There is no weir there, however, it was once a small port for the delivery of coal and other goods from the Forest of Dean, which might serve to explain it’s original name of “Ware Lane”. One of the Millennium ponds is situated at Weir Green.
Without doubt one of the most important achievements for the village in the last four years, is the completion of the tidal flood defences from Weir Green to Elmore Back and this forms part of the Severn Way footpath.
When you continue your journey through the village you pass the War Memorial.
Generous donations of cash and kind allowed the repair at minimum cost to the community. Next is Elmore Court, home of the Guise family since the 13th Century and is an interesting blend of architectural design embracing the Elizabethan, Georgian and Victorian eras. The Cedars in the grounds date back further than the house itself and provided cover for William Parry when he composed Jerusalem – the hymn of the Womens’ Institute. The wrought iron gates were refurbished by English Heritage in 2000.
There are other families that have lived in the Village for many centuries but Elmore is a good mix of these families and those more recently arrived. We are proud that the overwhelming majority of villagers actively contribute to making Elmore a busy and lively community.
The Village Hall was originally the School and provides the pivotal roll in the village activities which include:-
- An active social group that raises monies for its own use and others
- The Village Players are an important user group, with productions attracting good audiences for both the Christmas and Spring Productions.
- The Bridge Club
- Mothers Union
- Toddlers Group
- A Brownie and Guide Pack
- Longney School
- In addition the hall is hired out for private functions
Elmore Village Hall was extended in 1992.
The Village Hall Management Committee is very active in raising funds for the essential maintenance of the building. In 2002 new toilets for the disabled and latest standard ladies facilities were built. This was partly financed by grants from Stroud District Council, the Elmore Land Charity and from some of the proceeds from the 2002 village Fete held at Elmore Court.
The people of Elmore and our loyal supporters regularly generate funds for the Church and the Village Hall in order to sustain and maintain our community as well as fund raising for other Charitable organisations.
The spring is a lovely time to visit Elmore as it heralds a beautiful array of wild flowers in the hedgerows, including primroses, bluebells and cowslips that are well established.
Bluebells in a roadside hedge
Should you take time to visit Elmore Back you will see that the flood defences have been re-built to a very high standard. In adjacent orchards, several old varieties of fruit trees have been reinstated.
En route to Elmore Back you will see meadowland that is reverting to it’s natural state thus attracting the full range of local wild life. Elmore has an abundance of game and wild birds including herons and buzzards.
If you drive towards the Church from the Elmore Back direction, on your left is Spring Lane and another of the Millennium ponds and small stone spring. We would recommend that you explore this area.
The Church is 13th. Century and is known for its Table Top Tombs allegedly some of the best in the country. Fund raising activities for the Church this year include a Flower Festival combined with a Historical Exhibition in July. With the aid of a grant from Stroud District Council, under the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Celebration Fund, the PCC was able to clear the scrub and fully grass part of the church yard which is kept in fine condition by a dedicated team of volunteers.
Looking after our Village requires time, energy and commitment which is given willingly. The proximity to Gloucester often means we are the candidate for fly-tipping and general rubbish thrown from cars under the cover of darkness. Clearing this rubbish is a job that requires attention on a regular basis. We care about our community and environment, working hard to keep the roads and verges clear of debris.
We hope you enjoy your visit to our Village.