We followed the old way out of Rodborough, taking Kingscourt Road to follow the 1300 Manor boundary. A route of old farmsteads, vanished feudal obligations and lost names.
De Rodboroughs and Gastrells, Achards and the Cynnes.
Red valerian and plump roses topped the summer limestone walls as we continued up The Street, through shady hanging beech woods and on to the site of the Horestone. Lost marker of the boundary of the manor of Minchinhampton.
Then a sharp climb, out of the shaded wood and up the dazzling limestone grassland slopes of the common. Such a richness of wild flowers. Their names as beautiful to the ear
Bird’s Foot Trefoil
Rock rose
Milkwort
Fairy flax
Kidney vetch
Quaking grass
Yellow rattle
Orchids – green-winged, common spotted, fragrant & pyramidal.
Wild Thyme
Wild Marjoram
Lady’s Bedstraw
Mouse-ear Hawkweed.
At the summit, we assembled on a mysterious earthwork and paused to consider the hard life of the medieval peasant, burdened with duties and obligations to the Lord of the Manor hard daily tasks of animal husbandry, agriculture and hay making unjust burden for of the Poll Taxes and consequent unrest and revolt.
The 637th anniversary of the murder of Wat Tyler.
John Ball hung, drawn and Quartered just one month later.
And then we returned over the glorious high summer common back to Rodborough.
Writen by Bob Fry
