Dursley Glos Forum

Andy/Rich, haven't you done well, that overlay of the two maps confirms so much. If you two decide to meet I would love to come along if OK, Dave.

Intending to go this afternoon (Saturday 5th March). Would prefer 4.30pm if possible, meet outside police station. Is that OK with you, Rich, as well?
Let me know ASAP. Andy

Today (Sat 5th March) at 4.30pm it is then. See you there Rich. Please come along as well if you can make it Dave. Cheers, Andy

It's 6pm, just logged on, been working all day, sorry I missed you. Hope you can report back as to how you got on. Many thanks, Dave.

Hi Dave, Andy agrees that the remains of the tower are still present, shame you weren't able to come. We looked over the site, the wall, footpath, etc. then went to the spring in Holywell orchard to view the plaques and demolition rubble (apparently there were 2-3 houses in the orchard), then walked up to St. George's church to look at the graves of Major Hague and his wife which I found the other day completely by accident. We know where the estate was due to the walls and of course Andy combining the old and new maps. For me all that's needed now is to find out whether there was a house there before Norman Hill house, what date the house was built, and maybe what became of their son.

Hi Rich, yes sorry I missed you yesterday. I have been to the castle today and after looking more closely at the end of the wall where the bit sticks out then pulling back some of the ivy I could see what remains of the castle I think. It's not quite so big as I remember but it's there. I am so pleased it is because I always thought it was demolished when the site was developed. The one wall is in the garden of number 4 Hollywell Rd. It's all great news, Dave.

Dave, looking at Andy's photo's you can see the tower was approx 3 times the size it is now. It looks like they just scooped off half the wall and tower, GOD KNOWS WHY! Perhaps to level it out with the much longer wall on the other side maybe?
Were the steps inside the tower made of stone?

Rich, yes I think you're right they just made it all one level so the tower formed the corner of the wall. Yes the steps were made from stone, as you went in the steps were far right. If only we could give it a good makeover the steps are probably still there buried under rubble. I never, ever thought I would ever see anything of the castle again so its great news, Dave.

It was by chance i saw that the wall was sticking out further. That was because I pulled a load of ivy off which was covering it. Until then I assumed it was a wall and the tower was lost! To clear all the rubble from on, in, and around the tower would be hard work with possibly little reward! Maybe a nice summer project though!!!

Well done with all your field research.

I have been looking back through my old files and found my original notes. David Evans had been conducting some correspondence in the Dursley Gazette about Dursley Castle circa 2003 and I wrote in with my recollection of the castle at Norman Hill. I also emailed Andrew Barton at DursleyGlos web in January 2004 but he had no information at that time. However, out of the blue I got a letter from a Ted Tipper whose father had been Major Hague's Farm Bailiff for some fifty years. Intrigued I telephoned Ted and had a chat with him. As I only visit Dursley infrequently I never followed up with a meeting but he told me that the castle had been built by the Winterbotham family to look over all the land that they owned (they were major landowners around Tilsdown - Summerhayes housing estate was built on some of their biggest fields. In the grounds of the castle were walled gardens, exotic fruit trees, greenhouses, pigs, cattle, horses etc. Major Hague had been in the Royal Engineers in WW1 and married Emily Page, a daughter of Winterbotham, and then took over the farm. The estate was called Norman Hill Farm though as kids we always called it "Major Hague's". According to Ted, Major Hague had worked on the Aswan Dam in Egypt. What is now the Rednock Sports Field (presumably it still is?) was the front meadow of the estate. According to Ted there was a Scout Jamboree held there in 1935 with scouts attending from all over the world. Presumably there would be something in the Gazette archives? Wish I had followed this up more at the time.

Thanks for the last post, very interesting. I am intending to check out the Gazette archives, as well as the Glos. Archives (Record Office) at some point to verify some things so we'll see what turns up. Cheers Andy

PS - I'll contact you separately about Ted Tipper.

Ian, It was your original post on the guestbook that got me wondering about this, then what a postman told me and when Dave mentioned it on the guestbook also I felt this needed looking into. Thanks for your input.
Andy, I am looking forward to what you may dig up. My main aim was to find the location of the estate and its history, and I feel we're almost there.

Attached is a picture of part of the farm on the Norman Hill estate. I believe the lady in the picture is Joan Tipper. Not sure of the year though. Andy

A little bit more information on Major Hague.

From the Times, 16th January 1961. "Major Hiram Hague of Dursley, Gloucestershire, left £89,407 gross, £88,845 net (dury paid, £36,647). He left one fourth of the residue of his estate or £5,000, whichever be less for distribution among such local and national organizations of a charitable or quasi-charitable nature as his trustees decide.

I've just joined the discussions this week. My grandfather, William Browning, was the last gardener living in one of the cottages attached to Norman Hill house. Between the end of the second world war and the early sixties, myself, my sister and several cousins spent many hours around the estate. I would be happy to try to clarify anything, providing I can remember.