GLOCESTER, the capital of Gloucestershire, in England, 106 miles from London. It is an ancient city; and by Antoninus is called Clevum, or Glevum, which Camden thinks was formed from the British Cærr-Glowr, signifying "a fair city." It was one of the 28 cities built by the Britons before the arrival of the Romans, who made it one of their colonies, and in the eighth century it was esteemed one of the noblest cities in the kingdom. It has suffered considerably by fire at different periods. It stands upon a hill; and from the middle of the city, where the four principal streets meet, there is a descent every way, which makes it not only clean and healthy, but adds to the beauty of the place. Forging of iron seems to have been its manufacture so early as the time of William the Conqueror. King Henry VIII. made it the fee of a bishop, with a dean and six prebends. Its castle, which was erected in the time of William the Conqueror, is very much decayed; part of it is leased out by the crown; and the rest serves for a prison, one of the best in England. In its cathedral, which is an ancient but magnificent fabric, and has a tower reckoned one
Gloceſter. one of the moſt curious pieces of architecture in England, are the tombs of Robert duke of Normandy, ſon to William the Conqueror, and of Edward II. and there is a whiſpering place like to that of St Paul's at London. In the chapter houſe lies Strongbow who conquered Ireland. There are 12 chapels in it, with the arms and monuments of many great perſons. King John made it a borough to be governed by two bailiffs. Henry III. who was crowned here, made it a corporation. By its preſent charter from Charles I. it is governed by a ſteward, who is generally a nobleman; a mayor; a recorder; 12 aldermen, out of whom the mayor is choſen; a town clerk; two ſheriffs, choſen yearly out of 26 common councilmen; a ſword-bearer; and four ſerjeants at mace. Here are 12 incorporated trading companies, whose maſters attend the mayor on all public occaſions, &c. Beſides the cathedral, there are five pariſh churches in this city; which is likewiſe well provided with hospitals, particularly an infirmary upon the plan of thoſe at London, Wincheſter, Bath, &c. Here is a good ſtone bridge over the river Severn, with a quay, wharf, and cuſtomhouſe; but moſt of its buſineſs is engroſſed by Briſtol. King Edward I. held a parliament here in 1272, wherein ſome good laws were made, now called the Statutes of Gloceſter; and he erected a gate on the ſouth ſide of the abbey, ſtill called by his name, though almoſt demoliiſhed in the civil wars. King Richard II. alſo held a parliament here: and King Richard III. in conſideration of his having (before his acceſſion to the crown) borne the title of Duke of Gloceſter, added the two adjacent hundreds of Dudſton and King's Barton to it, gave it his ſword and cap of maintenance, and made it a county of itſelf by the name of the county of the city of Gloceſter. But after the Reſtoration the hundreds were taken away by act of parliament, and the walls pulled down; becauſe the city that the gates againſt Charles I. when he beſieged it in 1643; by which, though the ſiege was raiſed by the earl of Eſſex, it had ſuffered 20,000l. damage, having 241 houſes destroyed, which reduced it ſo much that it has ſcarce recovered its former ſize and grandeur. Before that time it had 11 pariſh churches, but ſix of them were then demoliiſhed. Here are abundance of croſſes, and ſtatues of the Engliſh kings, ſome of whom kept their Chriſtmas here; ſeveral market houſes ſupported with pillars; and large remains of monaſteries, which were once ſo numerous, that it gave occaſion to the monkiiſ proverb, As ſure as God is in Gloceſter. Here is a barley market; and a hall for the aſſizes, called the Booth Hall. Its chief manufacture is pins. Under the bridge is a water engine to ſupply the town, and it is ſerved with it alſo from Robin Hood's well, to which is a fine walk from the city. Camden ſays, that the famous Roman way, called Ermin Street, which begins at St David's in Pembrokeshire, and reaches to Southampton, paſſes through this city. Sudmead in the neighbourhood is noted for horſe races. Here is a charity ſchool for above 80 children, of whom above 70 are alſo clothed; and a well endowed blue coat ſchool. The city ſends two members to parliament. W. Long. 2. 13. N. Lat. 51. 48.
GLOCESTER is alſo the name of two counties and of ſeveral towns in America; ſuch as the county of Gloceſter in New Jerſey, bounded on the north by
VOL. IX. Part II.
Burlington, on the ſouth by Salem and Cumberland, on the eaſt by the Atlantic ocean, and on the weſt by the river Delaware. It contains 13,172 inhabitants, beſides 191 ſlaves. Gloceſter in Virginia is a well cultivated and fruitful county, about 55 miles long and 30 broad, with a population of 13,498 ſouls, among whom are included 7063 ſlaves.