Greatworth

Origin: Gravelly

Domesday: Of the Bishop of Bayeux’s fief, William holds 2 hides. There is land for 5 ploughs. In demesne is 1 plough, and 2 slaves; and 10 villans and 5 bordars with 3 ploughs. It was worth £4 ; now £3. Saewulf held it freely TRE


		A small village that seems to have been largely built post 1950. Before this building took place the village would have been tiny. The older housing in the village centre and around the church is stone, the more modern largely brick. There was a manor house but this burnt down in 1793 (apparently with the parish registers which were being stored there) and all that is left is the gate posts which are surmounted by a very attractive pair of pineapples.

	The church has some attractive gravestones which are of the ornate heavily carved style typical of the Cotswolds, and inside the church the patterned stained glass is lovely.

The village boundaries have changed over the years and the hamlet of Westhorp incorporated in the village in 1935 (before this time the village of Greatworth apparently covered less than ¼ sq mile).

A book published by the village – A Village Of Great Worth (cost £7.99) is highly recommended.

My interest is in the Gardners who moved to Greatworth in the early 1800s from Marston St Lawrence and moved on before 1850, the majority of the family to Priors Marston in Warwickshire and my branch to Whilton. Any information on the family would be welcomed


	For a description of the village in the late 1800s a Whelans Directory of 1874 is attached.