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Today, Stroud and the surrounding Districts are renowned for their 'Royal' connection, with Princess Anne at Gatcombe Park and Prince Charles at Highgrove... But did you know that in the Summer of 1788, King George III spent five weeks in Cheltenham taking the waters for the good of his health! |
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Turnpike roads made it possible for him to make a day's journey, via Painswick and Stroud, to see the Stroudwater Canal and the junction with the new Thames and Severn Canal. However, he did not take a boat, because the Queen was frightened of the water. The Royal party then went on to visit two wealthy and important men who lived nearby - Sir George Paul at Hill House, Rodborough and Lord Ducie at Woodchester Park. |
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Shortly before the visit, Sir George Paul wrote to Lord Ducie about the arrangements for the day. Even on a turnpike road and in Summer, the journey from Cheltenham to Stroud was expected to take two hours. Regular stops had to be planned to rest the team of horses. The King's reputation for ruining horses meant than none of the local inns would hire him a replacement team. As a magistrate, Sir George was also concerned about public order and making sure that the crowd who lined the route behaved themselves and did not have too much to drink! From January 2016, this website is managed by Stroud Local |
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