History & Heritage
Discover Dursley’s rich heritage and industrial past. Originally renowned for its woollen cloth, Dursley later became known for its world-famous Lister-Petter engines and of course Mikael Pedersen and his distinctive bicycle. Its rich history is preserved today by the many fine buildings located in the town, including Jacob’s House and The Priory and also by the information and artefacts held in its Heritage Centre. It may have even been home, for a time, for The Bard, William Shakespeare!
A Historic Market Town
Dursley’s origins are recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was part of the Manor of Berkeley. From the Middle Ages, Dursley was a flourishing market town at the centre of the Severn Vale, its charter was granted by Edward IV in 1471. Today its popular farmers market takes place on the second Saturday of every month under the Market House. The Heritage Centre is a great place to discover the story of Dursley. You can also enjoy heritage inspired trails linked to The Dursley Pedersen, Shakespeare, town centre locations and ghostly tales, by downloading the free Discover Stroud Trails available from app stores.
The Wool Trade
Like many Cotswold towns Dursley was also the producer of woollen cloth, from an early cottage industry of spinning and weaving , through to increased organisation of employment within the area’s many mills. It was this industry in particular which brought wealth to the town and resulted in the construction of many fine buildings, such as the Priory in Long Street and Jacob’s House, near the Market Place. The Broadwell spring waters, which can be found off Silver Street, once provided the town’s water supply and powered several woollen mills, the surrounding buildings here are some of the oldest in the town.
R.A. Lister & Co
With the advent of the industrial revolution, bringing with it increased mechanisation and competition from other areas, the woollen industry in Dursley, along with other parts of Gloucestershire, suffered periods of unrest and recession. This downturn hit Dursley and lasted several decades before the rise of engineering in the town enabled fortunes to change. From its beginnings in 1867, R.A. Lister became world famous for the manufacture of high quality agricultural machinery, engines and woodware and from 1907 Mawdsley’s became a major producer of electrical machinery. Other industries developed around carpet making, rope and canvas manufacture and newspaper production.
The Dursley Pedersen
At the end of the 19th Century a Danish inventor, Mikael Pedersen came to Dursley with his design for a distinctive bicycle. With the support of Robert Ashton Lister the ‘Dursley Pedersen’ was born helping to secure Dursley’s future as an industrial hub of excellence, invention and creativity! Sadly Pedersen’s fortunes were not to last, eventually he returned to Denmark where he died, destitute and buried in an unmarked grave. But his Dursley connection doesn’t end there; a campaign to have his remains brought back to the town was successful in 1995. Today, reminders of Mikael Pedersen can be found in multiple places, from the plaque outside grand Raglan House where he lived, to the Cemetery where he is buried and a Dursley Pedersen bicycle takes pride of place in the Heritage Centre.
Other Claims to Fame
Among many interesting monuments and memorials at St Mark’s Church graveyard is one for Edwin Beard Budding, inventor of the lawn mower. Lovers of Irish Wolfhounds will also find the final resting place of Captain George Augustus Graham. This Scotsman, former soldier, and dog breeder is credited with reviving the breed’s bloodline from the brink of extinction since all present-day Irish wolfhounds are descended from his.
William Shakespeare may have spent time working as a teacher here during the period between 1582 and 1590, when little is known of his life after a poaching incident. He references the view from the top of Stinchcombe Hill towards Berkeley Castle in Richard II, which is pretty much unchanged since that time. There are many references to be found to support the existence of a Castle in Dursley, though nothing now remains. Thought to be built in the 12th Century for the Berkeley family it stood close to where Active Lifestyles Dursley stands today.
