On the Coteswold hills, beech and ash are the principal trees. In the vale, there are but few tracts of woodland. The quantity of ground in Dean forest, belonging to the crown, is upwards of 23,000 acres. it formerly supplied about 1000 tons of ship timber annually. The forest is under the government of a lord warden. At Totworth, the chesnut tree is still growing, which, according to Evelyn, was 500 years old in the reign of King John. It was mea sured in 1791, when it was 44 feet and four inches in cir cumference. Till the year 1790, when it was burned dow-, there was an oak growing at Bodington, the eircunz[er ence of which, at the ground, was 18 yards : the stain was hollow, forming a room more than 16 feet in diameter.
The wages of farm servants in Gloucestershire are not high, but the allowance of drink is ; six quarts a day is the common allowance, two gallons, sometimes nine or ten quarts ; drinking a gallon bottle full of cider at a draught is said to be no uncommon feat. In the immediate neighbourhood of the forest, coal, being cheap and abundant, is the common fuel : in other parts of the county, the Staffordshire and Shropshire coal is burnt ; but on the Cotcswolds, all kind of fuel is scarce and dear. The roads of this, like most of the other western counties, are by no means good; on the Coteswolds, the calcareous grit is too soft for durable roads ; and there are still great er difficulties in the vale, from the nature of the soil, and the extreme scarcity of materials. The compact lime-stone, from St Vincent's rocks, makes the best roads ; but it is N Cry expensive.
The most considerable markets are those of Gloucester, Cirencester, and Tewksbury ; they are abundantly supplied with corn, meat, poultry, and the other necessaries of life. The principal manufactures of the county are those of wool len broad cloths, chiefly superfine, made of Spanish wool : there are also fine narrow goods, in the stripe and fancy way, made to a very great amount. The whole of these manufactures are carried on in that district called the Bot toms. Of this district, the town of Stroud may be regard ed as the centre, all the surrounding wallies exhibiting a continued range of houses or villages, occupied by manu facturers. The waters of this district arc peculiarly adapt ed to dyeing scarlet, blue, and black. At Cirencester, thin stuffs of worsted are made : carpets are also made here. At Tewksbury, the stocking-frame knitting is the principal manufacture. Rugs and blankets are made at Dursley, &.e. Felt hats, for the Bristol trade, are made in several
villages. In the forest of Dean, there are extensive iron works ; at Framilore, there is a manufactory of tin-plate. The other manufactures of the county are iron and brass wire, wire cards for the clothiers, pins, nails, and writing paper. The articles of agricultural commerce are cheese, bacon, cider, and perry. The salmon of the Severn is now become scarce, but formerly it was caught in great abun dance, and sent to London and other places, where it always obtained a very high price.
By the returns respecting the poor, presented to Parlia ment in the year 1803, it appears, that in this county at that time, 33,113 persons were relieved in and out of work houses, at the expellee of 31. Is. Tid. per head, or 102,0131. 12s. 8d. total; which, at a rental of 1,128,3121. gives about Is. 9W. in the pound per annum. By the same return, it appears that there were, in 1803, 19,606 persons belonging to friendly societies. In the year 1810, the number of fami lies employed in agriculture was 20,782 ; and in trade, ma nufactures, Etc. 29,988. In the year 1700, the population of the county was 128,341 ; in 1770, 161,693. In the year 1801, 210,267 ; and in 1811, 295,100. At this last period, the number of people to a square mile was 263 ; and on an average of years, there had been one baptism to 36 per sons; one burial to 61 persons ; and one marriage to 120 persons.
The ancient Britons seem to have had no peculiar name for this tract of country, designating it and the whole ad joining low lands by the name of Duffin, which is said to a vale. It was inhabited by the Cattieuchlani. Whet: the Romans occupied England, the Dobuni seem to inhabited Gloucestershire. This county being di vided by the Severn, lay partly in Brittania Prima, and part ly in Brittania Secunda ; that on the south-east side of the river being in the former, and governed by the president residing in London ; whereas that part beyond the Severn was in Brittania Secunda, and governed by the president residing at Caerleon. The Saxons called the inhabitants near this part of the Severn, \Viccii, from the Saxon \Vic, a creek, because the river near its mouth is full of creeks. During the heptarchy, it was a long time subject to the West Saxons, but was afterwards included in Mercia. See General View of the Agriculture of the County of Glou cester, by Thomas Rudge, B. D. Beauties of England and Wales, vol. v. The Rural Economy of Gloucestershire, by W. Marshall. (a. s.)