Grumbald's Ash Hundred (also spelled Grumbold's Ash)[1] was a subdivision of the county of Gloucestershire, England. Hundreds originated in the late Saxon period and lasted as administrative divisions until the 19th century.[2] It has been reported that the court was originally held under an Ash tree situated in Doddington parish, although this location would not be consistent with the previous split of hundred.[3] Its name survives in the Grumbolds Ash with Avening electoral ward of Cotswold district council.[4]
At the time of the Domesday Book, there were three hundreds in this area: Eddredestane, Bagstone and Hagmead, the last also known as Grimboldstow. Eddredestane later formed most of the Lower division of Grumbald's Ash Hundred and the other two the Upper division.[8]
Eddredestone Hundred also included the parish of Marshfield, which later became a detached part of Thornbury Hundred. The survey named four places in this hundred: Marshfield, Sodbury, Dodington and Tormarton.[9] Note West Littleton was formerly a tything of Tormarton.[10] Eddredestone was named after Eadred, King of the English 946-955, who established the "Three Shires Stone" in Marshfield, marking the boundary between Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.[11]
Bagstone Hundred included Tortworth, Charfield, Wickwar, Tytherington and Iron Acton, the last two parishes later transferred to Thornbury Hundred.[12]Bagstone is the name of a hamlet in Wickwar parish which was the meeting place of the hundred.[10]
Hagmead Hundred included Hawkesbury, Horton, Badminton, Boxwell, Hillesley, Alderley, Oldbury-on-the-Hill, Little Sodbury and Didmarton, which became part of the Upper Division, plus Acton Turville and Dyrham & Hinton which formed, with Eddredestane, the Lower Division.[13] At the time of Domesday, Wapley was part of Swineshead Hundred, later transferring into the Upper division of Grumbold's Ash.[14]
^English, University of Nottingham - Institute of Name Studies School of. "Key to English Place-names". kepn.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
