40 
“On the way from Olveston to Thornbury, on the left hand 
side of the road, there is the site of an old Vineyard, the 
terraces in which the Vines were planted being still visible. It 
is well situated, both as to soil and aspect, for the growth of 
Vines, but it is supposed that Vines have not been grown there 
for the last 300 or 400 years.” (Bristol and Gloucester Archao- 
logical Society, vol. xit., p. 329.) I do not know on what 
authority the last statement is made, but it will form a good 
introduction to an excellent instance of a much later growth of 
the Vine in a Vineyard in Gloucestershire. The most remarkable 
remains of a Vineyard in Gloucestershire, and probably in 
England, is at Tortworth. My attention was first drawn to it by 
a passage in “ Rudge’s Gloucestershire,” 1803, that “about the 
beginning of last century there was in the Park of Cromhall a 
large Plantation of Vines, which is said to have produced ten 
hogsheads of good wine in one year,” with the note added that 
‘the Vine plantation was discontinued, or destroyed, in con- 
sequence of a dispute with the Rector on a claim of the tythes.” 
Upon this I wrote to Lord Ducie, and from him received full 
information, and examined the Vineyard, and last month I had 
the advantage of again closely examining it and taking accurate 
measurements of it with him and Lord Moreton. The Vineyard 
is in a wood about a quarter of a mile from the present house, 
and it is in Cromhall Parish. The position is peculiar, and has 
been admirably chosen for the purpose. It is on a steep but not 
high hill, which may he said to form the Northern base of an 
irregular triangle. This Northern base is a shallow segment of a 
circle, the centre being almost due South, so that from sunrise to 
sunset there would be more or less of sun shining on it. (About 
fifty years ago there was a fashion of building the walls of kitchen 
gardens in shallow segments of circles for the purpose of getting 
al] possible sunshine. I know of such in the Rectory Gardens 
of Dodington and Iron Acton.) The two other sides of the 
triangle are steep hills sufficiently near to protect the Vineyard 
