The Sheep Stock of Gloucestershire. 
33 
Throughout Saxon and Norman times there is ample 
historical evidence that the keeping of sheep and the working 
up of the wool were carried on to a very large extent in the 
country round Cirencester, and in Domesday Book (1086 A.D.) 
“ the sheeps’ wool of Cirencester ” is spoken of as being the 
Queen’s due. From Goding’s “History of Beverstone ” we 
learn that in the thirteenth century “ the quantity of sheep, 
nearly 6,000, kept at Beverstone is remarkable.” In the same 
author’s “Ancient Trade of Wool and Cloth” it is stated that, 
in the reign of Edward III., 30,000 sacks of Cotswold wool was 
the annual quantity granted from the County of Gloucester for 
the King’s household. About the fourteenth century the 
Florentines imported largely into this country and took in 
return wool and cloth, which came from the Cotswolds. In 
i the fifteenth century sheep farming became general, and it 
, appears that both sheep and wool were largely exported. In 
1425 a law was passed, enacting “ that no sheep shall be 
exported without the King’s licence,” and there are records of 
I licences granted by the King for the export of the wool of 
Cotswold sheep. It is worthy of remark that no other breed 
is mentioned. In 1437 Don Duarte, King of Portugal, who 
might easily have obtained the choicest Spanish wool from 
his brother-in-law, the King of Castile, made application to 
Henry YI. for liberty to export sixty sacks of Cotswold wool, 
in order that he might manufacture certain cloths of gold at 
Florence for his own use. 1 Stowe records that in 1464 a 
present of Cotswold rams was sent by Edward IY. to Henry 
of Castile ; and in 1468 twenty Cotswold ewes and four rams 
were shipped for John of Aragon. 
In this connection it is interesting to note that in the 
1 Spanish dictionary of Yelasquez “Cotswold” appears as an 
English word denoting “ an open field sheep fold.” The 
i discovery of this, and of another purely local word, namely 
“ Fossway,” which is translated as “a big road with ditches” 
I in a Spanish dictionary, has led to the not unnatural surmise 
I that Cotswold men may have accompanied their sheep to 
Spain and left these words as traces of their visits, and of the 
descriptions given of their replaced homes. 
The fine churches of Fairford, Northleach and Campden, 
not to mention almshouses and other buildings out of all 
j proportion to the present population of these little towns, bear 
testimony to their importance as centres of the wool trade, 
or to the munificence of the wealthy wool merchants who 
, took up their abode in these out of the way places in order 
' to be near the centre of their business. Each of these towns 
is connected with the name of families of historic interest. 
VOL. 69. 
1 Youatt on sheep, p. 339. 
D 
