lies midway between
Gloucester
and
Ross on Wye at the foot of
May
Hill and covers an area of 2200 acres. It lies about 7 miles from
Gloucester, 3 miles from
Newent and 2 miles from
Huntley. The
boundary encompasses a large part
of
May Hill to the West and the Hamlet of
Kents Green to the
East.
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| Farms here today produce corn, milk, beef, lamb, wine, poultry & eggs. Rare Breeds of animals are also kept and bred here. The largest known herd of "Old Gloucester Cattle" can be found at Byfords Farm. Longhorn Cattle, Cotswold Sheep and Shire Horses are also kept in Taynton thereby helping to save these old breeds from extinction. |
| The village is unusual in that it is virtually two villages in one. The May Hill part lies on higher ground and has its own church, chapel, village hall and public house. The lower part of the village has its church, village hall, parish room and a farm shop and restaurant. It also has a shared with neighbouring Tibberton. |
| The Church of St Lawrence was consecrated in 1660 to replace the old Church that was destroyed during the Civil War and has some unique features. The remains of the "lost village" of Taynton Parva where the old Church stood can still be seen with it's moats, pond and earthworks. |
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Sports facilities and other organisations include Tennis, Cricket, Football, Table Tennis, Snooker & Billiards, Youth Club, Women's Institute, Parish Council and The Taynton Society. There is a bus service through the village and a Dial-a-Ride service available based at Newent. |
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There are now 170 houses here with the present population comprising about 400 people. |
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Local schools include Tibberton Playgroup, Tibberton Under 5's, with Junior schools at Tibberton, Newent, Highnam and Huntley. Newent Community School provides for secondary education. |
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Taynton & Tibberton Womens Institute now included on website |
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Sample the local delights of |
| Some notable persons passed this way. Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli once owned Taynton Court Farm and Thomas Pury who was instrumental in saving Gloucester from Royalist defeat in 1643 during the Civil War lived at The Grove. |
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Winning Article from Ottakar’s Local History Series 2001 |
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At one time
fruit growing
and
cider making
was an important industry
producing a drink that was considered ‘equal to champagne’. The "marley"
soil was found to be particularly suitable. A pear
tree called ‘Taynton Squash’ and a walnut tree called ‘Taynton
Excelsior’ originated from here.
Today there is a small vineyard here that produces the award winning Kents Green Wine |
| The Taynton Farm Shop adjacent to Hownhall Green provides farmhouse and local produce. The adjoining tearoom is open daily and also caters for Sunday lunches. The Glasshouse Inn is at the May Hill end of the village and provides good food and drink in a beautiful rural setting. |
| Old industries once operated in Taynton. The Romans made iron here in the early 4th century AD, and a hoard of 160 Roman coins has been unearthed. Huguenot glassmakers setup here in the 1590's. In the mid 1600's a Brass Mill supplied wire to the Gloucester pin makers. Taynton Gold has also been found. Many buildings were constructed with bricks and tiles produced at the ‘Taynton Brickyard’ that operated here for well over 100 years. Even today the old craft of tent peg making is still being carried on here |
| This website will hopefully improve given time but needs YOUR help. I don't wish to dominate what is YOUR village website, so please if YOU have any ideas for ways in which this site should develop or have information YOU would like included then let me know. In this way the website can prove both useful and interesting. |