Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean.

History

The area now known as Gloucestershire was originally inhabited by Brythonic peoples (ancestors of the Welsh and other British Celtic peoples) in the Iron Age and Roman periods. It became part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex, and was a setting for some of the action in the epic poem Beowulf.

Geography

Gloucestershire is located in the South West of England, bordering Wales. It is surrounded by the counties of Wiltshire, Somerset, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, and Herefordshire. The county town is Gloucester, and other major towns include Cheltenham, Stroud, Tewkesbury, and Cirencester.

Economy

The economy of Gloucestershire includes the aerospace industry, with companies such as Rolls-Royce and Messier-Dowty. The county also has a strong agricultural sector, with dairy farming and the production of cider and perry being particularly important.

Culture

Gloucestershire is known for its distinctive dialect and accent, as well as its rich folklore, including the annual cheese-rolling event at Cooper's Hill and the tradition of Wassailing.

See also

• List of places in Gloucestershire
• List of civil parishes in Gloucestershire

External links

• Visit Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire

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  Gloucestershire UK locator map 2010
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  Gloucestershire numbered districts
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  Gloucester Cathedral
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  Arlington Row Bibury
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  The Second Severn Crossing
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  Glocestria Atlas
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  Severn Cross
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  Oxstalls
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  October plenty
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  Gloucester cathedral west front
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  Aerial photo of Sudeley Castle
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  HH icon