Local Information
The District of Stroud, England is centred by the Parish of Stroud which is located in the county of Gloucestershire. This Parish is nestled comfortably at the foot of the westernmost escarpment of the Cotswold Hills. This town is known for its steep streets due to its location near the foothills as well as its popular café life.
Along with Cainscross and Rodborough, which are not technically parts of Stroud, the combined population of the three parishes is only just over 23,000 residents, but regardless of its size, Stroud is well known for its involvement in the British Industrial Revolution. During the Industrial Revolution, Stroud was home to many mills which received their power from the many rivers located within its limits. Furthermore, the Jewish presence during this period helped increase the involvement of Stroud in the Industrial Revolution as many have fled from Catholic persecution and founded many clothing and tailoring companies in the valley. Thanks to its connection to the Thames River via the Thames & Severn as well as the Stroudwater Navigation Canals. The Parish of Stroud was able to maintain full involvement during the industrial revolution, but afterwards, the maintaining of the canals fell through the cracks and the port life of this Parish quickly fell.
The Parish of Stroud dates back as far as the thirteenth century, when it was originally part of Bisley. This region was mainly a marshy area due to the convergence of the River Frome and Slad Brook, of which the Parish’s name was first recorded as La Strode which is derived from the River Frome. Although the first church was built in Stroud back in 1279, it did not become part of Bisley until 1304, when the Parish was considered as being founded.
While Stroud may not have any real major historical importance other than its involvement in the Industrial Revolution, there was a song written about it by the American Folk group Blurt, which can be found on the Kenny Rogers’ Greatest Hits album by the name of "Stroud, The Town Of Make Believe".
