About Chaceley
News:
CHACELEY VILLAGE HALL AWARDED ‘COMMUNITY HUB’ STATUS BY GIGACLEAR. BRINGING BUSINESS STANDARD WIFI TO THE HALL.
CONTACTS & Links:
Gloucestershire County Council: www.gloucestershire.gov.uk
Tewkesbury Borough Council: www.tewkesbury.gov.uk
(Councillors: Paul McLain | Jill Smith)
Chaceley Parish Council | email: chaceleypcclerk@gmail.com
Severn Area Rescue Association | www.sara-rescue.org.uk
Severnside Benefice | www.severnsidebeneficewithtwyning.org.uk
VILLAGE FACTS:
Population: 100 (approx.)
Latitude: 51°58'27.1" N
Longitude: 2°12'45.0" W
Parish: Chaceley
County: Gloucestershire
Councils: Tewkesbury
View past the Church Yard
The Village
Chaceley lies 6 miles by road from Tewkesbury across the River Severn.
Nearest towns and cities are Tewkesbury, Gloucester, Cheltenham and Ledbury.
Despite the road signage to the village from Corse Lawn, Ledbury or Tewkesbury, there is no formal notice that you have actually found your way to Chaceley itself.
(Editor’s note: something of a geographical anomaly appreciated by some in the village).
The heart of Chaceley village is adjacent to the Church and Village Hall but its boundaries extend to Forthampton in the north, Chaceley Hole and Sandpits in the south, to the River Severn in the east, and to the Worcestershire border just before the B4211 in the west.
The village has over 20 listed buildings including three at Grade II* - St.John the Baptist Anglican Church, Chaceley Hall and Grain House Farm.
The lower part of the village is in the River Severn floodplain where the landscape can change dramatically in the highest floods with hedges disappearing and local roads inundated.
Around 100 people currently live in the village which has its roots in livestock, mixed farming and equestrianism but which also supports a number of small home-based businesses.
The Village Hall is the focus for a range of events including in past years a traditional summer Pig Roast, the Christmas Tree Lighting party, the Quiz and evening talks in the winter, coffee mornings and private parties. (See Village Hall section for more information and booking enquiries).
The Hall is also a venue for Chaceley Parish Council meetings and the local Polling Station for local and national elections.
The Hall is a valuable asset for the village community in the event of flooding. In such times the Hall is opened for local residents to use the facilities - kitchen, washing machine, toilet and adjacent parking.
St.John the Baptist Church is part of the Severnside Ministry which includes 7 parishes adjoining the River Severn. Regular services are held and visitors of all ages are welcome to attend.
Please visit the Severnside Benefice website (http://severnsidebeneficewithtwyning.org.uk) for schedule of church services and events.
Agriculture - very important for Chaceley
Agriculture
At the turn of the 20th Century the farming community numbered 400, whilst by the beginning of the 21st Century this had reduced to a quarter of the size.
The landscape has changed little. Fields have changed hands between farms but the field patterns still remain. Whereas in 1900 everyone was employed locally and in one way or another serviced the land, today many of the cottages and farm houses have been sold into private ownership.
With the advent of sophisticated farming machinery and the evolved wider national and regional evolution of farming in the UK, only a small percentage of the village population is now employed in farming.
The land is very fertile and in the past sustained many orchards as well as extensive crops though only scant remains of the former can be seen today.
Occasional evidence of ‘ridge and furrow’ vegetable planting from medieval times and subsequently encouraged during WW2 can be seen in some fields, particularly towards Forthampton.
Prior to the area being predominantly turned over to livestock (cattle and sheep) farming, Chaceley was well-known for its own type of fruit: the Chaceley ‘Kernel’ Apple and the Chaceley Pear.
Gravel Pit
In the centre of the village - adjacent to the Village Hall - is the Gravel Pit from which marl (lime-rich mudstone containing clay and silt) was extracted to provide domestic floor surfaces and also ballast for the ‘trow’ boats that plied the river often towed by horse, when not under sail.
Little went to waste in Chaceley. All the road verges together with the area around Carver’s Pool adjacent to the church were cut for hay and the willows were cut every 3-4 years for stakes for hedge laying.
Fishing
A feature of the River Severn near Chaceley even today is fishing. Local recreational anglers can be regularly spotted on the river banks.
A particular local speciality historically was fishing for eels - or more precisely - for elvers - using large triangular nets. Elvers are baby eels from the Sargasso Sea that find their way to the rivers of Europe, including the Severn.
“Gloucestershire Elvers” have long been a local favourite. Traditional recipes have them cooked in bacon fat or lard briefly until they turn white. Eggs are then added and the dish is left to set into a flat omelette.
Elvers were a speciality served at the Stock Inn (now the Yew Tree Inn) in times past.
The late legendary British chef and flamboyant TV personality Keith Floyd was recorded cooking elvers still wriggling as he scooped them straight out of the Severn in a pillowcase and tipping them straight into a hot frying pan. Not for the faint-hearted…
Given the shrinking of the elver population over the last few years, anglers should be aware of - and respect - restrictions/regulations governing elver fishing.
In April 2021, an initiative by The Sustainable Eel Group saw almost one million elvers released into the River Severn at Mythe Bridge as part of a ‘re-wilding’ project.
Fishing Permits and Rod Licenses are required to fish on the River Severn. For information on how/where to obtain these, visit the Canal & River Trust website.
Nature Reserve
Chaceley Meadow was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1993 because it is one of the county’s finest wildflower-rich wet meadows. The meadow is so small that it was not much use for commercial agriculture and so it escaped applications of fertilisers or herbicides. Its soil supports over 100 different varieties of wildflower, including many found in few other locations because they would not compete with vigorous species that grow in richer soil.
In 1994 the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust purchased the field and manage it in a traditional way. Hay is cut after plants have flowered and this ensures plenty of seed to grow in following years. Cattle then graze the field in the autumn. The pollarded willows that bound the field are themselves an important habitat. The gnarled bark and crevices provide homes for a wide range of birds and rare beetles. Located on the lower road towards Chaceley Stock, this is well worth a visit in the Spring and Summer.
Chaceley Meadow Nature Reserve (SSSI)
Birds
Chaceley is situated in the heart of the area known to ornithologists as ‘The Severn Hams’: the low-lying meadows along the River Severn.
The birds of the area are hence typical of riverside meadows. On the river itself, Kingfishers and Sand Martins nest in holes in the banks, while in the thick riverside vegetation, often with overhanging willows, birds like Red Warblers, Sedge Warblers and Reed Bunting make their nests.
In the meadows themselves, Curlews and Skylarks nest on the ground. And the nesting birds of the hedgerows and trees include Blue Tit, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Linnet, Bullfinch and Yellowhammer. One very special bird is the Redstart, which likes to nest in holes in the boles of ancient pollarded willows. Cuckoos are also very common and persistently noisy. And Curlews regularly make themselves heard.
Birds in Chaceley - Canada Geese
There are plenty of impressive, sharp-eyed birds of prey to be seen too.
The commonest are Kestrel, Buzzard and Sparrow Hawk, but if you are very lucky, you may see a Hobby, a very elegant small falcon which hunts Swallows and Martins in the early evening. Red Kites and White Egrets have also been spotted.
In late summer, the “beaches” along the river may hold passing waders like common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher or Dunlin, on their way from northern breeding places to wintering areas further south. There are also generally Grey Herons and Mute Swans along the river.
In winter, numbers of geese, swans and ducks come to the Severn: they tend to spend the day in places where they can rest on shallow water, such as the nearby reserves at Ashleworth or Coombe Hill, but they may often be seen in impressive flight over Chaceley.
The commonest species are Canada Geese, Wigeon, Mallard, Teal, Pintail, and Shoveler, but with luck you could see Bewick’s or Whooper Swans, and in cold snaps when ponds and pools are frozen, diving ducks like Tufted Duck or Goosander appear on the Severn.
In winter too there are different species to be seen in the fields and hedgerows, notably thrushes like Fieldfares, Redwings and Stonechats, together with a variety of finches.
It is a ‘Twitchers’ paradise. Bring your binoculars and cameras…you won’t be disappointed.
Avon Sailing Club - Chaceley
Sailing Club
Try asking why the sailing club in Chaceley on the River Severn is called ‘The Avon Sailing Club’ - and the sailing club on the River Avon over towards Bredon’s Norton is named ‘The Severn Sailing Club’ - and you had better have a firm grasp of local history and local politics and a good few patient minutes to spend on the convoluted story.
Potentially confusing name aside, the Avon Sailing Club is an active centre for dinghy sailing on the stretch of the River Severn between Tewkesbury and Gloucester. It can be found next to Chaceley’s riverside pub - The Yew Tree Inn.
The Club welcomes new members - whether experienced sailors or novices keen to learn to sail and get out on the water. It offers both racing and cruising and moorings if required.
Contact David Harris (Membership Secretary | Avon Sailing Club). Website: www.avonsailingclub.co.uk
Dinghy Racing on the River Severn at The Avon Sailing Club, Chaceley Stock
Walking & Cycling
Walking & Cycling around Chaceley
Cycling
The E45 National Cycling route brings cyclists of all kinds through Chaceley.
From Lycra-clad intense, competitive ‘peloton’ groups to more casual cycling tourers and family groups.
Away from the perils of main roads, the area offers quiet lanes and little traffic. Cyclists should beware however of large tractors and other farm vehicles, especially during key agricultural and livestock seasons.
Walking
With its proximity to the River Severn, Chaceley is a popular location for walkers - with or without dogs. The Severn Way follows the riverbank down from Tewkesbury towards Gloucester.
Care should be taken especially during sheep lambing and when cattle are grazing with their calves. Maternal instincts can make the cows understandably very protective of their young and unexpectedly aggressive.
