The Olveston Quaker Trail
Quakerism came to the locality following a visit to Olveston
by John Audland and John Camm who spoke to a large gathering of farmers on
Elberton Green in mid-September 1654. Walter Clements of Olveston received
the two preachers into the village whilst they were on their journey out
of Bristol where they were crusading. Their speeches so inspired the
farmers they formed a group to become Quakers. Olveston Parish at that time
comprised 100 families, of which 40 parted from the Church.
Early Quaker meetings were held at various farms until a farmhouse at The Green, Olveston was donated by William Rogers of Hill House in 1695 and enlarged into The Meeting House (see above how it looked in the 1960s), which lies just across the road from Hill House.
George Fox, founder of the quakers, visited Olveston in
1660 and 1666 to initiate procedures for monthly meetings. During these visits,
he lodged at Hill House, The Green, (see right) as guest of William Rogers.
His third visit was epoch making in that he married Judge Fell's widow, Margaret,
at Broadmead, Bristol on 27th October 1669. Their two week honeymoon was
spent at Hill House.
Quakers occupied Hill House in two separate periods - "Rogers" in the 17th century and "Sturge" in the 19th.
With the Church refusing burial in their consecrated ground, a burial ground was a priority and land was acquired at Lower Hazel where burials commenced in 1656.
The early Quakers locally suffered extreme persecution
for refusing to pay church tithes and swear oaths of allegiance to the Crown.
A leading Quaker family was Sturge of Manor House, Gaunts Earthcott. Their decendants moved to OlvestonCourt in 1722 where, subsequently, four generations of the family lived.
Joseph Sturge V, on marriage to Mary Marshall, moved to Elberton Manor in 1787. This house was previously owned by the Quaker family of Goldney. Six children of Joseph were born at Elberton Manor (see below left), including Joseph Sturge VI the well known anti slavery campaigner and philanthropist.
Joseph and his family moved to a larger farm, Sheepcombe
Farm (see right) in Tockington in 1799, where six more of their children
were born.
Joseph Sturge V and his family moved to a smaller farm, New Leaze, Olveston
(see below) in 1809 for his retirement and the family remained there until
1820. Members of the Sturge family built many of the cottages in the centre
of Olveston with several
at
the north side of Church Hill and in Ley Lane. Ley Hay Cottage
was owned by John Sturge, dye manufacturer, with three acres of land which
provided fringe development.
Thomas Marshall Sturge built Greenfield Cottage on the south side of Church Hill, in Pipe Lane. He also built Peacehaven in The Street on land attached to the shop/dwelling, adjoining the White Hart Inn, owned by the Sturge family 1802-1833.
Meetings of Quakers ceased in Olveston in 1868. The Meeting House was then used for various activities including a Sunday School for Olveston Methodists. The Quakers sold the Meeting House in 1951. It was converted to a dwelling in 1968 when its gabled roof windows were added.
Key
1 The
Meeting House, Olveston Green
2
Hill House, The Green, Olveston
3
Olveston Court
4
Elberton Manor
5
Sheepcombe Farm, Tockington
6 New
Leaze, Olveston
7
Quaker Burial Ground, Lower Hazel
Acknowledgements
Prepared on behalf of Olveston Parish Historical Society by Eric garrett with drawings by Neil Cairncross. Supported by a grant from "Awards for All".