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Several houses in the village have historical interest. Royal Spring, formally an inn,
was named by Charles I in 1642 after the battle of Powick Bridge near Worcester.
Brook House
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Brook House, was once home to Longhope's police force but later a brick building
situated close to the church was built in 1948, (and still exists as "The Old Police House"). This was a design that was representative
of Gloucestershire Constabulary at the time at a cost of £2,424 4s 7d. |
Coglan House
| Coglan House may have once been owned by Robert Coghlan, Esq. "Robert Coghlan, Esq. has
also a house here, in which he resides, with an estate annexed." [2] |
Court Leet
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Court Leet is situated opposite All Saints' Church and was used as the local court house
with the adjacent cottage being the gaol. |
Harts Barn
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Originally, Harts Barn was built by John (he became known as John le Sergeant because
personnal service to the King was "sergeanty" [3]) on lands given to him by William
the Conquerer on condition that he provided the King with hounds when he came hunting
in the Forest of Dean. William always went hunting at Christmas time [3].
As it stands now, most of Harts Barn was built in the early 18th century but some timber-frame
parts (including a staircase) date back to the 17th century. |
Knapp House
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Knapp House dates back to some time in the 1400s. It is situated at the bottom
of Hopes Hill opposite the site of the Plough Inn. The deeds to the house bear the official
stamp of the Duke of Kent recording the house's sale in 1725. |
The Latchen Rooms
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The Latchen Rooms were first built in 1906 [1] and were extended for the first time in 1938. Since then many extensions to enhance the
Rooms have been carried out in more recent years. The Rooms were leased to the Trustees by the
Parish Council in 1969 [1]. Current plans are in place, with planning permission, for a large
extension at the rear. Details can be found here. |
The Manor House
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The current Manor House was built in the late 18th century. Up until 1880 it would have
been where the Lord of the Manor lived, the last of which was William Roberts M.A. who died
in 1880. During the Second World War it was home to evacuees and the Home Guard.
By the 1960s it was the
Manor House Hotel and hosted all sorts from wedding receptions to comedy clubs. Bob
Monkhouse was no stranger to the place.
At the time, the Manor Guest House brochure boasted a first class billiards room, hot and cold water in most bedrooms and a "water supply, which is of the highest quality, is from three wells which have been unaffected even in the most severe droughts" [4]. The tariff was in 1940 was 12s. 6d. a night and was inclusive of a bedroom, back, breakfast, lunch tea, dinner, light and attendance. One could opt to pay weekly where the tariff was 3 guineas. Bed and breakfast-only facilities were at the reduced rate of 6s. 6d. but the other meals could be taken separately for an additional fee [4].
Now it is a nursing home. |
Mutlow Cottage
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Mutlow Cottage is situated on the foothills of May Hill and dates back to the 18th
century. A recent planning application had marked this building for demolition, but it has now had a stay of execution, and is to be modernised. |
The Old Forge
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Perhaps one of the most photographed buildings in the village used to be the blacksmith's
workshop. |
The Old Rectory
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The Old Rectory was built on land owned by the church (the Glebe) in the early 19th
century and it is much larger than the Old Vicarage. |
The Old Vicarage
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Longhope is unusual in the fact that it had a vicarage as well as a rectory. |
Plough Inn
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The Plough Inn, originally sited opposite Knapp House at the bottom of Hopes Hill, was
demolished when the bypass was built. In its day the Plough
was a lively place to be and has been described as the Olympics on a Sunday night, where
patrons could partake in a game of quoits, shove ha'penny or dominoes. The old inn sign was inscribed
on one side with "Before the hill you do get up, stop and take a cheerful cup"
and on the other with "Down the hill all danger's past; stop and take a cheerful glass". |
The Pound House
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The field opposite the Pound House was known as the Pound and was used to keep animals
that were found wandering the village. The Pound House itself caught fire on 19th
October 1851 and was rebuilt by the Norwich Union Fire Office in 1852. A commemorative
stone was added to mark the rebuilding. |
The Temple
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Not much is known about The Temple. It is mentioned as being a restaurant in the
1940s after the Second World War. |
Some of the old timber frame cottages in the
village are as old as the 15th century.
References
- Harper, V., "The Longhope Cook Book", 2007.
- Rudge, T., "The History of the County of Gloucester", G. F. Harries, 1803.
- H. Phelps, "The Forest of Dean", Alan Sutton, 1982.
- Private documents [11].
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