1.   Introduction

2.   Using the Search Facility

3.   Interpretation of the Results

4.   Modernisation of Spellings

5.   Complete List of Locations as Used in the Database

Please e-mail us with any comments or corrections.

1.     Introduction

Men and Armour for Gloucestershire in 1608 is a transcript of the information produced by a military survey of the county of Gloucesteshire conducted by John Smyth the Steward of the Berkeley Estate in that year.

It lists, under hundreds, manors and tithings, the name, occupation or description of each person in the county capable of bearing arms or, if incapacitated, the armour he can contribute. Thus, it contains a fairly complete list of all the men from the ages of 16 to 60 in Gloucestershire in 1608 and is particularly useful for tracing ancestors in the early 17th century. Also included is a code for the age and another for the stature of the man concerned.

The Interpretation of the Results section reveals that there is a mass of useful information in these summaries.

A very rare copy of the 1902 publication Men and Armour for Gloucestershire 1608, (author not given) was the basis for the creation of the online database. A facsimile edition of this book was published by Alan Sutton in 1980. There were only 400 numbered copies printed and the publication price was £36. In 2013 second hand copies of the 1980 edition were being offered on the Internet at £110-140.

Please note that the transcription of  Men and Armour for Gloucestershire 1608 published in 1902 is understood to contain some errors and it also likely that the optical character recognition (OCR) process used to create this online resource may have introduced further errors. It is always recommended to consult the original document for the most accurate and comprehensive understanding of its contents. [Gloucestershire Archives D678/1/Z6/2/1-3]

To search the database fill in at least one of the four search boxes and then click on ‘submit search’.

However please bear in mind the limitations on what you can enter into the search boxes.

(1) First name and Last name boxes

At present you can only use a single name in either of these fields e.g. “John” or “Christopher” (without the quotes). However, Wild cards (* i.e. an asterisk) may be used at the beginning and/or end of the search terms.

(2) Occupation and Place name boxes

Wild cards are automatically inserted at the beginning or end of the search terms

Wild cards (* i.e. an asterisk) may be used at the beginning or end of the search terms for First name and Last name. At present you can only use and single name in either of these fields e.g. John Joh* *John *John*. You cannot use boolean searches of the type John or William

3. Interpretation of the Results

The Results are presented in groups corresponding to location. Each entry gives name, occupation, codes relating to age, stature, whether they were a trained soldier or subsidy man and any weapons or armour they might hold

The codes used in Smith’s Men and Armour for Gloucestershire in 1608 are as follows:-

(A20.) shows the age of that man to be about Twenty.

(A40.) shows the age of that man to be about Forty.

(A60.) shows the age of that man to be between Fifty and sixty.

(tallest stature.) shows that man to be of the tallest stature fit to make a pikeman.

(middle stature.) shows that man to be of the middle stature fit to make a musketeer.

(lower stature.) shows that man to be of a lower stature fit to serve with a caliver.

(meanest stature.) shows that man to be of the meanest stature either fit for a pyoner or of little other use.

(trained.) shows that at the time of taking this view, he was then a trained soldier.

(subsidy man.) shows that the said man was then a subsidy man.

4.     Modernisation of Spellings

No changes have been made to the spelling of surnames but the spellings of locations, occupations and forenames have been modernised, to assist with searching, providing the meaning of the original form is clear

5.     Complete List of Locations as Used in the Database

It may be useful to to search by location so a full list of the locations included in the database is given below.
Abenhall [Forest of Dean]
Ablington [Bibury]
Acton Ilger [South Glos.,in Iron Action parish, Yate]
Acton Turville [South Glos., Badminton]
Adlestrop [Stow on the Wold]
Admington [now Warwick., Stratford on Avon]
Alderly [Wotton under Edge]
Alderton [Winchcombe]
Aldsworth [Bibury]
Alkerton [Stonehouse]
Alkerton [Stonehouse]
Alkington [Berkeley]
Allaston [in Lydney parish]
Almondsbury [South Glos.]
Almondsbury Hempton and Patchway [South Glos.]
Alstone [in Teddington parish, Tewkesbury]
Alveston [South Glos., Thornbury]
Alvington [Lydney]
Ampney Crucis [Cirencester]
Ampney St Mary [Cirencester]
Ampney St Peter [Cirencester]
Apperly and Whitfield [in Deerhurst parish, Tewkesbury]
Arle [Cheltenham]
Arlingham [Gloucester]
Arlington [Bibury]
Ashleworth [Gloucester]
Ashton Under Hill [Part 1, now Worcs., Evesham]
Ashton under hill [Part 2, now Worcs., Evesham]
Ashton upon Carrant [Tewkesbury]
Aston Blank [now Cold Ashton, Bourton-on-the Water]
Aston Somerville [now Worcs., Evesham]
Aston Subedge [Chipping Campden]
Aust [South Glos., Thornbury]
Avening Tetbury]
Avening (Nailsworth)
Awre [Lydney]
Aylburton [Lydney]
Aylworth [in Naunton parish, Bourton-on-the Water]
Badgeworth [Cheltenham]
Bagendon [Cirencester]
Barnsly [Bibury]
Barnwood and Wotton [Gloucester]
Barton Liberty and Southgate Street [Gloucester]
Barton Street [Gloucester]
Batsford [Moreton in Marsh]
Baunton [Cirencester]
Beckford [now Worcs., Evesham]
Bengrove [in Teddington parish, Tewkesbury]
Berkely
Beverston [Tetbury]
Bevington [in Ham and Stone parish, Berkeley]
Bibury
Bishops Cleeve
Bishops Cleeve (The Rectory)
Bisley [Stroud]
Bitton and Hanham [South Glos., Keynsham]
Blaisdon [Gloucester]
Blakeney [in Awre parish, Lydney]
Bledington [Stow on the Wold]
Bledisloe [in Awre parish, Lydney]
Boddington and Barrow [Tewkesbury]
Boulsdon [in Newent parish]
Bourton on the Water [Bourton-on-the Water]
Bourton-on-the-Hill [Moreton in Marsh]
Boxwell and Leighterton [Tetbury]
Breadstone [in Hamfallow parish, Berkeley]
Bream [Forest of Dean]
Brimpsfield [Gloucester]
Broad Campden [Chipping Campden]
Broadwell [Stow on the Wold]
Brockhampton [in Sevenhampton parish, Andoversford]
Brockworth [Gloucester]
Bromsberrow [Newent]
Brookthorpe [Gloucester]
Buckland and Laverton [Worcs., in Buckland parish Broadway]
Caldicott [in Hawling and Guiting Power parishes]
Calmesden [in North Cerney parish, Cirencester]
Cam [Berkeley]
Charfield [South Glos.]
Charingworth [in Ebrington parish, Chipping Campden]
Charleton [in Tetbury Upton parish, Tetbury]
Charlton [South Glos., in Henbury parish, north Bristol]
Charlton Abbots [in Sudeley parish, Winchcombe]
Charlton Kings [Cheltenham]
Chedworth [Cheltenham]
Cheltenham
Cheringtont [Tetbury]
Chesterton [Cirencester]
Childswickham [now Worcs., Broadway]
Chipping Campden and Barrington
Chipping Sodbury [South Glos.]
Church Stanway [in Stanway parish, Winchcombe]
Churcham [Gloucester]
Churchdown [Gloucester]
Cirencester (Castle Street)
Cirencester (Criclet Sstreet)
Cirencester (Dollar Street)
Cirencester (Dyers street)
Cirencester (Gosditch Street)
Cirencester (Instrope Street)
Cirencester (St. Lawrence Street)
Clapton [in Ham and Stone parish, Berkeley]
Clapton [Stow on the Wold]
Clearwell [Forest of Dean]
Clifford Chambers [now Warwick., Stratford on Avon]
Clyston [north-west Bristol]
Coaley [Dursley]
Coates [Cirencester]
Cobberly [Cheltenham]
Coberley [Cheltenham]
Cold Aston [also Aston Blank, Bourton-on-the Water]
Colesbourne [Cheltenham]
Colford [Forest of Dean]
Coln Rogers [in Coln St Dennis parish, Northleach]
Coln St Aldwyns [Cirencester]
Coln St Denis [Northleach]
Combe [Chipping Campden]
Combe [in Wotton-under-Edge parish]
Compton [in Newent parish]
Compton Abdale [Northleach]
Compton Greenfield [South Glos., north of Bristol]
Corse [Newent]
Cow Honeybourne [now Worcs., Evesham]
Cowley [Cheltenham]
Cranham [Gloucester]
Cromall Abbots [South Glos., in cromall Parish]
Cromhall [South Glos.]
Cugley [in Newent parish]
Culkerton [Tetbury]
Daglingworth [Cirencester]
Deerhurst [Tewkesbury]
Deerhurst Walton [in Deerhurst parish, Tewkesbury]
Didbrook [in Stanway parish, Winchcombe]
Didmarton and Oldbury [Badminton]
Dixton [in Alderton parish, Winchcombe]
Dodington [South Glos., Chipping Sodbury]
Donnington [Stow on the Wold]
Dorsington [now Warwick., Stratford on Avon]
Doughton [in Tetbury Upton parish, Tetbury]
Doughton and Elmstree [in Tetbury Upton parish, Tetbury]
Dowdeswell [Andoversford]
Down Ampney [Cirencester]
Down Hatherley [Gloucester]
Doynton [South Glos., Pucklechurch]
Driffield [Cirencester]
Dumbleton [Worcs., Broadway]
Duntisbourne Abbots [Cirencester]
Duntisbourne Leer [in Duntisbourne Abbots parish, Cirencester]
Duntisbourne Rouse and Pinbury [Cirencester]
Dursley
Dymock [Newent]
Dyrham and Hinton [South Glos., Chipping Sodbury]
Eastington [Stonehouse]
Eastington [Stonehouse]
Eastleach Martin [Lechlade]
Eastleach Turville [Lechlade]
Ebrington and Hidcote [in Ebrington parish, Chipping Campden]
Edgeworth [Cirencester]
Elberton [South Glos., Thornbury]
Elkstone [Cheltenham]
Elmore [Gloucester]
Elmstree [in Tetbury Upton parish, Tetbury]
English Bicknor
Estington and Alkerton [Stonehouse]
Eston [north-west Bristol]
Etloe [in Awre parish, Lydney)
Etloe [in Awre parish, Lydney]
Evington [in Leigh parish, Gloucester]
Fairford
Falfield [South Glos., Wotton-under-Edge]
Farmcote [in Temple Guiting parish, Winchcombe]
Farmington [Northleach]
Fiddington and Natton [Tewkesbury]
Filton [South Glos.]
Flaxley [Dean]
Forthampton [Tewkesbury]
Frampton Cottrell [South Glos., near Bristol]
Frampton Mansell [in Sapperton parish, Stroud]
Frampton on Severn [Gloucester]
Fretherne [Gloucester]
Frocester [Stonehouse]
Gaunts Earthcott and the Lee [South Glos., in Almondsbury parish]
Gotherington [Bishops Cleeve]
Grafton [now Worcs., Evesham]
Great Badmington [South Glos.]
Great Barrington [in Barrington parish, Burford Oxon]
Great Rissington [Bourton-on-the Water]
Great Taynton [in Taynton parish, Newent]
Greet [in Winchcombe parish]
Gretton [Winchcombe]
Guiting Power [Winchcombe]
Hagloe [in Awre parish, Lydney]
Hailes [in Stanway parish, Winchcombe]
Halmore [Berkeley]
Ham [in Ham and Stone parish, Berkeley]
Ham and Hamfallow [Berkeley]
Hambrook [South Glos., near Bristol]
Hampnett [Northleach]
Hardwicke [Gloucester]
Hardwicke [in Elmstone Hardwicke parish, Cheltenham]
Harescombe [Gloucester]
Harescombe [Stroud]
Haresfield [Gloucester]
Harnhill [in Driffield parish, Cirencester]
Harrystoke [north Bristol]
Hartpury [Gloucester]
Hasfield [Gloucester]
Hatherop [Cirencester]
Hawkesbury [South Glos., Chipping Sodbury]
Hawling [Winchcombe]
Haydon and Withy Bridge [in Boddington parish, Cheltenham]
Hazleton [Northleach]
Hempsted [Gloucester]
Henbury [north Bristol]
Hewelfield [Dean]
Highnam, Over, Linton, Lassington and Highleadon [Gloucester]
Hill [Berkeley]
Hinton [Berkeley]
Hinton on the Green [now Worcs., Evesham]
Horfield [Bristol]
Horsley [Stroud]
Horton [South Glos., Chipping Sodbury]
Hucclecote [Gloucester]
Huntingford [South Glos., Wotton-under-Edge]
Huntley [Gloucester]
Iron Acton [South Glos., Yate]
Itchington [South Glos., in Tytherington parish, Thornbury]
Kemerton and Ashton on Carrant Tewkesbury)
Kempley [Newent]
Kempsford [Fairford]
Kilcot [in Newent parish]
Kings Stanley [Stonehouse]
Kings Stanley (Borough) [Stonehouse]
Kingscote [Tetbury]
Kingsweston [Bristol]
Kyntone and Rangeworthy
Lawrence Weston [South Glos., west of Bristol]
Lea [Ross, Hereford.]
Lechlade
Leckhampton [Cheltenham]
Leigh [Tewkesbury]
Lennington [Shipston-on-Stour]
Little Compton [now Warwick., Stratford on Avon]
Little Rissington [Bourton-on-the Water]
Little Sodbury [South Glos., Chipping Sodbury]
Little Taynton [in Taynton parish, Newent]
Little Wormington [Worcs., Broadway]
Littledean [Forest of Dean]
Littleton on Severn [South Glos., Almondsbury]
Long Marston [now Warwick., Stratford on Avon]
Longborough [Moreton in Marsh]
Longford [Gloucester]
Longhope [Gloucester]
Longney [Gloucester]
Lower Quinton [now Warwick., Stratford on Avon]
Lower Slaughter [Bourton-on-the Water]
Lower Swell [in Swell parish, Stow on the Wold]
Lydney
Maisemore [Gloucester]
Malswick [in Newent parish]
Mangotsfield [north-east Bristol]
Marshfield [South Glos., Chippenham]
Marston [now Worcs., Evesham]
Maugersbury [Stow on the Wold]
Meysey Hampton [Cirencester]
Mickleton [Chipping Campden]
Minchinhampton [Stroud]
Minety [now Wilts.]
Minsterworth [Gloucester]
Miserden [Stroud]
Mitcheldean [Forest of Dean]
Moreton [South Glos., Thornbury]
Moreton in Marsh
Moreton Valence [Gloucester]
Mythe and Mythe-Hooke [in Tewkesbury parish]
Nass [in Lydney parish]
Naunton [Bourton-on-the Water]
Naunton [Bourton-on-the Water]
Nether Lypiatt [in Thrupp parish, Stroud]
Newent
Newington Bagpath [Wotton under Edge]
Newland [Dean]
Newnham on Severn
North Cerney [Cirencester]
North Nibley [Dursley]
Northleach
Northway and Newtown [Tewkesbury]
Norton [Gloucester]
Notgrove [Andoversford]
Nympsfield [Stonehouse]
Oddington [Stow on the Wold]
Old Sodbury [South Glos., Badminton]
Oldbury [Thornbury]
Olveston [South Glos., Thornbury]
Over [South Glos. in Almondsbury parish, north of Bristol]
Over Quinton [now Warwick., Stratford on Avon]
Over Swell [in Swell parish, Stow on the Wold]
Owlpen [Dursley]
Oxenhall [Newent]
Oxenton [Tewkesbury]
Oxlynch [Stonehouse]
Paganhill [Stroud]
Painswick [Stroud]
Pamington [Tewkesbury]
Pauntley [Newent]
Pebworth [now Worcs., Evesham]
Pedington [in Ham and Stone parish, Berkeley]
Pilning and Severn Beach [South Glos., north of Bristol was Redwick and Northwick]
Pinnock Hyde and Ford [in Temple Guiting parish, Winchcombe]
Pitchcombe [Stroud]
Pitchcombe and Harescombe [Stroud]
Postlip [in Winchcombe parish]
Presbury [Cheltenham]
Preston [Cirencester]
Preston [Dymock]
Preston upon Stour [now Warwick., Stratford on Avon]
Pucklechurch [South Glos., Bristol]
Purton [in Lydney parish]
Putloe [in Moreton Valence parish, Gloucester]
Quedgeley [Gloucester]
Quenington [Fairford]
Quinton and Rodbrook [now Warwick., Stratford on Avon]
Rangeworthy [South Glos., Chipping Sodbury]
Rendcomb [Cirencester]
Rockhampton [South Glos., Berkeley]
Rodborough [Stroud]
Rodbrook [now Warwick., Stratford on Avon]
Rodmarton [Cirencester]
Ruaradean [Dean]
Ruddle [in Newnham on Severn parish]
Rudford [Newent]
Saintbury [Chipping Campden]
Salperton [Andoversford]
Sandhurst [Gloucester]
Sanford [in Cheltenham parish]
Saniger [in Hinton parish, Berkeley]
Sapperton [Stroud]
Saul [in Fretherne with Saul parish, Gloucester]
Sevenhampton [Andoversford]
Sevenhampton and Brockhampton [Andoversford]
Shenington [in Oxon.]
Sherborne [Northleach]
Shipton Moyne and Shipton Dorvel [Tetbury]
Shipton Oliffe and Sollars [Andoversford]
Shirehampton [South Glos., west of Bristol]
Shurdington [Cheltenham]
Siddington [Cirencester]
Sinwell [in Wotton-under-Edge parish]
Siston [South Glos., Bristol]
Slimbridge [Dursley]
Snowshill [Worcs., Broadway]
South Cerney [Cirencester]
Southam and Brockhampton
Southrop [Lechlade]
Southwick [Tewkesbury]
Spitalgate [in Cirencester parish]
St Briavels [Dean]
Stanly Pontlarge [in Presscott parish, Winchcombe]
Stanton [Worcs., Broadway]
Stapleton [north-east Bristol]
Staunton [Forest of Dean]
Staverton [Gloucester]
Steanbridge [in Painswick parish, Stroud]
Stinchcombe [Dursley]
Stoke Bishop [Bristol]
Stoke Gifford [South Glos., north of Bristol]
Stoke Orchard [Bishops Cleeve]
Stoke Orchard [Bishops Cleeve]
Stone [in Ham and Stone parish, Berkeley]
Stonehouse
Stow on the Wold
Stowick [in Henbury parish, north Bristol]
Stratton [Cirencester]
Sutton under Brailes [now Warwick., ]
Swindon [Cheltenham]
Syde [Cheltenham]
Tarlton [in Rodmarton parish, Cirencester]
Temple Guiting [Winchcombe]
Tetbury
Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury (Barton Street)
Tewkesbury (Church street)
The City of Gloucester (The East Ward)
The City of Gloucester (The North Ward)
The City of Gloucester (The South Ward)
The City of Gloucester (The West Ward – St Mary’s parish)
The City of Gloucester (The West Ward – St Nicholas parish)
The City of Gloucester (The West Ward – Trinity parish)
The City of Gloucester (The West Ward)
Thornbury [South Glos.]
Througham [in Bisley with Lypiatt parish, Stroud]
Tibberton [Newent]
Tidenham [Chepstow]
Tirley [Tewkesbury]
Tirley [Tewkesbury]
Tockington [South Glos., Almondsbury]
Toddington [Winchcombe]
Todenham [Moreton in Marsh]
Tormarton and Littleton [Badminton]
Tortworth [South Glos., Wotton-under-Edge]
Tredington [Tewkesbury parish]
Tufley [Gloucester]
Tunley [in Bisley with Lypiatt parish, Stroud]
Turkdean [Northleach]
Twigworth and Kingsholm [Gloucester]
Twyning [Tewkesbury]
Tytherington [South Glos., Thornbury]
Uckington [Cheltenham]
Uley [Dursley]
ulley [in Churcham parish, Gloucester]
Up Hatherley [Cheltenham]
Upleadon [Newent]
Upper Lypiatt [in Bisley with Lypiatt parish, Stroud]
Upper Slaughter [Bourton-on-the Water]
Upton [in Tetbury Upton parish, Tetbury]
Upton St Lonards, Matson and Stenbridge[?] [Gloucester]
Walton Cardiff [Tewkesbury]
Wanswell [in Hamfallow parish, Berkeley]
Wapley and Codrington [South Glos., in Almondsbury parish]
Washborne [in Dumbleton parish, Broadway]
Welford on Avon
Westall [in Cheltenham parish]
Westall and Sanford [in Cheltenham parish]
Westbury on Severn
Westbury on Severn (Adcet part of the manor of Rodley)
Westbury on Severn (Elton part of the manor of Rodley)
Westbury on Severn (Lower Ley)
Westbury on Severn (Northwood)
Westbury on Severn (Rodley)
Westbury on Severn (Upper Ley)
Westbury on Trym [north Bristol]
Westcote [Bourton-on-the Water]
Westerleigh [South Glos., east of Bristol]
Westington [Chipping Campden]
Westington and Combe [Chipping Campden]
Weston Subedge [Chipping Campden]
Westonbirt [Tetbury]
Whaddon [Gloucester]
Whitminster [Stonehouse]
Whittington [Andoversford]
Wick and Abson [South Glos., east of Bristol]
Wick Rissington [Bourton-on-the Water]
Wickwar (Borough) [South Glos.]
Wickwar (Foren)[?] [South Glos.]
Wickwicke [South Glos., in Frampton Cottrell parish, near Bristol]
Widford [now Oxon., Burford]
Willersey [Chipping Campden]
Williamstrip [in Coln St Aldwyns parish, Cirencester]
Winchcombe
Windrush [Northleach]
Winson [Cirencester]
Winstone [Cirencester]
Winterbourne [South Glos., Bristol]
Wishanger [in Miserden parish, Stroud]
Witcombe [Gloucester]
Withington [Cheltenham]
Wollaston [Lydney]
Woodchester [Stroud]
Woodmancote [Bishops Cleeve]
Woodmancote [in Dursley parish]
Woodmancote [in North Cerney parish, Cirencester]
Woolstone [in Oxenton parish, Tewkesbury]
Woolstrop [in Quedgeley parish, Gloucester]
Wortley [in Wotton-under-Edge parish]
Wotton-under-Edge
Yanworth [Northleach]
Yate [South Glos.]
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