From the Domesday Book 0f 1086. The Saxon Chronicle records that in 1085 "at Gloucester at Midwinter ...... the King had deep speech with his counselors .... and sent men all over England to each shire .... to find out .... what or how much each landowner held ... in land and livestock, and what it was worth ... ". Badgeworth is mentioned in The Doomsday Book.

One of the original Lords of the manor was William of Eu, Count of Eu second son of Count Robert of Eu, which is in the Department of Seine-Maritime, France. He rebelled against William Rufus in 1088 and in 1094 and was charged with treason in 1096, was blinded and castrated and probably died soon after. The First time he rebelled he got away with it, the second time he was not so lucky, and although it seems that he was dealt with extremely harshly, we have to remember that these were harsh times, and The King had to show that anyone who got out of line would be dealt with accordingly. Failure to do so would result in total loss of control.

In the 12th Century, Henry II (1166) Peter Bubb and Walter Bubb owned between them two Knights Fees in Dorset, (Melbury Bubb a parish in the Dorchester district of Dorset, under Bubb Down, a wooded eminence 1 3/4 miles north east of Evershot, near Sherbourne in Dorset. There is also a Bubb Down Farm nearby. .

July 1250. Ricardi Bubba, bought land from The Elenosinar of St Nicholas of Exeter. Two acres next the highway that goes towards Exeter (Devon), two acres next the road from Rennen to Mateford, and 20 Perches of meadow next to his yard.

1250, Pagan Bubb and Alice Bubb , son and daughter of Alured Bubb, were involved in the transfer of some land which Alured had bought from the heirs of Aedroi Golde. At Westgate in Exeter

Bubb owned The Manor of Bentham, - tempo Edward VI 1547.

1557, 8th August. William Bubb of Bentham, contributed 6s 8d, towards the raising of 40 soldiers (Gloucester Corporation Records)

When Henry the VIII and Anne Boleyn, visited Upton St Leonards in 1532, (Apparently there was plague in Bristol at that time, and possibly in other cities so he was not keen on going into the cities !) William Bubb of Bentham sent an Ox as his contribution to the feast. At that time the following verses were written:

  Elizabeth Bubb of Bentham. Will 1655, was wife of Thomas Bubb of Bentham, (d. 16.12.1615) This lady must have been quite a character; For 40 years after her husbands death, she continued to run the Manor and farm at Bentham, At that time Bentham was described in Gloucester Corporation records as "a fair tiled house, pigeon house and barn, (all tiled) beast house etc., also two cottages, also Stoneybridge field, Standish field, Ashridge, Elm Bridge, a ground called Cope Hill, also Boardley, Dole Meadow and Overley field."

When she died, in her will amongst many other interesting gifts, she left £100 to her daughter Grace, and £149 to another daughter, Alice. This was a considerable sum of money in those days. Unfortunately, some parts of the will cannot be deciphered. But it is very clear from her will, that Bentham was left to her younger son Jasper, and her eldest son William got an allowance of £20 a year until his death.

Now William was married to Judith Buck of Minchinhampton, and had three children; It was usual in those days for the estate to be left to the eldest son, so we can infer from Elizabeth's will that either she did not consider her eldest son competent to run the estate or perhaps by that time he was physically incapable due to ill health. This may well be the case as at the time of her will William is mentioned as "lodging" in a "chamber" in a house in Bentham owned by Elizabeth.

Apparently by the time of her death, Elizabeth Bubb held the title of "Dame". In those days this was a title given to women who were admitted to the Order of Chivalry at the level of Knights of any degree. It was apparently also used as comparable with "Lord" when the woman concerned was the head of the household. Her bed is now in Cheltenham Museum. (Use the back button on your browser to return to this page)

The Plague known as the Black Death visited England again in 1655 and 1656, this was one of many visits during the middle ages. Millions died, whole villages were wiped out. Commonly supposed to have been brought by the fleas on black rats from Europe, there is now some doubt in the minds of today's experts that this was actually the case.

William Bubb, (Mercer), second son of Thomas Bubb of Bentham (Will 1574), was twice Sheriff of Gloucester. There is a Monument to him in St Michael's Church Glos. Died 4th October 1627.

I have an old photograph of a very old oil painting in poor condition. I believe this is known as a "Journeyman Painting". This is, I am told, William Bubb, Sheriff, dressed in all his robes, and with a Medallion of Office. There is a Coat of Arms (badly faded) in the top left corner of the painting. I have not had the opportunity to investigate whether the original painting still exists somewhere. Can anybody tell me if it does ?

The Arms of Bubb are given in a Book -General History of The World- published by Browne in 1721, now in The British Museum, with the inscription "Thomas Bubb of London Gent."This Coat of Arms was assigned to Thomas Bubb of Bristol in 1653 by The College of Arms, But no pedigree showing the accession of the arms was entered. Thomas Bubb was the younger son of William Bubb of Bentham. .

On Sept. 19th 1734 William Bubb, eldest surviving son of William Bubb of Barnwood & Bentham emigrated to Jamaica at the age of 19 years. But my records indicate that he married Mary (Surname unknown) , who was born in 1756, So he was 41 years older then her ! They had 6 children the first two are recorded as being born in 1777, were they twins ? both died young, the first at 18, the other the following year at 19. Their third child, a son lived to 46. Their fourth child died at 31, and their fifth child at age 7.

Only their sixth child lived to a reasonable age, This was William Bubb of Whitley Court, which Google tells me is at Upton St Leonards, very close to Bentham. He lived to 74. But he was born in 1791, when his father would have been 76 years old ! and his mother only 35. As we have records of these children, he must have returned to this country still a single man,and decided to marry and start his family at that time His first child was born when he was 62 years old !

Quite an age to start a family, especially with a Girl only 19/20 years old. Did he make his fortune in Jamaica ? I do n't sup pose we shall ever know, A fascinating story seems to lie behind these simple records; And what heart- break for a young woman married to a man old enough to be her Grandfather to outlive all her six children except for two. One of whom died within 12 months of his mother.

My Great Great Grandfather , Anthony Bubb of Witcombe (1803-1878), Kept a diary from the age of about eight, until his death at the age of seventy five. Unfortunately I do not know what happened to the original documents. However I have a copy of extracts from this diary. It seems to be mostly a "Farmers Diary" in which he detailed not only the weather, but also rainfall, and temperatures, when he planted, the type of crops, and when he harvested. (Because it is a unique historical record: The Ministry of Agriculture asked for a copy some years ago.)

In 1851, he is recorded as farming 180 acres, and having a Groom and a Maid living at the farm. It's a fascinating snapshot of a farmers life in the 1800's ...... How he had time to keep a diary, I do n't know, as he also had 12 children !