Return to Sheaf Name Study
My grandmother was born in the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire. The Cotswolds is a region in central South West England, along a range of rolling hills that rise from the meadows of the upper River Thames to an escarpment above the Severn Valley, Bath and Evesham Vale. In 1966 it was designated an area of outstanding natural beauty. The name Cotswold is popularly believed to mean the "sheep enclosure in rolling hillsides". Areas of the Cotswolds reach into several modern day English Counties - Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset and Wiltshire.
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| Views of the Cotswolds from near Rollright |
Villages in the region are characterized by homes made of a golden, yellow limestone, which gives the buildings a warm glow. [1]
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| Yellow stone buildings in Blockley |
The Sheaf family first appear in this region in the village of Cleeve Prior From there the family spread across the region, with large clusters at Bidford on Avon, and Cow Honeybourne, the birthplace of my grandmother.
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| Honeybourne Manor Farmhouse |
The earliest known Sheaf ancestor in this region is Thomas Sheaf. One theory is that this Thomas is the son of Alexander Sheafe of Cranbrook, who moved to the region from the county of Kent, in the south east of England. The Sheaf family there were heavily involved in the cloth trade, so it does seem possible that they might have expanded into the Cotswolds to raise good quality fleeces. There is however, no paper trail evidence. The only thing that supports the old family story is that the DNA on that side of the family shows a very strong connection to populations in the county of Kent. Maybe one day we will know more!
Sources
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Cotswolds," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cotswolds&oldid=1202193343 (accessed February 19, 2024).
