Rounceval House Hotel
Rounceval House
Deeds housed at Gloucester Archives indicate that Rounceval House was first built in 1670. At this time the Steward of the Lord of the Manor, Daniel Burcombe, lived in the house. The Steward was also the Town Constable. It is thought that some form of dwelling was sited here as long ago as the Medieval Age.
It has long been believed that the word 'Rounceval' described the type of 'ladies' who were to be found in bygone years walking the streets at the top end of Chipping Sodbury. While the ladies in question may well have been known as 'Rounceval women' the actual street is believed to be named after the town of Roncevalles in the Pyrenees, Northern Spain.
Roncevalles comes from the French phrase 'Rounce Vaux' meaning brambly valley. A valley at Roncevalles was the site of a great battle, which took place in 778AD.
A similar but smaller valley along the river Frome can be found in Brook Street running below and adjacent to Rounceval Street. Brook Street formed part of the Pilgrim’s Way and the Salt Route from Droitwich.
In 1595 Rounceval Street was known as Rounsivalle Streete and is most likely named because of the Pilgrims who rested in Chipping Sodbury on their journey to Bristol to take a ship across the Bay of Biscay on route to Santiago de Compostella to visit the tomb of St James.
However it may well have been the owner of the borough who actually named Rounceval Street. Hugh Le Despenser and many of his immediate family made pilgrimages to Santiago in the 12th and 13th centuries.
One of the definitions of Rounceval is 'large'. At Roncevalles there is a museum said to house the bones of the great warriors who did battle in 778 and whose bones were 'large'. One is reported to have been over 7ft tall! (The Song of Roland)
Over time the meaning has been 'modified' and it is known that local residents have understood it to mean 'large robust lady' or even 'large robust loose women', hence the belief that Rounceval Street was once the red light district.
Other uses of the word all stem from Roncevalles. There are other places around the world using this name. Roncevalles Village in Toronto and Roncevalle in Poland to name but two.
St Mary of Rounceval in Charing Cross was responsible for organising travel for Pilgrims as long ago as the early 1400s. They grew peas in the gardens at St Mary's and as one variety was rather large it was christened as the 'Rounceval Pea' now more commonly known as the marrowfat pea.
It is well documented that Pilgrims began travelling to Santiago in the 11th Century and these journeys continue even today. Roncevalles was a key stop off point and one of the first towns where Pilgrims were made welcome. Augustine Monks at Roncevalles offered food and shelter and the town had many hostels and a hospital, specifically catering for the needs of travellers.
It is known that the town had links around Europe with hostels offering hospitality to Pilgrims. We wonder whether the site where Rounceval House Hotel now stands offered a similar service to Pilgrims travelling to Spain via Bristol.
Pilgrims made their trip to Santiago to seek forgiveness for their sins and the arduous journey was felt to be a suitable way of ensuring that they received a 'Rounceval Pardon'. In the thirteen and 1400’s it is known that many ladies were sent on a pilgrimage because of their 'misdeeds' and it maybe that this is another link to why Rounceval can also describe a 'loose women'.
Rounceval House became a private residence in the early 1700's and records show that Dr Leman owned the property from 1830. Dr Leman was a surgeon and his son became a General Practitioner. His family lived here up until 1953. In the late 1800's several local families became tenants of the Leman family. Descendants of some of these families still live in Chipping Sodbury to this day.
It is rumoured that at one stage prisoners were accommodated in our cellar overnight! The cellar still has bars at the window and what we think is a holding cell to house a prisoner. We can of course promise a much more pleasurable stay, unless of course you fancy a night in the cellar!!