Gloucester, on the east bank of the River Severn, is the county capital and important industrial center for the surrounding area. The main attractions are the Norman-Gothic cathedral, the burial place of King Edward II, and the historic 19th C port.
In Roman times Gloucester, known as Glevum, was an
important fortified town at a ford on the Severn guarding the road into Wales. It was one of four coloniae with special privileges, together with Colchester, Lincoln and York. The ending '-cester' comes from the Roman 'castrum', and the town's four streets meeting at right angles in the center reflect Roman planning. After the Norman Conquest Gloucester became the seat of a bishop and a favorite residence of Plantagenet kings, Henry III was crowned here in 1216 and Lady Jane Gray proclaimed Queen in 1553. The town gained political importance through the parliamentary meetings between 1378 and 1407 from which the separate sittings of the Lords and Commons developed, which typify England's two chamber parliamentary system. During the English Civil War the town withstood Royalist attacks for one month in 1643 but on capitulation was punished by the razing of the town walls. With the construction of the ship canal to Sharpness Gloucester became an important inland port and the numerous warehouses on the historic docks illustrate its former economic status. The modern harbor is situated outside the town center.
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