Cotswold Oddities

There's more to the Cotswolds than just beautiful scenery, including some things that are a little bit unusual...

Yes, yes: We know the Cotswolds are unique: the golden stone; the architecture; the babbling streams, the historic village churches… Of course we do!
But there are stranger reasons, too, as to why this region can claim to be unlike any other. And here’s a trio, each with an associated site you can visit.

The Uley Gorilla

Wander around the village of Uley, set in a wooded valley below the Cotswold escarpment, and you’ll enjoy a delightful walk without coming across anything particularly startling… Today, that is.
Yet that’s not always been the case. For this little settlement – between Stroud and Dursley - harbours a story that’s as moving as it’s true.

It starts with a chap named Major Rupert Penny, whom we find visiting the London department store of Derry & Toms. It was Christmas 1918, and Major Penny was clearly a last-minute shopper. Perhaps he was running out of ideas when he happened on the pet section: there, sad and unwell, was a baby lowland gorilla, on sale for £300. (This was no pair-of-socks-type purchase: think £25,000 in today’s money.)

Care of this little creature was handed to Rupert’s young aunt, Miss Alyce Cunningham, who had a house in London, and a rural home on the Green at Uley. Here, John Daniel – as he was named – enjoyed the life of a country gent. He loved playing with the village children – and, even more, enjoying a tipple at the Old Crown pub opposite his home. Uley Society archives still have photographs of him, including one where he’s being wheeled in a barrow by his pals.

Sadly, when this urbane gorilla reached 13 stone, Alyce could no longer cope. (Spoiler: stop reading here, if you want a happy ending.) She thought she had found him a happy next home; in fact, John Daniel had been bought by Barnum & Bailey Circus as an exhibit. He died of a broken heart soon after. His preserved body is on display at the American Museum of Natural History, New York.

The first person in Britain killed by a tiger

There’s a somewhat unexpected tombstone in Malmesbury Abbey churchyard, which tells of an exotic (and another tragic) encounter of an animal kind.

Hannah Twynnoy was a barmaid who worked, in the 1700s, at Malmesbury pub the White Lion. Hannah was beyond thrilled (life probably was reasonably dull for a barmaid in those days) when a travelling menagerie stopped for refreshments. The animals – including a tiger – were stationed in the back yard; and Hannah was mesmerised. Despite warnings from the keeper, she wouldn’t leave the tiger alone… culminating in her managing to release him from his cage: more of a bonus for the tiger than for Hannah, unfortunately.

The (allegedly) last man to be killed in a duel in England

Still on a graveyard theme (apologies), we move to Stroud, where the parish church of St Laurence – off The Shambles – is an oasis of calm within the town centre. One particular grave, however, hides a turbulent story: 

'Here lie the remains of Joseph Francis Delmont, Lieutenant, of his Majesty’s 82nd Regiment, born 28th November 1785, died 18th August 1807.'

In other words, the lad was but 21 years old when he breathed his last. Joseph lived at a time when England was at war with France, stationed in Stroud with a small band of fellow soldiers. He was particularly friendly with an Irish officer named Benjamin Heazle.

On the evening of August 14, the two men went for a stroll just out of town. For reasons lost in the mists of time, a fierce argument ensued, leading to a duel. In a field not far from Beeches Green, Delmont waited for the command, ‘Fire!’ Heazle did not: as Delmont was turning round, he took a bullet. To be fair to Heazle, he rushed to find a surgeon, before fleeing on foot to Cirencester. The miscreant finally made his escape to the West Indies, but died shortly afterwards. 

In some of his final words, Delmont expressed sorrow for his parents, who’d already lost a son in a duel in Malta. He died four days later: allegedly the last man to be killed in a duel in England. 

You can read more about Stroud’s past on the history boards dotted around the town.