Extract
from the Stoke Orchard and Tredington Parish Council website. For the full text please follow this link.
The Modern History of the Parish of Stoke Orchard and Tredington starts in 1935 when the rural Parish of Stoke Orchard and the rural Parish of Tredington were joined under the combined heading of the Parish of Stoke Orchard. Historically, Tredington had been known for fine farming and Stoke Orchard more for its industry based in the main for Cider production.
In 1939, with the outbreak of the 2nd World War, Stoke Orchard was identified by the Government War Department, as a potential site for flying training. The airfield became a fully functional R.A.F. station - R.A.F. Stoke Orchard in 1941. The Gloster Aircraft Company realised the potential of Stoke Orchard as a site for aircraft production Accordingly, two Dispersal Factory units (Numbers 39 and 40) were erected building mainly Typhoon and Hurricanes.
At the end of the war “40” became the West of England Distribution centre for Tate and Lyle Sugar Corporation. Cheltenham Rural District Council took over the site with its “prefab homes” as an emergency housing estate - “The Park” -with grocery store, licensed club and child welfare unit.
After the Nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947, factory unit number “39” was identified by the nationalised Coal Board as their preferred site for the National Coal Board Research Station – later the Coal Research Establishment (CRE).
In the 1960’s , the Parish was cut in two by the construction of the M5, the erection of a power Line, building a water main and a new Natural gas mains framework. Additional gas main and water main have been laid since.
Residential development between 2005 to 2009 had been continuing in Stoke Orchard with between 10 and 25 houses in Dean Lane on an infill, farm yard redevelopment and general development basis and some small infill, some barn conversions and a small 5 unit redundant farmyard development in Tredington.
In 2009, the Parish Council, working with the then Land Development company who had bought the CRE site, started work on a scheme that would make residential redevelopment of the CRE site sustainable. It meant that the Parish Council - under the then Localism Bill - could take the responsibility for the Development and have a large input into the design of the estate and of the units themselves and take on a shop, a Mini bus and a Community Centre, the Public Open Space complete with a MUGA and a LEAP.
On the 1st November 2014, the Parish Council received the keys to the Shop and the Community Centre. The Orchard Development actually filled a need to join the Village which historically had always been split in two halves as the original Village had two Manor Houses and functioned under two defined Manorial units.
Further residential developments in the Banady Lane area have been completed.
It was around this time that the Parish Council decided to include Tredington in the Parish Title.
Both villages are home to 12th century churches, St James the Great in Stoke Orchard - known for its 28 medieval wall paintings and St John the Baptist in Tredington, known for its medieval stone benches, wooden tower and an ichthyosaurus fossil.
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