Hucclecote has been settled since ancient times, and a Roman villa dating from the second or third century AD has been found at Hucclecote. Later, Hucclecote was a hamlet in the ancient parish of Churchdown, and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Hucclecote was a small village until development began prior to the outbreak of World War II in 1939. Development was halted during the war and the area was bombed by the Luftwaffe due to the aircraft factories and other industrial facilities in the area, which were originally within the boundary of Brockworth. Due to redistricting, the airfield from which the world's first jet fighter, the Gloster Meteor, took off for test flights is now within the boundary of Hucclecote. The area bordering Brockworth is currently undergoing redevelopment, with the derelict land that formerly housed the airfield and factory having made way for Coopers Edge, a housing development of 1,900 homes, as well as shops and a school. The nearby Gloucester Business Park currently has a Tesco Supermarket, a Premier Inn, and many office buildings, with restaurants and other retail facilities currently being added. Ermin Way through Hucclecote was a major trunk route until the construction of the Brockworth Bypass in 1995. Until the construction of the Severn Bridge in 1966, this was a strategic route from the south of England to south Wales, as the lowest bridge crossing of the River Severn was at Gloucester. Hucclecote is split into two parts; with the dividing line being the M5 Motorway bridge. The part to the west of the bridge, and thus closest to Gloucester, is the larger part, and falls under Gloucester City Council, while to the east of the bridge, the Parish of Hucclecote is part of Tewkesbury Borough Council. The Parish of Hucclecote has considered changing its name in recent times, to reflect its identity as a separate part of Hucclecote. Possible names for this "new" village have included Whittlesfield, after Frank Whittle, who invented the jet engine that powered the aeroplane that took off from the airfield, and Pineholt, which had been used to describe a small part of the area before a housing estate more than doubled the Parish's size in the late 1990s. As of 2011, interest has started to build to change the name formally to Pineholt, to separate the area from Hucclecote.
Origin of the name 'Hucclecote'
Possibly, though very doubtfully, Hucclecote derives from Welsh: 'Uchel'+'coed' = high wood. The Celtic meaning for the name 'Hucclecote' is 'tall trees, lofty woods'. A "cote" is: A small shed or shelter for sheep or birds. cote
During the floods of Summer 2007, Hucclecote escaped the damage on the scale that afflicted other parts of Gloucester. However, on Friday 20 July 2007, a few roads were submerged, which prevented access to many homes, and were blocked off by the Police. During the period, many homes were without water for two weeks, and some were also without electricity. The Dinglewell area was badly affected, with one house receiving 18" of brook water throughout the lower floors. It was nearly a year before the damage was finally repaired and the house could be lived in properly again.
Amenities
Hucclecote has many locally owned shops and two pubs; The Royal Oak and The Wagon & Horses, both operated by national chains. There's also the Community Centre Club Bar. National brands such as The Co-operative and Lloyds Pharmacy have branches in the village. There are three schools in Hucclecote: Hillview primary school and Dinglewell Infants and Juniors. In 2018, over 10,000 visitors are expected to the Hucclecote Show, a fayre held in George V playing fields and run by the Hucclecote Community Association.
