Teddington, Gloucestershire

Teddington is a village and parish in Gloucestershire, England.

There is also a Teddington in Middlesex.

The village boasts an ancient church that is thought to be over 1000 years old. The interior wall has a partially faded mural of The Lion and the Unicorn that may date from the 17th century.

The village has a population of less than 300, of which the majority are professional commuters and elderly pensioners. It has an archaic water pump, a village hall and some property dating from the 18th century and earlier. Nearby is the "Teddington Hands" pub, the name of which refers to the crossroads sign that was renovated as part of the 2000 Millennium celebrations. Opposite the pub and outside a Texaco service station is a standing stone of purportedly mystical significance and is believed to be over 2000 years old.

In recent years, the village has been host to a murder in 1993 where a male resident, who worked as a computer analyst, killed his wife and two children, before killing himself two days later. There are two tombstones in the church graveyard that mark the murder.

Teddington was rumoured to have been founded by a traveller who was fond of making drinks. He wanted to open a pub in an area of flourishing population so that he would get lots of business. Finally he sought out a town but with very little people, but still he decided to stay and ask if the people there would help him build his tavern. The inhabitants agreed and they built the bar. After the structure was completed the people thought that it was such a magnificent building that they named the area,Teddington – as was the mans last name- and the name of the pub,Teddington Hands as it had been made from scratch with the makers’ bare hands. Of course there are thousands of rumours and stories of how it was founded but this is one of the most believeable. However the Teddington Hands Inn was originally known as The Cross hands Inn and the name change only took place in the late 1980s after construction of the Teddington Hands Roundabout which realigned the Stow Road away from the side of the premises due to a high volume of serious road traffic accidents. The area gets its name from the historic fingerpost which formerly stood at the crossroads but now stands adjacent to the entrance to the pub. The finger post is a listed structure.

During the second world war an American military base was in the field to the rear of the pub and Joe Louis the heavyweight boxer fought an exhibition match in the field and all the surrounding villagers were invited. Glen Miller also entertained troops in an adjacent field and visited the pub for refreshments prior to going to Cheltenham to perform a further concert. The following day he left from a nearby airfield and was never seen again. So The Teddington Hands Inn is possibly the last pub Glen Miller ever visited.

The villages of Teddington and Alstone, separated by the tiny hamlet of Bengrove lie in gently rolling countryside near the foot of the Cotswold escarpment, almost equidistantly from the Towns of Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and Evesham. Each a distinct community but their close proximity to each other and their small size - a combined adult population of almost 330 - .mean that the people who live here join together for social occasions and religious observances. Many of the close personal friendships forged as a result have prove long and lasting.

Teddington and Alstone now lie in the diocese of Worcestershire, although they have been part of Gloucestershire since 1932, falling within the borough and Parliamentary constituency of Tewkesbury. Please visit the Teddington and Alstone Parish Council website below.

The existence of this parish began when the standing stone was founded and was thought to bring good-natured happenings and luck. Travellers came in to the area looking to see the stone until there was a whole community of travellers and settlers. After a few years there were thriving businesses and schools worthy for education of children. Even today people moving house or coming into retirement like to travel to Teddington for its famous brews and the “mystical significance” of the standing stone.

External links

* [http://www.TeddingtonHands.com/ Teddington Hands Inn website]
* [http://www.teddingtonandalstone.org.uk/ Teddington and Alstone Parish Council website]