The name of the Parish has been spelt in at least four different ways: and the earliest form appears to be Quidzoy derived from the name of the stream called the Qued which runs periodically through the village.

In 1137 Earl Milo Constable of Gloucester gave all the Tithes connected with the Church as a perpetual thank-offering to Almighty God, S. Mary, and the Canons of Llanthony, Gloucester and this settlement continued until the reign of Henry VIII, who dissolved the Monastery of Llanthony, and granted the Manor to Arthur Porter whose memorial brass is to be found in the Church; and laid a royal charge upon the living, which has only been released in 1928 by being bought out by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.

The inscription on the brass reads:

Nere this place lyeth buryed ye bodies of Fredeswid Porter and Mary Porter daughters to Arthur Porter Esquyer and Alys his Wyffe Ano MIVexxxii on whose soules and all cristen Jhu have mercy ame.

A furious lawsuit arose in connection with Arthur Porter, over a dispute as to whether the occupant of Field Court which stands near the church, should have the right to attend Quedgeley or Hardwicke Church. Field Court was inhabited by Robert de la Felde in the reign of Edward II. Possibly this is the origin of the name.

A very full account of the proceedings is to be found in Gloucestershire Notes and Queries, No. 75 and it is worth noting that the dispute arose because one Richard Barrowe, who lived at Field Court, was accustomed to come to Quedgeley Church with his wife and family and servants to worship in the Chappell of Our Lady in the said Church; and while he was kneeling at his prayers one Nicholas Arnold, and diverse other persons, did come, upon a certain Sunday in June; and by force and strength pulled the said Richard from his place – which was regarded as the seat of Arthur Porter and finally did pluck him out of the Church by both ears – while the said Arthur Porter tide a dogge to his seat that he should not come back again.

The case was tried in the Court of the Star Chamber in London; but the result seems to have been lost. It is a significant fact that this brawl in the Church took place between 9.0 and 10.0 o’clock in the morning, when the Priest was saying his office of Matyns, which he would have been doing before the Celebration of Holy Communion, as is the Church’s rule today.

The names of ministers are recorded from 1210 . The title of these Ministers is variously given as Chaplain, Vicar and Rector: and it is interesting to be able to record at least two men connected with Quedgeley came to be Ordained William of Quedgeley, Sub-Deacon in 1283, Ordained Deacon in 1290 and Priest in 1320, and appointed Minister to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital (Gloucester).

In 1608 the Manor was bought by Sir William Dodington, who built a convenient house for the Minister and would have left the property to his son to succeed him – but the son ran his mother through the body with a sword and so could not inherit it. In 1666 a collection was made for the lamentable Fire of London. In 1683 an Act was passed that Quedgeley Rectory belongeth to the Right Hon. Talbot, Earl of Sussex.

There have been a great variety of Patrons of the Living, which until quite recently was a donative which gave the Patron the right to nominate to the Living without the Bishop having to Institute the Incumbent. And amongst many names of the Patrons are found the Dukes of Manchester and the Earl of Warwick.

Some of the conditions under which the Incumbent lived have an interest of their own. At one time he could claim 2 eggs from every hen in the Parish, and 3 eggs for every cock; the eggs to be collected on Good Friday, and presented on Easter Day: he could further claim 2 pence from every Communicant; one penny for every white cow; one penny for every barrel of cider; and a proportion of all apples and pears picked. In connection with this, a curious case is mentioned of one Vicar named Pierre Louis Bons, who charged a Mr Hayward with having two litters of pigs and picking apples and pears without payment. The bodies of Pierre Louis Bons and John Makepeace lie buried beneath the Altar in the Church. Another curious custom that existed was the right of the Incumbent to one calf if a man had 10; and if a man killed the fatted calf for his own use, the Incumbent could claim the left shoulder.

Amongst other incidents of historical interest may be mentioned the visit of Henry VIII and Queen Anne Boleyn, who were met at Quedgeley by the Burghers of Gloucester; and tradition states that Queen Anne slept at Read’s Farm, which is now appropriately called Queen Anne’s Private Hotel. It also appears that a Bible seems to have been given to the Church on this occasion; though, if so, it seems to have disappeared. In 1549 land was given, the rent of which was to repair the chalice for carrying Holy Water, for the yearly sum of 8d. Land had already been granted, the rent of which was to buy salt to make the Holy Water. In 1553 a man named Sheale was publicly excommunicated in the Church for failing in his purgation. In 1563 the Parishioners were bidden to buy a carpet for the Communion Table. In 1572 and 1662 an Episcopal Visitation took place, to which, amongst others, School-masters were summoned; and an Arch-episcopal Visitation is mentioned in 1576. In that year, 1576, Queen Elizabeth I made a grant of land in Quedgeley to John Karnham, the rent of which was being used to find a light burning on the Altar, and before the Image of St. James. The strip of land appears to have been called the Lampe land. What has happened to the Image of St. James is not recorded, but is quite time that it was returned to its rightful place in the church.

The above was written by H. E. Hadow, Rector and was priced at 3d. with the proceeds going to Church Funds.