Nympsfield

Nympsfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Gloucestershire. It is located around six miles south-west of the town of Stroud. As well as Nympsfield village, the parish also contains the hamlet of Cockadilly.

Nympsfield is on the path of a former Roman road, which ran from Cirencester to Arlingham. The village has a pub, the Rose and Crown, a working mans club, both Catholic and church of England churches and a Catholic primary school.

Nearby Woodchester Mansion, an unfinished gothic mansion, has always been associated with the village, as Nympsfield's history of Catholicism tied it to the Leigh family, who built the mansion. Parking is just outside the village and a free minibus to the mansion is operated by volunteers on days when it is open to the public.

Coaley Peak picnic site is around half a mile from the village. The Tudor Owlpen Manor and Hetty Pegler's Tump (a neolithic long barrow) are also nearby.

Nympsfield is the home of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Gliding Club.

Etymology
The name 'Nympsfield' is a mix of Celtic and Old English, meaning 'Open land by the holy place'. The Celtic element of the name is nimet (holy place), and the Old English element is feld (field, open space).

The earliest known recording of the village was as Nymdesfelda in 862 AD. In the Domesday Book, the settlement was recorded as Nimdesfelde.