"The Diary Of A Cotswold Parson", from 1820 and 1852, reveals the world of the English parson to us and throws new light on a fascinating period of social history. It was just before the railways made travel much faster, yet it is astonishing how well the Reverend F.E. Witts manages 25 miles from his rectory in Upper Slaughter to Gloucester on his horse or in his carriage. Witts was a shrewd observer and notices how the fashionable world behaves as he passes through Cheltenham, and how the building of the town progresses. His work at Gloucester brought him into contact with some interesting historical figures, and the diary enables us to form a more rounded picture of various famous names, such as the inventor of the smallpox vaccine, Dr Edward Jenner, and Bishop Monk.

Volume editor: David Verey