Abson, Gloucestershire

Burgums and Burghams of the "AA" family tree lived here, or nearby.

ABSON, a parish in the hundred of Pucklechurch, in the county of Gloucestershire. It is 8 miles northeast of Bristol. It is united with Wick and includes the hamlets of Holbrook and Bridge-Yate. Coal, iron, lead ore and lime were mined here.

Abson is a corruption of "Abbots Ton", which means a place belonging to the Abbot. In the 1500's the village is recorded as Abston. The Abbot in question was the Abbot of Glastonbury who was gifted the manor of Pucklechurch (which included Abson and other surrounding villages) following the murder of King Edmund in neighbouring Pucklechurch.

King Edmund I was the grandson of Alfred the Great but when his father, Edward the Elder, died he was too young to take the throne. That was taken by his half brother, Athelstan, who ruled foe 15 years. Edmund came the throne in 939 but his kingdom was under considerable threat. The Viking King Olaf Guthfrithson, who already was ruler of Dublin declared himself King of Northumbria and was set to take more of England. Edmund recaptured the Midlands in 942 and then Northumbia in 944. A year later he captured Strathclyde, but cleverly gave the territory to King Malcolm I of Scotland, thus creating a peace treaty and safe borders with Scotland. Edmund was murdered while celebrating St Augustine's Day mass at nearby Pucklechurch on 26th May 946. Two historians claimed he was killed by a common thief, but these stories were recorded about 200 years after Edmund's death. It is more likely he suffered a political assassination, but from whom, it is not known.

The church is at the centre of the village and dedicated to St James the Great, with it's churchyard and many graves. Roman coins, urns and bricks have been found in the vicinity.

Click here for the AA family tree

Click here for more about Abson Church and some of the Burgums who lived there.