The folktale of Maude’s elm is a story of cruelty and injustice. Time has blurred the edges of reality and as the story was passed mostly by word of mouth gaining a degree of exaggeration and embellishment along the way. Norman’s History of Cheltenham, by John Goding is one of the earliest and best narratives of the legend and Tony McKormack also provides a very good more recent account.
The Darling of the Village
In the village of Swindon not far from the town of Cheltenham there a lived a young girl called Maude. She was regarded by everyone as the belle of the village and very much loved by all the villagers. Her mother’s name was Margret Bowen. She and her daughter lived in a cottage, now known as Maude’s Cottage, with Margret’s brother, Godfrey Bowen. Maude and her mother earned their living by spinning wool which was sold in the nearby town of Cheltenham.
Maude Goes Missing
One morning Maude had set off to sell some spun wool in Cheltenham but failed to return by nightfall. Her worried mother, frantic with fear, raised the alarm amongst the villagers who formed a search party. It was a black night and the villagers finding no trace of Maude in the darkness were forced to give up. At dawn the search party resumed the hunt for the girl. Read more
The Darling of the Village
In the village of Swindon not far from the town of Cheltenham there a lived a young girl called Maude. She was regarded by everyone as the belle of the village and very much loved by all the villagers. Her mother’s name was Margret Bowen. She and her daughter lived in a cottage, now known as Maude’s Cottage, with Margret’s brother, Godfrey Bowen. Maude and her mother earned their living by spinning wool which was sold in the nearby town of Cheltenham.
Maude Goes Missing
One morning Maude had set off to sell some spun wool in Cheltenham but failed to return by nightfall. Her worried mother, frantic with fear, raised the alarm amongst the villagers who formed a search party. It was a black night and the villagers finding no trace of Maude in the darkness were forced to give up. At dawn the search party resumed the hunt for the girl. Read more
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