Gloucester
Lowest Severn crossing, strategic since pre-Roman era. Cathedral has world's first fan vaulting (1351). First female diocesan bishop 2015. Gloster Meteor jet fighter built here. Tourism: £246M in 2023.
Gloucester controls the lowest crossing of the River Severn—a strategic position that made it valuable before the Romans arrived and kept it valuable ever since. Iron working existed before the Norman Conquest. A royal residence and mint operated before 1066. The city's first charter came from Henry II in the 12th century; city status was confirmed in 1605.
The cathedral originated in an abbey founded in 681 and was rebuilt starting in 1089. The cloisters contain the earliest surviving fan vaults in England (1351-1377)—described as 'the first and best example of fan vaulting in the world.' In 2015, Rachel Treweek was installed as bishop—the first woman to hold a diocesan bishopric in Church of England history.
The docks made Gloucester Britain's most inland port. A 16-mile ship canal, completed in 1827, connected the city to Sharpness in the Severn estuary. Grain, timber, and wine imports fed industries including flour mills, timber yards, and engineering works. Aircraft production arrived in the 1920s; the Gloster Meteor, Britain's first operational jet fighter, was built here.
Today tourism drives growth. Visitors spent £246 million in 2023, with a third going to shops and another third to restaurants. The Victorian warehouse docks have been converted to museums, restaurants, and apartments. The cathedral and Harry Potter connection (filming locations) draw visitors.
By 2026, Gloucester tests whether a city built on crossing points can thrive when physical crossings matter less.