ABSTRACT
In Gloucester, and especially in Worcester, the period before 1200 saw the greater churches make a distinct contribution to the physical character of the developing town. As far and away the greatest landlords of their towns, their ability to influence the developing character of the urban environment at the level of the individual plot or property was unparallelled. The rental of all the houses in Gloucester made in 1455, for instance, shows the three great religious houses of the town as the immediate owners of some 250 properties. In 1086 the Bishop of Worcester had 90 houses in the city pertaining to his manor of Northwick, of which 45 were retained in his demesne and owed suit of court and 45 were held by other lords. By the time of the Reformation the cathedral priory had built up a substantial estate within Worcester of houses and other properties that were let by lease or by other renewable tenure.
