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Introduction
A pretty town with an attractive High Street although there is some blight from modern intrusion.
Wotton was created a borough in 1252 and grew prosperous on the wool trade.
The first appearance of Wotton in records is in a Saxon royal charter of AD 940 when King Edmund of Wessex leases to the thegn Edric four hides of the land in Wudetun.
Isaac Pitman was told that because of his religious beliefs he could be expected to be "hunted out of town like a mad dog".
More Adey, a friend of Oscar Wilde claimed to be squire of Wotton, and spent much time looking for treasure in Under-the-Hill House.
There are some fine 17th century almshouses and an interesting church.
The names below have been transcribed from E.S. Lindley's book 'Wotton Under Edge. Men and Affairs of a Cotswold Wool Town.' I have restricted them to pre census as the Census records are available on-line.

Family Names
 

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Wotton-under-Edge Subsidy Roll 1327
These surnames are taken from the Subsidy Roll of 1327, the record of those liable to pay lay subsidy taxes that were levied on the more prosperous citizens.
Almondsbury, Aure, Axepod, Bakere, Berkeleye, Berleye, Bernard, Bonde, Bradeleye, Brevel, Broke, Brounygne, Caumvylle, Chepmen, Chepstouwe, Chirche, Combe, Cronnoke, Duynysshe, Dyeare, Edus, Geffrey, Godard, Fallewelle, Hall,  Heysgogge, Hayward, Heynes, Hokesforde, Holdare, Hore, Howes, Hulle, Josep, Kyngestone, Latyn, Mulleward, Pavey, Plomer, Pycard, Pydus, Pynnoke, Reman, Sake, Saundres, Shephirde, Skay, Slydewine, Smythe, Snyte, Styward, Vicory, Warderobe, Welle, Wese, Wynegod.

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Incumbents of Wotton-under-Edge
The oldest fabric of the church is thirteenth century but the foundation of St Mary the Virgin is considerably older. In 1154 a "person ecclesia de Wotton" witnessed a deed so the church was certainly in existence by then.
 
 

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Monuments in the Church
The church has some fine monuments and brasses, the best known being the table tomb of Thomas IV Berkely and his wife Margaret. She was the daughter of Gerard Warren, Lord de Lisle. She married Thomas when he was fifteen and she was seven.
Margaret died in 1392 aged thirty and Thomas died in 1417.
The following descriptions of the monuments is taken from Rudders' A New History of Gloucestershire published in 1779.
'Upon a large monument of white marble, are the following inscriptions.'
 

'On a large marble pryamidal monument are the two following inscriptions, written by the side of each other.'

This monument was erected by Thomas Nelmes' daughter Mary Smart and was executed by T. Paty of Bristol: he was one of a family of statuaries and was responsible for the carvings on the Bristol Royal Exchange, and of themonuments in the Redland Chapel.

Rudder also notes monuments for:
~William Adey, died 1765 aged 67
~Thomas Rouse, died 1737 aged 63
~Mary Blagdon, died 1761 aged 75
~Robert Web, died 1662 aged 74
~William Adey, died 1763 aged 39
~Richard Osbourne, died 1742 aged 51
~Thomas Veel, died 1658 aged 24
~Edward Gregory, died 1738 aged 62.
The Mary Blagdon monument is attributed to the notable sculptor Sir Henry Cheere (1703-81) who was responsible for many monuments in Wesminster Abbey.

Mayors of Wotton-under-Edge
The following lists note name, date and, where known, the occupation of the mayor.

1570 -1675
 

1676 - 1725
 
 

1726 - 1779
 
 

1780 - 1829