Brandon Hill was granted to the council in 1174 by the Earl of Gloucester and was used for grazing until 1625 when it became a public open space, possibly the oldest municipal open space in the country. Before the Reformation, a hermitage and chapel dedicated to the Irish saint Brendan stood at the summit of the hill, in which a series of hermits lived between 1314 and 1480, including the anchoress Lucy de Newchurch.
Brandon Hill was bestowed upon the council in 1174 by the Earl of Gloucester and was utilized for grazing until 1625, when it transformed into a public open area, possibly the oldest municipal open space in the nation. Before the Reformation, a hermitage and chapel dedicated to the Irish saint Brendan stood at the summit of the hill, housing a series of hermits between 1314 and 1480, including the anchoress Lucy de Newchurch.