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 designated for the council in 1174 by the Earl of Gloucester and functioned as a grazing area until 1625, when it transformed into a public park, possibly the oldest municipal park in the country. Before the Reformation, a hermitage and chapel dedicated to Saint Brendan stood at the summit of the hill, housing a group of hermits from 1314 to 1480, including the anchoress Lucy de Newchurch.