Counties 3 Gloucestershire (formerly Gloucester 1) is an English rugby union league which sits at the ninth level of league rugby union in England for teams based primarily in the county of Gloucestershire but also on occasion teams from Bristol. Promoted clubs move into Counties 2 Gloucestershire North or Counties 2 Gloucestershire South depending on location. Relegated clubs drop into either Counties 4 Gloucestershire.
Teams 2026-27
North
Departing were Hucclecote promoted to Counties 2 Gloucestershire while Spartans (Gloucester), Drybrook II and Old Cryptians were relegated to Counties 4 Gloucestershire (North).
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Berry Hill Lakers Road Coleford, Gloucestershire 6th Bredon Star Bredon Playing Fields Bredon, Worcestershire 3rd Brockworth Mill Lane Brockworth, Gloucestershire 9th Cheltenham Saracens King George V Playing Field Cheltenham, Gloucestershire 4th Cirencester The Whiteway Cirencester, Gloucestershire 2nd Coney Hill Metz Hill Gloucester, Gloucestershire 7th Dursley Stragglers Sports Ground Stinchcombe, Dursley, Gloucestershire Relegated from Counties 2 Gloucestershire Gloucester Old Boys Horton Road Gloucester, Gloucestershire 8th Longlevens II Longford Lane Longlevens, Gloucestershire Promoted from Counties 4 Gloucestershire (North) Lydney II Regentsholm 1,500 Lydney, Gloucestershire 5th Old Richians Sandyleaze Gloucester, Gloucestershire Relegated from Counties 2 Gloucestershire Widden Old Boys The Memorial Ground Gloucester, Gloucestershire Promoted from Counties 4 Gloucestershire (North)
South
Departing were Bristol Saracens promoted to Counties 2 Gloucestershire while Cotham Park (9th) were relegated to Counties 4 Gloucestershire (South).
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Ashley Down Old Boys Lockleaze Combination Ground Lockleaze, Bristol 4th Avonmouth Old Boys Barracks Lane Shirehampton, Bristol 3rd Barton Hill Duncombe Road Speedwell, Bristol 2nd Chipping Sodbury The Ridings Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire Promoted from Counties 4 Gloucestershire (South) (3rd) 9th Cleve II The Hayfields Mangotsfield, Gloucestershire Promoted from Counties 4 Gloucestershire (South) (7th) Frampton Cotterell II The Park Frampton Cotterell, Gloucestershire Promoted from Counties 4 Gloucestershire (South) (champions) Kingswood Grimsbury Road Playing Fields Warmley, Kingswood, Gloucestershire 10th North Bristol Oaklands Almondsbury, Bristol 5th Old Colstonians Colton's School Stapleton, Bristol 7th Southmead Greenway Centre Southmead, Bristol 8th Whitehall Foundry Lane Whitehall, Bristol 6th Yate Yate Outdoor Sports Complex Yate, Gloucestershire Promoted from Counties 4 Gloucestershire (South) (runners-up)
Teams 2025-26
North
With the consolidation of the North & South divisions in Counties 2 Gloucestershire only one team, Tewkesbury, were promoted.
Only three teams (2nd-4th) retained their places in the league, all other teams, those placed 5th-10th, were cascaded down a level the RFU pyramid to Counties 4 Gloucestershire (North) with the exception of Norton (8th) and Chosen Hill FP II (10th) who dropped out of the RFU league pyramid.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Berry Hill Lakers Road Coleford, Gloucestershire Demoted from Counties 2 Gloucestershire (North) (11th) Bredon Star Bredon Playing Fields Bredon, Worcestershire Demoted from Counties 2 Gloucestershire (North) (6th) Brockworth Mill Lane Brockworth, Gloucestershire Demoted from Counties 2 Gloucestershire (North) (12th) Cheltenham Saracens King George V Playing Field Cheltenham, Gloucestershire 3rd Cirencester The Whiteway Cirencester, Gloucestershire Demoted from Counties 2 Gloucestershire (North) (9th) Coney Hill Metz Hill Gloucester, Gloucestershire Demoted from Counties 2 Gloucestershire (North) (8th) Drybrook II Mannings Ground Drybrook, Gloucestershire Promoted from Counties 4 Gloucestershire Gloucester Old Boys Horton Road Gloucester, Gloucestershire Demoted from Counties 2 Gloucestershire (North) (10th) Hucclecote Charlies Way Hucclecote, Gloucestershire Demoted from Counties 2 Gloucestershire (North) (7th) Lydney II Regentsholm 1,500 Lydney, Gloucestershire Demoted from Counties 2 Gloucestershire (South) (11th) Old Cryptians The Memorial Ground Gloucester, Gloucestershire 4thSpartans (Gloucester) Lansdown Road Gloucester, Gloucestershire 2nd
South
With the consolidation of the North & South divisions in Counties 2 Gloucestershire no team was promoted.
Those teams who finished 1st-7th retained their place in the league whilst those placed 8th-12th were cascaded down a level the RFU pyramid to Counties 4 Gloucestershire (South).
Broad Plain (2nd in 2024-25) started but did not complete the season leaving ten clubs to contest the outstanding fixtures.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Ashley Down Old Boys Lockleaze Combination Ground Lockleaze, Bristol 4th Avonmouth Old Boys Barracks Lane Shirehampton, Bristol 1st (not promoted) Barton Hill Duncombe Road Speedwell, Bristol 3rd Bristol Saracens Bakewell Memorial Ground Cribbs Causeway, Bristol Demoted from Counties 2 Gloucestershire (South) (7th) Cotham Park Beggar Bush Lane Failand, Somerset 7th Kingswood Grimsbury Road Playing Fields Warmley, Kingswood, Gloucestershire 6th North Bristol Oaklands Almondsbury, Bristol Demoted from Counties 2 Gloucestershire (South) (10th) Old Colstonians Colton's School Stapleton, Bristol Demoted from Counties 2 Gloucestershire (South) (8th) Southmead Greenway Centre Southmead, Bristol Demoted from Counties 2 Gloucestershire (South) (9th) Whitehall Foundry Lane Whitehall, Bristol 5th
Teams 2024–25
North
Departing were Bredon Star and Gloucester Old Boys, promoted to Counties 2 Gloucestershire North whilst Painswick (10th) and Ross-on-Wye (11th) were relegated to Counties 4 Gloucestershire.
Spartans (Gloucester) re-entered the leagues having withdrawn from Counties 2 Gloucestershire North ahead of the 2023-24 season.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Cheltenham Saracens King George V Playing Field Cheltenham, Gloucestershire 7th Chosen Hill Former Pupils II Brookfield Road Churchdown, Gloucestershire 9th Longlevens II Longford Lane Longlevens, Gloucestershire 6th Matson II Redwell Road Matson, Gloucester, Gloucestershire 5th Minchinhampton Hollybush Ground Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire 8th Norton Norton Parish Grounds Norton, Gloucestershire Promoted from Counties 4 Gloucestershire (North) Old Cryptians The Memorial Ground Gloucester, Gloucestershire Relegated from Counties 2 Gloucestershire North (11th)Spartans (Gloucester) Lansdown Road Gloucester, Gloucestershire Re-entry Tewkesbury The Moats Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire 4th Widden Old Boys The Memorial Ground Gloucester, Gloucestershire 3rd
South
Departing were Lydney II and Southmead promoted to Counties 2 Gloucestershire South. Aretians (10th) and Bishopston (11th) were relegated to Counties 4 Gloucestershire.
Barton Hill re-entered the leagues having withdrawn from Counties 1 Western North ahead of the 2023-24 season.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Ashley Down Old Boys Lockleaze Combination Ground Lockleaze, Bristol 4th Avonmouth Old Boys Barracks Lane Shirehampton, Bristol Relegated from Counties 2 Gloucestershire South (11th) Barton Hill Duncombe Road Speedwell, Bristol Re-entry Bristol Aeroplane Company BAWA Sportsground Filton, Bristol 8th Broad Plain Bristol South End Bedminster, Bristol 3rd Clifton III Station Road 2,500 (400 seats) Cribbs Causeway, Patchway, Bristol 6th Cotham Park Beggar Bush Lane Failand, Somerset 5th Dings Crusaders III Shaftsbury Park 2,250 (250 seats) Frenchay, Bristol Promoted from Counties 4 Gloucestershire South (runners-up) Kingswood Grimsbury Road Playing Fields Warmley, Kingswood, Gloucestershire Promoted from Counties 4 Gloucestershire South (champions) Old Bristolians II Memorial Playing Fields Failand, Somerset 9th St Brendan's Old Boys Coombe Dingle Sports Complex Coombe Dingle, Bristol 7th Whitehall Foundry Lane Whitehall, Bristol Relegated from Counties 2 Gloucestershire South (12th)
Teams 2023–24
North
Departing were Old Patesians and Stroud, promoted to Counties 2 Gloucestershire North whilst Norton (11th) were relegated to Counties 4 Gloucestershire North. Fairford (9th) left on a level transfer to Counties 3 Tribute Dorset & Wilts North.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bredon Star Bredon Playing Fields Bredon, Worcestershire 5th Cheltenham Saracens King George V Playing Field Cheltenham, Gloucestershire Relegated from Counties 2 Gloucestershire North Chosen Hill Former Pupils II Brookfield Road Churchdown, Gloucestershire 8th Gloucester Old Boys Horton Road Gloucester, Gloucestershire 3rd Longlevens II Longford Lane Longlevens, Gloucestershire Promoted from Counties 4 Gloucestershire North (champions) Matson II Redwell Road Matson, Gloucester, Gloucestershire 7th Minchinhampton Hollybush Ground Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire 10th Painswick Broadham Fields Painswick, Gloucestershire Promoted from Counties 4 Gloucestershire North (runners-up) Ross-on-Wye Abbotts Close Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire Relegated from Counties 2 Gloucestershire North Tewkesbury The Moats Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire 6th Widden Old Boys The Memorial Ground Gloucester, Gloucestershire 4th
South
Departing were North Bristol and Old Colstonians promoted to Counties 2 Gloucestershire South. Frampton Cottrell II were relegated to Counties 4 Gloucestershire South
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Aretians Little Stoke Park Little Stoke, Bristol 11th Ashley Down Old Boys Lockleaze Combination Ground Lockleaze, Bristol 3rd Bishopston Bonnington Walk Lockleaze, Bristol 9th Bristol Aeroplane Company BAWA Sportsground Filton, Bristol Promoted from Counties 4 Gloucestershire South (champions) Broad Plain Bristol South End Bedminster, Bristol 4th Clifton III Station Road 2,500 (400 seats) Cribbs Causeway, Patchway, Bristol Promoted from Counties 4 Gloucestershire South (runners-up) Cotham Park Beggar Bush Lane Failand, Somerset 6th Lydney II Regentsholm 1,500 Lydney, Gloucestershire Relegated from Counties 2 Gloucestershire South Old Bristolians II Memorial Playing Fields Failand, Somerset 8th Southmead Greenway Centre Southmead, Bristol 5th St Brendan's Old Boys Coombe Dingle Sports Complex Coombe Dingle, Bristol 7th
Teams 2022–23
This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review.
North
Departing were Smiths, Gordon League, Brockworth, Cirencester and Old Centralians II - all promoted to Counties 2 Gloucestershire North as were Berry Hill and Drybrook II to Counties 2 Gloucestershire South.
Old Patesians had finished 13th in Tribute South West 1 West an elected to suffer a triple relegation (bypassing levels 7 & 8) ahead of the new season.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bredon Star Bredon Playing Fields Bredon, Worcestershire Promoted from Gloucester 2 (North) Chosen Hill Former Pupils II Brookfield Road Churchdown, Gloucestershire 11th Fairford Coln House School Playing Grounds Fairford, Gloucestershire 10th Gloucester Old Boys Horton Road Gloucester, Gloucestershire 8th Matson II Redwell Road Matson, Gloucester, Gloucestershire 12th Minchinhampton Hollybush Ground Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire Promoted from Gloucester 2 (North) Norton Norton Parish Grounds Norton, Gloucestershire Promoted from Gloucester 2 (North) Old Patesians Everest Road Cheltenham, Gloucestershire Relegated from Tribute South West 1 West (13th) Stroud Fromehall Park 4,000 (200 seats) Stroud, Gloucestershire Promoted from Gloucester 2 (North) Tewkesbury The Moats Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire Promoted from Gloucester 2 (North) Widden Old Boys The Memorial Ground Gloucester, Gloucestershire 9th
South
Departing were Bream, Dursley, Lydney II, St Mary's Old Boys and Whitehall - all promoted to Counties 2 Gloucestershire South.