Doctor Foster
Went to Gloucester
In a shower of rain
He stepped in a puddle
Right up to his middle
And never went there again

The origins to this rhyme may date back more than 700 years to the time of King Edward I. Edward was known to be a powerful man,  over six feet tall, but he was also recognised as a learned  man and hence one of his nicknames was Dr Foster. Why the name ‘Foster’ isn’t adequately explained anywhere. The story tells us Edward was visiting Gloucester due to the town’s strategic position.

 He arrived during a storm and mistook a marshy ditch as just a shallow puddle. Both he and his horse were soon trapped and had to be rescued. Angry and embarrassed he insisted he would never return again.

Do any of  you  know why the name Foster was used?