Kingscourt is the name commonly used to refer to the southern part of Rodborough Parish, and possibly got its name from the Kinnes family who were connected with the area from 1463. Back then the area consisted of a handful of weaver's cottages and one or two grand houses.

The area really developed with the coming of the roads; the two main routes being the Stroud to Cirencester to London road, which ran over the common, and the Nailsworth to Dudbridge road (now the A46). The latter, which was built in the late 1700s, really opened up the access to houses on the side of Rodborough Common and the Bear Inn.