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aLOUCESTERSHIRK 



QLOUCESTERSHIRE. 



which wag built in the reign of Henry VII. This church ia cruciform, 

 120 feet long by 55 feet broad. It contains some carious painted 

 gla«s, which ia disposed in 28 windows with four or more compart- 

 ments in each. The Baptists and Independents have places of 

 worship. There are a Free school, two National schools, and several 

 charities. The market is held on Thursday. Roman remains have 

 been found in the vicinity. 



Lechlade, 31 miles E.S.E. from Gloucester, population 1373, is a 

 market-town situated neai' the point where the counties of Gloucester, 

 Wilts, Oxford, and Berks have their junction. Here the Thames 

 and Severn Canal commences, and the Thames first becomes 

 navigable for barges of 80 tons burden. The town contains several 

 well-built houses. The church is a handsome building in the 

 pointed style, with a tower at the west end surmounted with a spire ; 

 the pulpit is of sculptured stone. The Baptists have a place of 

 worship. There is a savings bank. A priory formerly existed here. 

 The market is on Tuesday, and there are three annual fairs. 



ilarthfield, a small market-town 32 miles S. from Gloucester, popu- 

 lation \6i%, consists chiefly of one street of old buildings, nearly a 

 mile long. It is a clothing town ; a considerable quantity of malt is 

 likewise made here for the supply of the Bath and Bristol brewers. 

 Besides the parish church there are places of worship for Independents 

 and Unitarians. There are an Endowed school and well-endowed 

 almshouses. The market is held on Tuesday; there are fairs on 

 May 24th and October 24th. 



Mitchddean, a small market-town situated in a deep dell in the 

 Forest of Bean, 12 miles W. from Gloucester, population 662, has a 

 market-house and an old church. The church consists of a nave and 

 chancel, with a tower at the west end surmounted with an octagonal 

 spire. There are an Independent chapel and two National schools. 

 The market is on Monday ; fairs are held on Easter Monday and 

 October 1 0th. Tanning is carried on. 



Moreton-in'the-Marth, a small market-town 28 miles E.N.E. from 

 Gloucester, population 1512, consists chiefly of one long street, and 

 occupies a low situation on the Roman Fosse-way. Besides the parish 

 church there are an Independent chapel and a National school The 

 market has been long disused. Two annual fairs are held. Some 

 linen cloth is made here. A goods railway runs from Moreton to 

 Stratford-on-Avon. 



Nttmham, 12 miles S.W. from Gloucester, population 1288, is 

 plewanUy situated on an eminence rising from the right bank of the 

 Severn, which ia here nearly a mile across at high water. A ferry is 

 established at this place. Newnham appears to have been in the 

 Norman times a fortified town designed to repress the incursions of 

 the Wel^h ; and in ancient records mention is often made of the 

 ca»tle hero. In the contest between Charles I. and the Parliament 

 the castle was besieged and taken by the Parliamentarians. A sword 

 of state, presented by King John, is still preserved in the town. The 

 houses are chiefly ranged in one long street ; the church stands on a 

 clifiT near the river. There are an Independent chapel, an Endowed 

 school, and a savings bank. Cider is made in the neighbourhood. 

 There are several coal-pits. The market is on Friday ; fairs are held 

 on June 11th and October 18th. A small quay was built here about 

 a century ago by one of the Pyrke family. Some trade is carried on 

 with Bristol and London. 



Painnoick, 6 miles S.S.E. fix>m Gloucester, population of the parish 

 3464, is a small and irregularly-built town on the southern acclivity 

 of Sponebed HiU. The church is an ancient building, with a tower 

 and spire at the west end rising to the height of 174 feet. There are 

 chapels for Independents, Wesleyan Methodists, and Quakers, an 

 Endowed school, and several minor charities. Freestone quarries are 

 in the neighbourhood : some of the inhabitants are employed in the 

 clothing uutnufacture. The market is on Tuesday. On the summit 

 of Sponebed Hill is an ancient fortification called Kinsbury Castle. 

 Roman coins and other antiquities have been fotmd here ; and it is 

 supposed to have been once a place of great strength. 



Wickwar, 23 miles S. by W. from Gloucester, population 966, is an 

 ancient mai-ket-town. It is well watered by two streamlets, over one 

 of which there ii a handsome stone bridge. The church is large and 

 has a lofty tower. There are an Independent chapel and a well- 

 endowed Free school. The market is on Monday. A station of the 

 Bristol and Birmingham railway ia at Wickwar. 



Tint following are some of the more important villages, with the 

 population of the respective parishes in 1351, and a few other 

 particulars : — 



A rUngham, on the left bank of the Severn, 14 miles S.W. from 



Oloacester : population, 737. There are fisheries here of considerable 



importance. The church is a commodious building, with a tower at 



■it end. There are here an Endowed school, founded in 1765 by 



I >te, two Infant schools, and some parochial charities. Avenimj, 



Icrs S. by K from Gloucester: population, 2321. The parish 



I is an ancient cruciform edifice with a low embattled tower. 



are chapels for Baptists and Independents, a Free school, and 



<<• .uiiil parochial charities. British antiquities have been found here, 



an<l there are several tumuli in tlie neighbourhood. Bicknor, Englith, 



H) iiiilvs W. by H. from Gloucester, population 584, is situated near 



tlie I'-ft bank of the Wye, on the western border of the Forest of 



Dean. The church stands on the sito of an ancient fortification. 



atoa. DiT. TOL. in. 



Coal and iron are wrought in the' parish, which also contains some 

 good orchards and meadow lands. Billon, situated ou the small river 

 Boyd, which joins the Avon a short distance south of ttie village, ia 

 42 miles S.S.W. from Gloucester : population of the hamlet of Bitton, 

 2395. Coal and iron are raised extensively in the neighbourhood. 

 On the river Boyd are several flatting-mills. Blalceney, ou the right 

 bank of the Severn, 16 miles S.W. by W. from Gloucester : population 

 of the parish of Awre, of whicli Blakeney is a chapelry. 1512. 

 Blakeney is on the south-east border of the Forest of Dean. Besides 

 the parochial chapel there are chapels for Independents and Baptist?. 

 B&urlon-on-lhe-Water, 24 miles E. from Gloucester, population 1040, 

 so called from its situation on the small river Windrush, is chiefly 

 one long street of irregularly built houses. There was a church liere 

 previous to the Conquest. The present church is a neat structure in 

 the Grecian style, with a tower at the west end. There are a Baptist 

 chapel and an Endowed school. The Roman Fosse-way passes aljout 

 half a mile W. from the village. A quadrangular encampment has 

 been traced, and Roman coins and other antiquities have been found 

 here. Cam, 14 miles S.S.W. from Gloucester ; population, 1640. Tho 

 village of Upper Cam is situated on the right, and Lower Cam on tho 

 left bank of the small rivulet Cam, a tributary of the Severn. The 

 district is agricultural ; good cheese is made here, and cider is also 

 produced. Some corn-mills are in the vicinity. Cloth was formerly 

 made here to some extent, but the manufacture has declined. The 

 parish church consists of a nave and two aisles, with a lofty embattled 

 tower at the west end. The Independents have two chapels. There 

 is an Endowed school. Chalford, formerly Chatkford, 12 miles 

 S.S.E. from Gloucester : population of the ecclesiastical district, 2000. 

 The cloth trade has been long carried on here ; this trade employs 

 several mills on the river side. The village contains many good 

 houses, and commands an interesting view of the valley of the Frome. 

 The Thames and Severn Junction Canal passes Chalford on the 

 south. The parochial chapel is a neat e<lifice erected by subscription 

 in 1722. The Baptists and Independents have chapels. Cleeve, or 

 BUhop't Cleeve, 11 miles N.E. from Gloucester: population of the 

 township, 745. The village is situated a little to the westward of a 

 ridge of hills called Cleeveclouds, the summit of which reaches the 

 height of 1134 feet. In this locality have been traced tumuli and 

 encampments, and other vestiges of ancient military works. Tho 

 parish church is a commodious cruciform structure. From the centre 

 of the building rises a handsome tower crowned with pinnacles, which 

 was erected in 1700 to replace a spire which then fell Cromhall, 

 Abbott, 20 miles S.S.W. from Gloucester, population 766, is situated 

 in a narrow valley. About a century ago a tesselated pavement was 

 dug up in the neighbourhood. Eastington, chiefly on the left bank of 

 the river Frome, 10 miles S.S.W. from Gloucester: population of the 

 tithing, 7yO. The parish church is a commodious edifice, with a 

 plain embattled tower at the west end. The Baptists and Wesleyan 

 Methodists have chapels, and there are two National schools. Near 

 the village are some wooUen-mills. The Stroudwater Canal passes 

 Eaatington on the north-east. Pramptonon-Severn, 1 1 miles S. W. by .S. 

 from Gloucester, population 994 ; so called to distinguish it from 

 Frampton near Bristol The Severn, in high spring tides, sometimes 

 inundates the lower parts of the village. The river Frome rises in 

 the vicinity, and is supposed to have given name to the place, Frome- 

 Town, or Frampton. The church, erected in 1315, is a spacious 

 structure, with an embattled tower at the west end. The Inde- 

 pendents have a place of worship. A fair, called Frying-Pan Fair, 

 is held annually on Febniary 3rd. The Gloucester and Berkeley Ship 

 Canal passes between the village and the river Severn. Iron Acton, 

 25 miles S.S.W. from Gloucester, population 1265, so called from the 

 iron found in the neigh botu'hood, is situated in a valley watered by a 

 river which runs into the Avon at Bristol Fairs are held here on 

 April 25th and September 13th for horses, cattle, pigs, and cheese. 

 King's Stanley, 10 miles S. by W. from Gloucester, population 2095, 

 said to have been so called from one of the Mercian kings having 

 resided here. Part of the village is called the borou:,'h. The cloth 

 manufacture employs some of the inhabitants. Besides the parish 

 church there are here a Baptist chapel and National and Infant 

 schools. Leckhampton, 8 miles E. by N. from Gloucester, population 

 2149, is virtually a suburb of Cheltenham, from which it is about 

 2 miles distant. The parish church is a handsome structure, with a 

 spire rising from the centre of the building. Many of the houses are 

 of long standing. In the parish are some of the highest of tho 

 Cotswold HUls, which afford splendid views over Cheltenham and tho 

 surrounding country. Lydney, or Lidney, population 2577, situated 

 in the Forest of Dean, 16,^ miles S.W. by W. from Gloucester, near 

 the right bank of the Severn. The church consists of a nave and two 

 aisles, with a neat spire rising from the west end. The Baptists have 

 a place of worship. Coal and iron are extensively wrought here ; a 

 mineral railway, with several branches, accommodates the district 

 between Lydney and Monmouth on the river Wye. Lydney has a 

 small market and two annual fairs. Roman remains have been found 

 in the vicinity. Nailmeurth, 14 miles S. by E. from Gloucester : 

 population included in the parishes of Avening, Horsley, and Minchin- 

 hampton, in which the chapelry of Nailsworth is situated. There 

 are here the parochial chapel, and chapels for Independents, Baptists, 

 and Quakers. Woollen cloth is made to a small extent. In the 



