Cheltenham Universal British Directory 1791

Deservedly celebrated for its mineral waters, is a handsome well-built town, consisting chiefly of one street (a mile long), pleasantly situated in a fine fertile vale, near the foot of the Cotswold hills.  The town has been very much improved within these few years, and is well paved and lighted; but the great beauty of the place is exhibited in the gardens behind each house, which abound with fruit and walnut-trees; and, as those gardens are for the most part of great length, they are formed into an infinite variety of pleasant walks.  The lodgings are neat and commodious, many of them truly elegant, particularly Mrs. Mason’s, Mr. Hooper’s, Mr. Watson’s, Mr. Harward’s, Mr. Jones’s, Mr. Rooke’s, &c.

The church is a very venerable Gothic structure, in the form of a cross, with aisles on each side, and a spire rising in the middle, noted for a good ring of bells.  The great and small tithes of the parish are the property of the Earl of Essex.  The officiating minister is a curate chosen by the inhabitants and approved by the Earl of Gainsborough, or the representative of Sir Baptist Hickes: they choose him for 6 years, and then either re-elect him, or appoint another curate.  The curate must be a Welchman by birth, a bachelor, and brought up at Jesus-college, Oxford.
The grammar-school is in high reputation.  The assembly-rooms are elegantly disposed; and the theatre-royal, lately erected, is a neat and well-constructed building.
The walks and rides in the neighbourhood are equal to any in the kingdom, for variety, beauty, and richness of prospect.
Cheltenham has a good and plentiful market on Thursdays, and three annual fairs, viz. on the second Thursday in April, Holy Thursday, and 5th day of August.
Nothing can be more convenient that the watering-place is to the town; the nobility and Gentry pass through the church-yard, under a fine alcove of lime trees, into a serpentine walk with orchards on each side; this leads to a beautiful meadow at the bottom, cross a rivulet, and then enter into the grand walk, which by a gentle acclivity leads to the buildings.  This walk has a very striking effect; it is twenty feet wide, and the elm trees on each side are at least sixty feet high.  The pump appears under a dome, through an airy and neat archway with two posterns; it is supported by pillars.  On the right is the library and offices; on the left the breakfasting room.  The latter is occasionally converted into a ball-room; it is forty by twenty, with a very neat orchestra, where the band plays in wet weather.  Round the buildings is a shrubbery, upon a gentle ascent, and a walk round it with seats.  From the upper part of the shrubbery there is a very magnificent view.  The grand walk below forms a vista, through which the steeple of the church appears in all the sublimity of Gothic grandeur.  This steeple runs flush from the tower to the height altogether of 200 feet, and is built of the same materials that form the church, a sort of moor-stone, which it is very difficult at this period to conjecture from whence it was collected, as there is not a present a quarry within twenty miles of the town that produces stone of that quality.  The foot pavement of the town is the neatest and most convenient perhaps in England; it is upon the same plan as the foot pavement in London, but composed of much better materials, and much neater workmanship.
Cheltenham is distant from London 94 miles, Gloucester 10, Tewkesbury 10, and Northleach 11.  this place was honoured with the residence of the royal family during the autumn of the year 1788.
The London coaches and post come in every morning, and go out every afternoon.  The London wagon sets out from the Plough every Monday morning; Gloucester wagons (Yatman’s and Hooper’s), on Saturday morning; and Tewkesbury wagon every Wednesday.  The inns are, the Plough, George, Fleece, and Lamb.
Postmaster, Henry Smith; Distributor of Stamps, Edward Smith; Master of Ceremonies, Simon Moreau, Esq. and Manager of the Theatre-royal, J. B. Watson, Esq.
The bankers in Cheltenham are, Messrs. Higgs and Cook (F.); draw on Messrs. Lockharts, Pall-mall: and Mr. John Bedwell and Sons (F.), who draw on Sir Robert Herries and Co. No. 16, St. James’s-street, London.

The following are the principal inhabitants:

Gentry, &c.
Baillie – , Gent.
Burgess – , Gent.
Cox Richard, Esq. (F.)
* Capstick William, Gent.
* Cooke John, Gent. (F.)
* Cooke Josiah, Gent. (F.)
Cox Robert, Gent.
Cox Joseph, Gent.
* Cox Miss
Delabere John, Esq. (F.)
Davis David, Gent.
Fauconberg Rt. Hon. Earl
Fuller – , Gent.
* Humphries Thomas, Gent. (F.)
Biggs Thomas, Gent. (F.)
* Hale Charles, Gent.
* Hancock Catherine
* Hayward John, Gent. (F.)
* Hooper Richard, Gent.
* Jones John, Gent. (F.)
* Mason Mrs.
Matthews James, Gent. (F.)
* Meekings William, Gent. (F.)
Miller William, Gent.
Nettleship Thomas, Esq. (F.)
* Peachy Richard, Gent.
Parke Miss
* Pearkes Dulcibella
Pullen Anne
Rogers Hester
Savage Mary
* Stokes Mrs.
* Surman Mary
* Surman William, Gent. (F.)
* Timbrell Edward, Gent. (F.)
Wells Edmund Martin, Esq. (F.)
Welch Walter, Esq. (F.)
White Thomas, Esq. (F.)
* Watson John Boles, Gent. (F.)
* Welles Mary
York John, Esq. (F.)

Clergy.
Bedwell Rev. John, (F.)
Delabere Rev. John, (F.)
Fowler Rev. Henry, (F.) Master of the Grammar-school
Llewellyn Rev. David, Curate
Walters Rev. Thomas, (F.) D.D.

Physic.
Clarke T. & A. Surgeons & Apothecaries
Hinde Tho. Surgeon and Apothecary
Hooper R. Surgeon and Apothecary

Law.
Greene Henry Pooton, Attorney
Hughes Thomas, (F.) Attorney
Markham Thomas and Henry, (F.) Attornies
Pruen Richard, Attorney

Traders, &c.
* Andrews Mary, Linen-draper
Ansell Mrs. Boarding-school
* Arkell James, (F.) Baker
Bishop & Kidman, Drapers & Mercers
Banbury Tho. and Wm. (F.) Curriers
Buckingham William, Musician
Bishop John, Taylor
* Bright and Buckle, Milliners
Baker and Gardner, Milliners
Briggs William, Wine-merchant
Byrch Abraham, (F.) Innkeeper
Barrett and Son, Mealman
Carter Thomas, (F.) Hatter
Cull Richard, Shoemaker
Cooke Thomas, Surveyor
Clutterbuck John, (F.) Butcher
* Draper Samuel, Draper
* Evince John, (F.) Carpenter
* Edwards John, Wine-merchant
* Freeman Daniel, Warm Bath
Forster Richard, (F.) Brasier
Gardner John, (F.) Brewer
Gouldar Richard, (F.) Publican
* Greening William, (F.) Carpenter
* Gore James, (F.) Plumber
George James, Peruke-maker
Humphries Thomas, Publican
Heath Moses, (F.) Innkeeper
* Heath Moses
* Hooper Richard, Great House
Hooper Thomas, Confectioner
Hooper William, (F.) Carrier
Hayward Catherine, Milliner
Hewer and Son, Confectioners
* Harward Samuel, (F.) Printer and Bookseller
Howell Thomas, Shoemaker
* Jones William, (F.) Horse-dealer
Jordan Samuel, (F.) Butcher
Jordan Thomas, Butcher
Keyte Edward, Plaisterer
Leighton Edward, (F.) Bricklayer
Liffuley John, (F.) Baker
* Lea Susan, Grocer
Marshall William, (F.) Builder
* Mason Richard, Grocer
Meekings Thomas, Linen-draper
Moody Moses, (F.) Cabinet-maker
Newman John, (F.) Grocer
* Newman and Son, (F.) Taylors and Drapers
Newbury Thomas, (F.) Ironmonger
* Potter James and John, (F.) Grocers and Drapers
* Peacy William, Mason
Russell John, Mercer
Richardson Emanuel, (F.) Carpenter
Rich Thomas, (F.) Silversmith
Riviere S. N. Jeweller and Goldsmith
* Rooke Harry, Master of the upper and lower Rooms
* Smith Edward, Builder
Smith John, (F.) Innkeeper
Smith Edward, Ironmonger
Smith Henry, (F.) Grocer
Stone William, (F.) Innkeeper
* Wadley Samuel, (F.) Hatter and Auctioneer
White Richard, (F.) Sadler
* Wynne Robert, (F.) Brewer
Willdey Jonathan, Poulterer
Yatman Thomas, (F.) Gardener and Carrier
Yeend William, (F.) Schoolmaster

N.B. Those marked thus * let lodgings for the season.

Gentlemen’s seats in the vicinity of Cheltenham. – Thomas Baghott, Esq. Hewletts; Thomas Beale, Esq. Swindon; William Capell, Esq. Presbury; T. Baghott Delabere, Esq. and Richard Delabere, Esq. Southam; Rev. John Delabere, Presbury; Doddington Hunt, Esq. Charlton Kings; William Lawrence, Esq. Shurdington; Henry Norwood, Esq. Leckhampton; and William Page Read, Esq. Presbury.
About two miles East of the town is a mineral spring, as a cot-house called Hyde.  The waters are full as powerful as the spring at Cheltenham.  Two miles farther to the East, Cleve Hill raises its awful head, clothed almost to the summit with hedge rows of elm-trees, which inclose corn-fields, arable lands, and orchards.  At the top of this hill there are still left the remains of a Roman camp.

Source: Universal British Directory 1791