Alveston Gloucestershire Family History Guide
Alveston is an Ancient Parish in the county of Gloucestershire.
Other places in the parish include: the hamlet of Earthcott and part of the hamlet of Rudgway, Grovesend, Urcat and Grovening.
Parish church: St Helen (Note: Kellys Directories give the name of the church as St Andrew)
Parish registers begin: 1742
Nonconformists include: Wesleyan Methodist, Primitive Methodists and Wesleyan Methodist Reform.
Table of Contents
Adjacent Parishes
Parish History
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870
Alveston, a parish in Thornbury district, Gloucester; 1¾ mile S of Thornbury, 2½ E of the Bristol and Wales railway, and 6 WNW of Yate r. station. It has a post office under Bristol; and contains the hamlets of Grovening and Urcat.
Acres, 2,518. Real property, £5,384. Pop., 841. Houses, 188. The property is much subdivided. Vestiges of Roman camps occur on Oldbury-hill and Castle-hill.
The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol. Value, £250. Patrons, the Dean and Chapter of Bristol. The church is ancient.
There are two Methodist chapels, a national school, and charities £6.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].
Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850
Alveston, 2 miles S.W. Thornbury. P. 841
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850.
The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales 1840
Alveston, a parish partly in the upper and partly in the lower division of the hund. of Langley and Swineshead, union of Thornbury, Gloucestershire; 9 miles north by east of Bristol; on the post-road to Thornbury. It includes the hamlets of Grovening and Urcot.
Living, a curacy annexed to Olveston, in the archd. of Gloucester and dio. of Gloucester and Bristol. There are two daily and Sunday schools here, with about 90 scholars.
In this parish there are vestiges of two Roman camps, the one on the top of Oldbury-hill, near the Severn, the other on Castle-hill. Pop., in 1801, 412; in 1831, 800. Houses 137. Acres 2,470. A. P. £4,173. Poor rates, in 1837, £237.
Source: The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales; A Fullarton & Co. Glasgow; 1840.
A Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland 1833
Alveston, co. Gloucester.
P. T. Thornbury (116) 3 m. S b E. Pop. 657.
A parish, partly in the upper and partly in the lower division of the hundred of Langley and Swineshead. The living is a vicarage in the archdeaconry of Gloucester and diocese of Bristol, annexed to that of Olveston. This parish contains the vestiges of two Roman camps, the one on the top of a hill, called Oldbury, near the Severn, the other called Castle-hill, in both which places various relics of antiquity have been discovered.
Source: A Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland by John Gorton. The Irish and Welsh articles by G. N. Wright; Vol. I; London; Chapman and Hall, 186, Strand; 1833.
Parish Records
FamilySearch
Directors of Companies
The following people were listed in the Directory of Directors 1881 as directors of companies who were either living in Alveston or the company was based in Alveston or both.
Bush Mr Edward Bush, The Grove, Alveston, is a director of the –
Ashton Vale Iron Company, Limited, Albion chambers, Bristol,
Bristol Waterworks Company
Directories
Alveston Kellys Gloucestershire Directory 1863
Alveston is a parish and village, with the hamlet of Earthcott and part of the hamlet of Rudgway, 7 miles west-south-west from Wickwar, 6 north-west from Yate station, 8 north-west from Chipping Sodbury, 1 south east from Thornbury, 10 north from Bristol, 24 south from Gloucester, and 117 from London, in Lower Langley and Swineshead hundred, Thornbury uuion and county court district, West Gloucestershire, Bristol deanery and arch deaconry, and Gloucester and Bristol bishopric.
It is situated on the Gloucester and Bristol road. The church of St. Andrew is an ancient stone building in the Gothic style ; it has a nave, chancel, south porch, and square embattled tower with 3 bells.
The living is a perpetual curacy, tithe rent-charge £322 yearly, with 24 acres of glebe land, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Bristol; the Rev. John Rawes, B.A., of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, is the incumbent.
The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have each a chapel here. There is a National school for boys and girls, supported by weekly payments and voluntary subscriptions. Coral limestone abounds in the neighbourhood, and supplies the lower level with large quantities of lime, which is much prized. The soil is light loamy; the subsoil is in some parts limestone; in others, clay. The Rev. James Jarvis Peach is lord of the manor, and Alexander George Fullerton, Esq., is chief landowner. There are charities of £5 19s. yearly value.
The population in 1801 was 841, and the number of acres 2,518.
Dodgmoor and Shillars Lane are places here.
Parish Clerk, Mark Ann.
Alveston.
Brown William, esq. Grovesend house
Bush Edward, esq
Bush Thomas, esq. The Loans
Cullimer William, esq. The Rookery
Honnywill William Henry, esq
Rawes Rev. John, B.A. [incumbent], Alveston green
Ann Mark & Joseph, tilers, plasterers, painters & paperhangers
Ann Mary (Miss), shopkeeper
Ann Robert, stonemason
Biddle Daniel, carpenter & wheelwright
Biddle Robert, farmer
Doward Esther (Mrs.), Ship inn
Gunter Chas. carpenter & wheelwright
Gunter John, farmer
Gunter William, farmer, Street farm
Hayward Richard, farmer, Shillars lane
Hopkins Edward, coach builder, carpenter, wheelwright & undertaker
Jones William, farmer, Conygre farm
Keedwell Thomas, farmer
Libert William, classical, mathematical & commercial academy, Alveston ho
Luce Elizabeth (Mrs.), farmer, Grovesend
Martin Hugh, farmer & timber dealer
Matthews William, shoemaker
Pearce Charles, farmer
Stephens William, beer retailer
Stevens William, blacksmith
Williams John, carpenter & wheelwright
Young Henry, farmer, Church farm
Earthcott.
Eacott John & Philip, farmers
Gunter Edwin, farmer
Matthews Robert, farmer
Meredith Edward, farmer
Savery William, John & Mark, agricultural implement manufacturers
Stinchcomb Wm. carpenter & wheelwrght
Young Mary (Mrs.), farmer
Post Office.— Mark Ann, postmaster. Mails arrive at 9.30 a.m.; dispatched 4.30 p.m. Second arrival 7 p.m.; dispatched 8.30 next morning. The nearest money order office is at Thornbury
National School, Miss Mary Anne Gray, mistress
Rudgway.
Angel George, beer retailer
Biddle Edwrd. timber mercht. & postmastr
Martin George, blacksmith
Milliner James, shopkeeper
Smith George, shopkeeper
Post Office. — Edward Biddle, postmaster. Mails arrive at 8.30 a.m.; dispatched at 4.45 p.m. Second arrival at 6.45 p.m.; dispatched at 9 next morning.
Carriers (from Thornbury through Alveston to Bristol) : —
Baylis, tuesday, thursday & Saturday ; Wilson, monday, Wednesday & friday
Conveyance. — Putley’s & White’s omnibuses from Thornbury to Bristol, daily.
Source: Post Office Directory of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and the City of Bristol, Printed and Published by Kelly and Co., Old Boswell Court, St. Clement’s, Strand, London. 1863.
Alveston Kellys Gloucestershire Directory 1856
Alveston is a parish and village with the hamlet of Earthcott and part of the hamlet of Rudgway, 5 miles west-south-west from Wickwar, and 5 north-west from Yate station, 8 north-west from Chipping Sodbury, 1 south-east from Thornbury, 10 north from Bristol, 24 south from Gloucester, and 117 from London, in Lower Langley and Swineshead Hundred, Thornbury Union, West Gloucestershire, Bristol archdeaconry, and Gloucester and Bristol bishopric.
It is situated on the Gloucester and Bristol road. The church of St. Andrew is an ancient stone building, in the Gothic style. It has nave, chancel, and south porch, square embattled tower, and 3 bells. The living is a perpetual curacy, value £322 yearly, with 26 acres of glebe land, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Bristol; the Rev. John Rawes, B.A., is the incumbent.
The Primitive Methodists have a chapel here; the Wesleyans have a chapel at Earthcott. There is a National school for boys and girls, partly supported by the weekly payments of the children and partly by voluntary subscriptions. Coral limestone abounds in the neighbourhood, and supplies the lower level with large quantities of lime which is much prized. The soil is light loamy; the subsoil is in some parts limestone, in others silex. Jamus Jarvis Peach, Esq., is lord of the manor, and Alexander George Fullerton, Esq., is chief landowner. There are charities of £6 2s. 2d. yearly value. The population, in 1851, was 847, and the number of acres, 2,518.
Grovesend House is the seat of William Brown, Esq.; the Rookery, of William Cullimer, Esq.; Ridgeway or Rudgeway, Street, Church, and Coneygre or Coneygore, are the names of farms. Forty Acres is half a mile north; Freesewood, half a mile north-west; Stroud Common, 1 mile south-west, Wolfridge, 1 mile south-west; Lower Hazel, 1 mile north; Green Hill, half a mile west; Dodgmoor, 2 miles north-east; Shillar’s Lane and Owl’s Nest, 2 miles north-east.
Alveston
Gentry
Baker Captain James Vashon, R.N.
Brown William, esq. Grovesend house
Cullimer William, esq. the Rookery
Honnywill William Henry, esq
Traders
Ann Robert & Thomas, stonemsns. & bldrs
Ann Mark, painter
Biddle Daniel, carpenter & wheelwright
Bush Edward, farmer
Cary William, farmer, Church farm
Doward Edward, ‘Ship’
Gunter William, farmer, Street farm
Hopkins George, coachbuilder, carpenter & wheelwright
Helstone Thos, brdng. Schl. Alveston ho
Jones William, farmer, Conygre farm
Keedwell Thomas, farmer
Luce Job, Farmer, Grovesend farm
Stevens William, blacksmith
White John, beer retailer
Williams John, carpenter & wheelwright
Post Office. – Mark Ann, postmaster. Mails arrive ¼ to 10 a.m.; dispatched ½ past 4. Second arrival, 7 p.m.’ dispatched ¼ to 9 next morning. The nearest money order office is at Thornbury.
Earthcott
Traders
Bush Thomas, farmer
Matthews Robert, farmer
Meridith Mark, farmer
Savery Wm. agricultural implement manufacturer
Stinchcomb James, carpenter & wheelwright
Young Mary (Mrs.), farmer
Rudgway
Angel George, beer retailer & shopkpr
Biddle Edward, beer retailer
Hockley – , shopkeeper
Martin George, blacksmith
Post Office
Edward Biddle, postmaster. Mails arrive, ½ past 9 a.m.; dispatched ¼ to 5. Second arrival, ¼ to 7 p.m.; dispatched, 9 next morning.
Carriers
(from Thornbury through Alveston to Bristol): –
Baylis, Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday
Sly, Monday, Wednesday & Friday
Greenman, Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday
Omnibus – Putley’s, from Thornbury to Bristol, Monday, Tuesday & Saturday.
Source: Post Office Directory of Gloucestershire with Bath and Bristol. Printed and Published by Kelly and Co., 19, 20 & 21, Old Boswell Court, St. Clement’s, Strand, London. 1856.
Maps
Administration
- County: Gloucestershire
- Civil Registration District: Thornbury
- Probate Court: Court of the Bishop of Bristol (Episcopal Consistory)
- Diocese: Pre 1836 – Gloucester, Post 1835 – Gloucester and Bristol
- Rural Deanery: Bristol
- Poor Law Union: Thornbury
- Hundred: Langley and Swinehead
- Province: Canterbury
- County Court District: Thornbury