Newent Gloucestershire Family History Guide
Newent is an Ancient Parish and a market town in the county of Gloucestershire.
Other places in the parish include: Malswick, Compton, Boulsdon and Killcott, and Cugley.
Parish church:
Parish registers begin: 1672
Nonconformists include: Baptist, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Independent/Congregational, Roman Catholic, and Wesleyan Methodist.
Table of Contents
Adjacent Parishes
- Linton, Herefordshire
- Taynton
- Rudford
- Longhope
- Tibberton
- Aston Ingham, Herefordshire
- Oxenhall
- Much Marcle, Herefordshire
- Dymock
- Pauntley
- Upleadon
Parish History
Newent
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870
NEWENT, a town, a liberty, a parish, a sub-district and a district, in Gloucestershire. The town stands in Dean forest, on the Hereford and Gloucester canal, 2¼ miles E of the boundary with Herefordshire, 4½ NE by N of Longhope r. station, and 8 NW of Gloucester.
It dates from the time when a road was made across its site from Gloucester into Wales; was originally called New Inn, from a single house which formed its nucleus; grew, around that nucleus, to such importance as to have nine streets and lanes; became a borough, governed by a bailiff; passed afterwards into a state of decadence; consists now chiefly of one long street, with many well-built houses and some good shops; is a seat of petty sessions and county courts, and a polling-place; and has a post-office under Gloucester, three chief inns, a police station, a market house, a church, three dissenting chapels, a national school, alms-houses for six men, and alms-houses for six women.
The market house is a Tudor timber structure of the 16th century, became very dilapidated, and was recently restored. The church is ancient and of various dates; was so repaired in 1679 as to lose interiorly all vestiges of antiquity; has a tower and spire 153 feet high; and contains a very ancient monument, supposed by some to be of Baron Grandison, and many other curious monuments. The dissenting chapels are Independent, Baptist, and Wesleyan. The national school was erected recently, and has capacity for 300 children.
A weekly market is held on Friday; fairs are held on the Wednesday before Easter, the Wednesday before Whit-Sunday, 12 Aug., and the Friday after 18 Sept.; the manufacture of nails and linen fabrics is carried on; and some trade is done in cider and perry, produced within the parish and held in great repute. Real property of the town in 1860, £7,145; of which £63 were in gas-works. Pop. in 1821, 1,287; in 1851, 1,547. Houses, 304.
The liberty is conterminate with the town. The parish contains also the tythings of Malswick, Cugley, Compton, and Boulsdon and Killcott. Acres, 7,803. Real property, £18,432. Pop. in 1851, 3,306; in 1861, 3,182. Houses, 674.
The manor belongs to R. F. Onslow, Esq. New Court is the seat of J. B. H. Burland, Esq.; Pigeon House, of E. Edmonds, Esq.; Ford House, of John Wood, Esq.; and Bury-Hill House, of T. Hankins, Esq. A Benedictine priory was founded, at New Court, by Roger Montgomery, as a cell to Cormeille in Normandy; was given, at the suppression of alien monasteries, to Fotheringay nunnery; and has left some vestiges. A Roman settlement was at Coneygore. Coal was once worked in Boulsdon.
A mineral spring, of similar quality to the springs of Cheltenham and Gloucester, is near the town. Some splendid scenery lies around the spring; and May Hill, formerly called Yartledon Hill, situated in the SW of the parish, commands a magnificent view. There are several flour-mills and several maltings.
The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol. Value, £1,076. Patrons, the Onslow family.
The sub-district contains also the parishes of Oxen-hall, Taynton, Tibberton, Rudford, Upleadon, Pauntley, Linton, and Aston-Ingham, the two last electorally in Hereford. Acres, 23,122. Pop., 6,689. Houses, 1,435.
The district comprehends also the sub-district of Redmarley, containing the parishes of Dymock, Kempley, Preston, Bromsberrow, Corse, Hartpury, Staunton, and Redmarley-D’Abitot, the two last electorally in Worcester. Acres of the district, 45,281. Poor-rates in 1863, £8,001. Pop. in 1851, 12,575; in 1861, 12,420. Houses, 2,673.
Marriages in 1863, 52; births, 420, of which 25 were illegitimate; deaths, 227, of which 78 were at ages under 5 years, and 12 at ages above 85. Marriages in the ten years 1851-60, 706; births, 4,022; deaths, 2,404. The places of worship, in 1851, were 17 of the Church of England, with 2,799 sittings; 1 of Independents, with 400 s.; 2 of Baptists, with 310 s.; 10 of Wesleyans, with 1,278 s.; 1 of Bible Christians, with 55s.; and 1 of Roman Catholics, with 90 s. The schools were 15 public day-schools, with 895 scholars; 15 private day-schools, with 224 s.; and 18 Sunday-schools, with 981 s.
The workhouse is in the town of Newent; and, at the census of 1861, had 57 inmates.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].
Boulsdon
Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850
Boulsdon, included in Newent par.
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850.
Compton
Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850
Compton, 2 miles N. Newent. P. 460.
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850.
The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales 1851
Compton, a tything in the parish of Newent, county of Gloucester; 9½ miles north-west of Gloucester. Houses 95. Pop., in 1821, 403; in 1831, 448. Other returns with the parish.
Source: The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales; A Fullarton & Co. Glasgow; 1851.
Cugley
Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850
Cugley, incl. in Newent parish.
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850.
Lewis Topographical Dictionary of England 1845
Cugley, a tything, in the parish and union of Newent, hundred of Botloe, W. division of the county of Gloucester, 8 miles (W. N. W.) from Gloucester; containing 490 inhabitants.
Source: A Topographical Dictionary of England by Samuel Lewis Fifth Edition Published London; by S. Lewis and Co., 13, Finsbury Place, South. M. DCCC. XLV.
Malswick
Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850
Malswick, in Newent parish. P. 248
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850
Parish Records
FamilySearch
Bankrupts
Below is a list of people that were declared bankrupt between 1820 and 1843 extracted from The Bankrupt Directory; George Elwick; London; Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; 1843.
Brown Lawrence Thomas, Newent, Gloucestershire, innkeeper, April 20, 1841.
Gough John, Newent, Gloucestershire, victualler and dealer, Dec. 20, 1839.
Harris Thomas, Newent, Gloucestershire, innkeeper, Mag 11, 1827.
Penner Thomas Eustace, Newent, Gloucestershire, carrier, May 20, 1826.
Powell John, Newent, Gloucestershire. grocer, May 11, 1832.
White William, Newhent, Gloucestershire, corn dealer, July 12. 1831.
Directories
Newent Universal British Directory 1791
Is situated in the forest of Dean, west of the Severn, on a river navigable by boats. It has its name from a new inn, erected there for the accommodation of travellers passing to or from Wales. The parish is twenty miles in compass, in which are several hamlets. Here are three almshouses and two charity-schools. It is an ill-built town, of very little trade; has a small market on Friday, and four annual fairs, viz. Wednesday before Easter, Wednesday before Whitsuntide, August 12, and Friday after the 19th September.
In this parish some valuable mines of coal have been lately discovered, and which promise to be of great advantage to the proprietors in particular, and to the public in general; as an act of parliament has been recently obtained for making a navigable canal from hence to Hereford, &c. The beds of coal appear to be of great magnitude, and the ore of excellent quality.
Newent is distant from Gloucester nine miles, Ledbury seven, Ross seven, and London one hundred and fourteen.
This is only a cross post, and no coach of regular carrier. Here is one good inn, the George.
The following are the principal inhabitants:
Gentry, &c.
Astman Miles, Gent. (F.)
Beale John, Gent. (F.)
Barnes Mrs. Sarah
Bower Mrs. Hannah
Brasington Thomas, Gent. (F.)
Chinn Edward, Esq. (F.)
Chinn Miss
Cocks Peter, Gent
Cummins John, Gent. (F.)
Deykes William, Gent. (F.)
Draper Samuel, Gent. (F.)
Goode Mrs.
Hartland Edward, Gent. (F.)
Hill John, jun. Gent. (F.)
Jones Charles, Esq. (F.)
Morse John, Gent.
Richardson Mrs.
Scudamore H. B. Esq. (F.)
Small – , Gent
White Mrs. Elizabeth
White Mrs. Sarah
Clergy.
Beale Rev. William
Davis Rev. Thomas, (F.)
Foley Rev. John, (F.) Vicar
Morgan Rev. William, Curate
Physic.
Aycrigg Charles, (F.) Surgeon and Apothecary
Richardson Thomas, (F.) Ditto
Warren Thomas, Druggist, &c.
Law.
Ainsworth – , Attorney
Aycrigg Benjamin, Attorney
Elton John, (F.) Attorney
Hankins – , (F.) Attorney
Paul Matthew, (F.) Attorney
Traders, &c.
Allen Daniel, (F.) Breeches-maker
Allen Richard, Shoemaker
Andrews Stephen, Peruke-maker
Arnold James, (F.) Shoemaker
Baylis Richard, (F.) Carpenter
Beale William, Grazier
Bower Hubert, (F.) Tanner
Bower John, (F.) Tanner
Burgess William, (F.) Gardener
Careless John, Mercer
Child John, (F.) Shoemaker
Clutterbuck Job, Baker
Cowmeadow William, Smith
Cummins James, (F.) Grazier
Dowle William, Mercer
Edmunds John, (F.) Timber-merchant
Edmunds Christopher, Butcher
Farley Richard, (F.) Victualler
Farley Richard, Cabinet-maker
Forty John, Flax-dresser
Gardner William, (F.) Baker
Griffiths Thomas, Innkeeper, (George)
Green William, (F.) Glazier
Hartland William, (F.) Grazier
Hartland Thomas, Ditto
Hatton William, (F.) Ditto
Hatton Francis, Ditto
Herbert Jeremiah, (F.) Ditto
Hill John, sen. (F.) Ditto
Hill John, (F.) Sadler
James Philip, Innholder
Jones John, (F.) Cooper
Knott William, Glazier
Loggins William, Victualler
Loveridge Richard, (F.) Grazier
Matthews James, (F.) Grazier
Matthews James, (F.) Victualler
Morse John Nourse, (F.) Mercer
Morgan Thomas, Mealman
Nicholls Robert, (F.) Carpenter
Nurthen John, (F.) Shoemaker
Pace Walter, Hatter
Peters – , Shopkeeper
Roberts John, (F.) Currier
Roston Ann, Mercer
Robinson Thomas, (F.) Maltster
Sier Paul, (F.) Bricklayer
Skinner Stephen, Grazier
Smith Robert, (F.) Victualler
Spilsbury Benjamin, Grazier
Taylor Thomas, (F.) Carpenter
Taylor William, (F.) Butcher
Taylor Richard, Shopkeeper
Warn Richard, (F.) Butcher
Warn Thomas, (F.) Carpenter
Welling William, (F.) Fellmonger
Welling Samuel, (F.) Shoemaker
White John, Grazier
White William, Ditto
Wood John, (F.) Ditto
Wood William, (F.) Butcher
Wood Samuel, (F.) Taylor
Source: Universal British Directory 1791
Administration
- County: Gloucestershire
- Civil Registration District: Newent
- Probate Court: Pre-1541 – Court of the Bishop of Hereford, Post-1541 – Court of the Bishop of Gloucester (Episcopal Consistory)
- Diocese: Post 1835 – Gloucester and Bristol, Pre 1836 – Gloucester
- Rural Deanery: Forest
- Poor Law Union: Newent
- Hundred: Botloe
- Province: Canterbury