ABINGHALL or ABENHALL, is a parish, on the road from Newnham to Mitcheldean, two-and-a-half miles south-west from Longhope station on the Hereford, Ross and Gloucester section of the Great Western railway and five north-west from Newnham, in the Forest of Dean division of the county, St. Briavels hundred, union of Westbury-on-Severn, Newnham county court district and petty sessional division, rural deanery of South Forest, archdeaconry of Gloucester and diocese of Bristol. The church of St. Michael and All Angels is an ancient building of stone in the Early English and Decorated styles, consisting of chancel, nave of two bays, south aisle, south porch and a tower at the west end of the south aisle containing 3 bells; the octagonal font was given by the miners' guild in 1450: in the chancel is a brass with four effigies to Richard Pyrke, of Mitcheldean, ob. 1609. Joan (Ayleway), his wife and two children: the east window and one on the north side of the nave are stained: in 1874 the roof was opened so as to disclose the timber framing and a gallery removed, at a cost of £400, and in 1879 the church was entirely restored and reseated, at the sole cost of the Rev. S. J. Johnson M. A. rector 1879/81: an organ chamber was added in 1883, at a cost of £200: there are sittings for 120 persons. The register dates from the year 1596. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £120, including 26 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Worcester, and held since 1890 by the Rev. Ebenezer Cargill B. A., J. P. of Holbrook House, Wincanton, who is lord of the manor, and Maynard Willoughby Colchester-Wemyss esq., J. P. of Westbury Court, Westbury-on-Severn, are chief landowners. The soil is sandy; subsoil, red sandstone. The chief crops are wheat, barley and roots. The area is 751 acres; rateable value, £1,365; the population in 1901 was 218; a detached part of the parish being transferred to East Dean by Local Govenment Board Order 14.762. March 25, 1885.Parish Clerk, Edwin Stidder.
Letters received through Gloucester, via Mitcheldean R. S. O. arrive at 7 & 11.30 a.m. The nearest post, money order & telegraph office is at Mitcheldean, about one and a half miles distant.
Church Wall Box cleared at 5.30 p.m.
School (mixed), for 50 children; average attendance, 23: & supported in part by the Barton family; Miss Emily R. Gardiner, mistress.
Carrier to Gloucester: George Hill, wed. & sat.
CARGILL Rev. Ebenezer, B. A., Rectory
HIGGINS Mrs., Ferny field
PROBYN John W., Abenhall lodge
ROBINSON Miss Mary Anne, Abenhall house
YEARSLEY Edwin Evans
COMMERCIAL:-
BAGGETT Thorne, mason
DOWDING Jn. Oswell, farmer, Folly fm.
GARDINER Elizh. (Mrs.), grocer & baker
GRIFFITHS John, nail maker
HILL George, carpenter & carrier
PALFREY Frederick, farmer
RODWAY John, farmer
ROSERVEIR Henry, farmer, Church farm
SIMMONDS Daniel, Lamb P. H.
STIDDER Edwin, haulier
WILLIAMS Thos., blacksmith & ironmonger