NEWENT is a small irregularly built borough and market town, in the hundred of Botloe, and county of Gloucester and immediately on the verge of the counties of Worcester and Hereford; distant 112 miles from London, and eight from Gloucester, Ledbury, and Ross. Its communications with the metropolis are regular, owing to coaches running from the place, lately established on this road, which communication is likely to be the means of bringing the place into notice, and ultimately tend greatly to its advantage. Indeed, from the spirit of improvement which has begun to pervade, it is probable ere long that it will rank very respectably in the scale of towns. The principle ornaments of the town are the spas and gardens. It appears that the component parts of these springs (which have been fully explained by Dr. Reece, in a treatise on the nature and properties of medicinal waters) are similar to those at Cheltenham, and equally beneficial in similar cases. The Well Cottage, surrounded by enlivening and interesting scenery, is within an easy walk of the town; to which the approach is through Mr. De Visme's delightful pleasure grounds, accompanied part of the way by the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire canal, and two large sheets of water form in the spring and summer a most enchanting promenade. The church is a handsome and venerable pile; is very clean and neat, and contains many singular monuments, particularly one of great antiquity to the memory of Baron Grandison. The present vicar is the Rev. R. F. Onslow, archdeacon of Worcestor, and the curate is the Rev. Wm. Beale, vicar of Dymock. The present magistrates acting for the hundred of Botloe, and residing in the town, within the said hundred, are the Rev. R. F. Onslow and Thomas Richardson, Esq., Osman Richards, Esq., of Bromsbrow-place, near Newent, is also a magistrate acting for the said hundred, and William Munroe, Esq., of Newcourt, is also in the commission of the peace for the county of Gloucester. On the 29th January, 1673, the steeple of the church fell down with a tremendous crash, immediately after evening service, just as the clerk had locked the door, and not a single person was injured. To commemorate the providential escape, Eleanor Green, spinster, bequeather a sum of money, say 10s. to be paid to the officiating clergyman, for the time being, for a sermon to be preached on the 29th January annually. The parish is divided into the following tythings, viz. Compton, Eugley, Malswrit, Boulsdon, Kilcote, and the town liberty; and contains inhabited houses 531, occupied 556 families; uninhabited houses 15. The families employed in agriculture are 310; in trade and manufacture 148. Families not comprised in the above are 98; amounting in the whole, according to the last census in 1821, males 1,330, females 1,330 - total 2660, which is an increase since 1811 of 122. 'Tis astonishingly singular and worthy of remark, that the sexes are equal in number. Fairs are Wednesday before Easter, Wednesday before Whitsuntide, August 12th, and the Friday after the 19th of September, Market day is on Friday. A court leet is held here in the month of November annually.

Thomas Hartle, Post Master - The Horse Mail departs every morning at eight for Gloucester, from whence Letters are forwarded to all parts of the kingdom, and returns every afternoon at four.

 

Academies

BEALE F., Newent Old Academy

COWLES Mary, (for ladies)

CUMMINS Joseph, (commercial)

HILL Amy, (for ladies)

 

Attorneys

AINSWORTH AND CADLE, (and clerks to the magistrates, and commissioners of land and assessed taxes for the hundred of Botloe, and to the trustees of the turnpike roads in Newent and Aston districts, in the counties of Gloucester and Hereford)

HARTLAND John, C.C.A.

 

Auctioneers

BROWN Lawrence

CRAVEN John

SIER Richard

 

Bakers and Flour Dealers

BOWES John

GARDNER Mary

RUDGE John

THURSTON Mary

WELCH William

 

Basket Makers

BUTT James

STEVENS William

 

Blacksmiths and Farriers

COWMEADOW Thomas

WEST Thomas

 

Boot and Shoe Makers

ARNOLD James

CRAVEN Jonathan

MERRETT John

PETERS Thomas

WILLAN Samuel

WINTLE William

YEARSLEY George

 

Braziers and Tin-Plate Workers

BACON Thomas

SURL John

 

Builders

NICHOLLS William

WANE Thomas

 

Butchers

BURTON William

EDMONDS Christopher

MOODY James

PATRICK Thomas

RUDGE Thomas

 

Carpenters and Joiners

BEALEY James

NICHOLLS William

RUDGE Thomas

WARNE Thomas

 

Carver, Guilder & Upholsterer

MERRETT Thomas

 

Coal Dealers

BOWKETT John

THOMAS John

WINTLE John

 

Coopers

BUDDINS William

LITTLE Joseph

 

Curriers &c.

PENNER Thomas E.

 

Drapers, Mercers and Grocers

BISHOP Isabella

CUE Mary

CUE Richard, (and tallow chandler)

DALE Thomas

HARTLE Thomas, (and post master)

MATTHEWS John

 

Earthernware Dealers

CROMWELL Richard, (and glass)

POINER John, (and carrier)

 

Fire and Life Office

BIRMINGHAM, Richard Sier

 

Grocers and Flour Dealers

BUCKLAND George

GREEN Joseph

JANCEY Mary

LOVERIDGE Ridge

RUDGE John

 

Inns and Post Houses

George, John Ellis

Red Lion and Commercial Hotel, George Warder

 

Malsters

BROWN Lawrence

CARELESS Elizabeth

MATHEWS James

 

Millers and Flour Dealers

BUCKLAND George

HUMPDIGE James

MORGAN John

 

Nail Makers

GATFIELD James

WEBB James

WESTWOOD Cornelius

 

Plumbers, Glaziers & Painters

GREEN William

GREEN John

 

Saddlers

BAILEY William

BENNETT George, (and rope maker)

THURSTON Henry, (& pattern maker)

 

Stone Masons, &c

STONE James

SIER Richard

 

Surgeons

HOLLISTER George

LOVESY Richard

 

Tailors

BURT Richard

PRICE David

WEBLEY Thomas

WEBLEY Ann

WILKS George, sen.

WILKS George, jun.

WOOD Samuel, (and habit maker)

 

Tallow Chandler and Soap Boiler

CUE Richard, (and grocer)

 

Tanner

HERBERT Peter

 

Taverns and Public Houses

Bull, Lawrence Brown

Crown, William Loggins

King's Arms, Richard Allen

Royal Oak, William Powell

 

Timber Merchants

ELLIS John

WARNE Thomas

 

Wheelwrights

GLENDALL Charles

PETERS Benjamin

PETERS Richard

 

Miscellaneous

BISCO James, linen manufacturer

BRADLEY Thomas, watch maker

CRAVEN Jonathan, toy dealer

DEYKES William, steward to Thomas Foley, Esq., Oxenhall

HAYWARD Henry, teacher of music

LEWIS Benjamin, clerk to the canal company

MOODY John, governor of the workhouse

PICKERING Lewis, breeches maker

PUGH William, excise officer

TANNER Joseph, veterinary surgeon

 

Carriers by Land

GLOUCESTER, James Gatfield, Saml. Watts and John Poiner, every Wednesday and Saturday.

ROSS, James Gatfield, every Thursday.

Coaches

GLOUCESTER, the Rising Sun, Champion and Veteran, from the George Inn, every morning (Sunday excepted) at half-past seven.

HEREFORD, Ross, &c, the Rising Sun, from the George Inn, at half-past four in the afternoon; and the Champion and Veteran, at five in the morning.

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