West Dean 1870
WEST DEAN is an extensive township, formed under the Act 5 & 6 Vic. cap. 48, and is situated in the Western division of the county, hundred of Saint Briavels, Monmouth union and county court district, diocese of Gloucester and Bristol, archdeaconry of Gloucester, and rural deanery of the Forest. The town extends over an area of 10,000 acres, 1,507 of which are cultivated, and whose gross estimated rental is £21,550; the rateable value is £17,010, and comprises the greater portion of the Forest of Dean: the soil is for the most part of a stiff clayey nature, and is pecularily adapted to the growth of oak, of which there are large plantations or enclosures, many thousand acres in extent, made or planted under the authority of the Crown: the subsoil is underlaid with valuable mines of coal and iron ore, together with extensive beds of stone and clay: the very great antiquity of the Forest mines, and the peculiar quality of the iron ore obtained therefrom, combined with the remarkable condition upon which the right of working them is based, have all served to render this locality as interesting to the present generation as it was profitable to the primitive operatives of the Middle Ages; its annals occupy a prominent place both in the domestic and commercial history of the kingdom, revealing as they do the dawn of the discovery of the mines in remoter times, when the iron ore was sought by the miners near the surface of the ground, and which mode of search accounts for the strange and weird-like caverns here found in many places, as likewise the steady growth of that repute for producing metal of a "gentle, pliable and soft nature," and which obtained in those times for Gloucestria or Glovernia hardware a national fame.With but few intermissions during the centuries elapsed since medievel times, have Forest mining operations been continued, and the modern development of the trade has been so great as to have called into existence numerous districts filled with a large industrial population, all of them exhibiting in a marked degree the improvement produced by a long period of prosperous employment. The coal obtained from the several collieries not only supplies the requirements of the localities around, but is largely transmitted to other parts of the kingdom, and the iron ore, besides being extensively used in the furnances of the district, is also sent in large quantities into the county of Stafford, and also into South Wales, where it is highly valued for its mixing properties. The clay of the Forest is specially adapted for making of fire bricks, and the stone is also used to a considerable extent in the making of monuments, troughs, and grindstones, in addition to the ordinary purposes of building. Within the Forest of Dean are also very important tin, iron and steel wors, and chemical distilleries. This township is divided into four ecclesiastical districts, viz: St. Paul's. which comprises the hamlets of Park End, Whitecroft and Futterill; All Saints, comprising Yorkley and Viney Hill; Holy Jesus, comprising the greater part of Lydbrook; and Christ Church, comprising Berry Hill, Joyford, Hillersland and Lane Ends.
ELLWOOD, CLEARWELL MESNE and BREAM'S EAVES are places in the township not included in the above ecclesiastical districts.
WHITECROFT, 3 miles from Lydney station, and 5 from Coleford, is situated in the vale betwixt rising ground covered with fine plantations of timber: the inhabitants, whose dwellings are scattered here and there in singular irregularity, are mainly employed in the coal, chemical and quarry trades seated here.
Post Office - Daniel Simms, sub-postmaster. Letters arrive from Lydney at 8.15 a.m. ; dispatched at 5.30 p.m.
Post Office, Futterill - Letters through Coleford.
YORKLEY, 3 miles from Lydney station, and 5 from Coleford, is a large hamlet, the dwellings in which are scattered over rising ground, in some parts being very steep; all the houses are detached and built in positions of grotesque irregularity: the inhabitants are chiefly employed at the iron works of Park End. There are places of worship here from Primitive Methodists, Wesleyans, Baptists, and Bible Christians.
Post Office - Mrs. Amy Bailey, receiver. Letters arrive from Lydney at 8.30 a.m. ; dispatched at 5.45 p.m.
VINEY HILL is but scantily populated. It is 3 miles from Park End and 2 miles from Blakeney. All Saints church is of stone, consisting of nave, aisles and chancel, with bell cot and 2 bells, and was consecrated in 1867. An excellent vicarage has been erected near the church, which is occupied by the Rev. Samuel Edwards, M. A., the vicar. The church is endowed with £150 per annum, and is in the gift of the Rev. W. H. Bathurst of Lydney Park, by whose instrumentality, in connection with that of Mrs. Bathurst, of Eastbatch Court, the church and vicarage have been built and principally endowed. There are two mixed schools for boys and girls in this district, with residence for teachers, one situated at Viney Hill and the other at Blakeney Woodside. These schools are supported by an annual grant from the Office of Woods and Forests, and also by voluntary subscriptions.
Post Office - Letters through Newnham.
National School (All Saints), Thomas Piff, schoolmaster.
Infant School (Woodside), Miss Agnes Lawton, mistress.
BERRY HILL, 1 mile north of Coleford, has a scattered population, who are mostly employed in and around Coleford, of which latter place it forms a suburb. Christ Church is a stone building of modern date, having a tower, chancel, aisle and 1 bell. The living is a vicarage, and is held by the Rev. William Henry Taylor, B. A., of St. John's College, Cambridge. There are National Schools here for boys and girls, which are in a very efficient state.
National School, William Holden, master; Mrs. Martha Holden, mistress; Sarah Jane Holden, assistant teacher.
Infant School, Miss Sarah Cooper, mistress.
Post Office, Bream's Eaves - Letters through Lydney.
BERRY HILL:-
BUCKLE Rev. William (curate)
TAYLOR Rev. William Henry, B. A. (vicar), Vicarage
COMMERCIAL:-
ADDIS Thomas, beer retailer
ASHBEE Margaret, Rising Sun, Fiveacres
BEACH Peter, shopkeeper
BROWN George, beer retailer
BROWN William, blacksmith
BROWN William, The Rock, & grocer, Hillersland
COOPER Joseph, shopkeeper, Joyford
CULLIS Eliza (Mrs.), shopkeeper, Joyford
DAVIS Benjn., farmer, Shortstanding
DEW Thomas, shopkeeper, Hillersland
EBBORN William, farmer, Shortstanding
FOX George, shopkeeper, Joyford
GODWIN Edward, beer retailer
GWILLIAM Edwin, shopkeeper
GWILLIAM Milson, shoe maker
HARRISON Charlotte, beer retailer, Joyford
HUGHES Shadrach, shopkeeper
JONES James, sculptor & stone mason
JONES Richard, shopkeeper, Hillersland
NELMES William, grocer
NORSE Henry Anderton, coal proprietor
POWELL James, shopkeeper
SHORT John, farmer, Whiteall
SHORT John, New inn, Shortstanding
SMITH David Jones, assistant overseer for the township of West Dean, Five acres
STEPHENS Isaiah, shopkeeper & shoe maker, Shortstanding
TEAGUE Edward, farmer
TEAGUE William, grocer
TOMLINS George, beer retailer, Shortstanding
WEBB John, nail maker
BREAM'S EAVES:-
DOBBS John & Son, carpenters & builders
PHIPPS John, beer retailer
TROTTER Isaiah, manufacturing chemist, Oakwood chemical works
CLEARWELL MESNE:-
ATKINSON George, iron mine proprietor, Old Bow Nine pit
BARRETT B, mine proprietor
DOWARD John, grocer & draper, & manager to the Sling iron mines
GETHING Mary (Mrs.), farmer & haulier, Milkwall
HOWELL Martha (Miss), shopkeeper
MORSE Henry, beer retailer, Ellwall
MORSE Richard, tiler & plasterer
SELBY John, builder & mason
SIMS William, beer retailer
TALBOT Wm., iron ore proprietor, Sling pit
WATKINS Hy., beer retailer & shoe maker
ELLWOOD:-
BALL William, haulier, Upper Ellwood
BLANCH William, farmer & haulier
DAVIS Thomas, quarry proprietor
HARRIS John, colliery manager, Drybrook house
NASH William, farmer & haulier
ROSSER Richd., stone quarry proprietor
TAYLOR Mary (Mrs.), farmer & haulier
TEAGUE Peter & Co., coal masters
FUTTERILL:-
BLANCH John, colliery proprietor
BLANCH Thomas, carpenter & colliery proprietor
HARRISON William, George inn
HOWELLS James, blacksmith
JONES Edward, beer retailer
POWELL Amos, haulier
Titantic Steel & Iron Co. Forest works
WANKLYN & GRINDELL, fire bricks & pottery ware makers, Dark Hill works
Western Counties Colliery Co.
LANE END:-
ASTON William, beer retailer
BENNETT Henry, shopkeeper
BAGLIN Daniel, beer retailer
Forest of Dean Chemical Co. naphtha manufacturers (W. H. Jackson, manager), Cannop works
GWILLIAM Benjamin, Royal Forest inn
MARLIN Mary (Mrs.), Bird in Hand
MATTHEWS Samuel & Co., carpenters & builders
MORGAN William, beer retailer
SMITH Amos, beer retailer
SMITH John, grocer
WANKLYN & GRINDELL, colliery proprietors, Edenwall colliery
WILDING Philip, grocer & provision factor
VINEY HILL:-
EDWARDS Rev. Samuel, M. A. (vicar), Vicarage
DAVIS Thomas, farmer
MORSE Gregory, quarryman & grocer
SHIPTON Thomas, farmer
SUMMERS George, grocer & colliery
WARREN John, nailer
WILCE George, Albion
WILLETTS Thos., beer retailer & shoe maker
WHITECROFT:-
BLAKE Thomas, contractor
CHAPMAN & MORGAN, chemical works proprietors
Compressed Coal Co. patent fuel manufacturers (manager's name unreadable)
HOOK Thomas, beer retailer
JAMES William & Joseph, hauliers
JONES George, shoe maer
LEWIS Alfred, beer retailer & shopkeeper
MORGAN George, beer retailer
MORSE Thomas, miller
MORSE William, haulier
NELMES Danie, haulier
Park Hill Mining Company (W. H. Fryer, manager)
PHILIPS Henry, Miner's Arms, & butcher
PHIPPS George, beer retailer
Pillowell Colliery Co. (F. Nash, manager)
RAFFILS Charles Perry, beer retailer
SIMMS Daniel, grocer & post office
THOMAS Henry, haulier
WOOD William, blacksmith & haulier
WYATT John, grocer & draper
YORKLEY:-
BEDDINGTON James, mason
BEDDIS Susan, Nag's Head
BRAIN William, shopkeeper
BROWN Thomas, tailor
COLEY Frederic, butcher
DAVIS Henry, beer retailer
EDWARDS William, haulier
HATTON John, Stag
HATTON William, haulier
JAMES Adam, beer retailer
JAMES Alvin, shoe maker
JAMES Henry, beer retailer
JAMES Mary (Mrs.), Globe
JAMES John, farmer
JAMES Richard, collier & beer retailer
JAMES James, carpenter & contractor
JOHNSON Benjamin, grocer & draper
JOHNSON John, mason
JOHNSON William, wood cutter
JONES George, beer retailer & grocer
KEAR Henry, carpenter
MORGAN Thomas, shoe maker
MORSE Arthur, carpenter & shopkeeper
MORSE Isaac, haulier
PHIPPS Samuel, mason & shopkeeper
PRICE Henry, shopkeeper
POWELL George Prout, butcher
STERRY James, grocer & draper
THOMAS James, tailor & shopkeeper
THORNE George, shoe maker
VIMPANY Edward, shopkeeper
WILLIAMS Charles Moythan, grocer & draper
WORGAN Thomas, grocer & baker