The Forest of Dean: An Historical and Descriptive Account Part 12

The following clergymen have successively officiated in the district of Holy Trinity:--

_Inc.u.mbents_.--H. Berkin, 1817; H. G. Nicholls, 1847.

_Curates_.--J. Morse, 1820; J. Bridgeman, 1821; J. Herbert, 1822; W.

Marshall, 1822; W. Burkitt, 1824; J. Ch.e.l.l, 1827; R. T. Budd, 1840; W. C. Badger, 1844; J. G. Croker, 1846; G. Tatam, 1848; H. Algar, 1851; W. Nickisson; W. Duckett; J. Ashton; H. W. Thornton; W. A.

Whitestone. Most of these gentlemen served at Lydbrook, although occasionally at Holy Trinity Church; they likewise attended the Chapel Schoolroom on Little Dean Hill.

The annual number of christenings at Holy Trinity Church is 80; of weddings, 15; and of funerals, 40. The morning congregation on Sunday comprises about 100; that in the afternoon, 350; and the two evening school-room services, 120. About 250 scholars attend school weekdays and Sundays.

Having thus related the progressive efforts made for the welfare of the people occupying the north-east portion of the Forest, it is necessary that we return to the date of 1813, being the year in which the Rev. Mr.

Procter opened his chapel school-room on the west. He tells us that "in the course of this year the Bishop of Gloucester was pleased to call my attention to the clause introduced by Mr. Perceval into the Act of 52 George III., cap. 161. I went up to town, and had the honour of an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Right Honourable N.

Vansittart, who was pleased to advise with the Earl of Liverpool on the subject, which resulted in a grant of five acres of land, a donation of 100 pounds to the building fund, and an endowment of 20 pounds per annum to the school." He proceeds to remark that "the crowded state of the chapel became a matter of astonishment to the Foresters themselves, and painfully inconvenient to the congregation, as well as dangerous to the health of the officiating minister, from the intense heat, besides excluding the children, all showing the necessity of an enlargement; so that, after a probationary period of three years, another appeal for aid came before the public, whereby the building was increased to twice the size, provided with a children's gallery, and, excepting two pews, kept perfectly free and open to all. It now became my duty," observes Mr.

Procter, "to secure to the Foresters in perpetuity these extraordinary blessings which Divine Providence was progressively granting to them.

This could only be done by consecration, and to authorize such an act, an endowment being considered necessary, another public appeal was made in June, 1813, for a.s.sistance to place amongst these poor people a clergyman who would not only publicly preach, but reside, privately visit their cottages, disseminate the Scriptures, and a.s.sist the master of the National School in impressing upon the minds of the children the principles of the Christian religion," as, "without a resident clergyman, an experience of fourteen years convinced him that all efforts would prove abortive. It had likewise become necessary to discontinue using the chapel as a school-room, since the doing so had been found to lessen the reverence due to the sanctuary in the minds both of the parents and children. A new schoolroom was therefore immediately built of the best stone, with two fireplaces, and a part.i.tion in the middle; over the door is the following inscription,--'The Forest Day School, for Boys and Girls, on the National plan, established 1812, supported by voluntary subscriptions.'" The cost of erection was almost 300 pounds, and the expenses of conducting the school averaged about 70 pounds per annum, for two-thirds of which Mr. Procter was himself answerable, and only dependent on annual donations.

With the view of forming such an endowment for the church as would make it eligible for consecration, a freehold estate near at hand was purchased in the month of November, 1816, although the price of it exceeded the sum subscribed by 200 pounds, but which amount it was expected the Parliamentary Commissioners would repay. Thomas Morgan's house, garden, buildings, and lands adjoining the chapel were also purchased for nearly 400 pounds, the former being partly preserved in the back part of the present parsonage-house. Thus the property appropriated to the new church consisted at this time of the five acres of Crown land, the purchased freehold, and Thomas Morgan's property, on which, as an ecclesiastical endowment, the consecration of the church, under the name of Christ Church, took place, on Wednesday, 7th July, 1816, by Bishop Ryder, and was duly conveyed to the following gentlemen as trustees, viz., the Right Honourable N. Vansittart, Lord Calthorpe, James Jenkins, George Baring, T. T. Biddulph, Esqrs.; Reverends J. Hensman and E.

Mansfield.

[Picture: Christ Church, Berry Hill]

The body of the building forms a parallelogram 50 feet by 42 feet; the tower, upwards of 60 feet high, was built some years afterwards, at a cost of 1,000 pounds. Unfortunately, serious inconvenience ensued to Mr.

Procter by his having caused the whole of the above-named endowment property to be conveyed to the church previous to its consecration, since, on presenting the memorial to the Board for the payment of the accustomed Parliamentary grant, the case was p.r.o.nounced "irregular,"

rendering Mr. Procter liable to a debt of 950 pounds, although 500 pounds of the amount was eventually paid by Pyncombe's Charity and Queen Anne's Board. The sum of 2,000 pounds was granted, however, by the Parliamentary Board to be laid out in the purchase of land, yielding in the mean time an interest of 4 pounds per cent., and raising the total income of the living to 118 pounds 10s. 6d., or thereabouts. Mr. Procter died on the 8th May, 1822, aged 52, worn out by excessive devotion to his pastoral duties, and was succeeded by the Rev. T. R. Garnsey, who, after a life of similar usefulness, expired in March, 1847. His funeral sermon was preached on Sunday, the 14th of March, by the Rev. H. Poole, from Hebrews xii. 2. The church was densely crowded, many could not obtain an entrance, and all appeared deeply to feel the loss they had sustained.

In the mean time, under the Act of 1842, an addition of 31 pounds 9s. 6d.

was made to the salary of the inc.u.mbent, by the purchase of an equivalent amount of 3 per cent. Reduced Bank Annuities, raising its annual income to 150 pounds, the nomination to the inc.u.mbency being transferred to the Queen and her successors. The Rev. J. Banks succeeded to the living in 1847, who, previous to his relinquis.h.i.+ng it in 1852, effected several improvements in the interior of the church. The Rev. W. H. Taylor followed him, and still remains the minister. The adjoining school premises have been made much more complete and capacious by him, so as amply to accommodate 150 children, and a teacher's house has been erected. A permanent redemption of the land-tax charged on the living, at the cost of 150 pounds, has also been presented by Thomas Graham, Esq.

There are three tablets on the north side or oldest part of the church, to the memories of Edward Hawkins, the first teacher in the school, the Rev. P. M. Procter, and the Rev. T. R. Garnsey, and a flat paved stone records the grave of Thomas Morgan. About ten marriages, forty-three baptisms, and thirty-five funerals take place yearly. The church is well attended on Sunday, especially in the afternoon, when 300 or 400 persons are usually present.

Whilst the Rev. P. M. Procter and the Rev. H. Berkin were engaged in effecting the improvements described on the west and north-east sides of the Forest, the Rev. H. Poole was labouring to accomplish similar results on the south-east. The appeal for public aid towards "the erection of a church and school-house," which he issued on the 6th July, 1819, thus forcibly describes the necessities of the case:--"The Forest is an extensive tract of land, having a circ.u.mference of about twenty-five miles, and containing at present nearly 5,000 souls. This population, with some exceptions, may be considered as divided into three settlements, detached from each other by a s.p.a.ce of several miles, of which settlements two are now provided with churches; but the other colony, situated on the south-east side, is still dest.i.tute of the means of religious knowledge. It is therefore proposed, under the sanction of the Lord Bishop of the diocese, to erect a third church and school-house in this still neglected spot. From a recent accurate survey, it appears that within little more than two miles of the site of the proposed church there are at least 400 inhabitants, distant from the other Forest churches about six miles, and from any parish church nearly three miles.

The chapel of Bream, the nearest episcopal place of wors.h.i.+p, is too small to accommodate even one-third of the population of its own t.i.thing.

Being thus unprovided with a place of wors.h.i.+p and the means of public instruction, and following the corrupt dictates of their untutored minds, the natural consequences are gross ignorance of the Scriptures, a shameful profanation of the Sabbath, and a total neglect of all the duties of religion, accompanied with a general prevalence of disorderly and immoral conduct." This application met with a generous response from Bishop Ryder, Edward Protheroe, Esq., the Earl of Liverpool, the Right Hon. N. Vansittart, Edward Machen, Esq., Lord Calthorpe, Lady Olivia Sparrow, Mrs. H. More, &c.

The site chosen for the new church, as being most convenient of access for the largest number of persons, was "Mason's Tump," situated immediately to the east of Whitemead, Park End. In the two previous instances of church-building at Berry Hill and Holy Trinity, little had been attempted in the way of appropriate design; but in this case Mr.

Poole's practical knowledge and good taste enabled more to be accomplished. At a total cost of 2,731 pounds, including the churchyard boundary wall and gates, a cruciform edifice, enlarged into an octagon forty-six feet in diameter at the intersection, having a total length of sixty-six feet, so as to accommodate 500 people, was erected in the Decorated style of architecture; attached to which there was also raised a well-proportioned tower, eighty feet in height, and intended to contain a small peal of eight bells, Edward Machen, Esq., presenting the treble, as well as a good clock with three dials.

[Picture: St. Paul's Church, Park End]

The church now possesses a good finger organ, removed from Ross church, and said to have been used originally in Salisbury Cathedral. There is also a rich reredos under the east window. At eleven o'clock on the morning of the 2nd of May, 1822, Dr. Ryder, the Lord Bishop of Gloucester, attended by thirteen clergymen and many of the magistrates and gentry of the neighbourhood, proceeded to the spot for the purpose of dedicating the fabric to the service of G.o.d as the Church of St. Paul.

The Bishop entered the edifice by the west door, followed by his clergy, repeating alternately the 24th Psalm. Every seat was immediately filled, and soon no spot was left unoccupied. Many could not gain admission, and were seen clinging to the bars of the windows on the outside. A large company of professional and amateur singers attended, so that the whole musical part of the service was well executed. His Lords.h.i.+p delivered an impressive discourse from the 8th, 9th, and 10th verses of the 132nd Psalm. The congregation was very attentive, and, after contributing at the door nearly 30 pounds towards the completion of the work, dispersed, fully 1,000 persons being observed to leave the church. The perpetual advowson of the living was a.s.signed to the Bishop of the diocese, and endowed with 75 pounds 6s. 6d. per annum, together with the remainder of the five acres of land granted by the Crown as glebe, on which a picturesque parsonage, and also commodious schools for a population supposed to number 1,500, were erected. By the Act of 1842 the income of the inc.u.mbency was augmented to 150 pounds a year, and the presentation confirmed to the Bishop of the diocese, with an ecclesiastical district annexed to it of 7,741 acres, with 3,681 inhabitants. This population has since increased to 6,500, to meet which growth pleasing and substantial schools have been built, at a total outlay of 750 pounds, on the Viney Hill and in the Blakeney Valley, the former opened in 1850, and the latter in 1851. Divine service is held in each of them under episcopal licence. The three schools are attended by 200 children daily.

The Sunday congregations comprise 150 people in the morning, and 400 in the afternoon. About fifty come to the Lord's Table. The yearly average of christenings is forty-six, of weddings twenty-six, and of funerals forty-five. The following is a list of

_Inc.u.mbents_.--Henry Poole; J. J. Ebsworth, M.A.

_Curates_.--David Jones, M.A., Oxon.; --- Dixon, B.A., Oxon.; --- Revel, M.A., Camb.; --- Stewart, M.A., Camb.; --- Mountfort, M.A., Oxon.; --- Malpas, M.A.; --- Cardew, B.A.; --- Ponton, B.A.

[Picture: St. John's Church and Schools, Cinderford]

The next effort made to meet the spiritual wants of the increasing population of the Forest was commenced by Edward Protheroe, Esq., M.P., who erected and opened, July 1, 1840, "on Cinderford Tump, where the old holly grew," large and substantial school-buildings, for the benefit of the families connected with his adjacent collieries, and consigned them to the care of Mr. Zachariah Jolly as their master, an office which he ably filled for several years. The attendance was large, sometimes exceeding 280 children of both s.e.xes. In the first seventeen years, to July, 1857, nearly 1,400 young persons were admitted into the schools, at ages ranging from four to twenty-two years. There was also an evening school for adults, some winters numbering ninety, patronized by the South Wales Railway Company, who subscribed liberally to it. By the Act of July, 1842, dividing the Forest into ecclesiastical districts, its south-east section was const.i.tuted one of them, and a stipend of 150 pounds per annum provided for the minister, so soon as the church intended for it should be built and consecrated. Aided by large donations from the Crown, Charles Bathurst, Esq., the Rev. Dr. Warneford, and others, the new church, erected on the hill above Cinderford Bridge, at a cost of 3,109 pounds, in the Early Pointed style of Gothic architecture, on the plan of a Latin cross, with a belfry turret, and capable of seating 800 persons, was consecrated under the name of St.

John the Apostle, by Bishop Monk, on the 22nd of October, 1844. There was a large attendance of clergy, and upwards of 1,100 persons were present, many others being unable to obtain admission into the church.

The Rev. R. Davies preached from St. Matt. xii. 34. The Rev. T. G.

Smythies, who had been residing for some time in the district, became the first inc.u.mbent. This appointment he continues to hold, and by the aid of the Crown, the late Bishop Monk, Dr. Warneford, and the Gally Knight Fund, has built an excellent parsonage conveniently adjoining the church.

Following the course of ecclesiastical and educational progress in the Forest, it only remains to record the most recent step taken, namely, that at Lydbrook. The erection of a church there, although contemplated for several years previously, was deferred for some time, until the a.s.siduous exertions of the Rev. J. Burdon, and the munificent donation of 2,000 pounds from Mr. Machen and his relatives, secured its accomplishment. {172} The cost of the building, including the site, which lies on the north-east slope of the Lydbrook Valley, close to the original school-room, was 3,500 pounds, to which the following public bodies thus contributed:

Her Majesty's Commissioners of 250 pounds Woods, &c.

,, Church Building 100 Commissioners Incorporated Society 230 Diocesan ditto 200 ---- 780 pounds

The rest was given by private persons, the princ.i.p.al being Messrs.

Allaway and Partridge, who contributed 250 pounds.

[Picture: Lydbrook Church and Schools]

The church was designed by H. Woodyer, Esq., in the Geometrical style of Decorated architecture, and comprises a nave and aisles 60 feet long and 50 feet in width, a handsome chancel, a south porch, and tower 80 feet high. It is built in the ornamented parts and internally of Bath stone, the exterior being the gritstone of the neighbourhood. The foundation stone was laid on Monday, the 12th of August, 1850, and the church, called that of "The Holy Jesus," was consecrated on the 4th December, 1851, by Dr. Ollivant, Bishop of Llandaff, the Bishop of the diocese being too unwell to attend. Considering the season of the year, the day was very fine, nearly fifty clergymen were present, and upwards of one thousand people crowded into the edifice. The Rev. E. Machen, Rector of Mitcheldean, preached the sermon on Isaiah lvi. 7. A stipend of about 120 pounds was secured to the inc.u.mbent of the church by annexing to it 30 pounds from the t.i.thes of English Bicknor, with an additional 90 pounds from the Crown, which consequently presents to the living, alternately with Queen's College, Oxford. The first inc.u.mbent was the Rev. W. Deering, who was succeeded in 1853 by the Rev. T. H. Chase, by whom it is still held, and who has been enabled to erect a suitable parsonage house. About thirty baptisms, fifteen funerals, with a proportionate number of weddings, take place at this church annually.

Nearly 150 persons attend on the Sunday morning, and 250 in the afternoon, amongst whom there are forty communicants, the total population of the parish being 2,500.

In addition to the five churches named above, my knowledge of the district enables me to state that the rapid increase of population calls for the erection of at least three more, on the east, south, and west sides of the Forest, all of which should, if possible, be provided without delay.

Besides the efforts of the Church, directed as now described, for the benefit of the population of the Forest, its inhabitants have of late years become an object of religious regard to the different bodies of Congregationalists, most of whom are represented amongst the Foresters.

The wealthier coal and iron masters manifest a benevolent interest in the welfare of their workmen, and in one instance have established a large day-school, and built a place of wors.h.i.+p for their use. The Commissioners of the Crown have always attended to applications for help in furtherance of these objects, and have at different times granted sums to the amount of 10,347 pounds towards endowing the Forest churches, and in some years have devoted as much as 800 pounds to the maintenance of schools, which they annually aid by the following donations:

pounds _s._ _d._ St. Paul's 70 0 0 District (Park End, 30 pounds, Oldcroft 20 pounds, and Blakeney Woodside 20 pounds) Christ Church 30 0 0 District Holy Trinity 70 0 0 District (Trinity 30 pounds, Ruardean Woodside 20 pounds, Hawthorns 20 pounds) Cinderford 30 0 0 Lydbrook 30 0 0 Bream 15 0 0 St. Briavel's 5 5 0 Mitcheldean 5 5 0 Blakeney 15 0 0 Staunton 10 0 0 Dixton 5 0 0 Coleford 5 0 0 English Bicknor 2 2 0 Whitchurch 5 0 0 ---- --- --- 297 12 0

To the above must be added the handsome donation of 500 pounds from Thomas Graham, Esq., formerly clerk to the Dean Forest Commissioners.

CHAPTER XI.

The history of the Abbey of Flaxley, or St. Mary de Dene--Its foundation by Roger Earl of Hereford in 1140--Confirmed and enriched by Henry II.

and III., and Richard II.--Suppressed in 1541--Existing remains--St.

Anthony's Well--The Abbey, &c., granted to Sir W. Kingston--His descendants--Mrs. C. Riches (Boevey), supposed to be Sir R. de Coverley's "perverse widow;" her benevolent life, and death in 1726--Nature and cessation of the Flaxley iron-works--Erection of the present church in 1856.

The link which connects the Abbey of Flaxley with the Forest of Dean is chiefly of an antiquarian nature; for instead of being included as formerly within the limits of the Forest, it is merely approached on one side by a promontory of Crown land, called "Pope's Hill." The incident which led to the foundation of the abbey, as related by Leland, who visited it a short time before it was suppressed, shows the Forest character of its precincts. He tells us--"ther was a brother of Rogerus Earl of Hereforde that was kylled wythe an arowe in huntinge in the very place where the abbay syns was made. There was a table of the matter hanggid up in the abbay church." The date of its inst.i.tution is a.s.signed to the year 1140, or the reign of Stephen, its chief founder being the aforesaid Roger, aided by a Bishop of Hereford "that holped much to the buildinge," and who was probably Robert de Betune, by whom the north-west transept of that cathedral is said to have been erected. They designated it "the Abbey of St. Mary de Dene, or Dene Abbey," and devoted it to the use of the White Monks of the Cistertian order. Tintern, the other abbey of that order, established near the western border of the Forest, was founded nine years before. The dress of the monks was a white ca.s.sock, with a narrow scapulary; and from this doubtless comes the name of "St.

White's," on Little Dean Hill, in the parish of Flaxley, as well as of another spot called Whitecross.

The inst.i.tution of the abbey was confirmed, and its endowment augmented, by two charters, granted by Henry II., to the following purport:--"Know ye that I have granted and confirmed to G.o.d and St. Mary, and to the monks of the Cistertian order, a certain place in the valley of Castiard called Flaxley, to build an abbey there; and all that land called Wastdean, and one iron forge free and quit, and with as free liberty to work as any of my forges in demesne; and all the land under the Old Castle of Dene, with liberty to plough it up, to wit 100 acres, which remains to be a.s.sarted, and that which is already a.s.sarted; and a certain fishery at Redley called Newerre, and a meadow of Reidley called Pulmeade, containing four acres; and all eas.e.m.e.nts in the Forest of Dean, to wit, common of pasture for their young cattle and hogs and for all other beasts, and wood and timber to repair their houses and buildings, and for other necessaries, without committing waste in the Forest; and I have given them t.i.thes of chesnuts out of the same Forest, and all my demesnes at Dymmock; and five yard lands and a half, besides the demesnes and half my wood at Dymmock, and half my nets which I have in my hands, for the conveniences of my men, because I would have my monks enjoy that part of the wood peaceably and quietly, without any interfering with any other persons; and I straightly command that no person offer to disturb them upon this account; and the lands belonging to Walfric; but so that if Uhred the clerk continues in the abbey with the lands he exchanged, to wit, two yard lands, that then he shall give no account of it to any body but the abbot; and all the land of Jeoffry, son of the aforesaid Walfric, which the Earl of Hereford did release, and all the land which Leffric de Staura gave to them in alms, and the farm which I gave them at Wallemere, out of my new ploughed ground containing 200 acres with the meadows and pastures, and all other eas.e.m.e.nts; and four acres of Northwood. I further give to them my new ploughed grounds under Castiard, called Vincent Lands;" added to which, there was a grant of two oaks out of the Forest every seven days, for supplying their iron-forge with fuel.

Few of the properties here named can now be traced. Castiard is unknown, but perhaps the "old Castle of Dene" is identical with a circular ditch and bank, about fifty yards in diameter, on Camp Hill, between Flaxley and Little Dean. It may also be observed that the present Chesnuts Enclosure is probably the site of the chesnut groves referred to in the above grants. A century later (42 Henry III.) the two oaks weekly were commuted for a tract of woodland in the Forest, containing 872 acres, reserving, however, the herbage for the King's deer and wild beasts, and all mines and quarries, and a power to the grantee to enclose one-tenth part thereof, and to hold the same enclosed against all animals except the King's deer and wild beasts, leaving nine tenth parts always open; all which peculiarities of tenure are connected with a tract of land yet identified by the name of "the Abbot's Woods." Between the years 1206 and 1215 King John paid several visits to Flaxley. In the terms of a Papal taxation levied in 1291 by Pope Nicholas, the property of this abbey was thus valued:--

pounds _s._ _d._ In the diocese 14 0 1 of Hereford, at ,, Bath and 11 0 0 Wells ,, Worcester 7 5 0 -- - - Total 32 5 1