Churches and schools--Religious provisions before the
Reformation--Rev. P. M. Procter, Vicar of Newland, lectures in Thomas
Morgan's cottage--The erection of a place for worship proposed--Rev.
H. Berkin opens a Sunday-school--Mr. Procter uses his chapel
schoolroom--Mr. Berkin lectures in the Foresters' cottages--Builds
Holy Trinity Church (1817)--His assiduous labours and death in
1847--Christ Church, Berry Hill--Mr. Procter's death--His
successors--Rev. H. Poole builds St. Paul's, Park End, and
schoolrooms--Rev. J. J. Ebsworth--St. John's, Cinderford, consecrated
1844--Lydbrook Church consecrated 1851--Government aid to the
churches and schools.
Previous to the Reformation, care seems to have been taken to provide the
population of the Forest with the means of religious worship. The border
churches of Mitcheldean and Newland were far larger than the people
residing in their immediate neighbourhood required; and there were
others, of which the memorials only remain in the names of "Chapel Hill"
and "Church Hill," the former in the parish of English Bicknor, and the
latter at Park End. This last was connected apparently with Ruerdean, if
we may judge from the "Churchway" which ran in that direction and gave
the name to an adjacent colliery. The "Laws and Customes" of the free
miners, dating as far back certainly as the year 1300, show that the
services of the Church were then generally known--the King's Gaveller
being therein directed to visit the mine "between Mattens and Masse," and
the miner was to "swear by his faith." For 200 years after the
Reformation no further provision was made, indeed none was apparently
required, as the Forest had been more than once nearly depopulated during
that period, and was said to be almost without inhabitants in 1712.
In common with many other mineral districts, especially those in the
West, the Rev. John Wesley established a connection with our Forest
miners. He visited Coleford as early as 1756, and did so again in 1763;
and his Journal thus records these visits:--"Monday, 15th March,
1756.--We reached Coleford before seven, and found a plain loving people,
who received the word of God with all gladness. Tuesday,
16th.--Examining the little society, I found them grievously harassed by
disputations. Anabaptists were on one side, and Quakers on the other;
and hereby five or six persons have been confused. But the rest cleave
so much the closer together. Nor does it appear that there is now one
trifler, much less a disorderly walker, among them." Wednesday, 17th
(August, 1763).--"Hence we rode to Coleford. The wind being high, I
consented to preach in their new room; but large as it was, it would not
contain the people, who appeared to be not a little affected, of which
they gave a sufficient proof by filling the room at five in the morning."
It appears, also, as stated in the interesting MS. of worthy Mr. Horlich,
an Independent Minister, that in the year 1783 "one Mr. Stiff
occasionally, on the Lord's Day, went to some sequestered spot in the
Forest, where himself and some of his family took their station under the
extended branches of one of the trees, for the purpose of reading the
Word of God."
But no sustained effort to impart religious instruction to the
inhabitants of the Forest was made until 1803, when the Rev. P. M.
Procter became Vicar of Newland, to which parish the Foresters were
always considered to belong. "At this time," he says, in his 'Brief and
Authentic Statement,' published in 1819, "I saw nothing of them on the
Sabbath-day. The church was only used by them as a matter of course and
necessity: indeed, a general opinion prevailed that they had no right to
accommodation, and a Forester was seldom seen in the aisle. The first
impression I received respecting the inhabitants was of the most
unfavourable kind. For some months no other intercourse took place than
what the visiting of the sick and the baptizing of the children
occasioned. By these means, however, I came to the knowledge of their
condition, their lives and conversation, of which the latter were the
most deplorable--habitual profanation of the Sabbath-day, drunkenness,
rioting, immodest dancing, revellings, fightings, an improper state of
females on their marriage, and an absence and ignorance of the Holy
Scriptures."
Mr. Procter then goes on to relate how he was brought to attempt their
improvement.--"After a few months' residence I was invited to take the
afternoon duty of the chapel at Coleford. Curiosity brought some of the
colliers to hear, and the report they carried home with them induced
others to come and judge for themselves. We passed on very quietly for a
little time, when a collier, named Thomas Morgan, sent to request that I
would call upon him. I did so. After the accustomed salutations were
passed, he assigned certain impressive reasons for wishing to see me,
and, in stating them, his eyes, his voice, and humble gesture strongly
marked the agitated feelings of his soul. After an interesting
conversation of two hours, I promised, at his request, to call upon him
again the following week. On taking my leave he said, 'I hope your
honour will not be offended, but some of my relations and neighbours are
in the same ignorant state as myself; they would be happy to hear your
conversation, and with permission I will ask one or two to come.' Under
the impression of a private conversation with six or eight people, I went
to the cottage at the time appointed. Upon laying my hand on the latch
of the door, the opening of it was prevented--the resistance proceeded
from the number of people collected within. A profound silence
prevailed. The collier smiled and looked for a pardon. Astonished at
this unexpected scene, not being accustomed and perfectly unprepared to
address such an assemblage, I felt for some moments at a loss how to
proceed. But there was no time for hesitation; taking the Bible, the
61st of Isaiah was the chapter read and commented upon. The attention
with which the poor heard, the very humble manner in which they returned
thanks, and the earnest hope they expressed that I would come again, made
a deep impression in their favour. Under these circumstances I was led,
as it were, unintentionally to the commencement of those lectures which
continue to the present time (1819). The first effects of these lectures
were seen in the observance of the sacred duties of the Sabbath-day; our
congregations at Newland increased, and the aisles of the church became
occupied, in which the Foresters were now seen. Year after year passed
away, the Thursday evening lectures continued to be well attended, the
moral habits of the people improved, and a knowledge of the Scriptures
obtained. Religion had evidently taken root; much was effected, but
infinitely more remained to be done. The means only were wanting--the
opportunity was present. _Could we raise a building to contain about 200
people_? Such were our limited views at that time."
In 1807 a memorial was drawn up and signed by some hundreds of miners and
colliers, praying the officers of the Crown to grant a portion of land on
which to erect a lecture-room, and also timber for building it. Dr.
Huntingford, the Bishop of Gloucester, presented the petition to
Government; but the law officers of the Crown, Sir S. Romilly and Sir A.
Piggott, found that it could not be carried into effect without an Act of
the Legislature. Under Mr. Perceval's administration, Mr. Procter
renewed the attempt by a personal interview with that minister, who,
whilst expressing his deep regret that he could not officially assist,
suggested an appeal to the public, to which he would give his name and
support, as well as an application to the National Society about to be
formed. To him, in fact, is due the insertion at this juncture of the
clause in the Act of 52nd George III., chap. 161, sec. 27, to enable the
Commissioners of the Treasury to appropriate small portions of land, not
exceeding five acres, for ecclesiastical purposes, and which has
facilitated the erection of the Forest churches.
Closely resembling the above efforts were those made on the north-east
side of the Forest by the Rev. H. Berkin, which he commenced about the
year 1809, when curate of Mitcheldean. He writes--"Finding the miners
and colliers of the Forest, adjoining that parish, too generally living
in the neglect of moral and religious duties, I considered it a duty to
attempt their improvement." In January, 1812, he opened a school-room in
Mitcheldean, which he had built mainly at his own expense, although he
was afterwards assisted by his private friends, and in particular by a
liberal donation from the Duke of Beaufort, and eventually by a grant of
50 pounds from the National Society, 100 pounds being given at the same
time to Mr. Procter's building-fund--these were the very first donations
to country schools made by that estimable institution. Mr. Berkin's
school was at once attended by 140 scholars, and ultimately 350 came. In
the first Report of the National Society it is stated that "many of the
parents expressed their acknowledgments to Mr. Berkin with the tears in
their eyes, exerting themselves to the utmost to enable their children to
be constant in their attendance, in spite of the numerous difficulties
with which they had to struggle--such as the distance of the schools, the
wretched state of the roads in bad weather, and the extreme poverty of
the people, which makes it a hard matter for them to clothe their
children properly, and to furnish them with a slice of bread for their
dinner."
Returning to Mr. Procter's exertions to erect a building for the two-fold
purpose of divine service and juvenile instruction, he found consolation
for former disappointments in the following pleasing offer of Thomas
Morgan, the poor cottager already mentioned:--"Take my field," said he.
"With that I give you five guineas, to which my neighbours have added 15
pounds. We ask of you only to begin and build until the money is
expended; in another year we will again add our mites; only lay the
foundation and begin." Accordingly, in the month of June, 1812, the
building was commenced, and (aided by the subscriptions which were
received, especially from the Duke of Beaufort, the Lord Bishop of
Gloucester, and his secretary, Mr. Ryder) was so constructed as to admit
of its being hereafter enlarged and consecrated. "On the Epiphany, 6th
January, 1813, the public service of the Established Church was, for the
first time, read within its walls, under the authority of an episcopal
licence; but on the commencement of Sunday duty a painful circumstance
presented itself which had not been anticipated, viz. an astonishing
inattention to the prayers of the Church: all appeared a blank--no
interest, no spiritual concern. The cause was evident in the want of
prayer-books, soon however supplied by the Society for promoting
Christian Knowledge, and one of the bishops of the Church. A
schoolmaster, Mr. Edward Hawkins, previously sent to the National School
in Baldwin's Gardens, immediately commenced the education of the
children--300 being entered the first week. On every Thursday evening
throughout the year the scholars were examined in the presence of a
congregation assembled for public worship--a mode of instruction which
gave a laudable excitement to the children, by means of which they
acquired a firmness of mind, a clear, distinct pronunciation, and an
accuracy in their delivery, which was very gratifying to the hearers,
whilst it gave to the parents and relations an opportunity of observing
their progress by the system of education. Through this medium, also,
many a truth has been taught, many an impression made, where preaching
had not succeeded." "By this time," proceeds the same excellent man,
"the principles and motives of my exertions being made apparent, all the
little prejudices were softened down, if not into approval, at least into
a passive silence, particularly as another clergyman, the Rev. H. Berkin,
was zealously pursuing the same line of conduct on the other side of the
Forest, who began this year (1812) to lecture in the cottages there, as
his next attempt to benefit the parents and children connected with his
school." He says--"Finding that few, by comparison, attended public
worship, I visited them in their cottages to read and explain the Bible;
and I was led to adopt this plan from the particular situation of the
Foresters, destitute of churches or ministers whom they could properly
call their own. In these pastoral visits, made on different evenings in
different places, and in which I have usually spent two hours in reading
and practically explaining the Holy Scriptures, I have sometimes had 200
persons present at one time, and calculate on the whole that 800 at
different times have thus come under instruction. Many instances might
be produced, certainly not less than 20 families, of reformation in both
sexes, which had evinced itself in their desire to possess the Bible and
Common Prayer Book, and by a total change in their moral character."
At the commencement of his career Mr. Berkin was repeatedly remonstrated
with by respectable gentlemen who knew the locality better than himself,
upon his venturing amongst the Foresters alone, assuring him that it was
not safe, since, a very short time before he came to Mitcheldean, two
Wesleyan ministers attempted open-air preaching in the Forest, but were
violently attacked and driven away. He thus proceeds to describe the
circumstances which led to the erection of Holy Trinity Church:--"At one
of the places which I am accustomed to visit, where the heat and crowd
have at times been almost insufferable, the colliers, aided by two or
three neighbouring farmers, offered to build a large room for the better
accommodation of greater numbers. This, for obvious reasons, was
declined; but it led me earnestly to wish that the Foresters might be
more immediately brought within the pale of the Established Church, and,
by regular attendance on a church appropriated to themselves, be made
habitually acquainted with that admirable Liturgy to which too many of
them are now utter strangers." Acting upon these earnest feelings, Mr.
Berkin, with the concurrence of the esteemed Dr. Ryder, the Bishop of
Gloucester, laid a memorial and plan before Government, with an offer, on
his part, that, "if the needful fund for building a church and
parsonage-house could be provided, he would give up his present curacy
and serve the new church without any further emolument than the endowment
necessary for its consecration." In the concluding terms of an admirable
address to the public, dated the 30th April, 1816, which he circulated
with the design of obtaining contributions to the work, he stated--"My
wishes are, that the kind contributors will feel rewarded in the
reflection that thousands yet unborn may have cause to bless them for
thus providing for their spiritual wants, and giving them the knowledge
of those principles which alone can make them worthy members of society
here, or lead them to provide well for their eternal welfare hereafter."
The Crown granted five acres of land for the purpose on Harry Hill, being
a spot situated within a reasonable distance of from 250 to 300 cottages.
To the estimated cost of 2,500 pounds, contributions, amounting in some
cases to 30 pounds each, were given by the Earl of Liverpool, Right Hon.
N. Vansittart, the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, Sir Thomas Baring, Lord
Calthorpe, Joshua Watson, Esq., Rev. H. H. Norris, W. Wilberforce, Esq.,
M.P., Rev. J. Pratt, &c. The building of the church (the design of which
comprised a chancel 15 feet square, a tower about 60 feet high, and a
body or nave 40 feet by 60 feet, calculated to hold from 400 to 500
adults, and a large children's gallery, for whom a school-room 30 feet by
50 feet was also to be built close adjoining) was begun on the 4th of
June, 1816, and was used for the first time upon the 2nd of February
following, on which occasion the sermon was preached by the Rev. Edward
Bickersteth, from St. Matt. iv. 16. It was consecrated, as the Church of
the Holy Trinity, by Bishop Ryder, on the 26th June, 1817, who preached a
sermon, not yet forgotten, upon 1 Kings viii. 30; and the whole property
of the living was vested in the Lord Bishop of Gloucester, Lord
Calthorpe, and the Right Hon. Nicholas Vansittart, Rev. J. Kempthorne and
Rev. Charles Bryan, as trustees.
Although Mr. Berkin had thus accomplished the important object of
providing the inhabitants of the north-east portion of the Forest with "a
church which they could call their own," he felt that it yet remained for
him to make the building really useful to the people by imparting to them
more and more just views of the Christian life. Accordingly he laboured
if possible more abundantly than ever amongst them, visiting their houses
at short intervals, collecting neighbours together, and expounding the
Holy Scripture to them under their own roofs, or else opening the church
so as to draw them off from the corrupting pastimes which were common at
certain times of the year, and bestowing much pains on his Sunday school.
[Picture: Holy Trinity Church and Schools, Harry Hill]
Sometimes, when necessitated to take relaxation, and to go from home for
a few weeks, he improved the time by acting as a deputation for the
Church Missionary or Bible Societies, and even now his name is remembered
in distant parishes. The Missionary Association for which he acted as
secretary, and which was called the North-east Forest of Dean Branch,
sometimes contributed 220 pounds a year to the cause, or a total of 3,300
pounds. The appliances, now so generally known, for interesting the
young were even then in actual operation in his own school, and effected
their purpose well. His monitors and sub-teachers were carefully guided
by him; and no doubt with the design of duly impressing its importance
upon his scholars, holy baptism in accordance with the rubric was always
administered during divine service, after the second lesson, and this
took place most Sundays, as the register shows.
Few clergymen took more pains than Mr. Berkin with the communicants of
the church, who were always visited before the communion day, and who
generally presented themselves to the number of about seventy. On two
occasions valuable livings were offered to him; but, said he, "since my
ministerial work began in this neighbourhood, here it shall end," as it
accordingly did, after forty years of labour, on the 11th October, 1847.
He was buried in his own churchyard, being followed to the grave by his
sorrowing people, and worthily committed to the tomb by the Rev. James
Davies, of Abbenhall. His funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. H.
Poole, who took for his text 2 Tim. iv. 6-8. {163}
A rapidly increasing population, and unfortunately not a concentrating
one, compelled Mr. Berkin's successor (the writer of this work) to meet
its wants by erecting chapel school-rooms, for the accommodation of sixty
scholars each, in the hamlets of Woodside and the Hawthorns, the former
having been in use since 15th September, 1850, and the latter since 31st
December, 1851, to the lasting benefit, he trusts, of many of the rising
generation through the Divine blessing on the conscientious efforts of
their respective teachers. It was by such a method that Mr. Berkin
acted, when, in the year 1822, he caused a chapel school-room to be built
at Lydbrook, judging that place to be sufficiently populous and distant
from the nearest church to justify such an erection, not as being a full
provision for it, but hoping that eventually a church might be built
there, which has now been satisfactorily accomplished.
The following clergymen have successively officiated in the district of
Holy Trinity:--
_Incumbents_.--H. Berkin, 1817; H. G. Nicholls, 1847.
_Curates_.--J. Morse, 1820; J. Bridgeman, 1821; J. Herbert, 1822; W.
Marshall, 1822; W. Burkitt, 1824; J. Chell, 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 assistance to place amongst these poor people a clergyman
who would not only publicly preach, but reside, privately visit their
cottages, disseminate the Scriptures, and assist 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 partition 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 pronounced "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 incumbent, 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 incumbency being transferred to the
Queen and her successors. The Rev. J. Banks succeeded to the living in
1847, who, previous to his relinquishing 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 circumference 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 space of several miles, of
which settlements two are now provided with churches; but the other
colony, situated on the south-east side, is still destitute 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 worship, is too small
to accommodate even one-third of the population of its own tithing.
Being thus unprovided with a place of worship 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 God 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 Lordship 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 assigned 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 incumbency 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
_Incumbents_.--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 sexes. 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 constituted 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 incumbent. 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
assiduous 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 principal 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 incumbent of the church by annexing to it
30 pounds from the tithes 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 incumbent 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 worship 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.