BREAM is a village and tithing in the civil parish of Newland, and in 1854 was formed into an ecclesiastical parish from the mother parish of Newland and West Dean township: it is 4 miles north-west from Lydney station on the South Wales railway, 4½ miles south-east from Coleford, 8 mies south-east from Monmouth and 15 south from Ross, in the Western division of the county, hundred of St. Briavels, and union and county court district of Monmouth, rural deanery of South Forest, archdeaconry of Gloucester and diocese of Gloucester and Bristol.

The church of St. James was partially rebuilt in 1861, and consists of chancel, nave and north aisle, with organ and 1 bell. The register dates from the year 1680. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £300, with residence, in the gift of the bishop of the diocese, and held by the Rev. John Frederick Gosling, M.A. of Balliol College Oxford. There are chapels for Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists.

South of the village are some very interesting ancient Roman mines, called Scowles, one part being known as the Devil’s Chapel.

The Crown is lord of the manor and owns all the land. The soil is light gravelly; subsoil, sandstone, limestone and iron ore. The chief crops are wheat, barley and oats. The population of the tithing in 1871 was 907; and of the rest of the parish 1.519, making a total of 2,426

Parish Clerk, Thomas Batten.

POST & MONEY ORDER OFFICE & Savings Bank. – Richard Tilsley Heighway, postmaster. Letters are received through Lydney, arrive at 7.10 a.m. & 1 p.m.; dispatched at 3.30 p.m. & 6.15 p.m.

INSURANCE AGENT. – Staffordshire Fire, E Thomas

Here are National schools for boys and girls, built in 1862, for about 300: Mr. H. Poole, master; Miss Mann, girls’ mistress; Miss Durnell, infants’ mistress.

RESIDENTS

Bradshaw Rev. George Dixon M.A. [curate]

Gosling Rev. John Frederick, M.A. Vicarage

COMMERCIAL

Ames James, blacksmith

Ames Thomas, grocer

Batten Thomas, shoe maker

Billy Thomas, beer retailer

Bream Grove Iron Ore Co. (Richard Watkins, manager)

Ebbw Vale Coal Co. Oakwood valley

Heighway Richard Tilsley, grocer, linen draper & postmaster

Flour Mill Colliery (Arthur James Price, proprietor; William Griffiths, Manager), Oakwood valley

Hewlett George, grocer & linen draper

Hewlett Jane (Mrs.), New Inn

Hewlett Rachel (Mrs.), farmer

Hewlett Thomas, farmer

James Wm. Mine agent, Blisters house

Jenkins Samuel, colliery proprietor, Knockley Tump

Jones Charles, wheelwright

Morgan Edward, plumber & glazier

Morse James, farmer & grocer

Morse Thomas, Rising Sun

Price Charles, butcher

Princess Royal Colliery Co. (William Griffith, manager)

Shingles John, iron ore merchant

Smith George, stone mer. Woodlands

Smith Richard, Swan

Smith William, grocer & butcher

Watkins Ellen (Mrs.), grocer

Watkins Richard, colliery manager

Wilden George Hathaway, butcher

Wilden Richard, beer retailer

Williams Joseph, stone merchant, Knockley quarries

Wintour George, Cross Keys