HARTPURY (HARDEPER, HARDEPERY), anciently MEREMENT, is a parish, and polling place for the Eastern Division of the County, 5 miles north-west from Gloucester, 6 east from Newent, 11 south-east from Ledbury, bounded on the west by the Leadon, in the hundred of Dudstone and King’s Barton, Newent union and county court district, archdeaconry and rural deanery of Gloucester and diocese of Gloucester and Bristol; the turnpike road from Gloucester to Hereford and Worcester intersects the parish.

The church of St. Mary consists of chancel and nave, with a tower at the west end containing 5 bells; the south door presents appearances of the Saxon Style, but the building generally exhibits that of the middle ages; in the window on the north side are some remains of stained glass; two stained windows have been place in the chancel, one to the memory of the Rev. Charles Crawley, the late vicar, and the other to Mr Joseph Hooper, late of Gloucester. The register dates from the year 1751. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £235, with good residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, and held by the Rev. William George Sinclair Addison, M.A. of Hertford College, Oxford.

Here is a Catholic chapel, erected at the expense of the Canning family; there is also a Wesleyan chapel.

The charities are of about £55 yearly value, distributed in kind and money.

Colonel Myn, a Royalist, suffered great loss in a skirmish which was fought here in the time of the Civil Wars.

Hartpury House, the residence of Patrick Gordon Canning esq. is pleasantly situated here; it is approached by a carriage road, nearly a quarter of a mile in length; the estates appurtenant to this mansion are of considerable extent. Patrick Robert Gordon Canning, esq. is lord of the manor of one portion of the parish, and Miss Canning lady of the other; they are also the chief landowners. The parish contains 3,616 acres of loamy clay land, of which about 1,185 are in pasture, 395 applied to meadow, and the residue is arable, with a small portion of woodland; the whole being productive of excellent crops, especially the meadows that lie on the banks of the Leadon,, which are very fertile, and subject to frequent inundations during certain periods of the year; a commission has been granted, called the Leadon Valley Commission, for the purpose of making improvements in respect to the floods, which commission empowers them to raise £8,000 for that purpose; the subsoil is marl and clay. The apple and pear trees produce much fruit of very excellent quality, from which cider and perry are made.

The area is 3,500 acres; rateable value, £6,148; the population in 1871 was 830.

BUTTERSEND, BLACKWELLS GREEN END, AND CORSE END are places here.

Parish Clerk Henry Harris

POST OFFICE.- Miss Fanny Stephens, sub-postmistress. Letters arrive from Gloucester at 9 a.m.: dispatched thereto at 4.30 p.m.; no post on sunday. Gloucester is the nearest money order office.

Here is a National school for boys and girls; it is a handsome and commodious stone building; John Fisher, master.

CARRIERS TO GLOUCESTER (passing through and returning same days:-

Davis, from Ashleworth, mon. wed. & sat.

Davis, from Hasfield, mon. wed. & sat

Phillips, from Staunton, sat

Vaughan & Bailey, from Redmarley, mon. wed. & sat.

COMMERCIAL

Allen William, farmer & horse dealer, Murrells end

Baker William, farmer & shopkeeper

Baldwin John, farmer, Blackwells Green end

Banks Joseph, thatcher

Barnett Catherine (Miss), day school

Burford Ann (Mrs.), farmer

Burford Dennis, horse dealer

Burford Henry, butcher

Chandler Geo. Farmer, Brickhouse farm

Coleman James, farmer, Coopey farm

Colwell Martha (Mrs.), cooper

Dance William, cooper

Dent Arthur, farmer

Edwards Edmund, tailor

Evans Charles, carpenter & wheelwright

Evans Wm. Jun. Beer retailer & shopkeeper

Ferris James, hay trusser

Fowler William, farmer, Corse End farm

Fowles Frederic, stone mason & builder & contractor

Fryer Robert, shopkeeper

Golding William, farmer, Blackwells Green end

Higham Charles, bricklayer

Higham George, bricklayer

Higham Henry, horse dealer

Higham Robert William, horse dealer

Hooper William, farmer, Grove farm

Houldey John, blacksmith

Jackman James, land agent, Hill house

Jaynes Nehemiah, Tailor

Lane Thomas, baker & boat owner

Mantell Jane (Miss), ladies boarding school

Marmon Thomas, poultry dealer

Millard Francis, shopkeeper

Millard John, farmer, Slopers farm

Parker John, farmer, Blackwells Green end

Phelps Thomas, farmer

Phillips James, miller

Poole George, blacksmith & beer retailer

Ravenhill Charles, shoe maker

Sawyer William, farmer, Drews

Sivill Charles, Canning Arms

Sutton John, shoe maker

Vallender James, farmer, Laughtons