KEMPLEY is a parish situated on the confines of Herefordshire, and near the turnpike road from Gloucester and Newent through Dymock to Much Marcle, in Herefordshire, 7 miles north-north east from Ross, 6 south-south-west from Ledbuty, 4½ north-north-west from Newent, and 12½ west-north-west from Gloucester, and 116½ from London, in the Western Division of the County, Botloe hundred, Newent union and county court district, rural deanery of North Forest, archdeaconry of Gloucester and diocese of Gloucester and Bristol.

The church of St. Mary has a chancel and nave (separated by an early Norman arch with Saxon mouldings) and a tower containing 3 bells: The chancel roof and walls are covered with frescoes, supposed to date from the latter part of the 12^th Century, being almost the most ancient wall paintings extant. The register dates from the year 1677. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £204, with good residence, in the gift of Earl Beauchamp, and held by the Rev John E Crowley Weaver, M.A. of Trinity College Oxford. Here is a Baptist chapel.

The charities of the parish are £11 annual value.

Stonehouse, formerly the manor house, is large, and appears, from the style of its windows, to have been built in the sixteenth century: it contains some very fine oak carving, with the crown and initials of James I. In the centre: it is now used as a farm house.

Earl Beauchamp is lord of the manor and chief landowner.

The soil is a stiff red clay and loam, which is very productive and applied nearly in equal proportions to arable and pasture, and planted with fruit trees, but at such a distance from each other as not to prevent the cultivation of the various crops. The soil being deep, is well adapted to the growth of the oak, elm, apple and pear, which are found here in great luxuriance. The orchards are very productive of fruit for cider and perry; subsoil clay and gravel.

Bricks, drain pipes and roofing riles are made extensively here.

The area is 1,564 acres; rateable value, £1,946; the population in 1871 was 306.

Parish Clerk – Robert Fortey.

Letters through Gloucester. The nearest money order office is at Dymock

Parochial School, Miss Hannah R Robinson

CARRIER.—Mason to Ledbury on Tuesday : to Ross, Thursday, returning same day.

RESIDENTS

Ferriss Timothy John, Lower house

Weaver Rev. John Crowley, M.A., Vicarage

COMMERCIAL

Brookes Isaac, farmer & machine owner, Priors court

Burgum Arthur, farmer, Matthews

Edwards James, brick & tile & drain pipe maker

French George, shopkeeper

Fretwell Henry, farm bailiff to Earl Beauchamp, Green farm

Jones Samuel, farmer, Turners farm

Jones William, shoe maker & shopkeeper

Lane Frederick, farmer, Bridges farm

Mason John, farmer, Brick house

Nott John, wheelwright & carpenter

Palmer John, farmer, Bullock’s end

Palmer Mary (Mrs.), farmer, Kempley court

Phelps James, farmer, Moor house

Probert John, farmer, Folly farm

Spencer Thomas, farmer, Powell’s end

Thurston Frederick, farmer, Stone ho

White William, shopkeeper & beer retailer, Little Adam