LYDBROOK is a village and ecclesiastical parish, formed in 1852 from the parishes of English Bicknor, Newland, Ruardean and the townships of East and West Dean; it is pleasantly situated on the river Wye 7 miles south-west from Mitcheldean Road station on the Hereford, Ross and Gloucester railway, 8 east from Monmouth, 4 north-by-east from Coleford and 8 north-west from Newnham, in the Western division of the county, hundred of St. Briavels, county court district of Newnham and Monmouth, rural deanery of South Forest archdeaconry of Gloucester and diocese of Gloucester and Bristol, situated on the road from Coleford to Ross.

The church of The Holy Jesus is a stone building, having chancel, nave, aisles and a tower containing 1 bell. The register dates from the year 1852.

The living is a vicarage, yearly value £300, in the alternate gift of the Crown and Queen’s College, Oxford, and held by the Rev. Henry Thomas Hoitt, M.A. of Pembroke College, Oxford.

There are places of worship for Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists with schools attached; and the Baptists have (in 1868) built a commodious chapel, at a cost of £700.

Here are coal, iron, tin and chemical works.

The Crown is lord of the manor.

The principal landowners are Richard Thomas, Messrs. Russell Brothers and Co. Rev. Edward Machen, M.A. and Colonel Vaughan. The soil is light sandy; subsoil, clay, sandstone and limestone. The chief crops are wheat, barley and roots.

The population in 1861 was 1,776; and in 1871 it was 2,058

Parish Clerk, John Mathews

POST, MONEY ORDER & TELEGRAPH OFFICE & Savings Bank. – Tom Crisp, receiver. Letters are delivered from Ross at 7.40 a.m. and 12.25 pm; dispatched at 7 p.m.

Police Station, Jesse Clarke, sergeant

National School, Charles Thomas Bishop, master; Olivia Louise Churcher, mistress.

RESIDENTS

Fletcher Henry Studd

Hoitt Rev. Henry Thomas, M.A. [vicar]

Lewis Oliver, Waterloo house

Reeves Rev. Thomas [Baptist]

Russell William

Russell Miss, Lydbrook house

Thomas Richard, The Poplars

COMMERCIAL

Addis Frederick, mason

Bailey James, jun. Queen’s Head inn Waters cross

Banks Robert, Anchor inn

Barber Joseph, grocer, Waterloo mill

Bennett John, haulier, Waters cross

Burgum Alfred, beer& wine retailer

Burdock Thomas, miller & shopkeeper, Waterloo mill

Cooper Arnold, accountant

Cooper William,haulier

Cowmeadow William, stone merchant

Crisp Tom, shopkeeper & sub-postmaster

Damsell George, grocer & corn merchant

Davies George, stone merchant & beer retailer

Davies John, Recruiting Sergeant inn

Flay John, manager for Lydbrook Store Company

Fletcher Henry Studd, surgeon

Gurney Mary Ann (Mrs.), grocer

Gwilliam John, beer retailer & carpenter

Haines Richard, mining agent

Hale William, haulier & shopkeeper

Harris James, boot & shoe manufacturer

Harris William, colliery manager for R Thomas

Houldey Charles, blacksmith

Jones Thomas, Sawyers’ Arms

Jones William, beer retailer

Lerigo Ann (Mrs.), beer retailer & shopkeeper

Little Edwin, miller

Little William, New inn

Lusty Giles, shoe maker

Lydbrook Deep Level Colliery Co

Lydbrook Store Co. grocers & drapers

Magnue Richard, Shopkeeper & beer retailer

Mies Morgan, butcher & refreshment rooms

Morris James, boot & shoe manufacturer

Phelps Jas., shopkeeper & beer retailer

Roberts William, shoemaker

Robinson George, greengrocer & shopkeeper

Russell Brothers & Co. Iron manufacturers, Lydbrook Iron Works

Stephens Edward, Crown & Sceptre

Ward John, Bell

Weaver Charles, stone merchant

Tamplin Edward, grocer & draper

Thomas Richard & Co. Colliery proptrs

Thomas Samuel Marden, Lydbrook chemical works

Trigg George, farmer, Tibbs green

Whetshone Stephen, beer retailer, Vention lane

Wilce James, farmer, Waters Cross farm

Wysham Esaias, shopkpr. Waters cross