RUARDEAN is a village and parish, 6 miles south from Ross, 9
north-east from Monmouth, 6 north-east from Coleford station on the Hereford,
Ross and Gloucester railway, 2½ from Kerne Bridge and 119 from London, in the
Western division of the county, hundred of Saint Briavels, county court
district and union of Ross, rural deanery of South Forest, archdeaconry of
Gloucester and diocese of Gloucester and Bristol, situated on the Herefordshire
border and bounded on the west by the river Wye.
The church of St.
John, built 1111, is a stone structure, having nave, south aisle, tower and
spire and 6 bells. The register
dates from the year 1540. The
living is a rectory, yearly value £235 and 3 acres of glebe, in the gift of the
Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol and held by the Rev. William Penfold, M.A. of
Lincoln College, Oxford. There is
a Congregational chapel here, also one for Bible Christians. There are charities of £14 in this
parish. Colonel John Vaughan is
lord of the manor.
The principal
landowners are Captain K.M. Power, Mr. Thomas Terrett, Mrs. Robins and Mr.
Thomas Thompson.
The soil is sandy;
subsoil red sandstone. The chief
crops are wheat and barley.
The acreage is 1,500;
rateable value £3,750 10s.; the population in 1871 was 1,090
Parish Clerk
John Harper
POST & MONEY
ORDER OFFICE & Savings Bank.—John Charles Lewis, receiver. Letters from Micheldean (Railway
sub-office) are delivered at 7 a.m.; dispatched at 6.35 p.m.
National School, Allen Ballinger, master; Miss Sarah Ann Dutheridge,
mistress
RESIDENTS
Penfold Rev. William,
M.A. [rector]
Terrett Mrs
Winnall John
COMMERCIAL
Bennett Joseph &
Richard, builders, joiners & undertakers
Bennett Hester
(Mrs.), Malt Shovel
Bennett Joseph,
grocer & provision factor
Evans James, Bell
Gagg John Graham,
farmer
George John farmer
& butcher
Horlick Peter,
saddler
Houdley Francis,
blacksmith
Ireland John, shoe
maker
Lewis James, farmer
Lewis John Charles,
grocer & draper
Little William, New
inn
Mason John, mason
Matthews James, butcher
Pewtner William, shoe
maker
Philpots John, farmer
Philpots Richard,
farmer
Pike John, grocer
& draper
Robins Elizabeth
(Mrs.), maltster & landowner
Smith Geo. Hawker,
Angel, & cattle dealer
Terrett Thomas,
farmer & landowner
Thompson Thomas,
farmer & landowner
Vaughan Edwin, farmer
Vaughan Milsom,
farmer
Wilce George, haulier