TAYNTON is a parish 6½ miles north-west from Gloucester, 3 south-by-east from Newent, 12 south east from Ledbury, situated on the road leading from Newent toHuntley and Newnham, in the Western division of the county, Botloe hundred, Newent union and county court district, North Forest rural deanery, Gloucester archdeaconry and Gloucester and Bristol diocese.

The Church of St. Lawrence was built during the Commonwealth: it consists of a nave, with gallery at the north end, a low square turret and 1 bell, and, exceptional to the general custom, stands north and south: it was erected for a Puritan place of worship, by Alderman Pury: it was restored in 1869-70 and was then consecrated as the parish church: the former church stood a mile from the present one and with the rectory was destroyed during the wars of the Commonwealth. The register dates from the year 1538.

The living is a rectory, yearly value £445, with good residence and several acres of glebe, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Gloucester and held by the Rev. Alfred Drake Bagshawe, M.A. of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

There is a Wesleyan chapel at Glasshouse Hill.

The charities of Taynton amount to about £24 yearly,

Cider of the best quality is made here, as also a perry of surpassing richness called Taynton squash: bricks, drain pipes and brown pottery ware are made at Byfords.

Taynton House, the residence of Mrs Aitchison is situated here, with a pleasant and extensive prospect: LONGCROFT Cottage and Ryelands are good private residences, in pleasant grounds. There is no Manor in this parish.

The chief landed proprietors are Captain Grove, Mrs. Aitchison, William Laslett, esq. and Samuel Cadel, esq. The soil generally is a deep red loamy clay and the subsoil is clay and rock. The chief crops are wheat, beans, peas, turnips, Swedes, apples and pears. The area is 2.501 acres: rateable falue £4,044: and the population in 1871 was 635