Ashleworth, Gloucestershire
Historical Description
Ashleworth, a village and a parish in Gloucestershire, at a ferry on the north bank of the river Severn, 5 miles N of Gloucester, under which it has a post office, and at which is the money order office. Acreage, 1766; population, 450. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol; value, £160. Patron, the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol. The church is a fine edifice, chiefly Perpendicular, with some Early English and Decorated portions, and has an embattled tower with a spire. It was restored in 1869. It possesses many features of unusual interest-the north wall is pure Saxon, and is one of the most complete specimens of this work in England. It contains also a 14th century rood screen and loft. The original royal arms, time of Edward VI., are at the west end. The pulpit is an unusually fine one of carved oak, date 1635. There is a 14th century preaching cross in the churchyard in perfect preservation. Adjoining the church is a most perfect and beautiful tithe barn, and an Augustinian monastery with a very fine timbered hall, some interesting frescoes, and an effigy of Henry VI. The manor formed part of the possessions of the Earls of Berkeley, and was given to the Augustinian monastery at Bristol in the time of Edward II. Foscombe, the principal residence, is a fine mansion with a lofty tower, which commands an extensive view. The Old Vicarage is interesting for its antiquity.
Administration
The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.
Ancient County | Gloucestershire | |
Ecclesiastical parish | Ashelworth St. Andrew, or St. Bartholomew | |
Hundred | Berkeley | |
Poor Law union | Gloucester |
Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.
Church Records
The registers, which are in a very perfect state of preservation, date from the year 1566.
The Gloucestershire Parish Registers are available online at Ancestry, in association with Gloucestershire Archives.
Churches
Church of England
SS. Andrew and Bartholomew (parish church)
The church of SS. Andrew and Bartholomew is an edifice of stone, chiefly in the Perpendicular style, with some Early English and Decorated portions, and consists of chancel with north aisle of equal size, nave of four bays, north transept, south aisle, north porch, and an embattled western tower with spire, containing 6 bells, one of which was recast in 1884, and the whole were rehung in 1894 at a cost of £80: in 1912 the tower was restored at a cost of £265: the rood-loft stairs remain and there is some herring-bone masonry in the north wall which is considered to be Saxon: in the chancel are several stained windows: the church was restored in 1869, at a cost of £1,400, under the direction of the late Thomas Fulljames C.E. and architect: during the years 1890-1900, a further sum of £500 was expended, the chancel being redecorated, a reredos of oak inlaid with mother-of-pearl and silver provided, and a new baptistery erected: in the churchyard is a cross of pre-Reformation date, in good condition: there are sittings for 260 persons.
Civil Registration
For general information about Civil Registration (births, marriages and deaths) see the Civil Registration page.
Directories & Gazetteers
We have transcribed the entry for Ashleworth from the following:
- Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858. (Ashelworth (St. Andrew, or St. Bartholomew)
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Gloucestershire is available to browse.
Maps
Online maps of Ashleworth are available from a number of sites:
- Bing (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- Google Streetview.
- National Library of Scotland. (Old maps)
- OpenStreetMap.
- old-maps.co.uk (Old Ordnance Survey maps to buy).
- Streetmap.co.uk (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- A Vision of Britain through Time. (Old maps)
Newspapers and Periodicals
The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following newspapers covering Gloucestershire online:
- Gloucester Citizen
- Gloucester Journal
- Gloucestershire Chronicle
- Gloucestershire Echo
- Cheltenham Chronicle
- Cheltenham Looker-On
Visitations Heraldic
The Visitation of the county of Gloucester, 1623 is available on the Heraldry page.