Chapter 11

Churches and schools--Religious provisions before the Reformation--Rev. P. M. Procter, Vicar of Newland, lectures in Thomas Morgan's cottage--The erection of a place for worship proposed--Rev. H. Berkin opens a Sunday-school--Mr. Procter uses his chapel schoolroom--Mr. Berkin lectures in the Foresters' cottages--Builds Holy Trinity Church (1817)--His assiduous labours and death in 1847--Christ Church, Berry Hill--Mr. Procter's death--His successors--Rev. H. Poole builds St. Paul's, Park End, and schoolrooms--Rev. J. J. Ebsworth--St. John's, Cinderford, consecrated 1844--Lydbrook Church consecrated 1851--Government aid to the churches and schools.

Previous to the Reformation, care seems to have been taken to provide the population of the Forest with the means of religious worship. The border churches of Mitcheldean and Newland were far larger than the people residing in their immediate neighbourhood required; and there were others, of which the memorials only remain in the names of "Chapel Hill" and "Church Hill," the former in the parish of English Bicknor, and the latter at Park End. This last was connected apparently with Ruerdean, if we may judge from the "Churchway" which ran in that direction and gave the name to an adjacent colliery. The "Laws and Customes" of the free miners, dating as far back certainly as the year 1300, show that the services of the Church were then generally known--the King's Gaveller being therein directed to visit the mine "between Mattens and Masse," and the miner was to "swear by his faith." For 200 years after the Reformation no further provision was made, indeed none was apparently required, as the Forest had been more than once nearly depopulated during that period, and was said to be almost without inhabitants in 1712.

In common with many other mineral districts, especially those in the West, the Rev. John Wesley established a connection with our Forest miners. He visited Coleford as early as 1756, and did so again in 1763; and his Journal thus records these visits:--"Monday, 15th March, 1756.--We reached Coleford before seven, and found a plain loving people, who received the word of God with all gladness. Tuesday, 16th.--Examining the little society, I found them grievously harassed by disputations. Anabaptists were on one side, and Quakers on the other; and hereby five or six persons have been confused. But the rest cleave so much the closer together. Nor does it appear that there is now one trifler, much less a disorderly walker, among them." Wednesday, 17th (August, 1763).--"Hence we rode to Coleford. The wind being high, I consented to preach in their new room; but large as it was, it would not contain the people, who appeared to be not a little affected, of which they gave a sufficient proof by filling the room at five in the morning."

It appears, also, as stated in the interesting MS. of worthy Mr. Horlich, an Independent Minister, that in the year 1783 "one Mr. Stiff occasionally, on the Lord's Day, went to some sequestered spot in the Forest, where himself and some of his family took their station under the extended branches of one of the trees, for the purpose of reading the Word of God."

But no sustained effort to impart religious instruction to the inhabitants of the Forest was made until 1803, when the Rev. P. M. Procter became Vicar of Newland, to which parish the Foresters were always considered to belong. "At this time," he says, in his 'Brief and Authentic Statement,' published in 1819, "I saw nothing of them on the Sabbath-day. The church was only used by them as a matter of course and necessity: indeed, a general opinion prevailed that they had no right to accommodation, and a Forester was seldom seen in the aisle. The first impression I received respecting the inhabitants was of the most unfavourable kind. For some months no other intercourse took place than what the visiting of the sick and the baptizing of the children occasioned. By these means, however, I came to the knowledge of their condition, their lives and conversation, of which the latter were the most deplorable--habitual profanation of the Sabbath-day, drunkenness, rioting, immodest dancing, revellings, fightings, an improper state of females on their marriage, and an absence and ignorance of the Holy Scriptures."

Mr. Procter then goes on to relate how he was brought to attempt their improvement.--"After a few months' residence I was invited to take the afternoon duty of the chapel at Coleford. Curiosity brought some of the colliers to hear, and the report they carried home with them induced others to come and judge for themselves. We passed on very quietly for a little time, when a collier, named Thomas Morgan, sent to request that I would call upon him. I did so. After the accustomed salutations were passed, he assigned certain impressive reasons for wishing to see me, and, in stating them, his eyes, his voice, and humble gesture strongly marked the agitated feelings of his soul. After an interesting conversation of two hours, I promised, at his request, to call upon him again the following week. On taking my leave he said, 'I hope your honour will not be offended, but some of my relations and neighbours are in the same ignorant state as myself; they would be happy to hear your conversation, and with permission I will ask one or two to come.' Under the impression of a private conversation with six or eight people, I went to the cottage at the time appointed. Upon laying my hand on the latch of the door, the opening of it was prevented--the resistance proceeded from the number of people collected within. A profound silence prevailed. The collier smiled and looked for a pardon. Astonished at this unexpected scene, not being accustomed and perfectly unprepared to address such an assemblage, I felt for some moments at a loss how to proceed. But there was no time for hesitation; taking the Bible, the 61st of Isaiah was the chapter read and commented upon. The attention with which the poor heard, the very humble manner in which they returned thanks, and the earnest hope they expressed that I would come again, made a deep impression in their favour. Under these circumstances I was led, as it were, unintentionally to the commencement of those lectures which continue to the present time (1819). The first effects of these lectures were seen in the observance of the sacred duties of the Sabbath-day; our congregations at Newland increased, and the aisles of the church became occupied, in which the Foresters were now seen. Year after year passed away, the Thursday evening lectures continued to be well attended, the moral habits of the people improved, and a knowledge of the Scriptures obtained. Religion had evidently taken root; much was effected, but infinitely more remained to be done. The means only were wanting--the opportunity was present. _Could we raise a building to contain about 200 people_? Such were our limited views at that time."

In 1807 a memorial was drawn up and signed by some hundreds of miners and colliers, praying the officers of the Crown to grant a portion of land on which to erect a lecture-room, and also timber for building it. Dr. Huntingford, the Bishop of Gloucester, presented the petition to Government; but the law officers of the Crown, Sir S. Romilly and Sir A. Piggott, found that it could not be carried into effect without an Act of the Legislature. Under Mr. Perceval's administration, Mr. Procter renewed the attempt by a personal interview with that minister, who, whilst expressing his deep regret that he could not officially assist, suggested an appeal to the public, to which he would give his name and support, as well as an application to the National Society about to be formed. To him, in fact, is due the insertion at this juncture of the clause in the Act of 52nd George III., chap. 161, sec. 27, to enable the Commissioners of the Treasury to appropriate small portions of land, not exceeding five acres, for ecclesiastical purposes, and which has facilitated the erection of the Forest churches.

Closely resembling the above efforts were those made on the north-east side of the Forest by the Rev. H. Berkin, which he commenced about the year 1809, when curate of Mitcheldean. He writes--"Finding the miners and colliers of the Forest, adjoining that parish, too generally living in the neglect of moral and religious duties, I considered it a duty to attempt their improvement." In January, 1812, he opened a school-room in Mitcheldean, which he had built mainly at his own expense, although he was afterwards assisted by his private friends, and in particular by a liberal donation from the Duke of Beaufort, and eventually by a grant of 50 pounds from the National Society, 100 pounds being given at the same time to Mr. Procter's building-fund--these were the very first donations to country schools made by that estimable institution. Mr. Berkin's school was at once attended by 140 scholars, and ultimately 350 came. In the first Report of the National Society it is stated that "many of the parents expressed their acknowledgments to Mr. Berkin with the tears in their eyes, exerting themselves to the utmost to enable their children to be constant in their attendance, in spite of the numerous difficulties with which they had to struggle--such as the distance of the schools, the wretched state of the roads in bad weather, and the extreme poverty of the people, which makes it a hard matter for them to clothe their children properly, and to furnish them with a slice of bread for their dinner."

Returning to Mr. Procter's exertions to erect a building for the two-fold purpose of divine service and juvenile instruction, he found consolation for former disappointments in the following pleasing offer of Thomas Morgan, the poor cottager already mentioned:--"Take my field," said he. "With that I give you five guineas, to which my neighbours have added 15 pounds. We ask of you only to begin and build until the money is expended; in another year we will again add our mites; only lay the foundation and begin." Accordingly, in the month of June, 1812, the building was commenced, and (aided by the subscriptions which were received, especially from the Duke of Beaufort, the Lord Bishop of Gloucester, and his secretary, Mr. Ryder) was so constructed as to admit of its being hereafter enlarged and consecrated. "On the Epiphany, 6th January, 1813, the public service of the Established Church was, for the first time, read within its walls, under the authority of an episcopal licence; but on the commencement of Sunday duty a painful circumstance presented itself which had not been anticipated, viz. an astonishing inattention to the prayers of the Church: all appeared a blank--no interest, no spiritual concern. The cause was evident in the want of prayer-books, soon however supplied by the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, and one of the bishops of the Church. A schoolmaster, Mr. Edward Hawkins, previously sent to the National School in Baldwin's Gardens, immediately commenced the education of the children--300 being entered the first week. On every Thursday evening throughout the year the scholars were examined in the presence of a congregation assembled for public worship--a mode of instruction which gave a laudable excitement to the children, by means of which they acquired a firmness of mind, a clear, distinct pronunciation, and an accuracy in their delivery, which was very gratifying to the hearers, whilst it gave to the parents and relations an opportunity of observing their progress by the system of education. Through this medium, also, many a truth has been taught, many an impression made, where preaching had not succeeded." "By this time," proceeds the same excellent man, "the principles and motives of my exertions being made apparent, all the little prejudices were softened down, if not into approval, at least into a passive silence, particularly as another clergyman, the Rev. H. Berkin, was zealously pursuing the same line of conduct on the other side of the Forest, who began this year (1812) to lecture in the cottages there, as his next attempt to benefit the parents and children connected with his school." He says--"Finding that few, by comparison, attended public worship, I visited them in their cottages to read and explain the Bible; and I was led to adopt this plan from the particular situation of the Foresters, destitute of churches or ministers whom they could properly call their own. In these pastoral visits, made on different evenings in different places, and in which I have usually spent two hours in reading and practically explaining the Holy Scriptures, I have sometimes had 200 persons present at one time, and calculate on the whole that 800 at different times have thus come under instruction. Many instances might be produced, certainly not less than 20 families, of reformation in both sexes, which had evinced itself in their desire to possess the Bible and Common Prayer Book, and by a total change in their moral character."

At the commencement of his career Mr. Berkin was repeatedly remonstrated with by respectable gentlemen who knew the locality better than himself, upon his venturing amongst the Foresters alone, assuring him that it was not safe, since, a very short time before he came to Mitcheldean, two Wesleyan ministers attempted open-air preaching in the Forest, but were violently attacked and driven away. He thus proceeds to describe the circumstances which led to the erection of Holy Trinity Church:--"At one of the places which I am accustomed to visit, where the heat and crowd have at times been almost insufferable, the colliers, aided by two or three neighbouring farmers, offered to build a large room for the better accommodation of greater numbers. This, for obvious reasons, was declined; but it led me earnestly to wish that the Foresters might be more immediately brought within the pale of the Established Church, and, by regular attendance on a church appropriated to themselves, be made habitually acquainted with that admirable Liturgy to which too many of them are now utter strangers." Acting upon these earnest feelings, Mr. Berkin, with the concurrence of the esteemed Dr. Ryder, the Bishop of Gloucester, laid a memorial and plan before Government, with an offer, on his part, that, "if the needful fund for building a church and parsonage-house could be provided, he would give up his present curacy and serve the new church without any further emolument than the endowment necessary for its consecration." In the concluding terms of an admirable address to the public, dated the 30th April, 1816, which he circulated with the design of obtaining contributions to the work, he stated--"My wishes are, that the kind contributors will feel rewarded in the reflection that thousands yet unborn may have cause to bless them for thus providing for their spiritual wants, and giving them the knowledge of those principles which alone can make them worthy members of society here, or lead them to provide well for their eternal welfare hereafter."

The Crown granted five acres of land for the purpose on Harry Hill, being a spot situated within a reasonable distance of from 250 to 300 cottages. To the estimated cost of 2,500 pounds, contributions, amounting in some cases to 30 pounds each, were given by the Earl of Liverpool, Right Hon. N. Vansittart, the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, Sir Thomas Baring, Lord Calthorpe, Joshua Watson, Esq., Rev. H. H. Norris, W. Wilberforce, Esq., M.P., Rev. J. Pratt, &c. The building of the church (the design of which comprised a chancel 15 feet square, a tower about 60 feet high, and a body or nave 40 feet by 60 feet, calculated to hold from 400 to 500 adults, and a large children's gallery, for whom a school-room 30 feet by 50 feet was also to be built close adjoining) was begun on the 4th of June, 1816, and was used for the first time upon the 2nd of February following, on which occasion the sermon was preached by the Rev. Edward Bickersteth, from St. Matt. iv. 16. It was consecrated, as the Church of the Holy Trinity, by Bishop Ryder, on the 26th June, 1817, who preached a sermon, not yet forgotten, upon 1 Kings viii. 30; and the whole property of the living was vested in the Lord Bishop of Gloucester, Lord Calthorpe, and the Right Hon. Nicholas Vansittart, Rev. J. Kempthorne and Rev. Charles Bryan, as trustees.

Although Mr. Berkin had thus accomplished the important object of providing the inhabitants of the north-east portion of the Forest with "a church which they could call their own," he felt that it yet remained for him to make the building really useful to the people by imparting to them more and more just views of the Christian life. Accordingly he laboured if possible more abundantly than ever amongst them, visiting their houses at short intervals, collecting neighbours together, and expounding the Holy Scripture to them under their own roofs, or else opening the church so as to draw them off from the corrupting pastimes which were common at certain times of the year, and bestowing much pains on his Sunday school.

[Picture: Holy Trinity Church and Schools, Harry Hill]

Sometimes, when necessitated to take relaxation, and to go from home for a few weeks, he improved the time by acting as a deputation for the Church Missionary or Bible Societies, and even now his name is remembered in distant parishes. The Missionary Association for which he acted as secretary, and which was called the North-east Forest of Dean Branch, sometimes contributed 220 pounds a year to the cause, or a total of 3,300 pounds. The appliances, now so generally known, for interesting the young were even then in actual operation in his own school, and effected their purpose well. His monitors and sub-teachers were carefully guided by him; and no doubt with the design of duly impressing its importance upon his scholars, holy baptism in accordance with the rubric was always administered during divine service, after the second lesson, and this took place most Sundays, as the register shows.

Few clergymen took more pains than Mr. Berkin with the communicants of the church, who were always visited before the communion day, and who generally presented themselves to the number of about seventy. On two occasions valuable livings were offered to him; but, said he, "since my ministerial work began in this neighbourhood, here it shall end," as it accordingly did, after forty years of labour, on the 11th October, 1847. He was buried in his own churchyard, being followed to the grave by his sorrowing people, and worthily committed to the tomb by the Rev. James Davies, of Abbenhall. His funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. H. Poole, who took for his text 2 Tim. iv. 6-8. {163}

A rapidly increasing population, and unfortunately not a concentrating one, compelled Mr. Berkin's successor (the writer of this work) to meet its wants by erecting chapel school-rooms, for the accommodation of sixty scholars each, in the hamlets of Woodside and the Hawthorns, the former having been in use since 15th September, 1850, and the latter since 31st December, 1851, to the lasting benefit, he trusts, of many of the rising generation through the Divine blessing on the conscientious efforts of their respective teachers. It was by such a method that Mr. Berkin acted, when, in the year 1822, he caused a chapel school-room to be built at Lydbrook, judging that place to be sufficiently populous and distant from the nearest church to justify such an erection, not as being a full provision for it, but hoping that eventually a church might be built there, which has now been satisfactorily accomplished.

The following clergymen have successively officiated in the district of Holy Trinity:--

_Incumbents_.--H. Berkin, 1817; H. G. Nicholls, 1847.

_Curates_.--J. Morse, 1820; J. Bridgeman, 1821; J. Herbert, 1822; W. Marshall, 1822; W. Burkitt, 1824; J. Chell, 1827; R. T. Budd, 1840; W. C. Badger, 1844; J. G. Croker, 1846; G. Tatam, 1848; H. Algar, 1851; W. Nickisson; W. Duckett; J. Ashton; H. W. Thornton; W. A. Whitestone. Most of these gentlemen served at Lydbrook, although occasionally at Holy Trinity Church; they likewise attended the Chapel Schoolroom on Little Dean Hill.

The annual number of christenings at Holy Trinity Church is 80; of weddings, 15; and of funerals, 40. The morning congregation on Sunday comprises about 100; that in the afternoon, 350; and the two evening school-room services, 120. About 250 scholars attend school weekdays and Sundays.

Having thus related the progressive efforts made for the welfare of the people occupying the north-east portion of the Forest, it is necessary that we return to the date of 1813, being the year in which the Rev. Mr. Procter opened his chapel school-room on the west. He tells us that "in the course of this year the Bishop of Gloucester was pleased to call my attention to the clause introduced by Mr. Perceval into the Act of 52 George III., cap. 161. I went up to town, and had the honour of an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Right Honourable N. Vansittart, who was pleased to advise with the Earl of Liverpool on the subject, which resulted in a grant of five acres of land, a donation of 100 pounds to the building fund, and an endowment of 20 pounds per annum to the school." He proceeds to remark that "the crowded state of the chapel became a matter of astonishment to the Foresters themselves, and painfully inconvenient to the congregation, as well as dangerous to the health of the officiating minister, from the intense heat, besides excluding the children, all showing the necessity of an enlargement; so that, after a probationary period of three years, another appeal for aid came before the public, whereby the building was increased to twice the size, provided with a children's gallery, and, excepting two pews, kept perfectly free and open to all. It now became my duty," observes Mr. Procter, "to secure to the Foresters in perpetuity these extraordinary blessings which Divine Providence was progressively granting to them. This could only be done by consecration, and to authorize such an act, an endowment being considered necessary, another public appeal was made in June, 1813, for assistance to place amongst these poor people a clergyman who would not only publicly preach, but reside, privately visit their cottages, disseminate the Scriptures, and assist the master of the National School in impressing upon the minds of the children the principles of the Christian religion," as, "without a resident clergyman, an experience of fourteen years convinced him that all efforts would prove abortive. It had likewise become necessary to discontinue using the chapel as a school-room, since the doing so had been found to lessen the reverence due to the sanctuary in the minds both of the parents and children. A new schoolroom was therefore immediately built of the best stone, with two fireplaces, and a partition in the middle; over the door is the following inscription,--'The Forest Day School, for Boys and Girls, on the National plan, established 1812, supported by voluntary subscriptions.'" The cost of erection was almost 300 pounds, and the expenses of conducting the school averaged about 70 pounds per annum, for two-thirds of which Mr. Procter was himself answerable, and only dependent on annual donations.

With the view of forming such an endowment for the church as would make it eligible for consecration, a freehold estate near at hand was purchased in the month of November, 1816, although the price of it exceeded the sum subscribed by 200 pounds, but which amount it was expected the Parliamentary Commissioners would repay. Thomas Morgan's house, garden, buildings, and lands adjoining the chapel were also purchased for nearly 400 pounds, the former being partly preserved in the back part of the present parsonage-house. Thus the property appropriated to the new church consisted at this time of the five acres of Crown land, the purchased freehold, and Thomas Morgan's property, on which, as an ecclesiastical endowment, the consecration of the church, under the name of Christ Church, took place, on Wednesday, 7th July, 1816, by Bishop Ryder, and was duly conveyed to the following gentlemen as trustees, viz., the Right Honourable N. Vansittart, Lord Calthorpe, James Jenkins, George Baring, T. T. Biddulph, Esqrs.; Reverends J. Hensman and E. Mansfield.

[Picture: Christ Church, Berry Hill]

The body of the building forms a parallelogram 50 feet by 42 feet; the tower, upwards of 60 feet high, was built some years afterwards, at a cost of 1,000 pounds. Unfortunately, serious inconvenience ensued to Mr. Procter by his having caused the whole of the above-named endowment property to be conveyed to the church previous to its consecration, since, on presenting the memorial to the Board for the payment of the accustomed Parliamentary grant, the case was pronounced "irregular," rendering Mr. Procter liable to a debt of 950 pounds, although 500 pounds of the amount was eventually paid by Pyncombe's Charity and Queen Anne's Board. The sum of 2,000 pounds was granted, however, by the Parliamentary Board to be laid out in the purchase of land, yielding in the mean time an interest of 4 pounds per cent., and raising the total income of the living to 118 pounds 10s. 6d., or thereabouts. Mr. Procter died on the 8th May, 1822, aged 52, worn out by excessive devotion to his pastoral duties, and was succeeded by the Rev. T. R. Garnsey, who, after a life of similar usefulness, expired in March, 1847. His funeral sermon was preached on Sunday, the 14th of March, by the Rev. H. Poole, from Hebrews xii. 2. The church was densely crowded, many could not obtain an entrance, and all appeared deeply to feel the loss they had sustained.

In the mean time, under the Act of 1842, an addition of 31 pounds 9s. 6d. was made to the salary of the incumbent, by the purchase of an equivalent amount of 3 per cent. Reduced Bank Annuities, raising its annual income to 150 pounds, the nomination to the incumbency being transferred to the Queen and her successors. The Rev. J. Banks succeeded to the living in 1847, who, previous to his relinquishing it in 1852, effected several improvements in the interior of the church. The Rev. W. H. Taylor followed him, and still remains the minister. The adjoining school premises have been made much more complete and capacious by him, so as amply to accommodate 150 children, and a teacher's house has been erected. A permanent redemption of the land-tax charged on the living, at the cost of 150 pounds, has also been presented by Thomas Graham, Esq. There are three tablets on the north side or oldest part of the church, to the memories of Edward Hawkins, the first teacher in the school, the Rev. P. M. Procter, and the Rev. T. R. Garnsey, and a flat paved stone records the grave of Thomas Morgan. About ten marriages, forty-three baptisms, and thirty-five funerals take place yearly. The church is well attended on Sunday, especially in the afternoon, when 300 or 400 persons are usually present.

Whilst the Rev. P. M. Procter and the Rev. H. Berkin were engaged in effecting the improvements described on the west and north-east sides of the Forest, the Rev. H. Poole was labouring to accomplish similar results on the south-east. The appeal for public aid towards "the erection of a church and school-house," which he issued on the 6th July, 1819, thus forcibly describes the necessities of the case:--"The Forest is an extensive tract of land, having a circumference of about twenty-five miles, and containing at present nearly 5,000 souls. This population, with some exceptions, may be considered as divided into three settlements, detached from each other by a space of several miles, of which settlements two are now provided with churches; but the other colony, situated on the south-east side, is still destitute of the means of religious knowledge. It is therefore proposed, under the sanction of the Lord Bishop of the diocese, to erect a third church and school-house in this still neglected spot. From a recent accurate survey, it appears that within little more than two miles of the site of the proposed church there are at least 400 inhabitants, distant from the other Forest churches about six miles, and from any parish church nearly three miles. The chapel of Bream, the nearest episcopal place of worship, is too small to accommodate even one-third of the population of its own tithing. Being thus unprovided with a place of worship and the means of public instruction, and following the corrupt dictates of their untutored minds, the natural consequences are gross ignorance of the Scriptures, a shameful profanation of the Sabbath, and a total neglect of all the duties of religion, accompanied with a general prevalence of disorderly and immoral conduct." This application met with a generous response from Bishop Ryder, Edward Protheroe, Esq., the Earl of Liverpool, the Right Hon. N. Vansittart, Edward Machen, Esq., Lord Calthorpe, Lady Olivia Sparrow, Mrs. H. More, &c.

The site chosen for the new church, as being most convenient of access for the largest number of persons, was "Mason's Tump," situated immediately to the east of Whitemead, Park End. In the two previous instances of church-building at Berry Hill and Holy Trinity, little had been attempted in the way of appropriate design; but in this case Mr. Poole's practical knowledge and good taste enabled more to be accomplished. At a total cost of 2,731 pounds, including the churchyard boundary wall and gates, a cruciform edifice, enlarged into an octagon forty-six feet in diameter at the intersection, having a total length of sixty-six feet, so as to accommodate 500 people, was erected in the Decorated style of architecture; attached to which there was also raised a well-proportioned tower, eighty feet in height, and intended to contain a small peal of eight bells, Edward Machen, Esq., presenting the treble, as well as a good clock with three dials.

[Picture: St. Paul's Church, Park End]

The church now possesses a good finger organ, removed from Ross church, and said to have been used originally in Salisbury Cathedral. There is also a rich reredos under the east window. At eleven o'clock on the morning of the 2nd of May, 1822, Dr. Ryder, the Lord Bishop of Gloucester, attended by thirteen clergymen and many of the magistrates and gentry of the neighbourhood, proceeded to the spot for the purpose of dedicating the fabric to the service of God as the Church of St. Paul. The Bishop entered the edifice by the west door, followed by his clergy, repeating alternately the 24th Psalm. Every seat was immediately filled, and soon no spot was left unoccupied. Many could not gain admission, and were seen clinging to the bars of the windows on the outside. A large company of professional and amateur singers attended, so that the whole musical part of the service was well executed. His Lordship delivered an impressive discourse from the 8th, 9th, and 10th verses of the 132nd Psalm. The congregation was very attentive, and, after contributing at the door nearly 30 pounds towards the completion of the work, dispersed, fully 1,000 persons being observed to leave the church. The perpetual advowson of the living was assigned to the Bishop of the diocese, and endowed with 75 pounds 6s. 6d. per annum, together with the remainder of the five acres of land granted by the Crown as glebe, on which a picturesque parsonage, and also commodious schools for a population supposed to number 1,500, were erected. By the Act of 1842 the income of the incumbency was augmented to 150 pounds a year, and the presentation confirmed to the Bishop of the diocese, with an ecclesiastical district annexed to it of 7,741 acres, with 3,681 inhabitants. This population has since increased to 6,500, to meet which growth pleasing and substantial schools have been built, at a total outlay of 750 pounds, on the Viney Hill and in the Blakeney Valley, the former opened in 1850, and the latter in 1851. Divine service is held in each of them under episcopal licence. The three schools are attended by 200 children daily. The Sunday congregations comprise 150 people in the morning, and 400 in the afternoon. About fifty come to the Lord's Table. The yearly average of christenings is forty-six, of weddings twenty-six, and of funerals forty-five. The following is a list of

_Incumbents_.--Henry Poole; J. J. Ebsworth, M.A.

_Curates_.--David Jones, M.A., Oxon.; --- Dixon, B.A., Oxon.; --- Revel, M.A., Camb.; --- Stewart, M.A., Camb.; --- Mountfort, M.A., Oxon.; --- Malpas, M.A.; --- Cardew, B.A.; --- Ponton, B.A.

[Picture: St. John's Church and Schools, Cinderford]

The next effort made to meet the spiritual wants of the increasing population of the Forest was commenced by Edward Protheroe, Esq., M.P., who erected and opened, July 1, 1840, "on Cinderford Tump, where the old holly grew," large and substantial school-buildings, for the benefit of the families connected with his adjacent collieries, and consigned them to the care of Mr. Zachariah Jolly as their master, an office which he ably filled for several years. The attendance was large, sometimes exceeding 280 children of both sexes. In the first seventeen years, to July, 1857, nearly 1,400 young persons were admitted into the schools, at ages ranging from four to twenty-two years. There was also an evening school for adults, some winters numbering ninety, patronized by the South Wales Railway Company, who subscribed liberally to it. By the Act of July, 1842, dividing the Forest into ecclesiastical districts, its south-east section was constituted one of them, and a stipend of 150 pounds per annum provided for the minister, so soon as the church intended for it should be built and consecrated. Aided by large donations from the Crown, Charles Bathurst, Esq., the Rev. Dr. Warneford, and others, the new church, erected on the hill above Cinderford Bridge, at a cost of 3,109 pounds, in the Early Pointed style of Gothic architecture, on the plan of a Latin cross, with a belfry turret, and capable of seating 800 persons, was consecrated under the name of St. John the Apostle, by Bishop Monk, on the 22nd of October, 1844. There was a large attendance of clergy, and upwards of 1,100 persons were present, many others being unable to obtain admission into the church. The Rev. R. Davies preached from St. Matt. xii. 34. The Rev. T. G. Smythies, who had been residing for some time in the district, became the first incumbent. This appointment he continues to hold, and by the aid of the Crown, the late Bishop Monk, Dr. Warneford, and the Gally Knight Fund, has built an excellent parsonage conveniently adjoining the church.

Following the course of ecclesiastical and educational progress in the Forest, it only remains to record the most recent step taken, namely, that at Lydbrook. The erection of a church there, although contemplated for several years previously, was deferred for some time, until the assiduous exertions of the Rev. J. Burdon, and the munificent donation of 2,000 pounds from Mr. Machen and his relatives, secured its accomplishment. {172} The cost of the building, including the site, which lies on the north-east slope of the Lydbrook Valley, close to the original school-room, was 3,500 pounds, to which the following public bodies thus contributed:

Her Majesty's Commissioners of 250 pounds Woods, &c. ,, Church Building 100 Commissioners Incorporated Society 230 Diocesan ditto 200 ---- 780 pounds

The rest was given by private persons, the principal being Messrs. Allaway and Partridge, who contributed 250 pounds.

[Picture: Lydbrook Church and Schools]

The church was designed by H. Woodyer, Esq., in the Geometrical style of Decorated architecture, and comprises a nave and aisles 60 feet long and 50 feet in width, a handsome chancel, a south porch, and tower 80 feet high. It is built in the ornamented parts and internally of Bath stone, the exterior being the gritstone of the neighbourhood. The foundation stone was laid on Monday, the 12th of August, 1850, and the church, called that of "The Holy Jesus," was consecrated on the 4th December, 1851, by Dr. Ollivant, Bishop of Llandaff, the Bishop of the diocese being too unwell to attend. Considering the season of the year, the day was very fine, nearly fifty clergymen were present, and upwards of one thousand people crowded into the edifice. The Rev. E. Machen, Rector of Mitcheldean, preached the sermon on Isaiah lvi. 7. A stipend of about 120 pounds was secured to the incumbent of the church by annexing to it 30 pounds from the tithes of English Bicknor, with an additional 90 pounds from the Crown, which consequently presents to the living, alternately with Queen's College, Oxford. The first incumbent was the Rev. W. Deering, who was succeeded in 1853 by the Rev. T. H. Chase, by whom it is still held, and who has been enabled to erect a suitable parsonage house. About thirty baptisms, fifteen funerals, with a proportionate number of weddings, take place at this church annually. Nearly 150 persons attend on the Sunday morning, and 250 in the afternoon, amongst whom there are forty communicants, the total population of the parish being 2,500.

In addition to the five churches named above, my knowledge of the district enables me to state that the rapid increase of population calls for the erection of at least three more, on the east, south, and west sides of the Forest, all of which should, if possible, be provided without delay.

Besides the efforts of the Church, directed as now described, for the benefit of the population of the Forest, its inhabitants have of late years become an object of religious regard to the different bodies of Congregationalists, most of whom are represented amongst the Foresters. The wealthier coal and iron masters manifest a benevolent interest in the welfare of their workmen, and in one instance have established a large day-school, and built a place of worship for their use. The Commissioners of the Crown have always attended to applications for help in furtherance of these objects, and have at different times granted sums to the amount of 10,347 pounds towards endowing the Forest churches, and in some years have devoted as much as 800 pounds to the maintenance of schools, which they annually aid by the following donations:

pounds _s._ _d._ St. Paul's 70 0 0 District (Park End, 30 pounds, Oldcroft 20 pounds, and Blakeney Woodside 20 pounds) Christ Church 30 0 0 District Holy Trinity 70 0 0 District (Trinity 30 pounds, Ruardean Woodside 20 pounds, Hawthorns 20 pounds) Cinderford 30 0 0 Lydbrook 30 0 0 Bream 15 0 0 St. Briavel's 5 5 0 Mitcheldean 5 5 0 Blakeney 15 0 0 Staunton 10 0 0 Dixton 5 0 0 Coleford 5 0 0 English Bicknor 2 2 0 Whitchurch 5 0 0 ---- --- --- 297 12 0

To the above must be added the handsome donation of 500 pounds from Thomas Graham, Esq., formerly clerk to the Dean Forest Commissioners.