Kempley
KEMPLEY is a parish situated on the confines of Herefordshire, and near the turnpike road from Gloucester and Newent through Dymock to Much Marcle, in Herefordshire, 7 miles north-north east from Ross, 6 south-south-west from Ledbuty, 4½ north-north-west from Newent, and 12½ west-north-west from Gloucester, and 116½ from London, in the Western Division of the County, Botloe hundred, Newent union and county court district, rural deanery of North Forest, archdeaconry of Gloucester and diocese of Gloucester and Bristol.
The church of St. Mary has a chancel and nave (separated by an early Norman arch with Saxon mouldings) and a tower containing 3 bells: The chancel roof and walls are covered with frescoes, supposed to date from the latter part of the 12th Century, being almost the most ancient wall paintings extant. The register dates from the year 1677. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £204, with good residence, in the gift of Earl Beauchamp, and held by the Rev John E Crowley Weaver, M.A. of Trinity College Oxford. Here is a Baptist chapel.
The charities of the parish are £11 annual value.
Stonehouse, formerly the manor house, is large, and appears, from the style of its windows, to have been built in the sixteenth century: it contains some very fine oak carving, with the crown and initials of James I. In the centre: it is now used as a farm house.
Earl Beauchamp is lord of the manor and chief landowner.
The soil is a stiff red clay and loam, which is very productive and applied nearly in equal proportions to arable and pasture, and planted with fruit trees, but at such a distance from each other as not to prevent the cultivation of the various crops. The soil being deep, is well adapted to the growth of the oak, elm, apple and pear, which are found here in great luxuriance. The orchards are very productive of fruit for cider and perry; subsoil clay and gravel.
Bricks, drain pipes and roofing riles are made extensively here.
The area is 1,564 acres; rateable value, £1,946; the population in 1871 was 306.
Parish Clerk – Robert Fortey.
Letters through Gloucester. The nearest money order office is at Dymock
Parochial School, Miss Hannah R Robinson
CARRIER.—Mason to Ledbury on Tuesday : to Ross, Thursday, returning same day.
RESIDENTS
Ferriss Timothy John, Lower house
Weaver Rev. John Crowley, M.A., Vicarage
COMMERCIAL
Brookes Isaac, farmer & machine owner, Priors court
Burgum Arthur, farmer, Matthews
Edwards James, brick & tile & drain pipe maker
French George, shopkeeper
Fretwell Henry, farm bailiff to Earl Beauchamp, Green farm
Jones Samuel, farmer, Turners farm
Jones William, shoe maker & shopkeeper
Lane Frederick, farmer, Bridges farm
Mason John, farmer, Brick house
Nott John, wheelwright & carpenter
Palmer John, farmer, Bullock’s end
Palmer Mary (Mrs.), farmer, Kempley court
Phelps James, farmer, Moor house
Probert John, farmer, Folly farm
Spencer Thomas, farmer, Powell’s end
Thurston Frederick, farmer, Stone ho
White William, shopkeeper & beer retailer, Little Adam