Oxenhall
OXENHALL, anciently called HORSENEHALL, is a parish, consisting entirely of scattered dwellings, 10 miles north-west from Gloucester, 2 north-west from Newent, 7 south from Ledbury, 6 north-east from Mitcheldean Road station on the Hereford, Ross and Gloucester railway, 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, and is intersected by the Hereford and Gloucester canal, and extends almost to the Herefordshire border.
The church of St. Anne is a handsome stone building, and consists of a chancel, nave, porch, tower with 3 bells and a spire, at the west end: there is an old font of lead; the church, excepting the tower and spire, was entirely rebuilt in 1868: in the chancel is a handsome memorial window, and on the south side is a smaller memorial window. The register dates from the year 1665. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £90, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol and held by the Rev. Thomas Palling Little, M.A. of Trinity College, Oxford.
A vein of coal and ironstone has been discovered on the estate of R.F.Onslow, esq.: many years ago coal was worked in the neighbourhood of Oxenahll; the present company some three years ago began boring operations in the new red sandstone formation: the sandstone is about 70 yards through, and at a total depth from the surface of 140 yards, a seam of coal 8 feet 11 inches thick was bored through; about 12 months ago the present company leased the property and commenced sinking, and the work is still in progress.
A stream called Ellbrook, which takes its rise in the County of Hereford, runs through here, and falls into the Leadon at Highleadon Court. The Hereford and Gloucester canal here passes through a tunnel 1¼ miles long.
R.F. Onslow, esq. is lord of the manor and chief landowner. The soil is, in general, a rich sandy loam, but in some places inclining to clay: subsoil sand, rock, ironstone and coal. The land is in pasture, arable, meadow and wood; of timber trees, the oak and elm thrive abundantly; the arable land is applied to rye and wheat; the land on which the latter grows is called bastard land; apple and pear trees are planted in the fields, and grow with great luxuriance. The area is 1,887 acres; rateable value, £2,818; and the population in 1871 was 245.
COLD HARBOUR was a Roman settlement.
HILLEND GREEN, north-west, and Woodend Green, west, are places here
Sexton Edwin Farmer
Letters from Gloucester, via Newent, which is the nearest money order office.
PUBLIC OFFICERS
Assistant Overseer & Poor’s Rate Collector, John Lee, Newent
Collector or Taxes, Charles Jones, Hill End green.
RESIDENTS
Byron Commander Rd. Hy. The Furnace
Little Rev. Thos. Palling, M.A. Vicarage
COMMERCIAL
Bennion Saml. Wm. Farmer, Marshalls
Cadle Samuel Albert, farmers, Holders
Godwin Albert, farmer, Hill End grn
Hale William farmer, Oxenhall court
Howley John, wood cutter & shopkpr
Howley Richard, wood turner
Jones Charles, blacksmith, Hill End grn
Little Harry, wheelwright
Mace John, farm bailiff to William A Onslow, esq.
Newent Coal & Iron Co. Limited (Wm. Fredk. Clark, manager & sec)
Price William, farmer, White house
Price Wm. Chas. Miller, Crook’s mill
Roberts George, farm bailiff to Richard Foley Onslow, esq.
Smart Hubert, carpenter & wheelwright, Three Ashes
Tranter George, farmer, Winter’s farm
Tranter John, farmer, Three Ashes