Wollastone or Woolaston
WOLLASTONEis a village, parish and station on the South Wales railway, 5 miles north-east from Chepstow, 12 south-east from Monmouth, 11 south-west from Newnham and 134 from London, situated on the western bank of the River Severn. The village, which is very much scattered, partly lies on the high road from Newnham to Chepstow, in the Western division of the county, hundred of Westbury, union and county court district of Chepstow, rural deanery of South Forest, archdeaconry of Gloucester and diocese of Gloucester and Bristol.
The church of St. Andrew is an ancient and curiously formed structure in the Norman style, beautifully restored in 1859: it consists of chancel, nave, south aisle, organ chamber and a massive western tower; the church is entered on the south side through an old porch, and the interior is rendered exceedingly noble by the length and height of the nave, combined with its fine timbered roof; the arcade which divides the aisle from the nave consists of double shafts of polished marble, with richly foliated capitals; the large east window of the chancel is stained. The register dates from the year 1688. The living is a rectory, gross yearly value, with the chapelries of Alvington and Lancaut annexed, about £640, with residence, in the gift of S.S. Marling, esq. M.P. and held by the Rev. William Somerset, LL.D. of Magdalene College, Cambridge. The charities are about £7. 10s. Yearly.
Samuel Stephens Marling, esq. M.P. is lord of the manor and chief landowner. The soil is mostly gravel; subsoil limestone and sandstone. The chief crops are wheat, barley and fruit. The area is 4,376 acres of land and 1,040 or water. Rateable value, £8.084 ; the population in 1871 was 998
Parish Clerk, Samuel Smith
POST OFFICE.—Mrs. Sarah James, receiver. Letters arrive by foot post from Lydney at 8.30 a.m.; dispatched at 6 p.m. Lydney is the nearest money order office
INSURANCE AGENT.—Staffordshire Fire, W Shillam
Assistant Overseer, William Morgan
Registrar of Births & Deaths, Thomas Richard Steel
There is a National School for boys & girls which was erected in 1862, at a cost of upwards of £1000 ; W.P.Thomas, master ; Mrs. Thomas, mistress.
RESIDENTS
Bubb Henry, The Grange
Bullock Thomas, Platts house
Davis Henry, Brooklyn cottage
Maskell George, The Common
Smith Mrs. The Platts
Somerset Rev. William, LL.D. Rectory
COMMERCIAL
Adams Thomas, farmer Sheepcot farm
Ball George, farmer, Plusterwine
Ball James, farmer, Woodside
Ball John, farmer, Park Hill
Ball Richard, farmer, Whitewalls
Ball Samuel, farmer, Woodside
Battershill Charles John, farmer
Biddle Hugh, farmer, Plusterwine
Blanch William, Woolastone inn
Butler Charles, blacksmith, Brookend
Dance William, farmer, Ferry farm
Davis John, beer retailer, Common
Edwards Charles, butcher, Park Hill
Fletcher Edward & Thomas, farmers, Woodside
Fletcher Joseph, boot & shoe maker, Netherend
Fletcher William, Old Duke’s Head butcher, Brookend
Fussell Isaac, beer retailer
Higgs James, shopkeeper, Netherend
Hillier Orchard, farmer, Green pool
Howell James, carpenter, Cone
James Sarah (Mrs.), grocer & draper, & postmistress, Brookend
Lee Frederick, Netherend inn
Lewis James, grocer, The Common
Martin George, shoe maker, Netherend
Morgan Charles, farmer, Brockweir
Morgan Edwd. Farmer, Ashwell grange
Morgan William, assistant overseer
O’Hare Mary (Mrs.),shopkpr, Common
Peters William, farmer, The Knights
Phillips John, gardener, Woodside
Prewett Hugh, blacksmith
Price William, farmer, Slade
Pritchard John gardener, Park hill
Proctor George, farmer, Caynsham
Prosser George, farmer, Common
Prosser John, farmer, Common
Reeves William, farmer, Woodside
Shillam John, shopkeeper & shoe maker, Common
Smith Mary (Mrs.), corn dlr. Netherend
Smith Samuel, parish clerk & sexton
Stockham James, farmer
Steel Thomas Richard, registrar of births & deaths
Tamplin Richard, grocer, Netherend
Taylor & Co. Beer dealers, Sandford ho
Tudor William, Carpenters’ Arms
Watts James, farmer, Woodside
White Charles, grocer, Park hill
Williams Henry, farmer, Netherend
Williams Jas. farmer, Burnthouse farm
Williams Jas. sen. Farmer, Burnthouse
Woodroffe William Henry, farmer, Plusterwine House.