NEWNHAM is a small and ancient market town, in the hundred of Westbury, and division of the Forest of Dean; 116 miles W.N.W. from London, 12 S.W. from Gloucester (the nearest railway station), and 6 S. from Mitchell-Dean; situated on an eminence rising from the western bank of the Severn, which is here nearly a mile in width at high water. In the reign of Edward I this town was governed by a mayor and burgesses; but at present the government is vested in two constables, appointed at the court leet of the lord of the manor (the Rev. Edward Jones), held annually at the "Bear Inn". Newnham once sent two members to parliament, but for many years has ceased to be so privileged; and its general consequence has been more upon the decline that the increase. The inhabitants of the town derive som advantage from its proximity to extensive coal and iron mines; and the railroad and Berkeley canal facilitate the conveyance of their produce. The navigation of the river at this part is difficult, and the shoals, even at high water, dangerous. The tide rises here in one solid wave, which rushes up the river, at the rate of five miles an hour, with impetuous fury and a resistless surge, and is termed 'the boar'. A quay for vessels of one hundred and fifty tons burden is on the verge of the river, and a few small vessels are built and launched from the yards on its banks.The parish church of St. Peter stands on a cliff, sixty feet high, rising from the banks of the Severn; it is built with some curiously sculptured stone, conjectured to have been been preserved from the ruins of a more ancient edifice, which stood at a place called Nab's-end. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the gift of the corporation of Gloucester. The Independents have a place of worship; and there are some charities by which the poor are benefited, and a bank for savings. The market day is Friday, but it presents scarcely any appearance of business different from other days in the week. The fairs are entitled to be held June 11th and October 18th; the privilege is, however, of trifling (if any) advantage to trade. Population, in 1831, 1,074, and, in 1841, 1,105.
POST OFFICE, James Powell, Post Master, - Letters from LONDON, &c arrive (by mail cart from GLOUCESTER) every morning at half-past five, and are despatched thereto every evening at six.- Letters from SOUTH WALES (through Chepstow) arrive every evening at six, and are despatched thereto every morning at half-past five. Letters from BIRMINGHAM, LIVERPOOL, MANCHESTER, and the North, arrive (from GLOUCESTER) every morning at a quarter before eight, & are despatched to that town every afternoon at half-past five.
Nobility, Gentry and Clergy
BATHURST Rt. Hon. Chas., Lydney park
BOEVEY-CRAWLEY Sir Ths., Flaxley abbey
COMBS Rev. Benjamin, Newnham
HEPBORN Mrs. Mary, Little Dean
JONES Rev. Edward, Hay hill
KNOWLES Miss Hannah, Newnham
MALPAS Rev. Jos. Hy, Awre vicarage
MORRIS Mrs. Mary, Newnham
NASH Miss Amelia, Newnham
NOEL Hon. William M., Clanna falls
PALMER Mrs. Catherine, Newnham
PARSONS Rev. James, Little Dean
PHILLPS Miss Elizabeth, Newnham
PROTHEROE Edward, esq., Newnham
PRYKE Joseph, esq, Dean hall
SAYER Rev. John, Slown Arlingham
THOMSON Mr. Thos. Sidney, Newnham
TOVEY Mr. Thomas, Newnham
WAIT John, esq., New house
Academies and Schools
BISP Daniel (brdg. & day) Broad oak
COOMBS Rev. Benj. (boarding & day)
MOORE Mary (day)
PLAYSTED John (day)
Professional Persons
BIRD Henry, surgeon
BULLOCK Thomas, attorney
HUNT William & Henry, surgeon
JAMES John & Son, attorneys and clerks to turnpike trusts
LUCAS John, attorney
MASON Roynon, attorney and clerk to the magistrated
Banks
GLOUCESTERSHIRE BANKING COMPANY (branch) - draw on Jones, Loyd and Co. London) - Simon R. Strode, manager.
SAVINGS BANK (open on Mondays) Simon R. Strode, actuary.
Fire, &c, Office Agents
NORWICH EQUITABLE (fire) Joseph Philpots
PHOENIX (fire) Simon R. Strode
UNIVERSAL (life) Roynon Mason
Inns & Public Houses
Anchor, John Jones
Bear Hotel, (posting and passage house) John Miles Robertson
George, James Wallis
George Inn, William Wood, Little Dean
Lamb & Flag, James Dobbs
Lower George, John Morgan
Ship, William King
True Heart, Elizabeth Morse
Union, John Hooper
Victoria, Jonathan Elliott
Shopkeepers & Traders
ASHFORD Joseph, saddler
BAILEY Charles, boot & shoe maker
BARLING William, farrier
BARNARD M. A. & Co. drapers & grocers
BENNETT Jos., shopkeeper, Little Dean
BETTINGTON Edward, tiler, plasterer and mason
BETTINGTON Wm., tiler, plasterer and painter
BIRT Robert, tailor
BLANTON John, plumber, glazier & painter
BOWYER James, beer retailer
BROWN William, cheese factor, grocer and linen draper
CHURCHWAY COAL COMPANY, Bullo Pill - William Greening, agent
CINDERFORD IRON COMPANY, Bullo Pill - Charles Cotton, agent
CLAYFIELD Charles, boot & shoe maker
CLAYFIELD Samuel, cooper
CLIFFORD Eliz., saddler & rope maker
COOK Thomas, chemist & druggist
COTTON Charles, agent to the Cinderford Iron Company, Bullo Pill
DAVIS George, baker
ELTON Elijah, boot and shoe maker
FOREST OF DEAN RAILWAY CO., Bullo Pill - John J. Lether, agent
FREEN Henry, boot and shoe maker
FRYER William, bookseller, stationer, and circulating library
GREEN William, carpenter & wheelwright
GREENING William, beer retailer
HILL James, butcher
HOBBS Thomas, blacksmith
HOBBS William, builder
HOLDER Eliz., blacksmith
HOOK John, cabinet maker & upholsterer
HOOPER Thomas, butcher
HUNT Richard, ship builder and bark merchant, Broad Oak
JACKSON Mary & Eliz., milliners, &c
JACKSONS _, straw hat maker
JONES John, malster
KARN James, auctioneer, appraiser and general agent
KING Sarah, boot and shoe maker
KNOWLES Charles, draper & merchant
KNOWLES George, liquor merchant, and agent for the CAIN'S CROSS BREWERY
MERRICK Charles, carpenter
MERRICK Richard, carpenter
MORGAN John, shopkeeper
MORSE Henry, butcher
MORSE Richard, grocer and tallow chandler
PALMER John, tailor
PARSONS James, stocking weaver
PHILPOTTS Joseph, druggist, grocer and stamp distributor
PLAYSTED William, clock and watch maker
POWELL James, boot & shoe maker
PULLEN Robert Popel, hair dresser
ROBERTS Edward, tin-plate worker
ROBERTS James, ironmonger and brightsmith
ROBERTS Joseph, baker & confectioner
ROSSER John & Co., bark and timber merchants, at at Chepstow
RUSSELL Eliz., shopkeeper & draper
RYDER Wm. & Thos., spirit merchts.
SHORTMAN Josiah Wm., watch & clock maker
SHORTMAN Samuel Tompson, watch & clock maker
SWAINE & TAYLOR, bark merchants
TAYLOR John, tanner
TROTTER John, agent to the PARK END COAL COMPANY
WELLINGTON Henry, boot and shoe maker
WELLINGTON Richard, stationer
WILSON Samuel, malster, Little Dean
YOUNG William, plumber, painter &c.
Coaches
To CHELTENHAM, the Cymroe (from Swansea) calls at the Victoria, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening at half-past six.
To GLOUCESTER, the Mazeppa, from the Victoria and Lamb and Flag, every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday morning at eight, and a Coach, from the Ship, every morning (Sunday excepted) at the same hour.
To SWANSEA, the Cymroe (from Cheltenham) calls at the Victoria, every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning at half-past ten.
Conveyance by Railway
The nearest Station is GLOUCESTER, from whence passengers may proceed to BIRMINGHAM, and from thence to almost any part of England.
There are regular conveyances to Gloucester, as above stated.
Particulars of all the various Railways are furnished by the Railway Tables.
Carriers
To GLOUCESTER, James Dobb's Waggons, every Saturday morning.
Conveyance by Water
To BRISTOL, the Newnham Market Boat, from the Quay, with passengers and goods, once a fortnight.
