RUARDEAN is a village and parish, on the Herefordshire border, and bounded on the west by the river Wye, six miles south from Ross, seven-and-a-half from Newnham, nine north-east from Monmouth, six north-east from Coleford and two-and-a-half south-east from Kerne Bridge station, on the Hereford, Ross and Newport section of the Great Western railway, in the Forest of Dean division of the county, hundred of St. Briavels, petty sessional division of Newnham, county court district and union of Ross, rural deanery of South Forest, archdeaconry of Gloucester and diocese of Gloucester and Bristol. The church of St. John the Baptist, built in 1111, is an edifice of stone in the Norman and later styles, consisting of chancel, nave of three bays, south aisle, south porch and a western tower with lofty spire and pinnacles, containing a clock and 6 bells; the west window displays much rich tracery and the chancel retains a piscina: the church was restored in 1890 and 1891, at a cost of £2,600: there are sittings for 500 persons. The register dates from the year 1540. The living is a rectory, average tithe rent charge £182, and yearly value £179, including 3 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, and held since 1881 by the Rev. Thomas Brasher Beesley, of Queen's College, Birmingham; The Rev. William Robinson has been curate in charge since 1891. There are Congregational and Bible Christian chapels. There are charities of £18. 10s, in this parish, derived from land and houses left by various persons, and applied to the repairs of the church, education, and the relief of poor widows. Major Vaughan is lord of the manor. The principal landowners are the trustees of Captain Kingsmill Manley Power, of Hill Court, Walford; Harry McCalment, esq., of Bishopwood; Thomas Bennett Brain of Euroclydon, Hope Mansell, Ross, and Mr. Joseph Thompson. The soil is sandy; subsoil, red sandstone. The chief crops are wheat and barley. The acreage is 1,590; rateable value, £4,143; the population in 1891 was 1,285.
Parish Clerk - John Harper.
POST & M. O. O., S. B. & Annuity & Insurance Office - Mrs. Hannah Lewis, sub-postmistress. Letters from Mitcheldean (Railway Sub-Office) are delivered at 7.30 a.m. & 12.45 p.m.; dispatched, 4.35 & 6.30 p.m. & telegraph office at Drybrook.
National School (mixed), built in 1872 for 247 children; average attendance, 160 boys & girls, & 50 infants; Lawrence William High, master; Miss Matilda Painter, infant's mistress.
CARRIER TO ROSS - Mrs. Eliza Chamberlain, every thurs.
ARKELL Horatio,
EVANS James, The Laurels
McCALMENT Harry, Bishopwood house
MOON Rev. George (Congregational)
ROBINSON Rev. Wm. (curate in charge), Rectory
BALDWIN Ivo. Wm., assistant overseer & poor rate collector
BALDWIN Thos., Rose in Hand P. H.
BENNETT Benjamin, grocer & draper
BENNETT Richard, builder
CHIVERS Joseph, grocer & baker & agent for W. & A. Gilbey Limited, wine & spirit merchants.
DAWE William, farmer, Park farm
FISHER Philip, shopkeeper
GEORGE Samuel, farmer & butcher
GIBBS Richard, blacksmith
GRIFFITHS James, farmer, Barrel hill
HALE Isaac, Malt Shovel Inn
HOLMES Thomas, painter
HORLICK Peter, rope maker
HYETT Henry, farmer
KEAR James, stone mason
KING Albert James, Bell Inn
KNIGHT Frederick, shopkeeper
LEWIS Hannah (Mrs.), grocer & drapers, Post Office
LITTLE William, New Inn
MARFELL Edgar, farmer, Marstow
MARLAND Jn. mangr., True Blue colliery
MASON George, mason & quarry owner
MATTHEWS James, butcher
PALMER William, boot maker
PHELPS Leonard, Angel P. H.
PHILPOTS John, farmer
PRICE Edmd., farmer, The Meend
THOMPSON Joseph, farmer & land owner, Warfield farm
THOMPSON Lydia (Mrs.), shopkeeper
TRUE BLUE COLLIERY (John Marland, manager)
WEBB Richard, butcher & shopkeeper
WILCE George, haulier
