Linton, Herefordshire

Extract from Littlebury's Directory and Gazetteer of Herefordshire, 1876-7
with Private and Commercial Residents

Transcribed by Rosemary Lockie, © Copyright 2004

LINTON is a parish and village, situated on the borders of Gloucestershire, and intersected by the main road between Ross and Newent. It is distant 5½ miles E.N.E. of Ross, 12 S.S.W. of Ledbury, 5 W. of Newent, 15 S.E. of Hereford, and 13 N.W. of Gloucester; is in Greytree hundred, Newent union, Ross county court district and petty sessional division, and is a polling place for county elections. The population in 1861 was 915; in 1871, 924; inhabited houses, 212; families or separate occupiers, 217; area of parish, 2,775 acres; annual rateable value, £4,854. The Right Hon. Lord Ashburton is the principal landowner. The soil is sandy and loamy; subsoil, chiefly rock and clay; products, wheat, barley, roots, &c. Linton is in the diocese and archdeaconry of Hereford and rural deanery of Ross; living, a vicarage; value, £555, with residence (erected in 1868) and 69 acres of glebe; patrons, the president and fellows of St. John's College, Oxford; vicar, Rev. Edward Palin, B.D., late fellow and tutor of that college, who was instituted in 1866. The earliest register is dated 1570.

Mention is made in Domesday Book of a church in this parish, and the earliest part of the present structure is of early Norman work, but it received its existing form in the 13th and 14th centuries. It consists of nave and chancel 78 feet long, north and south aisles, north porch, western tower and spire with five bells. It underwent complete restoration in 1875-76, at a cost of nearly £1,800, and was reopened for divine service April 20th, 1876. The ceiling of the belfry is beautifully groined, the ribs springing from corbels at the angles, and meeting in a circle at the centre. The belfry opens into the nave by a lofty arch with Early English bases and capitals. The short and massive piers of the north side of the nave are of Norman character, the work, no doubt, of the pious and munificent Talbots, barons of the neighbouring castle of Eccleswall; the piers on the south support Pointed arches with Early English mouldings. The tower has a projecting newel staircase, and some ancient belfry windows with dripstones resting on corbels. The west window is of the Perpendicular period. The vicarage house was rebuilt from the ground in 1868.

A new national school for boys and girls was erected in 1873 at a cost of £754 (exclusive of site, value £50, given by the vicar). There is a residence for the master attached. Accommodation is provided for about 80 children, and the school is under government inspection. Part of Gorstley common, in this parish, and part of the adjoining parish of Newent, in Gloucestershire, have been recently formed into an ecclesiastical district, and a new school church erected at a cost of about £1,100. The building, which is lofty and spacious, stands in Newent parish. The Rev. E.H. Sankey, of Newent, is the incumbent. Divine service is held on Sundays and a school on week-days. There is an endowed school, called "Goff's charity school", at Blindman's gate.

The Baptists have a chapel at Gorstley common. Broom's Ash, or Bromsash, is a hamlet distant about 1 mile S.W. of Linton. About half a mile farther south is Eccleswall Court, a modern residence in the occupation of Mr. Michael Berkley. It occupies the site of Eccleswall castle, which will ever retain a certain degree of interest as the cradle of the brave Talbots, founders of the earldom of Shrewsbury. It afterwards came into the possession of the Greys, Lords of Wilton; but it has since passed from their descendants into other hands. There was formerly a chapel belonging to Eccleswall castle, the bell and font of which were removed about a century ago to Lea church. Gorstley or Gorsley Common is a wild district about 1 mile to the E. of Linton. To the N. is a picturesque and well-wooded country on the borders of Gloucestershire.

POSTAL REGULATIONS.- John Marfell, Sub-Postmaster. Letters arrive by messenger from Ross at 8.30 a.m.; despatched thereto at 5 p.m. Money orders are granted and paid and post office savings bank business transacted. Ross is the nearest telegraph office and post town. The Wall Letter-box at Gorstley is cleared at 4.15 p.m.
Parish Church.- Rev. Edward Palin, B.D., Vicar; Charles R. Joseph and Thomas Higgins, Esqs., Churchwardens; Edward Lewis, Parish Clerk.
Gorstley School Church.- Rev. E.H. Sankey, Incumbent.
National School (boys and girls), Linton village.- Mr. Henry Hallam, Master; Miss Ann Marshall, Mistress.
National School (boys and girls), Gorstley common.- Mr. E.E. Griffin, Master; Mrs. Griffin, Sewing Mistress.
Goff's Charity School, Gorstley common.- Mr. J.C. Shambrook, Master.
Baptist Chapel, Gorstley common.- Rev. John Hall, Minister.
Carrier to Ross.- Peter James, every Thursday, stops at the George Hotel, returning therefrom about 4 p.m.
Steward of the Manor of Eccleswall.- Alfred Osborne, Esq., Ross.
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Berkley Mr. Michael, Eccleswall court
Dowell James, Esq., Eccleswall farm
Garrold Mrs. Elizabeth, Linton point
Hall Rev. John (Baptist), Gorstley
Higgins Thomas, Esq., Haygrove
Hooper Mr. Thomas R., Rose cottage
Joseph Charles R., Esq., Burton house
Marfell Mr. Henry, Hartleton
Palin Rev. Edward, B.D. (vicar), The Vicarage
COMMERCIAL.
Addis John, shoemaker and shopkeeper
Aubrey George, shopkeeper
Baggott Thomas, carpenter, wheelwright, and shopkeeper, Broom's Ash
Berkley Michael, farmer, Eccleswall court
Bradford Thomas, shopkeeper
Burgum Mrs. J., farmer, Great Woodend
Byard William, boot and shoe maker
DAVIS THOMAS, engineer, machinist, and agricultural implement maker, Linton cottage
Dowell James, farmer, Eccleswall farm
Finch W., farm bailiff to Lord Ashburton, Bayton farm and Two-park farm
Hallam Henry, master of National school
Hardwicke John, farmer, Broom's Ash
Hartley Mrs. Ann, farmer, Gorstley
Higgins Thomas, farmer, Haygrove
Hodges Henry, Alma Inn
Hooper Thomas Robinson, Rose cottage
Huff Edward, farmer, Pit house
James Goo., blacksmith & frmr., Shutton
James Samuel, farmer and haulier
Jones Edward, farmer, Ivy house
Jordan Joseph, shopkeeper
Joseph Charles R., farmer, Burton house and mill
Keyse Robert, tailor, Gorstley
Lewis Edward, parish clerk
Lewis James, cottage farmer
Lewis William, boot and shoe maker
Loveridge Wm., farmer, Little Woodend
Marfell Henry, farmer, Hartleton
MARFELL JOHN, draper, grocer, provision merchant, and sub-postmaster; agent for T. Wintle's Mitcheldean ales and porter, Post office
Marshall Miss Ann, schoolmistress
Parry John, Plough Inn, and farmer
Phelps Benjamin, farmer and grocer
Shambrook J.C., schoolmaster, Gorstley
Smallman J., blacksmith, Broom's Ash
Smith John, boot and shoe maker
Steward Mrs. Sarah, New Inn, & shopkpr.
Stonier Thomas, farmer, Blindman's gate
Taylor Edwin, jobbing gardener, Gorstley
Turner Mr., farmer & landowner, Pinford
Watkins Wm., carpenter & wheelwright
Webb Anthony, builder, &c.

OCR/Transcription by Rosemary Lockie in May 2004.

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