TARRINGTON is a large parish and village intersected by the Worcester and Hereford branch of the Great Western railway, and by the main road from Hereford to Ledbury; is distant 6½ miles W.N.W. of Ledbury, 7½ E. of Hereford, and 10 S.S.W. of Bromyard. Stoke Edith railway station is situate in this parish. It is in Radlow hundred, Ledbury union, county court district, and petty sessional division, and is a polling place for county elections. The population in 1861 was 543; in 1871, 541; inhabited houses, 114; families or separate occupiers, 129; area of parish, 2,175a. 2r. 17p.; annual rateable value, £4,074. The Right Hon. Lady Emily Foley, of Stoke Edith park, is lady of the manor and principal landowner. John Hopton, Esq., of Canon ffroome court, is also a landowner in this parish. The soil is a rich clay; hops are much cultivated, with wheat, beans, fruit, &c. Tarrington is in the diocese and archdeaconry of Hereford and rural deanery of Weston ; the living was formerly a vicarage, but is now a rectory; value, £400, with residence and 38 acres of glebe; patroness, the Lady Emily Foley; rector, Rev. John Winter, M.A., of Jesus College, Cambridge, who was instituted in 1869.

The church, dedicated to St. Philip and St. James, has been restored at a cost of £1,265, and was reopened on the 31st of October, 1872. This venerable structure is of Norman origin, and consists of nave and chancel, with square tower at the west end containing six good bells and a new clock by Gillett & Bland, of West Croydon, S.E. The chancel floor has been raised one foot above that of the nave, and laid with encaustic tiles from the works of Mr. Godwin, of Lugwardine, the reredos being covered with similar tiles of a superior pattern. Much of the stonework and ancient carving, thickly coated with plaster, has been laid bare and well pointed. The old lath-and-plaster ceiling of the nave and chancel has been replaced by a vaulted panel roof in pitch pine, intersected throughout by bold ribs in red deal. High-backed and long pews with doors have been converted into low open seats. The choir stalls in the chancel are entirely new. A light altar rail, in oak, with ornamental iron standards, decorated in blue and gold, spans the entire width of the chancel. In the progress of the work it was found necessary to rebuild the south wall, in which three new windows, presented by friends, have been erected.

A new chancel arch, of admirable design, forms one of the most pleasing features of the restored church. Over this are the new gable, coping stones, and finial cross, where none existed before. The slates which before covered the roof have given way to the best Broseley tiles, effecting an immense improvement. An elegant screen in oak spans the lower portion of the tower arch. The east window in the chancel is filled with stained glass by Messrs. Ward & Hughes, as a memorial gift from the family of the late C.A. Mason, Esq. The remnants of ancient glass found in the tracery of the east window have been carefully inserted, with modern glass to match, in a small window on the south side. The two Saxon windows on the north side of the chancel have been filled with stained glass figures - SS. Philip and James, to whom the church is dedicated. These windows have been given by the widow of the late rector (the Rev. Charles Smith), together with a memorial brass plate. Mrs. Bishop, of Little Tarrington, assisted by a few friends, provided the tower arch screen, and a pair of Glastonbury chairs, in carved oak, within the communion rail. One of the beautiful windows on the south side was given by Miss Phelps (daughter of the Rev. T.P. Phelps, formerly vicar of the parish), assisted by a few friends.

This lady also gave the prayer-desk, in carved oak, as a memorial of her father. An old Norman tomb, with recumbent effigy, has been carefully restored at the cost of the contractors, who have also generously filled the west window with Powell's coloured quarry glass. The pulpit, in carved Bath stone, of elegant design, is a memorial gift from Miss Mapleton. The lectern, in carved oak, with candle standards for the chancel, illuminated texts over the principal arches, also the Bible and Prayer-book, pulpit-desk and lights, &c., are offerings to the church from several friends. A communion-table, in carved oak, is the gift of the Rev. W.H. Lambert, rector of Stoke Edith, and family. The Right Hon. Lady Emily Foley, John Hopton, Esq., and others, have given liberal help in addition to grants from the Incorporated and Diocesan Church Building Societies. The entire, restoration reflects great credit on the architect (F.R. Kempson, Esq., F.I.B.A., of Hereford) and the contractors (Messrs. Collins & Cullis, of Tewkesbury). The parish registers go back to the year 1567.

There are several small charities in connection with the church and schools. The new and spacious school-rooms with teachers' residences, provided and fitted up by the munificence of the Right Hon. Lady Emily Foley, at a cost of £2,777, for the educational benefit of a school district, comprising the parishes of Tarrington, Stoke Edith, and Dormington, were opened on the 1st January 1875. These schools rank among the best in the county, and are under the management of a committee. They are built to accommodate 147 children (boys and girls) in the principal room, and 40 infants. The present average attendance is about 120. The architect was T. Blashill, Esq., of Old Jewry Chambers, London, and the contractors were Messrs. Collins & Cullis, of Tewkesbury. The school furniture was supplied by Mr. James Lewis, of Ross.

POSTAL REGULATIONS.- Silas Wood, Sub-Postmaster. Letters arrive by mail-cart from Ledbury at 8.30 a.m.; despatched thereto at 4.30 p.m. Money orders are granted and paid, and savings bank business transacted from 9 a.m. till 4 p.m. Postal telegrams may be sent from Stoke Edith railway station. Post town, Ledbury.