Withington, Herefordshire - Kelly's Directory, 1856

Extract from Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire, 1856

WITHINGTON.

WITHINGTON is a parish and village 4½ miles east from Hereford (its post town), 12 north-east from Ledbury, 11 south- east from Leominster, and 30 south from Gloucester, in Broxash Hundred, Hereford Union, deanery, archdeaconry, and bishopric; it is situated on the turnpike road leading from Hereford to Bromyard, and on to the Hereford and Gloucester canal. The church of St. Peter is an ancient stone structure with substantial square tower, and has a very handsome stone spire with 5 fine-toned bells; the interior consists of nave, chancel, porch, and font; the ancient chancel screen remains, and is an elaborate piece of wood carving. The living is a vicarage (with the chapelry of Preston Wynn annexed), worth about £250 yearly, with residence, in the patronage of the Bishop of Hereford; the Rev., William Gretton, B.A., is the incumbent. There is a chapel for Baptists, and an endowed Dame's school for boys and girls. The population in 1851 was 713, and acreage is 2,399. The soil is clayey and loamy; subsoil is block stone. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners are lords of the manor, and the Rev. Henry Glossop, Miss Terry, W. H. Apperley, Esq., John Jancey, Esq., and William Racster, Esq., are the landowners. The chief crops are wheat, beans, hops, and apples. Withington Court, prettily situated near the church, is an ancient mansion of stone, in the Gothic style of architecture, - now used as a farmhouse. Summer House Hill, at a short distance, commands a splendid view of the county around.

GENTRY
Davis Miss Elizabeth, Withington Court	Kedward Miss
Gretton Rev. William Walthall, B.A., Vicarage	Palmer Miss
Jancey John, esq., Nunnington	Pitt Henry, esq., Eau Withington
Jancey Mrs. Nunnington	Racster William, esq., Thingell Court

TRADERS
Apperley James, farmer, Stone House	Kings William, farmer, Marshfield Crt.
Brick & Tile Works (Mr. Timothy Edwards, manager), Withington Wharf.	Morgan George, farmer, Nunnington Crt
Bunn George, shopkeeper, Newbridge	Morgan Henry, farmer, Veldo
Carver Thomas, tailor	Morgan James, relieving officer, Nunnington
Corbett William, carpenter & wheelwright, Duck Street	Morris George, farmer, Nunnington
Daller William, 'Old Cross Keys'	Newport & Abergavenny & Hereford Coal & Lime Co. & general wharfingers (Mr. John Racster, agent), Withington Wharf
Daw James, blacksmith, Newbridge	Norman John, shoemaker, Duck Street
Dowding Francis, farmer, Little Thingell	Pitt Ann (Mrs.), farmer, Eau Withington
Ford Edwin John, farmer, Eau Withington	Poytherus Richard, blacksmith
Godsall John, farmer, Weston Corner	Pumphrey Samuel, 'New Cross Keys' & shopkeeper, Marsh
Harris Martin, farmer, Church House	Racster John, grocer & provision dealer, Marshfield

   Letters arrive from Hereford by foot post at 9 a.m.; despatched at 2 p.m.. The nearest money order office is at Hereford

   Baptist Chapel, Rev. Joseph Moore, Minister

   Endowed School, Miss Elizabeth Barber, mistress

[Transcribed by Richard Lane in December 2002
from a copy of Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire, 1856 in Hereford Central Library]