BISLEY, Gloucestershire - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

"BISLEY, a parish in the hundred of the same name, in the county of Gloucester, 3 miles to the E. of Stroud, its post town. It is included within the bounds of the borough of Stroud, and contains the chapelries of Bussage, Chalford, Oakridge, and France-Lynch, with numerous tythings. The Thames and Severn canal passes through the parish, and enters the tunnel, between 2 and 3 miles in length, under Sapperton Hill.

Bisley was formerly a market town, and the seat of an extensive manufacture of woollen cloth. The market, held under a grant of James II. has long been all but disused, and the woollen manufacture is now almost extinct. Some of the factories are now appropriated to other branches of industry.

The country is hilly, and the parish contained a large extent of waste land, most of which is now enclosed. The manor was a royal demesne from the Conquest to the reign of Edward I., from which time it was held by the Mortimers, Earls of March, for about 300 years. The town, or village, stands partly on a hill side, partly in a valley, through which a small river runs, and contains but a few good houses.

The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol, of the value of £527, in the patronage of the lord chancellor. The church, dedicated to All Saints, was built at various periods, the earliest portion appearing to be about the middle of the twelfth century, and exhibits traces of all the English styles of architecture. It is a large and handsome edifice, with a tower and spire, and stands on elevated ground. A chantry chapel of perpendicular architecture formerly existed, but was destroyed in the reign of Henry VIII. or Edward VI.

A large fresco painting, temp. Henry VII., representing the archangel St. Michael weighing out the souls for judgment, with the Virgin Mary on his right hand receiving them under her robes, was discovered on the north wall, over the north doorway, but the condition of the wall necessitated the destruction of the painting. In the foundations on the south side two Roman altars, dedicated, and a piece of Roman sculpture were found, and have been preserved.

The church has recently undergone a complete restoration in accordance with the style of the 14th century. It contains a memorial brass of 1505, and an ancient Norman font, which formerly surmounted the old cross still standing in the churchyard. The cross is octagonal and finely panelled, temp. Henry III., and is erected over a supposed well. A lych-gate has been added to the churchyard, and a vestry annexed to the chancel, which contains the organ, lately enlarged by Walker, of Tottenham Court-road. The Wesleyans have a chapel here.

The free school and the blue-coat school, the latter founded in 1820 for 10 boys, are united, and have an income from endowment of £56 per annum. The charitable endowments of the parish produce annually about £300, of which sum £90 is the income of the church lands. Roman pavements and other remains have been discovered at Lillyhorne and Custom-Scrubs. Thursday was the market day, and cattle fairs, now of little importance, are held on the 4th May and the 12th November. Bisley is a polling-place for the eastern division of the county."

"AVENIS, a tything in the parish of Bisley and hundred of the same name, in the county of Gloucester, 4 miles from Stroud."

"BIDFIELD, a tything in the parish and hundred of Bisley, in the county of Gloucester, 3 miles from Stroud."

"OAKRIDGE, a tything in the parish of Bisley, county Gloucester, 3 miles N.E. of Minchinhampton. It is situated near the Thames and Severn canal and the line of the Cheltenham railway. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol, value £64, in the patronage of the bishop. The church is a commodious edifice."

"STEANBRIDGE, a tything in the parish of Bisley, county Gloucester, 3 miles E. of Stroud, near the Sapperton tunnel of the Thames and Severn canal."

"THROUGHAM, a tything in the parish of Bisley, county Gloucester, 8 miles E. of Stroud."

"TUNLEY, a tything in the parish of Bisley, county Gloucester, 3 miles E. of Stroud."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]