Description
Lydney, a small town and a parish in Gloucestershire. The town stands in Dean Forest, on a streamlet running to the Severn about a mile W.of the Severn and 9 NE of Chep-stow; is supposed to occupy the site of the Roman station Abona, has a harbour called Lydney Creek entered through gates 34 feet wide and containing berthage for vessels of 700 tons. It has a station, Lydney Town, on the Severn and Wye, Severn Bridge and Monmouth railway, and another, Lydney Junction, at the junction of that railway with the G.W.K. It has a head post office, is a seat of petty sessions, and has assembly rooms and a market-hall, a police station, and a cottage hospital. Under the Local Goverment Act it has a parish council composed of eleven members. Coal, pig-iron, bark, timber, manufactured tin-plate, and paving-stones are exported. A cattle market is held on the first Tuesday ia every month, and fairs are held on 4 May and 8 November, and a wool and stock fair on 25 June. The township comprises 5185 acres, with 1793 of adjacent tidal water and foreshore; population, 2944. The parish contains also the tithing of Aylburton. Acreage, 7075, with 2773 of adjacent tidal water and foreshore; population, 3632. Lydaey Park is the seat of the Bathurst family, and occupies the site of Whitecross House, which was built by Sir William Wyntour, vice-admiral in the time of Queen Elizabeth, was fortified and defended for Charles I. by Sir John Wyntour, and on the fall of the king was abandoned and burnt to the ground by Sir John. The present mansion was erected in 1875', Remains of a Roman villa and of two Roman camps are in the grounds; and a Roman bath, pieces of tessellated pavement, urns, statues, coins, and other Roman relics have been. found. An excellent building-stone is quarried, coal and iron ore are mined, and there are extensive iron and tinplate-works. The living is a vicarage, united with the chapelry of Aylburton, in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol; gross value, £517 with residence. Patrons, the Dean and Chapter of Hereford. The parochial church is Early English, has windows of a later date, and has been restored. It consists of clerestoried nave, aisles, and chancel, with a square tower and handsome spire, and contains a carved stone pulpit and beautiful painted windows. Aylburton church was rebuilt m 1857. There are Baptist, Wesleyan, and Primitive Methodist chapels.
Villages, Hamlets, &c.
Aylburton, a tithing in Lydney parish, Gloucestershire, 2 miles S by W of Lydney. It has a post office under Lydney. Acreage, 1890 ; population, 688. It forms a curacy, annexed to the vicarage of Lydney, and its church was rebuilt in 1857.
