BROMSBERROW, or BROMSBOROUGH, anciently BRUNMEBERGE, is a parish situated on the borders of Worcestershire at the southern extremity of the Malvern Hills, 4 miles east from Ledbury station, 13 north-west From Gloucester and 6 north-north-east from Newent, in the Western Division of the county, hundred of Botloe, Newent union and county court district, rural deanery of North Forest, archdeaconry of Gloucester and Diocese of Gloucester and Bristol, situated on the Glynch brook.

The church of St. Mary is an ancient pile, but has been restored, and consists of a chancel, nave and north aisle, with a tower at the west end; the burial chapel adjoining the chancel was built by the Yates family, under a faculty, in the year 1725; in the chapel are two old cavalry standards, relics of Cromwell’s army, in which Colonel Yates commanded a regiment: some curiosities in painted glass, preserved by the late Rev. Henry Dobyns Yate, LL.D a former incumbent, have been cleaned and restored; they were formerly in Llantony Abbey. The register dates from the year 1558. The living is a rectory, yearly value £339, with good residence and several acres of glebe, in the gift of Frank Ricardo, esq. and held by the Rev. Reginald Pyndar Hill, M.A. of Emmanuel College, Cambridge. The charities are about £7 yearly.

Bromsberrow Place, the seat of Osman Ricardo, esq. J.P., F.R.G.S. is a mansion of great extent and elaborate finish, built on a pleasant site, commanding a beautiful prospect over the adjoining parishes. Fairfields is now occupied by Henry Moore esq.

Osman Ricardo esq. is the chief landowner and lord of the manor. The soil is almost entirely a light sand, the detritus of the new red sandstone. The red rock of the parish is known by the name of Bromsberrow sandstone and is the equivalent of the Bunter beds. Rye grows freely everywhere; the Oldfield pear also flourishes here, and, with other kinds of that fruit, is grown for the manufacture of perry and cider. The area is 1,803 acres; rateable value £2,772; population in 1871, 272

Parish Clerk & Assistant Overseer, John Howell.

Letters through Ledbury which is also the nearest money order & telegraph office; part of the parish west of Ledbury receives letters from Dymock. Letters for the Heath by foot post from Dymock.

National School, Miss Mary Ann Cook, mistress.

CARRIERS. – The only communication to Ledbury by carrier is on Tuesday, by the Pendock carrier, Boultor, who comes from Gloucester on Monday & returns on Wednesday; Underwood, from his own house, to Gloucester, every Wednesday & Saturday at 8, returning same day.

RESIDENTS

Hill Rev. Reginald Pyndar, M.A. RECTORY

Moore Henry, Fairfields

Ricardo Osman, J.P., F.R.G.S. Bromsberrow place; & 71 Eaton place, London s.w.

Brooke Richard, farmer & landowner, The Grove House

Bond William, miller, Pepper mill

Hartland Thomas, farmer, Bromsberrow court

Hawkins Elizabeth (Mrs.), farmer, Dick house

Howell John, farmer & assistand overseer, Heath

Hartland John, farmer, Tonies

Jauncey Jas. Farmer, Lower Brook end

Jones Mary Anna (Mrs.), farmer, Upper Brook end

Morris Thomas, blacksmith

Smith Wm. Geo. Farmer, Aubrey’s farm

Witten Nathaniel, farmr. Brown’s end.