The City of Gloucester is the capital of the county, and is pleasantly situated in a fine vale, on the banks of the Severn. There is very little doubt of this having been the city of the ancient Britons, who called it Caer Glow, the Fair City; from the beauty of its situation. The British name Caer, was changed by the Romans into Clevum, or Glevum; to which the Saxons, afterwards, as was usual with them, adding Cester, which signifies a castle, or fortification, it was called Gleaucester, whence the present name is immediately derived. The Romans had a station here, to awe the Silures, and established a colony, called Colonia Glevum, which is noticed by Antoninus, in his thirteenth Iter. The Roman way, called Erming Street, extending from St. David’s, in Pembrokeshire, to Southampton, the county town of Hampshire, passes through this city.

Numerous Roman antiquities, coins, &c. have been found both in the city and neighbourhood; at King’s Holm, adjoining the city, on the north-east, particularly. Many of these antiquities have been described in the seventh and tenth volumes of the Archaeologia: among them was a statera, or Roman steel-yard, supposed to have been the first ever discovered in Great Britain. It wanted nothing but the hook or chain which suspended the weight, to have been perfect. —

One side of the beam was divided into six parts, each of which was subdivided into twelve; the only number marked on this side was V.; the other side had the numbers V. X. XV. and XX. inscribed on it.

Leland in his Itinerary, gives the following description of this city: —"The towne of Gloucester is antient, well-builded of tymber, and large, and strongly defended with walles, where it is not well fortified with the deepe streame of Severne water. The antient castle stand at the south on the town, by Severne left ripe. The beauty of the town lies in two crossing streets, as the gates of the town lye, and at the place of the middle meeting, or quarters of these streets, is an aqueduct incastellated. There be suburbs without the east, north, and south gates; the bridge only, with the caasey, lies at the west gate.

"Osric, first under-king and lord of this countrye, and the Kinge of Northumberland, with the licence of Ethelred, King of March, first founded the monastery, A. D. 681. Osric put in nunnes, and maketh his sister Kineburge abbesse there. The noble women, Kineburge, Eilburge, and Eva, Queenes of Marche, only abbasses for the tyme of the nunnes, the which was eighty-four yeres. The nunnes were banished and driven away, by warres betwixt King Egbart and the King of Marches. Barnulph, King of Marches, bringeth in secular canons and clerkes, givinge possessions and liberties to them. King Canute, for ill livinge, expelleth them, and by the councell of Wolstan, Bishop of Worcester, bringeth in monkes. Eldred, Bishop of Worcester, translated to Yorke, taketh a great part of the landes of Gloucester Abbey to re-edifie the Minster of York; which lands Thomas, Archbishop of York, restored. William the Conqueror gave the Abbey of Gloucester, decayed, to Serlo, his chaplain, who re-edified it. Abbot Hanley and Farley made our Lady’s chapel, at the east end of the church, between 1472 and 1492. Abbot Horton made the north part of the crosse isle, 1351 —1377: the south part of the crosse isle, and much of the presbytery vault, was made by oblations at the tombe of King Edward II. Abbot Seabrook, 1450—1457, made a great part of the exceeding fair and square tower, in the middest of the church. This tower is a pharos to all parts about from the hills. Abbot Froucester, 1381—1412, made the cloyster a right goodly and sumptuous piece of worke. Abbot Morwent, 1420— 1437, newly erected the very west ende of the church and two arches of the body, one on each side, minding, if he had lived, to have made the whole body of the church of like work. He also made the stately and costly south porch. One Osbern Celerer of Gloucester, made of late a fayre new tower or gatehouse at the south-west part of the abbey cemiterye." After the Saxon heptarchy, Gloucester was a place of some note, and near it, on the Isle of Alney, Edmund, surnamed Ironsides, fought for the kingdom with Canute, who obtained the victory; Edmund retreating into this city. Edward the Confessor frequently resided and kept his court here. A little before the Conquest, Brecktric, a Saxon, was Lord of Gloucester; but refusing to marry Maud, afterwards wife of William I. she caused him to be imprisoned, and his estate seized by the crown. Afterwards it was given by Rufus to Robert Fitz-Haimon, Lord of Corbaille, in Normandy. Several of our kings resided occasionally at Gloucester. King John, in the first year of his reign, made it a borough-town; and Henry III who was crowned here, made it a corporation. During the reign of this monarch it was besieged, and taken in four days by the barons. It was, however, soon retaken by his son, who pardoned the burgesses upon their paying one thousand marks. In the year 1212, Edward 1. held a parliament here, in which some useful laws were made, now called the Statutes of Gloucester. Richard II. held a parliament here in the year 1378; and Richard III. in consequence of bearing the title of Duke of Gloucester, before he obtained the crown, added the two adjacent hundreds of Dudston and Kings-Barton to it, gave it his sword and cap of maintenance, and made it a county of itself by the name of the County of the City of Gloucester; but after the Restoration, the hundreds were taken away by act of parliament, on account of the inhabitants shutting the gates of the city, in 1613, against Charles I. by whom it was then besieged. The city had then eleven parish churches, but six were demolished with the suburbs of the town, for its better defence. "By the burning of the suburbs," it was observed, "the city is a garment without skirts, which we were willing to part withal], lest our enemies should sit upon them."

The relief of the city was effected by the exertions of the Earl of Essex, who fought his way from London to Gloucester, with 10, 000 men under his command, through a continued skirmish. The number of houses destroyed during the siege was 241, exclusive of other buildings; and the value in money was estimated at 26,000l.

At the Restoration the walls, which anciently surrounded the city, were completely demolished of their original strength; the only memorial remaining, is the west gate, which is embattled, and was erected in the reign of Henry VIII. It stands on the banks of the Severn, at the end of a stone bridge, of five arches, built during the reign of Henry II. Of the castle of Gloucester there are at present no remains, the whole being cleared away a few years ago, to make room for the county gaol.

Very considerable improvements in the appearance and buildings have also been made within the last sixty years. The streets are now well paved and lighted, and various edifices and projections, obstructing the free passage of carriages, have been removed. Formerly the houses were chiefly of timber, which at several periods occasioned the destruction of a large proportion of the city, by accidental fires: they are now principally of brick. From the intersection of the four principal streets, the buildings occupy an easy descent each way, a circumstance which greatly contributes to health and cleanliness. It receives its supply of water from the springs at Matson, about two miles south. An aqueduct was carried thence to Gloucester more than four hundred years ago.

One of the first objects of a stranger’s attention is the Cathedral of this ancient city. This magnificent structure combines many interesting specimens of Saxon, Norman, and English architecture, and particularly the latter. This church originally belonged to the Abbey, and was founded by Wolphere, first Christian king of Mercia, and Ethelred his brother and successor, between the years 680 and 682. After the death of the Abbess Eva, wife of King Ethelred, in 768. the dissetions among the Saxon states occasioned the destruction of the convent. In the year 821, Bernulph, King of Mercia, repaired the Abbey for the reception of secular priests; these, however, were ejected by Canute the Dane, in the year 1022, who introduced the monks of the order of St. Benedict. These were completely established here previous to the year 1058; about which time Aldred, Bishop of Worcester, destroyed the decayed old church, and built another near the walls of the town. This was destroyed by fire in 1088, and a new church was began by Serlo, the third abbot, in June 1089, and completed the following year, when it was consecrated, and dedicated to St. Peter, by the Bishops of Worcester, Rochester and Bangor. Abbot Horton, in 1351, built the High Altar, the Presbytery, St. Paul's Aisle, and the Great Hall, in which a parliament was held in 1378, when the King and his Court were lodged at the Abbey. In 1381 Abbot Froucester completed the cloisters, begun by Horton. The west front of the church was rebuilt by Abbot Morwent, in 1421, who added the south porch. Abbot Seabrook began the building of the stately tower, and appointed Robert Tull, a monk, to take care of the finishing of it. This Abbot was afterwards consecrated Bishop of St. David’s, which appears from these verses:

Hoc quod digestum specularis opusque politum, Tullii haec ex onere.

Seabrook, Abbate, jubente. Thus translated by Bishop Gibson:

"This fabric, which you see exact and neat,

Abbot charg’d the Monk to make complete."

Abbot Hanley, in 1457, laid the foundation of the Virgin Marys Chapel; but he dying in 1472, it was finished by his successor, William Feeley. Abbot Parker was the last abbot, in whose time the Abbey was resigned to King Henry VIII. by the prior, and not by the abbot. The possessions of the Abbey at this time amounted, according to Dugdale, to 1946l. 5s. 9d. Henry VIII., by letters patent, dated Sept. 3nd, 1541, and afterwards by act of parliament, erected "the city of Gloucester, the county of that city, and all the county of Gloucester, into a bishopric, with a dean and chapter, by the name of the Diocese of Gloucester, and ordained that such part of the then city and county of Bristol, as formerly was in the diocese of Worcester, should be, from thenceforward, in the diocese of Gloucester for ever. ’'

John Wakeman, Abbot of Tewkesbury, was the first Bishop of Gloucester.

The following are nearly the dimensions of the Cathedral: The Lady's Chapel extends in length 90 feet, in breadth 27, and in height 66. The choir is 141 feet in length, 371 in breadth, and 85 feet high. The great window at the end of the choir is 83 feet high. The body of the church, in length, is 171 feet nine inches, in breadth 85 feet, and in height 71 feet. The length of the whole is 444 feet eight inches. Each aisle in the great cloister (which contains four) is in length 147, in breadth 13, in height 16 feet. The church, on the outside in height is 85 feet. The tower, to the battlements, is 198 feet high, and from the battlements to the pinnacles, 24 feet; from the bottom to the top of the tower is 280 feet. The porch is in length 21 feet, in breadth 18, and in height 25 feet.

The interior of the Cathedral is extremely grand. The roof is sustained by 28 pillars, extending in two rows, from the west end to the high altar. The pillars of the nave are of extraordinary circumference, and, in a late attempt to flute them, were found filled up with loose irregular stones. Those in the choir were the same, but lessened and sided with smaller ones, by Abbot Seabrook. The arch of entrance to the cloisters, from the north aisle, is very highly adorned by pillars, buttresses, niches, pinnacles, foliage, and pannels, and the uncommon ornament of twisted pinnacles under the arch.

Mr. Dallaway, in his Anecdotes of the Arts, observes, that "it is hardly possible to enter the choir, which includes every perfection to which the Gothic had attained during the fifteenth century, without feeling the influence of veneration."

The roof in the nave immediately engages the attention, and by its heavy simplicity, renders the highly-wrought ornaments of the choir more conspicuous and admirable. At the termination of the traces under the tower, is the approach to the choir, and above the great arch is a window between two vacant arches, richly sculptured. On the north and south sides are the arches which support the vaulting of the transepts. Both these are intersected at the springing by a flying arch with open spandrils, each spanning the space of the tower. The brackets are figures of angels, with escutcheons of the abbey, Edward II. and the munificent Abbot Seabrook, the founder. Upon the exact point of these intersecting arches is a pillar, forming an impost of the great vaulted roof, which is then divided into sharp lancet arcades, and has an air of incredible lightness. From this part there are five more arcades, divided by clusters of semi-columns, which reach from the bar to the roof; and the ribs are infinitely intersected and variegated with the most elaborate trellis-work, composed of rosettes; which although they are so thickly studded, are not repeated in a single instance. Over the high altar are angels in full choir, with every instrument of music practised in the fifteenth century. On each side there are thirty-one stalls of rich tabernacle-work, carved in oak, little inferior, in point of execution, to the episcopal throne at Exeter, or those at Windsor, erected in the reign of Edward IV., and allowed to be some of the finest pieces of Gothic carving in England.

"The two further arcades dilate about a yard from the right line, instead of forming a section of a hexagon, and are connected with the great east window, which is embowed in a slight degree, and occupies the whole space of the end of the choir."—We have already given the dimensions of this window, which is supposed to be larger than those of any other in England. "The arch has three chief divisions or mullions, terminating eliptically, the middle of which includes seven tiers of stained glass, now so extremely decayed and mutilated as to appear like the tissue of a carpet. "

The present altar-piece is of the Corinthian order, and injudiciously placed so as to hide the rich tracery of the original high altar, which can only be seen from the side galleries of the choir.

"The pavement before the altar is composed of painted bricks, representing the devices of Edward II. of the Clares, and of De Spencers, earls of Gloucester, and Abbot Seabrook; these are imagined to have been prepared for the kiln by the monks, who have displayed ingenuity, taste, and accuracy, in the scroles, rebuses and armorial bearings."

"The passages and oratories by which the choir is surrounded, are all of Saxon, or at least of early Norman architecture. The choir is constructed within them; the side walls, and low circular pillars, have been reduced, and the whole lined with facings of elegant pannels. These are placed within arcades of semi-mullions, resembling windows, which are open to the choir, from the galleries before-mentioned. — During the grand ceremonies of the church, the females of superior rank surveyed them from above."— Dallaway's Anecdotes.

The whispering gallery is very remarkable. It is seventy-five feet in length, and forms five sides of an octagon; but the reverberation of sounds was must probably the effect of mere accident. On the left side are the remains of an altar of rough stone, at which the abbot, and others, are supposed to have stood to witness the celebration of mass within the Chapel of Our Lady; and on the centre of the wall of the passage the following lines are inscribed:

Doubt not but God, who sits 011 high,

Thy secret prayers can hear,

When a dead wall thus cunningly,

Conveys soft whispers to the ear.

In the gallery of the south transept is a curious ancient painting of the Last Judgment, discovered some years ago between the wainscoting in the nave of the church. It is supposed to have been originally an altar-piece, concealed at the time of the Reformation.

The interior of the Virgin Mary’s chapel is extremely beautiful; but the effect is much diminished by the present altar-piece, which does not at all suit its situation. The east window is beautifully painted in the most brilliant colours, representing our Saviour surrounded by kings, bishops, and abbots. There are thirty-seven figures, all in different attitudes.

The entrance into the chapel is fronted by an elegant and highly-ornamented screen; behind which is an oratory or chapel, particularly interesting on account of the beauty of the architecture.

Among the more remarkable monuments in this cathedral, the tomb of Edward II. erected by his son and successor, near the altar, claims the first notice.

It is supposed to be the most ancient piece of sculpture in England, which exhibits such perfection of art. A figure of the monarch, regally robed and crowned, lies upon the tomb, under a modern canopy, consisting of three arches of two stories, interlaid with minute tabernacle work. Two angels support the head. In the right hand is a sceptre, the left supports a globe: on the side of the tomb there are three arched niches and four smaller ones, formerly containing statues; on the spandrils of the former are six shields. The multitude of religious votaries who flocked to offer at the tomb of the murdered king was so great, as hardly to be contained within the town; and the abbey register asserts, that if all the oblations had been expended on the church, a new one might have been built from the ground.

Between the north aisle and the choir is the monument erected by Abbot Parker, to the memory of King Osric, with the following inscription on the wall above:

"Osricus Rex, primus Fundatur hujus monasterii 681."

In a chapel nearly opposite, is a figure carved in "Irish Oake," and inclosed in a wire lattice, supposed to represent Robert Curthoise, Duke of Normandy, and eldest son of William the Conqueror.

In the south aisle is an ancient tomb, said to be that of Humphrey Bohun, Earl of Hereford, who died in 1367; and his lady. Mr. Gough, however, observes, that "it does not suit any earl of Hereford that we knew, unless we suppose it to have been removed thither at the Dissolution, from the adjoining monastery of Lanthony, where so many of that noble family were buried; and this, from the form and style of the arch and its niches, does not seem unlikely."

Among the more modern monuments, one erected to the memory of Alderman Blackleach and his wife, dated 1630, is intitled to particular notice. The figures of the alderman and his lady, in white marble, lie on the tomb, and are accurate copies of the portraits of Vandyck: they were certainly executed by a skilful artist.

There are many other memorials of the interment of prelates, abbots, and distinguished persons, ancient and modern, distributed through this edifice, highly deserving the notice of the curious visitor; but too numerous to be detailed in this work.

The great cloisters are exquisitely beautiful; and are in the style of the Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge. The sides and roof are profusely embellished, and the windows are filled with mullions and tracery.

"On the north side of the cloisters are several neat lavatories, near the site of the refectory; which was the only part of the building belonging to the cathedral demolished by the republicans. These lavatories consist of eight arcades; and opposite to them is the sudatory, or place where the napkins were hung, consisting of two arcades. On the south side are twenty distinct places or seats, where it is said that the monks used to sit and write, before the invention of printing."

A door through the east walk of the cloisters leads to the College Library, contained in a room formerly the abbey chapter-house, but appropriated to the present purpose by Sir Matthew Hale and others, in the reign of Queen Mary. The late worthy Dean Tucker very much improved the collection of books, by a liberal bequest of many very valuable.

The city and suburbs of Gloucester formerly contained eleven parochial churches; but those only of St. Michael, St. Mary de Crypt, St. John’s, and St. Aldate, are now standing; the remainder having been either destroyed at the siege in 1643, or since taken down. St. Michael’s church consists of two aisles of unequal dimensions, with a square tower at the west end: previous to the Reformation here were three chantries. St. Mary de Crypt consists of a nave, side aisles, and transept, with a neat tower having pinnacles and other ornaments, rising from the intersection: the east end is also finished with pinnacles. Here lies Sir Thomas Bell, who died in 1566, after having founded and endowed a neighbouring almshouse for six poor persons. Near this church are the remains of a monastery of Black Friars, founded about 1239 by Henry the Third, and Stephen, Lord of Harneshull. A considerable part of the Friars’ church was converted into tenements, which were lately standing. The remains of a priory of Grey Friars are within this parish: it was founded by one of the Lords of Berkeley; the walls of their church are still entire. Judge Powell, who died in 1713, resided in a mansion fitted up from the remains of this priory.

On the west side of the church-yard is Crypt Grammar-School, founded and endowed by Dame Joan Cook, in pursuance of her husband’s will in the reign of Henry VIII. It is now under the superintendance of a master and usher, and every four years a scholar is sent from this school to Pembroke College, Oxford, there to be maintained eight years on the foundation of George Townsend, Esq. One of our Archbishops was a scholar and exhibitioner from this school. St. Nicholas’s church is an ancient structure on the north side of Westgate-street, and consists of a nave and aisles.

St. Mary de Lode church, stands near the west gate of the College, in the centre of a square area. This ancient structure has been repaired without regard to the prevailing style, which is Saxon; and the western entrance is through a semi-circular arched door, with three mouldings. In the north wall of the chancel is the ancient tomb and effigies assigned by tradition to King Lucius, but without sufficient, warrant. St. John’s is a modern building on the site of an ancient church ascribed to King Athelstan. In this parish, but about half a mile north of the city, is St. Margaret’s Hospital, founded originally for lepers. Eight poor men and a reader are now partly maintained here, and the annual allowance to each is about five guineas. Near this hospital is that of St. Mary Magdalen, or King James’s, that monarch having had it rebuilt. The present establishment consists of nine women and ten men, each of whom have a weekly allowance of eighteen pence. St. Aldate’s, or St. Eldads, now a chapel, is a neat modern fabric.

In the parish of St. Oswald, near the banks of the Severn, was also a Priory, and some remains of the buildings are yet standing. A house of White Friars, or Carmelites, founded in this parish in the reign of Henry III. had but three inmates at the time of the Dissolution.

Besides the churches for the established religion, there are numerous Places of Worship for Dissenters, Quakers, &c. with several public and charity schools.

The Hospital of St. Bartholomew, founded in Queen Elizabeth’s time for decayed men and women, is liberally endowed, and in 1786 was rebuilt in a handsome style by the corporation, who generously gave up their customary entertainments to defray the expence. On the site of this building stood an ancient priory, supposed to have been founded by William Myperty, a burgess of Gloucester. Contiguous to the city, is the County Infirmary, built and supported by voluntary subscriptions. It was opened in 1755, since which period more than 25, 000 persons have received the benefits of this charity.

The House of Industry was established in the year 1703, under the management of twenty-four governors, who have full power to oblige the able to work, both by rewards and punishments. The chief employment is making pins. Those who execute more than the proportion of work allotted to them, have the surplus profits for their own use.

The Castle at Gloucester, of which the last remains were destroyed only a few years ago, to make room for the County Gaol, was probably erected about the period of the Norman invasion, as the Domesday Book mentions that sixteen houses were taken down to its site. Camden mentions it in his time, as being for the most part decayed. The present gaol consists of three divisions, respectively called, the Penitentiary House, the Bridewell, and the Sheriff ’s Prison. It contains 203 separate cells, 161 for sleep, and thirty- nine for employment.

During the day, the prisoners are allowed, at stated hours, to enjoy the fresh air, in a court-yard, 210 feet in length, and fifty-seven broad, with a colonnade at each end, to shelter them in case of bad weather. "Their meals are supplied in a regular manner, and little indulgences are allowed in proportion to their industry. No spirituous liquors are permitted to be brought in, except when ordered by the surgeon by the way of medicine, nor even malt liquor with their food. Divine Service is performed every day, at which all (unless prevented by illness), are required to attend. In the chapel such arrangements are made as effectually prevent any improper communication between the prisoners. Each class is so completely divided from the other by partitions, and the males from the females, that neither the eye, the ear, nor the tongue can be employed to improper purposes, The late Sir George Onesiphorus Paul, Bart, (who closely followed in the footsteps of the benevolent Howard), originally suggested the plan of this prison, with a most laudable perseverance attended on it to the completion, and continued to superintend its internal management with undiminished assiduity, till within a very few years of his death, in 1820. Strangers are admitted and conducted through the several parts of the prison, under an order from a magistrate. ’'

This building was opened in 1791. About the same time four Houses of Correction were erected in different parts of the county. The great end of this and similar prisons, is to produce the reformation of the offender; and the regulations that have hern adopted for that purpose, are founded on the principles of prudence, Ienity, and benevolence; and die accuracy with which they have hern pursued, can challenge the most jealous investigation. Solitude in dark cells, is the highest punishment inflicted on refractory prisoners; in light cells, the second degree. In either of these the prisoner is not allowed to have communication with any person, except the chaplain, surgeon, keeper, and inspecting magistrates. In the third and fourth degrees, confinement to the cell is part of the punishment; yet a certain time is allowed in the airing-ground, according to circumstances. Fetters not exceeding seven pounds weight, and handcuffs, are only used for contumacy, in cases of riot, or attempts to escape. The penitentiary, or convicted felons, are kept to hard labour, have their heads shaved, wear coarse or uniform apparel, with obvious marks or badges; and immediately on leaving work, are locked up in separate cells for the night. Every offender who behaves during confinement in an orderly manner, receives a certificate of the same, with a sum of money not exceeding three pounds.; and as a further encouragement to good behaviour, if he continue one year in service alter his discharge, and produces proof that he has done so, the justices are empowered to allow him a further sum equal to that on his dismission.

The City Gaol, being a distinct jurisdiction from the county, is situate in Southgate-street. It is, comparatively, upon a limited scale; and has recently (in 1821), been enlarged, by the addition of a range of building at the back, for the purpose of obtaining a better classification of the prisoners, as well as the means of setting such of them to work as may be sentenced to hard labour. A convenient chapel has also been added for the performance of divine worship, by a chaplain regularly appointed by the magistrates.

The public business of the city used to be transacted in the Tholsey, a building erected about the latter end of the reign of George II. The Town Hall, called the Booth Hall, where the assizes were held, was an ancient timber structure, rebuilt in 1606. It contains within it two ranges of timber pillars, apparently of the time of Queen Elizabeth: but the whole is now unoccupied for any public purposes; and indeed its use is rendered unnecessary by the building of a new Shire-Hall, conveniently situate near the old structure in Westgate-street, where it presents an elegant front ornamented with four massive columns of the Ionic Order, thirty-two feet high; in the centre of which is the great entrance for the public, 100 feet long, fifteen wide, and eighteen high. In the same proportions are the whole of this very extensive structure, planned and most commodiously appropriated to its various purposes by Mr. Smirke. It includes two very spacious Courts for the Assize and Sessions business of the county and city, each Court having a gallery capable of containing 400 persons, with all the necessary offices attached, for the grand-juries, counsel, clerk of the indictments, witnesses, &c. &c. There is besides, over the front entrance, a large hall, or music-room, where the Triennial Meetings and other numerous assemblages are held: it is eighty-seven feet long, fifty-four wide, and thirty-four high; at the upper end an orchestra is erected, and over it the royal arms are raised against the wall; opposite these, above the three doors of entrance, is a line sculptured bas-relief, nearly forty feet long, representing the signing of Magna Charta by King John.

The revenues of the hospital of Bartholomew maintain fifty-six poor (twenty-six men and thirty women), with a minister, physician, and surgeon. The government and patronage of the establishment is vested in a committee of eight of the members of the corporation, chosen annually for that purpose, the late mayor succeeding to the office of president. The poor people, over whom a master is elected from their own number, have separate chambers, a small garden for each, and an allowance of 5s. 6d. per week, which, with other aids, yields them a comfortable retreat during the infirmities of old age.

The hospitals of St. Margaret and St. Mary Magdalen, although situated beyond the precincts of the city, on the London road, are likewise under the management of the corporation. The former (the founder of which is unknown, and its date quoted as early as 1158), is an establishment for eight poor men, with a stipend of 3s. 6d. each per week. The latter owed its foundation to the Priory of Lanthony (adjoining the city on the south), which supplied it with bread; and it is now an asylum for ten poor men, and nine women, with the same weekly allowance of 3s. 6d. each. Each hospital has a chapel, where divine service is performed on Sunday, and at stated periods in the week, by a chaplain appointed for that purpose. "The received tradition is, that one or both of these hospitals were originally set apart for the use of leprous patients, which are said to have abounded in this city at that time, in consequence of salmon and other river fish being so easily procured, and consequently forming so considerable a part of diet, particularly among the lower classes of people."

Kineburgh’s (or Kimbros’) Hospital, founded by Sir Thomas Bell, in 1652, is situate in Southgate-street. It is under the same patronage as the others, and dedicated to the support of three poor men, and three women, who have comfortable lodging, and Is. 6d. each per week. The buildings have recently (in 1821) been repaired, and rendered much more airy and healthful. A raised stone monument appeared on one side of the building, whereon was the effigy of a young lady with a coronet on her head; and the tradition is, that Maud Kimbros was drowned in an adjoining well, and that this was her tomb.

Sir Thomas Rich, Bart, of Sunning, Berks, a native of this city, by his will, dated May 6, 1666, bequeathed to the mayor and corporation his house in Eastgate-street, and 6000l. in money, in trust, to found a Blue-coat Hospital, for the maintenance and education of twenty poor boys, sons of freemen. They are admitted at eleven years of age, remain three years in the house, and are then apprenticed, with a premium of 10l. each. Their course of education consists of English reading, writing, and arithmetic; and their dress is similar to that of the boys of Christ-Church Hospital, London. Ten poor men and ten women are likewise supplied from the same foundation with blue gowns and other garments; and any surplus which may arise from the funds, is directed to be applied in sums of 10l. each to young freemen who have lately commenced business in the city, and in sums of 5l. each to maid-servants about to be married, who have lived creditably three years in one family, and failing them, to poor decayed house-keepers. The buildings being old and insecure, an elegant stone structure was erected in the year 1807, on the same site, and forms a handsome ornament to that part of the city.

Gloucester has sent representatives to parliament from the 23rd of Edward I.; the right of election is in the inhabitants and freemen, and the number of voters about 2000.

There is a Custom-house at Gloucester, where, though few foreign entries are made, considerable business is done in entering coasters. The present officers of the customs are a collector, comptroller, and surveyor.

According to the returns under the population act, in 1821, the number of inhabitants of the city and suburbs of Gloucester amounted to 11, 407.

The municipal government of the city is, by a charter granted by Charles IT. vested in a mayor, high steward, recorder, twelve aldermen (out of whom the mayor is annually chosen), a town clerk, two sheriffs, common council, treasurer, chamberlain, sword-bearer, and other inferior officers. According to Sir Robert Aitkyn’s History of Gloucestershire, this city was incorporated by Henry III. when he was crowned there. It was then governed by a mayor, aldermen, &c. But the inhabitants resigning their charter in 1672 to Charles II. he granted them another in the twenty-fourth year of his reign, by which the city and county of the city are governed.

The Westgate-bridge over the Severn at this city, built in the reign of Henry II. being in a dangerous state of decay, has been taken down, and replaced by an elegant modern bridge, of one arch of eighty- seven feet span. It is formed of stone from the Forest of Dean, faced with Cornish granite, upon a plan by Mr. Smirke, and executed under his superintendence.

The attractions of the city of Gloucester have been increased by a spring discovered in its environs in 1814, which surpasses the waters both of Cheltenham and Leamington, in the strength of its most essential impregnations. Since this well has been opened, many hundred individuals have daily experienced its virtues. On Monday the first of May, 1815, the new pump-room here was opened, which is very handsome; hot and cold, and vapour baths, have been prepared, and the supply of water has proved abundant. These wells are in the centre of some very beautiful grounds on the south-east of the town, adjoining the Bath and Bristol road. The surrounding scenery is remarkable for its richness and variety, and the walks, &c. are laid out with taste and judgment.

Besides the pump-room, hot and cold baths, a billiard-room has been completed some years, and is resorted to by inhabitants of the city, as well as strangers, for whose accommodation many elegant houses have been built. Delightful walks and rides have likewise been formed, hotels and lodging-houses opened, and such other conveniences provided as the comfort of visitors may require. It has been denominated Gloucester Spa, being only ten minutes walk from the centre of the city, and has already attracted much company, from its peculiarly pleasant and very convenient situation, and the acknowledged efficacy of the waters. The abundance of the springs enables the renter to supply the baths with the saline water; and to the invalid whose case requires such aid, coupled with quiet retirement and healthful air, few places perhaps yield a stronger claim to preference in the choice of a temporary residence.

Most of the Gloucester trade results from the navigation of the Severn, from the hemp and flax-dressing business, and from the pin manufacture, which, on the decline of the cloth trade about the year 1626, was introduced hereby John Tilsby. This diminutive and useful article, passes through the hands of twenty- five persons from the state of rough wire till it assumes the form of a perfect pin. Fifteen hundred persons have been employed at different manufactories upon this article, and pins to the amount of 20,000l. have been annually sent to the metropolis; but some years since the greatest demand was from Spain and America.

The clothing trade, from which the inhabitants once derived their chief support, has been so completely lost, that several years ago only one fulling-mill remained. Before the art of making pins of brass-wire was introduced into England in 1540, they appear to have been made of ivory, bone, box, and other hard woods. The pin manufactory belonging to Messrs. Weaver and Jefferiss, in King-street, was visited in the year 1788 by their late Majesties and three of the Princesses.

The markets at Gloucester had been long established by prescriptive right; but the present markets were chartered by Henry the Third. They are plentifully supplied with all kinds of meat, vegetables, and corn. The market-house in Eastgate-street was built in 1786, and has a handsome front; here corn is sold by sample, every Wednesday and Saturday, together with meat, poultry, and vegetables, fish and butter. The principal supply of fish is from London and Bristol; but the river Severn furnishes salmon, chad, and lampreys. The market in Barton-street is chiefly for cheese, though many horses and cattle of all kinds are often purchased here.

The salmon is an article on which a Gloucester citizen may very justly pride himself: it is with the delicious Severn crimp led salmon, that the tables of Gloucester vie with the feasts of London: in return for the dory or turbot, the Londoner, on his visit to Gloucester, is regaled with Severn salmon. An epicure might expatiate on the solidity of the flakes, the crispness of the flesh, the firmness and general fine flavour of the whole fish, assisted ever so little by the essences and sauces of Burgess, &c.

Cyder is a production which may be divided into three classes. The stout-bodied, rough, masculine cyder, made of Longney russet, Hagley crab, winter pippin, &c. The full-bodied pleasant rich cyder of the Harvey russet, woodcock, golden-pippin, winter quinning, &c. and a sort made of the Bodnam apple, fox whelp, and various species of kernel whelp, which, though placed last in order, is of a nature between the other two, as partaking of the properties of both. The styre made in the Vale, is not of that perfection as in the Forest of Dean: styre being peculiar to the Forest of Dean, yields a most extraordinary price.

Perry—The best liquor of this kind is that made of the Taunton squash pear, the Barland pear, and the mad pear. The Prince of Wales, grandfather to his late Majesty, when in Gloucestershire in 1750, gave this the name of Champagne d’Angleterre. Persons when hot, should never drink of it freely. It should be observed, that the styre apple-tree is not a plentiful bearer, and is particularly liable to accidents in keeping, so that its proving good is very precarious.

It has nevertheless been asserted, that Gloucestershire cyder is worth more in the maker’s cellar than the finest wines in the world; hence the best old styre is mostly purchased by persons of fortune at fifteen guineas and upwards per hogshead.

The principal tradesmen are associated in twelve companies; that of the Mercers, includes apothecaries, grocers, and chandlers; the Smiths and Hammer-men include ironmongers, cutlers, sadlers, and glaziers; to the Metal men, belong goldsmiths, braziers, pewterers, and pin-makers: the remainder are distinct, and consist of weavers, tanners, butchers, bakers, joiners, and coopers, shoemakers, tailors, barbers, and glovers.

The public amusements are similar to those of most other respectable cities; and recreation is sought in the attractions of a theatre, assembly-rooms, &c. A more local amusement connected with the purposes of benevolence, is the annual Musical Festival established by the members of the Choirs of Gloucester, Worcester, and Hereford, but aided latterly by the first performers in the kingdom. The profits are applied to the relief of the necessitous widows and orphans of clergymen. These meetings are held alternately in each of the above cities, and continue three days. The new Shire-Hall here is one of the best rooms in the kingdom for musical performances. It is neat and elegant, and lighted by three splendid chandeliers, holding eighty lights each. Its dimensions are 83 feet 9 inches long, 54 feet 9£ feet wide, and 35 feet 5 inches high, and will contain 2, 500 persons.

In the southern suburbs of Gloucester is Lanthony, so called from a priory of Austin canons, founded in the year 1136, by Milo, Earl of Hereford, for the monks driven from an abbey of that name in Monmouthshire. Some of the Bohuns, his successors, were buried here.

After the Dissolution, the monastic buildings were converted into a farm. The only parts still remaining, are a large barn, the principal entrance or gateway, on which are the arms of the Bohuns, Earls of Hereford, and others.

On the north-west side of Gloucester, in the river Severn, is the Island of Alney, a small tract of land formed by the separation of the river into two channels. This is thought to have been the scene of a single combat between Edmund Ironside and Canute the Dane, when, after a doubtful contest, it was agreed to divide England between them.

---

GLOUCESTER is an ancient city and county in itself, the seat of a bishopric and capital of Gloucestershire, a county borough, head of a union, petty sessional division and county court district; it gives name to an archdeaconry and rural deanery, and is locally in the hundred of Dudstone and King's Barton, and Northern division of the county, 49 miles north-east from Bath, 54 south-west from Birmingham, 37 ½ north-east from Bristol, 7 south-west from Cheltenham, 17 north-west from Cirencester, 32 southeast from Hereford, 26 north-east from, Monmouth, 12 ½ north from Stroud, 26 ½ south from Worcester, 114 from London via Great Western railway, 102 from Swansea, 113 from Exeter, 97 ½ from Derby, 113 from, Nottingham, 190 from Hull, 44 ½ from Newport (Mon.), 56 ¼ from Cardiff, 71 ¼ from Bridgwater, 152 from Barnstaple, 166 from Plymouth, 132 ¼ from Liverpool, 118 ¼ from Manchester, 66 from Wolverhampton, 82 ¾ from Stafford, 83 from Shrewsbury, 112 from Stockport, 125 from Chester, 142 from Sheffield, 146 ¼ from Lincoln, 150 from Doncaster, 184 from York, 270 from Newcastle and 170 from Leeds.

The city has conferred the title of Earl on the families of Clare, Audley, Despenser and Monthermer; and that of Duke on the Plantagenets, Stuarts and the present Royal House.

Gloucester is a port as declared by Order in Council, January 20, 1882, the limits of which commence at Red-wick Pill, in the county of Monmouth (being the eastern limit of the port of Newport), and extending thence in a straight line in a southerly direction across the river Severn until it meets another straight line drawn from and intersecting the Flat and Steep Holm Islands in the Bristol Channel, to the point at Aust in the county of Gloucester (being the northern and eastern limits of the Port of Bristol), as far as the site of the Severn Tunnel, then up the river Severn, including both banks as far as the south-west side of the Wheel Rock in that river, half a mile or thereabouts north of Sharpness Point and including all rivers, fields, creeks, channels, harbours and canals within the aforesaid limits. The port is on the east bank of the river Severn, from which it is reached by a ship canal 16 ½ miles in length; the entrance to this canal is at Sharpness, where the spring tides rise from 26 to 35 feet, and neaps from 10 to 18 feet. There is a capacious tidal basin with an entrance to the Severn 60 feet wide, and from this basin into the canal is a ship lock 320 feet long, 60 feet wide, and with 24 feet water over the sills. A constant depth of 24 feet is maintained alongside the quays at Sharpness, and 15 feet at Gloucester, irrespective of tides. There is ample warehouse, dry dock, and cranage space both at Sharpness and Gloucester, and the rates for handling cargoes are very reasonable.

The tonnage of vessels which entered at this port with cargoes from foreign countries and British possessions abroad during the year ended 31st December, 1896, was as follows:-Sailing (British), 33 ships, 15,765 tons; (foreign), 62 ships, 38,370 tons; steam (British), 201 ships, 209,513 tons; (foreign), 46 ships, 32,661 tons. In ballast from foreign ports', one vessel of 158 tons. The tonnage of vessels cleared at this port with cargoes for foreign countries and British possessions abroad, during the same period was:-Sailing (British), 15 ships, 10,583 tons; (foreign), 13 ships, 9,628 tons; steam (British), 52 ships, 24,658 tons; (foreign), 12 ships, 6,460 tons. In ballast for foreign ports, 37 vessels, 34,624 tons. Coasting trade:-Inwards: Sailing, 1,195 ships, 62,000 tons; steam, 200 ships, 14,107 tons. Outwards:-Sailing, 2,344 ships, 116,715 tons; steam, 609 ships, 55,897 tons. These figures are exclusive of inward or outward bound coasting vessels in ballast or carrying passengers only.

The docks at Sharpness are connected by the Severn bridge with the coal fields of the Forest of Dean and South Wales, from which through railway rates are in force, admitting of the shipment of steam and other coal from those districts, and thus avoiding the shifting of cargoes to Cardiff, Newport &c. which has hitherto been such a drawback to the port of Gloucester. The coal-tips are of the most approved type, and include arrangements for double screening (when required) and for depositing the first part of a shipment in a vessel’s hold without the excessive breakage attending ordinary modes.

Gloucester and Sharpness docks are connected with both the Midland and Great Western railways, while above Gloucester the splendid navigation of the Severn gives complete access by water to the manufacturing districts of Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Staffordshire, and to the general canal systems of the Midlands and North of England. The Worcester and Birmingham canal is the property of the company owning the docks at Sharpness and Gloucester, with the intervening ship canal, and has extensive canal basins and wharves at Worcester, Droitwich, Stoke Prior and Birmingham, the last-mentioned having warehouse and storage room for grain, timber, slate, ores and other merchandise, about 500,000 tons of which are annually carried over this canal. Midway between Sharpness and Gloucester there is also a junction with the Stroudwater canal, which gives access to the mills and extensive cloth and other manufactories of the Stroud Valley, and, by means of the Thames and Severn and Wilts and Berks canals, connects this county with the great agricultural districts of Wiltshire and Berkshire, and the navigation of the river Thames to London, thus employing a large number of boat and barge men.

There is a very considerable export of salt (the produce of the works at Droitwich and Stoke Prior) both from Gloucester and Sharpness to the Continent, the East Indies, Australia and other parts of the world.

Principal imports: Timber, deals, sleepers, grain, seed, oilcake, marble, bones, guano, ores, clay.

Exports: Salt, pitch, iron manufactures, bricks, earthenware. Coal is also exported, but only in small quantities.

The Gloucester Harbour Board was formed in 1890, for the maintenance, regulation and lighting of a harbour in the estuary of the river Severn.

The Birmingham and Bristol section of the Midland railway reaches Gloucester, and the South Wales branch of the Great Western railway, after diverging from the main line at Swindon, touches upon Gloucester and passes off to Cheltenham on the one hand, and to Ross, Hereford and South Wales on the other. The new station of the Midland railway is near the Barton Street crossing, and is connected with the Great Western railway station by a covered way one-eighth of a mile in length.

The city is in the midst of a populous and fertile district, and has been an inland port for centuries, but the Severn was only navigable for a small class of vessels. In 1892 moorings were laid at Northwick Oaze, so that vessels of large tonnage can now lighten there, free of charge, and proceed to dock at Sharpness without having to wait for tide, which was previously the case. The importance of this port has been considerably increased by the construction of the Gloucester and Berkeley ship canal, opened in 1827, by which the shallowness and intricacies of the Severn are avoided; this canal begins at Sharpness Point, on the river, about 2 ½ miles from Berkeley, and runs for 17 miles on a dead level, having no locks except at the ends, and terminates in three commodious docks (the third, called “Monk Meadow Dock,” being opened on the 20th April, 1892), surrounded by extensive wharves and lofty and roomy warehouses; and the rails of the Midland and the Great Western Railway Companies are laid to the dock side; there are also two spacious dry docks; in 1874 another entrance from the river Severn was completed at Sharpness, about half a mile below the previous one: connected with this is a tidal basin and a floating dock; the former is 545 feet long and 300 feet wide, separated from the floating dock by a lock, which is divided into two portions by three pairs of massive iron gates, one portion being 150 feet and the other 170 feet in length, with a general width of 60 feet, and a depth of water, on its upper sill, of 24 feet: the floating dock is 2,200 feet in length, with a varying width of 200 to 450 feet, and a depth of water from 20 to 24 feet, and covers an area of 13 ½ acres: opening out of this dock is a graving dock for the repair of vessels, 350 feet long and 50 feet wide at the bottom and 80 at the top: a further cutting, of 720 feet in length and 150 in width, unites this extension with the existing canal, the total length being about three-quarters of a mile, not including the timber piers or jetties, which extend beyond the entrance into the river some 400 or 500 feet, for the purpose of guiding vessels in and out of the docks, and gradually widen from about 60 feet at the basin to between 300 and 400 feet, as they extend into the river; these works, executed at a cost of over £200,000, are immediately connected with the great railway bridge over the Severn near Purton, completed in 1879, which affords direct communication with the Forest of Dean and South Wales: various remarkable geological discoveries were made during the progress of the works.

This city, one of the most ancient in the kingdom, is supposed to have been a settlement of the Iberians, who named it “Glevum;” by the ancient Britons it was called " Caer Glow;” on the arrival of the Romans it became a military station, and was strongly fortified to resist the incursions of the Silures, a powerful Iberian people, who were seated on the western side of the Severn; in 584 it was one of the cities which formed part of the kingdom of the Middle Angles, or Mercia, and was of much importance, owing to its situation on the navigable river Severn: the Normans were not slow to appreciate the beauty and commanding situation of this stronghold, for William the Norman often held his court and spent his festive seasons here, attended by many of the nobles and clergy of the kingdom: in 1141 the Empress Maude took refuge here on her escape from Devizes Castle, and the people of Gloucester assisted her in endeavouring to wrest the crown from the usurper Stephen: in 1216 Henry III. then ten years old, was crowned here: Parliaments were held here by Richard II. in 1378 and by Henry IV. in 1407; in 1483 Rachard III. came to Gloucester after his coronation and thence issued the order for the murder of his two nephews: on the outbreak of the Civil War, Gloucester early declared for the Parliament, and although summoned to surrender on August 10th, 1643, the citizens resolved to defend the place, and every effort made by the king to reduce the city was successfully resisted: Gloucester was visited by James II. in 1687; George III. in 1788; by George IV. when Prince of Wales, in 1807; and her present Majesty, when Princess Victoria, abode one night at the late King’s Head hotel, which stood in Westgate street.

Gloucester is a polling place and the place of election for the Northern division of the county, and is the seat of the assize and county quarter sessions, county court, consistory and probate court, and city and county petty sessions.

Under the Municipal Reform Act of 1835 (5 and 6 Wm. IV. cap. 76) it was included in Schedule A amongst the boroughs, and formerly returned two members to Parliament; but, under the provisions of the “Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885,” now returns one member only: it has a commission of the peace and a court of quarter sessions. The city is divided into four wards-West Ward, East Ward, South Ward and Barton Ward-and is governed by a mayor, nine aldermen and twenty-seven town councillors: it has also a sheriff, recorder, coroner and town clerk.

Gloucester, under the “Local Government Act, 1888” (51 and 52 Vict. c. 41), was constituted a “County Borough” for certain purposes. The Corporation was constituted the Sanitary Authority in 1849, and under their direction the city was thoroughly sewered and drained in 1854, at an outlay of about £16,000. Since the year 1873 the jurisdiction of this body has been extended over the customs port of Gloucester, the attendant expenses being shared between them and the rural sanitary authorities of Thornbury, Gloucester, Wheatenhurst and Dursley, in proportions fixed by the Local Government Board during the years 1876—8.

The police stationed here form a part of the county constabulary.

By the Gloucester City Extension and Improvement Act, 1874, the municipal boundary of the city was made conterminous with the parliamentary limits, as defined by the “Boundary Act, 1868,” and now contains 1,437 acres: during the years 1876—8 a sum of upwards of £23,000 was expended in sewerage works and in furnishing an efficient water supply and a sum of £15,000 in street improvements.

The modern part of the city is pleasantly seated on an eminence on the banks of the Severn; and from the Cross, where the principal streets intersect each other at right angles, as in most cities of Roman origin, it has an easy descent every way towards the suburbs. The number of good private residences, handsome shops, trading establishments, extensive warehouses and docks, and the general effect of its fine cathedral, public buildings and numerous churches, give it an air of opulence that is fully confirmed by a closer inspection. All the streets are well paved, and lighted with gas, supplied by a company, from works at Hempsted. New offices have been erected for the company at the lower end of Eastgate. Tramways have been laid along some of the principal thoroughfares.

By an Act of Parliament passed in 1855, the Corporation were empowered to purchase of the Gloucester Water Company the waterworks at Robins Wood Hill, and to construct further waterworks and reservoirs at Great Witcomb, about 5 miles south-east: these reservoirs comprise an area of about 46 acres, and upwards of £100,000 has been expended in obtaining and furnishing a supply of water for this city.

In 1882 the town council adopted a report by Mr. J. F. Bateman M.I.C.E. recommending that a tunnel be driven about 620 yards into the hills above the reservoirs at Witcombe, in order to obtain an increased supply of water; and they have since introduced Deacon’s system of meters for detecting waste.

See of Gloucester.-The sees of Gloucester and Bristol were united in 1836, but in August, 1884, an Act way passed providing for their separation and the establishment of a separate diocese of Bristol as soon as the necessary funds should be provided, and this having been accomplished, a scheme for the re-formation of the diocese of Bristol was approved by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1897, and confirmed by the Queen in Council, and the separation of the two dioceses has now (1897) taken place.

The Cathedral of Holy Trinity was from 1022 till 1539 the church of the Benedictine mitred abbey of St. Peter, which had replaced an establishment of secular canons founded about 821 by Beornulf of Mercia. It is a magnificent structure, embracing, in varied and elegant designs, combined with singular ability and taste, examples of the different styles of ecclesiastical architecture which prevailed between the latter part of the 11th and the early part of the 16th century: it consists of a nave of nine bays with aisles and south porch, transepts with eastern apsidal chapels, choir of five very unequal bays, with aides and eastern semicircular ambulatory, opening on either side into polygonal chapels, a cruciform lady chapel projecting eastwards from the ambulatory, and a superb central tower of two storeys, containing 8 bells and the clock bell, called “Great Peter,” which used to be rung up for service by six men standing in the choir, but this practice was discontinued by order of the Chapter April 2nd, 1857: on the north side are the cloisters, reached at the south-west angle by a narrow passage or slype, and attached to the eastern alley is the rectangular chapter house, between which and the north transept is the abbot's, or lesser, cloister. The early Benedictine minster, having been completed, was consecrated October 7, 1058, but, in consequence of serious injury by fire in 1088, was rebuilt by Abbot Serlo, and consecrated anew July 15, 1100: in 1122, and in four subsequent years, fires again occurred, but on September 16, 1237, the church was dedicated to St. Peter by Walter de Cantilupe, Bishop of Worcester: between 1228—43 the vaulting of the nave was finished, and the misereres of the choir executed by the monks’ own hands: the south aisle of the nave was built in 1318 by Abbot Thokey, during whose abbacy the body of King Edward II. which had teen refused interment by the abbeys of Malmesbury, Kingswood and Bristol, was reverently brought hither from Berkeley, and buried in the church: this event led to a great increase in the revenues of the abbey, and enabled the abbot to begin a series of works which now form some of the most interesting portions of the fabric: under Abbot Wigmore (1329—37) the Norman walls of the south transept, or St. Andrew’s aisle, were cased with tracery in the Earliest Perpendicular style: the vaulting of the choir, with the stalls' on the prior’s side, was carried out by Adam de Stanton (1337—51), and the succeeding abbot, Horton, erected the lower part of the tower, the stalls on the abbot’s side and the presbytery: he also cased the north transept, or St. Paul’s aisle, and in 1375 began the cloisters: the west front, south porch and two western bays of the nave were the work of Abbot Morwent (1420—37): the central tower, continued on Horton’s work by Abbot Seabrooke (1450—7), was finished by Robert Tully, afterwards Bishop of St. David’s: the lady chapel, begun by Henley, abbot, 1457—72, was completed by Abbot Farley before 1498, and the cloisters were finished by Walter Frocester, abbot, 1381—1412: the sedilia and tiling date from, 1455—76: the ground plan of the Norman church, with the addition of the lady chapel and cloisters, still remains to a great extent as in the early part of the 12th century, and the various portions of this date belong either to the church erected by Abbot Serlo or to the reconstructions effected after the fire of 1122; but the most remarkable architectural characteristic of the building is the extremely skilful and unique manner in which the Norman portion of the transepts and choir have been recased and altered, affording the finest existing specimen of very Early or “anticipative” Perpendicular.

The nave consists of nine bays, all of which, with the exception of the two westernmost, are Norman to the top of the triforium, which has two arches in each bay, subdivided into four smaller ones: the lefty circular piers, thirty feet in height and six in diameter, support bold round arches enriched with zigzag ornament; the existing groined vaulting was erected and the clerestory reconstructed after the fire which destroyed the Norman wood roof, but some traces of the original Norman clerestory still remain: the Early English vaulting springs from Purbeck marble shafts, and is plain quadripartite, with a central rib, and bosses at the intersections: the two western bays are Perpendicular, and were the work of Abbot Morwent, who entirely removed the Norman west front, which had two towers or turrets, rebuilt in the Early English period: the westernmost bay is wider and its arch higher than the other; there is no triforium to either, but the clerestory is continued and the vaulting enriched with lierne work and bosses of foliage: the great west window of nine lights is a memorial to Dr. James Henry Monk, Bishop of Gloucester from 1830 to 1836, and of the united sees of Gloucester and Bristol from 1836 to 1856, and was erected in 1858 at the sole expense of the late Rev. Thomas Murray Browne, hon. canon of Gloucester: the space below the window is occupied by a plain doorway, with panelled arcading on either side, and above a string of quatrefoils. The north aisle corresponds architecturally to the nave, but its Late Norman window openings, with their zigzag mouldings and side shafts, are filled with Perpendicular tracery, continued on the wall below, along which runs a stone bench; at either end of this aisle is a fine processional doorway opening into the cloisters; that at the west end, which has a crocketed canopy and panelling, being for the monks, and the other, in the easternmost bay, for the abbot: the ribbed vaulting of this aisle is Norman: at the west end is a stained window, erected in 1862, and depicting the story of the British King Lucius', who is traditionally said to have been buried in the church of St. Mary de Lode: the remaining windows, all of which are stained, include two of ancient date, lately restored. The south aisle was recast, refaced and groined in 1318, in the Early Decorated style, by Abbot Thokey, but the interior and some portion of the interior Norman wall, with its half piers, remains: all the windows are stained, and of these one represents the coronation of Henry III. in Gloucester cathedral, and another, various scenes from the closing years of the life of Edward II.; the two western bays are the work of Abbot Morwent, and include the south porch, which is of two stages, with six canopied niches above the doorway, angle turrets and a pierced embattled parapet of rich workmanship.

In the transepts, both within and without, the original outline of the Norman work is complete, and the eastern transeptal chapels, rising into the triforium, unite with the choir aisles: the open screen work or traceried panelling which now covers the walls was added in the 14th century, but whereas at Winchester the walls were re-cased anew with Perpendiculal masonry, here they were allowed to remain intact, and the later work was laid upon them, the forms of the arches being changed from round to pointed, although in the triforium the Norman arches remain: this change, it appears, was first begun in the south transept, for the character of the work there is distinctly of the Transitional period between Decorated and Perpendicular: below the windows runs an open arcade, and at the south-west angle is a Norman staircase turret leading upwards to the triforium 1 on the south side are two doorways, now blocked, one of which has mutilated figures of armed warders at the sides: the eastern entrances to the presbytery and crypt are pierced through a screen, and over the latter is a bracket for an image and two lights, shaped like a mason's square and supported by two figures of workmen: the roof has plain lierne vaulting without bosses: the north transept, by the angularity of its mouldings, and the greater richness of the roof, up to which the mullions are continued, shows that at the time of its refacing the development of the Perpendicular style was Complete: against the north wall is an Early English structure, in three arched compartments, with a doorway in the centre and windows on either side, enriched with foliage and shafts of Purbeck marble: the interior is groined, and is said to have been used as a reliquary or treasury: on the east side seven steps lead up to a chapel with a Perpendicular reredos, and on the south side, under the tower arch, is a screen of the same date inclosing what was once a chapel, but is now a vestry; both transeptal chapels have double piscinae: the north transept has also a fine memorial window erected by Sir Michael Hicks-Beach bart. M.P. to Caroline Susan (Elwes), his first wife, who died August 14, 1865: St. Andrew’s chapel, on the south side, is beautifully decorated with frescoes, designed and chiefly executed by the late T. Gambier Parry esq. of Highnam Court, to whose memory the large window on the west side of the south transept was filled with stained glass in 1889; below this window is a monument to the late Barwick Lloyd Baker esq. of Hardwidke Court, and founder of the first reformatory for boys; on the north side is a brass to His Honor the late Judge Sumner MA. d. 1885.

The choir, as in most Norman churches, extends one bay into the nave, and is separated from it by a heavy organ screen, erected by Dr. Griffiths in 1820; the organ, built by Harris in 1670, was improved by Willis in 1847, and again renovated in 1889 at a cost of £1,000: the whole of the choir walls are overlaid with traceried panelling and screen work, covering, but still preserving, the outline of the Norman arches and rising to the vault, which is supported on clustered shafts disposed at intervals, and spreads out into a lierne groined roof of exquisite lightness and grace: the arches of the tower are filled with drop tracery, and the vaulting being much higher than the roof of the nave, admits of a western window, through which the setting sun finely illuminates the elaborate vaulting of the choir: on either side of the window are niches, and over the arch the legend following:—

“Hoc quod digestum specularis opusque politum

Tullii haec ex onere Seabroke Abbate jubente.”

The choir stalls, sixty-two in number, are of Perpendicular date, with rich projecting canopies, the northern range being the work of Abbot Staunton, and those on the south side of Abbot Horton: the carved misericords represent knightly deeds, the foresters' craft and grotesques: on the south side are four sedilia, which, together with the heraldic tiling of the sacrarium, which displays armorial bearings of the Plantagenets, Clares and Despensers, are probably of the early 16th century; the east end of the original Norman choir was semicircular, but in order to insert the great east window the two easternmost bays were removed and the walls made to slope outwards, and the window, 72 by 38 feet, the largest in England, consequently extends beyond the side walls which appear to contain it: the exquisite stained glass inserted in 1348—50, represents the coronation of the Virgin, and the introduction in the lower lights of the arms of lords and knights connected with this county who served in the French campaign of 1346, leads to the inference that it was presented by Thomas, first Lord Bradestone, a knight banneret, and governor of Berkeley Castle, who died in 1360: the stone work of the whole window was repaired in 1862 at a cost of £1,400, and the glass releaded at a further expense of £600, under the superintendence of Mr. Winston: the windows of the choir clerestory are of the same date as the east window, and partially contain figures and canopies: the floor is of marble and encaustic tiles, and is illustrative of subjects from the Old Testament; a reredos, the gift of the Freemasons of the Province, was erected from designs of the late Sir G. G. Scott RA. in 1873; it is divided into three principal compartments, in which are groups of figures representing the Nativity, the Entombment and the Ascension of Our Saviour; figures of Moses, St. Peter, St. Paul and David occupy the minor niches at the sides of these compartments, and in the small niches above are nine figures of angels bearing the emblems of Our Lord’s Passion; it has lately (1894) been magnificently coloured and gilt: the magnificent altar cloth was worked and presented by several ladies in the county: the north choir aisle is Norman, of the same date as the choir, the low massive piers of which are here well seen, but the windows are insertions of the Perpendicular period; at the north-east angle of this aisle is an apsidal chapel, converted into a memorial to Abbot Boteler (1437—50), and inclosed by a Perpendicular screen; it has an elaborate reredos of the same date, with niches and canopies, containing figures of the Apostles, and shields of arms of benefactors to the monastery, all enriched with colour; at the west end of the aisle is a stone lectern: the south choir aisle resembles the preceding in its general features, but the corresponding south-eastern chapel retains a larger proportion of its original Norman work; the triforium of the choir, reached by staircases at the north-west and south-west angles of the transepts, originally extended completely round the choir; it is of Late Norman character, modified by alterations made during the Decotrated period: the apsidal chapels of the transepts, and those of the east end of the choir aisles, have all corresponding chapels in the triforium above them, and as there are precisely similar chapels in the crypt, there are here, as it were, three churches one over the other: the chapel over that of the south transept has Decorated windows and a double piscina and canopied brackets, of the same period: the south-east and north-east triforium chapels are both Norman, with later windows, and in that adjoining the north transept is a beautiful double piscina: at the back of the ambulatory is the vestibule of the Lady chapel, constructed out of the eastern Norman chapel, which, on the conversion of the choir and the erection of the great window, was allowed to remain almost entire, both in the triforium and below; it is vaulted and has cruciform pendants; in place of the removed eastern triforium, there is now a passage, running across the window and carried on two bridges: the wonderful acoustic properties of this passage, which drew forth the admiration of Lord Bacon, have procured for it the name of the “Whispering Gallery,” since the lowest whisper, or the slightest movement, is distinctly heard from one end to the other, the total length being 75 feet, width 3 feet, and height 8 feet; in the centre, above the vestibule, it opens into a chapel, which formed part of the eastern triforium chapel, altered on the erection of the Lady chapel, into which it looks.

The Lady chapel, projecting from the east end of the choir and reached by the vestibule above mentioned, is a magnificent cruciform structure of rich Perpendicular design, erected by Abbots Hanley and Farley, 1457—1499, and consists of five bays, with transeptal chapel of two storeys, and a square elevation eastward: each bay contains a lofty window of four tiers, and the intervening wall space is panelled with brackets and canopies, and includes vaulting shafts from which springs the very fine lierne groined roof, profusely enriched with foliaged bosses: the east window, of nine lights, retains original glass of the latter half of the 15th century, but the tabernacled Teredos below it has been nearly destroyed; on the south side are three canopied sedilia, and much of the ancient tiling still remains; both the chapels have a groined roof and upper chapels or oratories, with lierne roofs, and sloping book-desks of stone: in the Lady chapel King James II. touched 103 persons for the evil; it is now (1897) being thoroughly cleared of whitewash, including the groined roof and bosses &c. and the original glass of the windows re-set.

The crypt, which dates from 1089—1100, and is entered from the south transept, extends under the whole of the choir, its aisles and chapels, and under those of the transepts; it was first restored in 1847 by Mr. F. S. Waller, when the first restorations were begun by Dr. Francis Jeune, canon and treasurer, and subsequently Bishop of Peterborough, 1864—8, and consists of a central portion, encircled by massive piers and arches, and surrounded by an ambulatory opening into the various chapels; the central portion is divided longitudinally by two rows of small columns, from which springs the groining supporting the floor of the choir; the vaulting of the ambulatory is enriched in some parts with zig-zag mouldings, and springs from semi-circular pillars, built round the earlier piers: all the chapels have remains of altars and piscinae; the walls, about 10 feet thick, are pierced by small splayed windows, now glazed, and the interior has been cleared of soil and the original floor of Tough concrete laid open.

The monuments in the cathedral include a mutilated effigy of an abbot, probably Foliot; the superb canopied tomb, with alabaster effigy of King Edward II. murdered at Berkeley Castle, Sept. 21, 1327 (tomb repaired by Oriel College, Oxford, in 1737, 1789 and 1798); chantry, containing effigy of Abbot Seabroke, ob. 1457; effigies of a knight and lady, brought from Llanthony Abbey, believed to represent members of the Brydges family, early 15th century; 7—panelled altar-like chest or cenotaph of oak, with recumbent oaken effigy, to Robert Curthose, eldest son of the Conqueror, who died in 1134, and was buried in the chapter house: chantry, with effigy of Abbot Parker, ob. 1539; altar-tomb, repaired in 1648, to Thomas Fitzwilliams, 1579; monument of Elizabethan character to Richard Pates, 1588; a high tomb, with effigy, crowned and carrying the model of a church in the left hand, under a canopy of Perpendicular date, to Osric, the reputed founder of the abbey, 681, erected it is said, in the time of Abbot Parker (1515—39); (this tomb was opened about 1894 and the legend of its being a cenotaph refuted, the coffin with some remains being found within it); altar-tomb, with effigy, to Bishop Godfrey Goldsborough, 1604; memorial to Thomas Machen, alderman, of Gloucester, ob. 1614; high tomb, with alabaster effigies, to Alderman Blackleech, 1639, and Gertrude, his wife; monument with effigy to Elizabeth (Williams) daughter of Bishop Smith, 1622; another to Bishop Nicholson, 1671; life-sized statue to Sir John Powell kt. judge, 1713; monument by Sievier, to Sir John Onesiphorus Paul, 1820; one by Rickman, to the Rev. Richard Raikes, son of Robert Raikes, founder of Sunday schools, 1823; a statue by Sievier, to Dr. Jenner, the discoverer of vaccination, 1823; one by Flaxman, to Mrs. Morley, 1784; and others to John Jones, alderman and thrice mayor, 1630; and John Bower, 1615, and family: several portions of the cathedral retain remains of ancient decoration in colour; the capitals of the piers in the choir display the white hart lodged, the badge of Richard II.; in the triforium is a panel painting of the “Last Judgment,” of the 16th century.

The cloisters (1351—1412), begun by Abbot Horton and completed by Abbot Frocester, are the very finest in England, both for extent and the elaborate character of the tracery which adorns them; the north and south alleys are 144 feet in length, the east and west sides being 147 feet; the general width about 12 feet and the height 18 feet; the walls are panelled and the spacious windows filled with Perpendicular tracery; the north and west alleys are now (1897) undergoing a thorough repair; the magnificent fan-vaulted roof, the earliest existing specimen in the country, is covered with panelled groining, highly enriched; each alley is divided into ten bays or compartments, and in the southern alley are the “Carols,” a series of arched and embattled recesses, twenty in number, running below the main windows; these were intended as places for writing, illuminating or study, and each has a small window of its own: on the north side are the lavatories, which are also fan-vaulted and project into the cloister-garth; under the windows runs a long trough for water, once supplied from Robins Wood hill, and opposite, in the cloister wall, is a recess for towels: in the east walk are memorial windows to the Rev. H. Burrup, John Plumptree D.D. a former dean of Gloucester, Archdeacon Timbrell, Dean Rice, the Rev. Thomas Evans D.D. Miss Mary Davies, Dr. Claxson, Dean Luxmoore, Archdeacon Wetherell and the Rev. Canon Bankes. The Dean’s garden, within the cloisters, has recently been laid out afresh, and replanted by Dean Spence. The original monastic well of the 14th century and other early mediaeval work also within the cloisters has now been uncovered. The chapter house, entered from the east walk, is a rectangular Norman structure, erected 1088—95, and consists of four bays, three of which are Norman, and the easternmost Perpendicular; the Norman portion is arcaded, and the roof forms a pointed arch, with bold vaulting ribs dividing each bay: at the west end is an enriched Norman doorway and windows: Roger de Clare, Earl of Hertford, ob. 1173; Walter de Lacy, a Norman knight, and Richard de Clare, the famous “Strongbow,” second Earl of Pembroke, ob. 1176, were buried here; between the chapter house and the north transept is a slype or passage, over which is the library, of Late Perpendicular date, 86 by 18 feet, with a roof of dark oak; it contains a transcript of “Abbot Frocester’s Lives of the Abbots of Gloucester” from the foundation of the monastery to 1381; a register of documents made by the same abbot, and another register compiled by Parker, the last abbot: at the northeast angle of the cloisters is a doorway leading to a groined Early English passage, which opens into the cloister of the infirmary, around the cloister garth, or Dean’s garden; six arches of the hall, the west doorway and some fragments of the south side remain; adjoining the cathedral, and partly built over the Norman slype leading from the cloisters, is the Deanery, anciently the Prior’s dwelling, and containing several Norman and Early English chambers: the stone vaulted room over the slype, at present used as the Dean’s library, is a splendid example of Early Norman work: there is also a staircase with a large stone lantern, and on the north a timber-framed building of the 15th century; the western gate-house is Early English, and a Late Perpendicular gateway, which formed the entrance to the abbot’s lodge, remains in Miller's Green.

The general outline of the Cathedral, owing to the depression of the nave below the line of the choir, is not favourable to effect, but the unrivalled beauty and elegance of the majestic central tower, “a pharos to all the hills,” amply redeem every defect, while at the same time the variety produced by the splendid Perpendicular choir, the chapels of the transepts and choir aisles, the half-detached Lady chapel, with its projecting chantries, and the numerous lofty pinnacles, is unusually picturesque: the whole building, except the transepts, is embattled, the bays being divided by buttresses, which, save in the choir, terminate in pinnacles, rising above the parapet; the turrets at the angles of the transepts are Norman, with two tiers of arcading near the top and spirelets of later date: the east end, above the great window, is finished with panelling and a graceful open parapet and pinnacles: the tower is of two stages, divided by a band of quatrefoils, and is lighted by richly crocketed windows in each stage; the upper stage is finished with a bold string-course, and a pierced embattled parapet, and at the angles rise square open pinnacles of singular lightness and grace; it forms a square of about 40 feet, the total height being 225 feet: the Cathedral is, internally, 408 feet in length, the exterior limit Teaching 423 feet; the nave is about 83 feet wide by 67 high; the choir, on the other hand, being 86 feet in height with a breadth of about 34 feet; the whole transept is 128 feet long: extensive repairs and restorations were effected during the period 1873—90, at an expenditure of about £13,000, under the direction of Mr. F. S. Waller, from the designs of the late Sir G. G. Scott RA. and funds, estimated at £10,000, have now (1897) been raised for further restoration. The Cathedral registers date from the year 1661.

The episcopal palace, the residence of the bishop of the diocese, was entirely rebuilt in 1862, in the Gothic style of the 15th century; it contains portraits of Queen Elizabeth, Bishop Warburton and others: the Abbot’s hall, of the Decorated period, has been new roofed.

St. Aldate’s church is in the street of that name; the original building stood upon the city wall, near the site of the present church, but was taken down and the materials used for erecting St. Michael’s-at-the-Cross: the present church, erected about 1730, is a plain brick structure in the Early English style, consisting of nave, west porch and a turret containing 1 bell: the stained east window was the gift of Mr. H. Bruton, as a memorial to his deceased wife; and another window on the south side commemorates the Rev. Francis Bayly, a former rector: the church was restored in 1883—91, at a cost of £500, and affords 200 sittings. The register dates from the year 1571, but is not continuous. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £130, including 27 acres of glebe, in the gift of the Bishop of Gloucester, and held since 1888 by the Rev. George James MA. of Trinity College, Dublin, who is also rector of St. Michael’s-at-the-Cross, and surrogate St. Catharine’s church, Priory road, erected in 1867—9, in place of the earlier church, which belonged to the priory of St. Oswald, and was destroyed during the Civil War, is an edifice of brick in the Early French Gothic style, consisting of apsidal chancel, nave, transepts and Aisles: the font of Caen stone, richly carved, was the gift of the Hon. Mrs. Mostyn: ten of the windows are stained, the chancel windows being the gift of the Misses Monk: the two west windows are memorials to the late Thomas Marling esq.: the rebuilding of the church was largely assisted by C. J. Monk esq. M.P.: there are 400 sittings, all of which are free. An enlarged vestry room was erected in 1889. The register dates from the year 1687. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value about £300, with £60 for a curate, in the gift of the Bishop of Gloucester, and held since 1891 by the Rev. George Clarke Keble BA. of Keble College, Oxford.

The church of St. John the Baptist, Northgate street, rebuilt, with the exception of the tower and spire, in 1734, is an edifice of stone in the heavy Classic style of that period, consisting of nave, aisles and a tower with spire of the 13th century, containing 6 bells: a new organ was built in 1892: Sir Thomas Rich kt. father of the founder of the Gloucester Blue Coat School, was a benefactor to the church, and is buried here, as also are some members of the family of Rudhall, famous as bell-founders here in the 18th century: there are handsome monuments in the chancel to Major Price, 1768; and his daughter, and to the Naylors and other old families of the city; the communion plate of silver-gilt, and dated 1659, was presented by Sir Thomas Rich: the church was restored in 1882, at a cost of £650, and affords 350 sittings. The register dates from the year 1560. The living is a rectory, gross yearly value £280, with residence, in the gift of the Lord Chancellor, and held since 1881 by the Rev. Alfred Collet Eyre MA. of Caius College, Cambridge. The Rev. T. Stock, co-founder with Robert Raikes, of the first Sunday schools, was Tector here from 1787 to 1804.

St. Mary-de-Crypt, Southgate street, is an ancient cruciform building in the Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel with aisles of two bays, nave of three bays, transepts and a central tower with pinnacles containing 8 bells; it was erected by Robert Chichester, Bishop of Exeter, 1138—55, and derives its name from having two crypts beneath it: the chancel is separated from its aisles by handsome stone screens, and from the nave by a screen of oak: the whole interior is seated with old carved oak benches: in this church Whitfield was baptized, and here he preached his first sermon: here also is the tomb of Robert Raikes, the founder of Sunday schools, who died at Gloucester 5th April, 1811, and that of Jimmy Wood, the eccentric banker: in the south vestry is a fine marble monument with life-sized symbolical female figures, by Scheemaker, to Dorothy Snell, d. 1746: in the north vestry is a monument, with kneeling effigy, to Daniel Lysons, ob. 1681; there are also memorials to Sir Thomas Bell kt. ob. 1567; and the Rev. John Grubb MA. author of “St. George for England”: in the north transept are brasses with effigies and incomplete triple canopy to John Cook, alderman and four times mayor of Gloucester (1501—19), ob. 1529, and Dame Joan, his wife; ob. 1544, founders of the school adjoining the church, now called St. Mary de Crypt school: a handsome reredos of Caen stone and Venetian mosaic, with figures of our Saviour, St. Paul, St. John, Nicodemus and St. Mary Magdalene was erected about 1889; the church was restored in 1877, at a cost of £1,009, and affords 400 sittings. The church of St. Owen stood on the site now occupied by the Southgate Congregational church, and that of All Saints’ stood opposite to St. Michael’s, on the spot now occupied by a Bank. The register dates from the year 1653, and contains the entry of the baptism of Mr. Raikes and various entries relating to his family. The living is a rectory, with the vicarage of St. Owen and the rectory of All Saints, the churches of which have long been demolished, gross yearly value a little over £200, with residence, in the gift of the Lord Chancellor, and held since 1894 by the Rev. Gamaliel Milner MA. of Christ Church, Oxford.

St. Mary-de-Lode, St. Mary’s square, formerly the mother church of the city, is a building of stone in the later Early English style, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, north and south porches and a low massive Norman tower containing 6 bells: the arch between the nave and chancel is much admired: in the chancel is an ancient tomb, said to be that of Lucus, a British Christian king, and founder of the original church, who is supposed to have been buried here, but the figure on the tomb is clearly that of a monk: much interest attaches to the site of this church, which, on the rebuilding of the nave in 1826, was found to have been previously occupied by a Roman temple: the chancel has been carefully restored, and has a stained east window: there is a wooden pulpit of some interest, and 500 sittings. The register dates from the year 1557. The living is a vicarage, with that of Holy Trinity annexed, net yearly value £210, with 89 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Gloucester, and held since 1892 by the Rev. Samuel Richmond Robertson, who is also chaplain of the United Hospitals.

The church of St. Mary Magdalene, WOTTON, was removed, with the exception of the chancel, in 1861, but care was taken to preserve a beautiful Norman arch which existed in the old building, and which is now built into the disused chancel.

St. Margaret’s chapel, attached to the United Hospitals of St. Margaret, St. Mary Magdelene and St. Kyneburgh, at Wotton, is a building consisting only of chancel and nave. The chaplaincy, yearly value £80, is in the gift of the Charity Trustees, and has been held since 1891 by the Rev. Samuel Richmond Robertson vicar of St. Mary-de-Lode.

St. Michael’s church, at the Cross, is a modern building in the Decorated style, consisting of nave and south aisle with embattled parapet and pinnacled buttresses, and an embattled western tower of Late Perpendicular character containing 8 bells: there is a brass with effigies to William Henshawe, bell-founder, five times mayor (1503—20), and his wives, Alys, ob. 1519, and Agnes: there are several stained windows: the canopied reredos, of richly carved stone work, designed by Mr. F. S. Waller, was erected in 1883 at a cost of £1,000 by Mrs. Symes, a late resident, in memory of her parents: in the south aisle is a stone figure of a knight, and the ancient memorial tablets inserted in the west wall of the aisle are of interest: the communion plate was presented in the 17th century, and its aggregate weight is nearly 300 ounces: a handsome oak screen was erected in 1894: the church was restored about 1885, at a cost of £2,250, and has 400 sittings. The register dates from the year 1653. The living is a rectory, with the perpetual curacy of St. Mary de Grace annexed, gross yearly value £320, with residence, in the gift of the Lord Chancellor, and held since 1874 by the Rev. George James MA. of Trinity College, Dublin, who is also rector of St. Aldate's, surrogate, and hon. canon.

St. Nicholas, Westgate street, is an ancient building of stone in the Early Norman and Early English styles, with Perpendicular insertions, and consists of chancel, nave of six bays, aisles, west porch and a fine western tower with truncated embattled spire containing 6 bells and a clock, dated 1612: in the south aisle, near the chancel, is an altar tomb, with effigies, to John Walton, alderman, 1626, and Alice, his wife: the south doorway has a fine Norman arch, and the door retains a fine specimen of an ancient knocker: in the walls which separate the chancel from the aisles on either side are four hagioscopes: the church, the floor of which is now several feet below the street level and approached by steps, was restored in 1866: there are about 800 sittings. The register dates from the year 1558. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £264, including 40 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Gloucester, and held since 1877 by the Rev. John James Luce MA. of Trinity College, Dublin.

The following are ecclesiastical parishes:—

All Saints’ parish was formed May 26, 1876, from the parish of St. James: the church, in Lower Barton street, erected in 1875, at a cost of £8,600, is a building of stone in the Early English and Decorated styles, erected from designs by the late Sir Gilbert Scott RA. at a cost of about £8,000, a considerable portion of which was given by the family of the Rev. T. Hedley, first vicar of the parish, and consists of chancel with south aisle, nave of four bays and aisles; there are five stained windows; in 1887 a large vestry or church room was added on the north side: there are 750 sittings. The registers date from the year 1875. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £310, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Gloucester, and held since 1884 by the Rev. Herbert Charles Foster, of St. Edmund Hall, Oxford.

A chapel of ease for All Saints’ parish was built in 1892, in the Derby road, at a cost of £1,500, which was raised by voluntary subscription: it will seat 300.

Christ Church parish was formed Nov. 30, 1877, and embraces the hamlet of Littleworth, part of the South Hamlet, part of St. Owen’s and part of the hamlet of Barton St. Mary; the church, in Brunswick square, is an edifice of brick in the Classic style, consisting of chancel and nave and a western turret containing 2 bells: the chancel was enlarged in 1865, and in 1884—5 the whole church was completely restored, the flooring being re-laid, the interior re-pewed, and 14 new windows inserted, at a total cost of about £1,500: there are 523 sittings, of which 190 are free. The register dates from the year 1823. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £284, with the interest of £1,500, for a house, in the gift of the Bishop of Gloucester, and held since 1891 by the Rev. William Pelham Acworth MA. of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

St. James’ parish was formed in 1842 from the parishes of St. Catherine, St. Mary-de-Lode, St. Michael and Upton St. Leonard: the church, in Upton street, consecrated in 1841, is a plain edifice of stone in the Lancet style, standing north and south, and consists of chancel, nave, eastern aisle, north porch and a turret at the north end containing one bell: there is a reredos of marble with shafts of Bath stone: the church was restored and enlarged in 1879, at a cost of £2,550, when the aisle and chancel were added, and in 1891 a reredos was erected at a cost of £60: there are 800 sittings, of which 600 are free. The register dates from the year 1841. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £265, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Gloucester, and held since 1895 by the Rev. Frederick Billett MA. of Hertford College, Oxford. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners allow £120 yearly for the services of a curate. There is a mission chapel at Tredworth. The parish has a charity derived from J. King’s estate, which furnishes 4s. to each of thirty deserving persons not in receipt of parish relief, and is distributed yearly on St. Thomas’ day; the rent of three houses, called “Hedley’s charity,” is applied towards the maintenance of St. James’ National school: there is also a sum of £178 left by Mrs. Mary Comley in 1883, and invested in Consols; the interest is distributed to deserving persons on St. Thomas’ day.

St. Luke’s parish was formed July 10th, 1868, from the parishes of Hempstead, St. Mary-de-Lode, North Hamlet and South Hamlet, Hempstead, Upton St. Leonard and Wottonville. The church, in St. Luke’s street, Bristol road, erected in 1841, is an edifice of brick, consisting of chancel and nave: the interior was restored in 1876: the east window, chiefly filled with mediaeval Flemish glass, represents incidents from the New Testament: the church was restored in 1875, at a cost of £1,500, and affords 450 sittings. The register dates from the year 1841. The living is a vicarage, gross yearly value £250, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Gloucester, and held since 1895 by the Rev. Henry Proctor MA. of University College, Oxford. St. Luke’s mission hall, Linden road, was built in 1896, and will seat 400 persons; it is licensed for services on Sundays, and is also used for parochial meetings &c. during the week.

St. Mark’s parish was formed Feb. 10, 1846, from the parishes of St. John the Baptist, St. Mary-de-Lode and St. Catherine; the church, in Kingsholm, erected in 1847, is a building in the Early English style, consisting of chancel with south aisle, nave, aisles, vestry and a western tower, with spire, containing 1 bell: a memorial window, at the west end, was presented by the vicar in 1895: the chancel was raised, enlarged and improved in 1888 and 1891, at a cost of £1,310: the church affords 400 sittings. The register dates from the year 1847. The living is a vicarage, gross yearly value £300, in the gift of the Bishop of Gloucester, and held since 1885 by the Rev. Samuel Edwin Bartleet MA. of Trinity College, Cambridge.

St. Paul’s parish was formed in 1884 from the ecclesiastical parishes of St. Luke & St. James: the church, in Stroud road, was erected at a cost of £7,600, and is built of Painswick stone, with Bath stone dressings, in the Early Geometric style, consisting of chancel, lofty nave, aisles, transepts, western and south-east porches and a turret containing one bell: there are 600 sittings. The register dates from the year 1884. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £200, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Gloucester, and held since 1894 by the Rev. James Hughes Owen BA. of Jesus College, Oxford.

The Mariners’ chapel, in the Docks, is a building of stone in the Early English style, erected in 1849 by public subscription, and has ever since been maintained in substantial repair out of the fund raised by voluntary contributions from the merchants and others interested in the welfare of the Docks: there are about 250 sittings. The chaplaincy, net yearly value £175, in. the gift of trustees, has been held since 1881 by the Rev. George Mallett, who is also chaplain of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital.

The Mission hall, in Southgate street, connected with the Mariners’ chapel was opened in 1886, and has sittings for 300 persons.

The Gloucester Diocesan Mission is intended to promote parochial, ruri-decanal and diocesan mission work throughout the diocese. The Liddell Memorial Diocesan Mission College, founded in 1893, in memory of the late Rev. William Wren Liddell MA. rector of Cowley 1870—92, stands in the Cathedral Close, and comprises a chapel, library (the gift of the executors of the late Rev. W. W. Liddell), lecture room, dining hall, study, dormitories for mission clergy, and a guest chamber, available, at a nominal cost, for any of the clergy of the diocese who may wish to use it when visiting Gloucester. The College also undertakes the training of laymen for service in the various mission chapels of the diocese. The regular mission staff consists of a canon, missioner and four diocesan missioners, besides 12 honorary assistant diocesan missioners licensed by the bishop; the Lenten teaching staff numbers about 100 members, and there are 28 lecturers on Church History; canon missioner and secretary, Rev. John Phillips Allcot Bowers MA. canon of Gloucester and chaplain to the bishop.

Gloucester is within the Catholic diocese of Clifton.

The Catholic church, dedicated to St. Peter ad Vincula, built about 1789, and rebuilt in 1860, from the designs of Mr. Gilbert Blount, architect, is an edifice in the Decorated style, consisting of chancel, nave of four bays, aisles extending the whole length of the church, and a tower, with spire about 159 feet in height, containing a clock and one bell. The interior was decorated in 1885. The Rev. Joseph Bernard Chard is the priest.

Here are Presbyterian, Congregational, Wesleyan, Baptist, Primitive Methodist, Methodist New Connexion and Unitarian chapels, one for the Plymouth Brethren, and two meeting houses for the Society of Friends. The Baptists also hold services in the Corn Exchange.

The town council was constituted a burial board by an order of the Privy Council, dated 4th April, 1856, under the provisions of the 17 and 18 Vict. cap. 87: in 1875 the board appropriated about 13 acres of land (belonging to them as the corporation), called “The Moors” and “Upper Tween Brooks,” for the purposes of burial, at a total cost, including the laying out, of about £5,400: this cemetery is in the adjoining parish of Upton St. Leonards and is about 1 mile and a quarter from the city, on the road leading to Painswick and adjoining the Great Western railway; about two-thirds of the land is appropriated to the Church of England and the remainder is divided between the Catholics and Nonconformists: an additional piece of land, about 10 acres in extent, was added in 1875. There are two mortuary chapels.

Sunday schools were originated and first put into practical operation by Mr. Robert Raikes, an intelligent and philanthrophic printer, of this city, in the year 1781: Raikes, who was born at Gloucester in 1735, was educated at Cambridge, and died 5th April, 1811.

The Raikes Memorial Sunday schools in the Brunswick road were erected in 1884.

The Shire Hall, opened August 26, 1816, is a building of Bath and Leckhampton stone in the Classic style, from designs by Smirke; it is 82 feet wide and 300 feet in length, and has two frontages, the principal one in Westgate street and the other at the rear in Bear Land: the Westgate street front is a copy of a temple on the Ilissus; the centre portico is supported by four Ionic columns, 32 feet high, resting on an elevated base, and is approached by steps, which extend along the whole width of the building; the principal entrance opens into a vestibule about 16 feet wide and 100 feet long, from which the offices for the county and city are approached: opposite the main entrance is a stone staircase, leading to the gallery of the Crown court, and to large rooms, used for various public purposes. The assizes, quarter and petty sessions, county council meetings and general committees are held here. In 1896 a new council chamber, grand jury room and rooms for the county treasurer, witnesses and others, besides new offices and strong rooms for the use of the clerk of the peace and the county surveyor, were erected at a cost of £11,750.

At the Cross, where the four principal streets meet, once stood the High Cross, taken down in 1650.

The Guildhall, erected in 1890—93, at a cost of £31,500, occupies a site in Eastgate street, where formerly stood Sir Thomas Rich's school: the foundation stone was laid by the Duke of Beaufort K.G. 23 May, 1890, and the building was opened 12 July, 1892; it is constructed of Monk’s Park stone and brick, in the Renaissance style, from designs by Mr. G. Hunt F.R.I.BA, of London, and contains a public hall, 80 feet in length by 40 wide, council chamber, town clerk’s and other municipal offices, school board offices, cloak and retiring rooms, kitchens, and a house for the caretaker.

In the Guildhall are now hung the portraits removed from the Tolsey; these include Charles Duke of Norfolk, his late Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, Sir Thomas Rich, Alderman John Cooke, 1529, and Joan, his wife, 1544; Sir Thomas Bell kt. 1567; and Col. Edward Massey, Parliamentary officer, 1643; there is also a picture of “the siege of Gloucester," presented by John Joseph Powell esq. Q.C. in 1877; and in 1882 a portrait of Samuel Bowley esq. of Gloucester, by Jerry Barrett, was presented to the corporation by his representatives. The insignia of the corporation include two pairs of silver-gilt maces 2 feet 5 inches in length, made in 1652 and converted into royal maces at the Restoration: there are also two state swords: the earlier, probably of the 15th century, has been blackened for use as a mourning sword and has a black velvet scabbard dated 1677, the other sword of the 17th century has a Solingen blade and the royal and city arms on the pommel: the scabbard is covered with crimson velvet with silver-gilt mountings, and has the date 1660.

The Tolsey, or old Town Hall, a building of stone and brick, in the Italian style, erected in 1749, at the Cross, has been pulled down, and new buildings erected on the site for the Wilts and Dorset Banking Company.

The Corn Exchange, Southgate street, is a building of stone, the front of which, taken down and enlarged in 1893, is now occupied as the Post Office; the facade is relieved by four Corinthian pillars, and surmounted in the centre by a colossal figure of Ceres; in the rear is a spacious and lofty had], used for concerts and public meetings, and seating 800 persons.

Plans for a Free Library have been approved of by the Council, and the foundation stone of the building will be laid in October, 1897.

The Gloucestershire Engineering Society holds monthly meetings at the Lecture Theatre of the Technical Schools in Brunswick road. The library and reading room of the society at Arrow House, Southgate street, are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The library contains over 300 volumes, and the reading room is well supplied with engineering publications.

The Schools of Science and Art and the County Museum, are contained in a single building in the Brunswick road, and form a considerable pile in the Gothic style of the 13th century; there are lecture, class and masters’ rooms, a library, laboratory and rooms for the curator; and the museum includes an excellent geological collection. The schools were transferred to the control of the Gloucester municipal authorities in 1896.

Adjoining the schools is the Price Memorial Hall, given to the Science and Art Society, at a cost of £5,000, by Mrs. Price, of Pen Moel, near Chepstow, and opened Nov. 23, 1893; it is a building of native stone in the Renaissance style, from designs by Mr. F. W. Waller, architect, of College Green.

There is also a Working Men’s Institute; Reading and Refreshment Rooms; a Literary and Scientific Society, founded in 1838; Agricultural, Horticultural and Medical Societies; a Choral Society, formed with the object of training singers for the churches of the city; a Commercial News Room, and a Subscription Library with Reading Rooms.

Gloucester is well known for its musical festivals, which are held triennially, conjointly with Worcester and Hereford, for the benefit of the widows and orphans of the clergy of the diocese: the first celebration took place in Worcester Cathedral, August 17, 1722.

Gloucester Saline Chalybeate Spa, discovered in 1814, is situated to the south-east of the city, and has a good pump-room and baths; an analysis of the saline and sulphur springs made in 1891, by George Embrey F.C.S. city analyst, gave the following as the constituents of an imperial gallon of 70,000 grains.

The public baths, in Barton street, opened July 30, 1891, at a cost of about £10,000, are of red brick, relieved with Bath stone dressings, and comprise a central block with main entrances, offices and manager’s apartments, and two wings containing private baths, and a Turkish bath. In the rear are two swimming baths each 100 feet by 46 feet, the depth of water varying from 4 to 6 feet; attached to the baths is a public gymnasium.

The Cattle Market is near the railway station, and is abundantly supplied. The market days are Saturday and Monday (unless these days fall on bank holidays). The great stock markets are held the first Saturday in April and July; the third Monday in each month is a market for cheese.

The Provision and General Market, Eastgate street, established in 1856, is opened daily.

Fairs are held on the first Saturday in April and July, the last Saturday in November and (Barton fair) 28th September.

There are five banking establishments; breweries, railway carnage and wagon works, in which a large number of hands are employed; steam flour, saw and planing mills, engineering works, brass and iron foundries, a match factory and brickyards and Tope, sail, sack, brush and nail factories; boat and barge building are also carried on, and there are manufactories for agricultural implements and railway fittings, besides marble, slate, enamelled slate and millstone works.

The County Council Dairy School was established in 1892 for the purpose of diffusing a knowledge of dairying in all its branches.

The Gloucester Conservative Club, Constitution House, was established August 7, 1883; the premises contain a reading room, lecture room, public room, two billiard rooms, and a bar, and there are nearly 1,000 members; Sir Lionel E. Darell bart. president.

The Gloucester Liberal Club, established July 1st, 1877, at Ladybellgato House, is now removed to more commodious premises at Suffolk House, Greyfriars, and also includes the offices of the City Liberal Association and Central Liberal Council for the Tewkesbury Division. The large assembly room is also used for balls, concerts and meetings of the Women’s Liberal Association, and there is a coffee room, two billiard rooms, and reading, smoking and card rooms, as well as a circulating library.

The Gloucester Women’s Liberal Association was formed in 1892, and now (1897) numbers over 300 members, who meet at Suffolk House, the headquarters of the Liberal Club; president, Lady Wedderburn.

The Gloucester Women’s Unionist Association, formed in 1893, hold their meetings at Eastgate House; there are 250 members; Mrs. Brooke-Hunt is hon. sec.

The Gloucester Club, Westgate street, is for the use of city and county gentlemen, and has now (1897) over 200 members. The committee consists of twenty members; president, Sir Lionel Darell, bart.; vice-president, Col. Curtis-Hayward; sec. P. Barrett Cooke esq.

Her Majesty’s Prison, Barrack square, built in 1791, at a cost of £35,000, stands in the north hamlet, on the site of the old castle, and was the first prison erected on the plan suggested by John Howard for the separation of hardened criminals and juvenile offenders; it has since been enlarged, and there are now 300 separate cells for males, and 50 for females, exclusive of rooms for debtors of both sexes.

The old County and City Lunatic Asylum, opened July 21, 1823, is at Wotton. and stands on a rising ground about half a mile from the City, the grounds extending over 45 acres, afford extensive views of the surrounding country; the centre of the building is in the form of a semicircle, and originally presented a frontage of 250 feet, but additional buildings, including a chapel, have since been erected: the asylum is available for 640 patients, and the average number of yearly admissions for the past nine years is 283.

The new County Asylum, in the parish of Barnwood, will be found described under that heading.

Gloucester is the headquarters of the Gloucestershire Yeomanry Cavalry (Royal Gloucestershire Hussars); No. 8 Co. of the 1st Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery; the A and B Companies of the 1st Gloucestershire Royal Engineer Volunteers, and of the A and B Companies of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment: all these are located at the Barracks.

The General Infirmary, in Southgate street, with which is amalgamated the Gloucestershire Eye Institution-(formerly in Market parade), is a structure of brick, the central portion of which was erected in 1755 from designs by Mr. L. Singleton: the south wing, erected in 1827, is assigned to the treatment of medical cases only, and the north wing, opened in 1871, to surgical cases, accidents and out-patients, the original block being reserved for miscellaneous patients: there are beds for 150 patients, besides some additional private wards, surgery, dispensary, and medical officers' rooms; the annual number of in-patients admitted is about 1,430 and of out-patients about 7,580.

The Provident Dispensary, in Barton street, originally established in 1831, and reopened in Longsmith street in 1872, is maintained on the provident principle, by means of which, through small and regular payments, the poor have the advantage of consulting some of the leading medical men of the city and have their medicine free. In 1894 the premises in Barton street were presented by William Long esq. J.P. and occupied by the Dispensary 1st June, 1895.

There is a lying-in charity at Spa school rooms, established in 1793, which provides the poor with a trained nurse upon payment of 7s. 6d.

The Home of Hope, Great Western road, was established in 1874, for the destitute, friendless and fallen and is partly industrial and partly supported by voluntary subscriptions.

The United Hospitals of St. Mary Magdalen, St. Margaret and St. Kyneburgh, to which has been united the charity of John Garn form a handsome pile of buildings, situated in the London road, the ancient almshouses having been pulled down. St. Kyneburgh’s Hospital was founded by Sir Thomas Bell, who built five tenements on the site of a more ancient hospital, and endowed it for the maintenance of ten poor people. The hospital of St. Mary Magdalen, St. James and St. Margaret was a lazar house, founded in the 13th century. These united hospitals are now under the management of the Charity Trustees; the number of inmates is 31, viz. 13 men and 18 women, each of whom receives about 10s. 7d. per week with medical advice, and a gift of coals at Christmas: there are also 10 pensioners, each of whom receives 10s. per week: there is a chapel attached, dedicated to St. Margaret, of which the Rev. S. Richmond Robertson, vicar of St. Mary-de-Lode, has been chaplain since 1892.

St. Bartholomew's Hospital, in The Island, Lower Westgate street, was founded in the reign of Henry III.; candidates for admission must be over the age of 60, and must have resided within the municipal limits for the five years immediately preceding, and not have been in receipt of parochial relief for the preceding three years: the number of inmates is 40, twenty of each sex, each receiving 10s. per week, medical advice, and coals at Christmas; there are also about 6 out-pensioners, who receive 10s. each per week; attached to the hospital is a chapel, in which divine service is conducted twice a week: the Rev. George Mallett, incumbent of the Mariners’ chapel, has been chaplain since 1888: this charity is also under the management of the Charity Trustees.

St. Lucy’s Home of Charity, Hare lane, is for a Sisterhood of the Church of England, whose work is to tend the sick, comfort the dying, teach the ignorant and to minister peace to those in trouble. The government is vested in the visitor, the council, a warden, a sister superior, treasurer and trustees.

The Girls’ Orphanage and Industrial Home in connection with this charity provides a home for the children of poor parents, left orphans or exposed to evil influence, and trains them for service; when proficient and at a suitable age, situations are provided for them, with an outfit of clothes when their conduct has been satisfactory: 36 girls are at present maintained: there is also a ward for 12 incurables, as paying patients.

The Magdalen Asylum, in Blackfriars, was established in 1827, as a temporary refuge for fallen women of any age, who are subsequently transferred to other institutions; the institution is managed by a committee of gentlemen. There is an endowment, but the Asylum is chiefly supported by voluntary contributions.

The Free Hospital for children of the poor, pleasantly situated at Kingsholm, was founded in 1867, by the late T. Gambier Parry esq. MA., D.L., J.P. of Highnam Court, and has 24 beds; it is entirely dependent on voluntary contributions for support; children are admitted from any part of the country, no letters of recommendation being required, the poverty of the parents and the suffering of the child being regarded as a sufficient title to admission; the limited means of the hospital makes it absolutely necessary that the patients should be bona fide the children of such poor as are unable to pay for medical advice: parents, or persons, therefore, seeking admission for children must sign a declaration of poverty, which declaration must be countersigned by the clergyman of their parish, or by some minister of religion, as testifying to the poverty of the applicant; patients are admitted from birth, and out-patients from the age of infancy to that of twelve years can be attended to at the out-patient department, which is attached to St. Lucy’s Home, Hare lane; no child suffering under smallpox is received into the house. The bishop of the diocese as visitor at the hospital, which is under the care of a sisterhood. Nurses and ladies are received for training, and their services are available by private families, upon special terms. From Oct. 2nd, 1867, to Dec. 31st, 1895, there were 4,105 in-patients and 25,190 out-patients.

The parish of St. John has charities as follows: Hayward’s of £44, and Burgess’s of £30 yearly, for the support of almshouses, derived from Consols, one half to be given on the birthday of the donor, and the remainder on the anniversary of his wedding day, in coals and bread; £48 yearly for church purposes, and £4 a year derived from land at Walham, given in bread at Christmas. The parish of St. Mary-de-Crypt; has £41 3s. yearly for distribution among the poor. St. Michael’s parish has property producing £130 yearly which is applied to church purposes; and several small charities are also distributed among the poor. St. Nicholas’ parish has charities of about £76 yearly for distribution, and about £81 derived from rents for church purposes. Holy Trinity parish derives £22 from rent of land and cottages, which is given to the poor at Christmas; the other parishes have each small sums yearly.

The Park was opened to the public in July, 1862, under an arrangement made in 1861 between the town council and the proprietors of the Spa, by which that establishment, with its walks and pleasure grounds, were presented to the council on condition of a public park being provided: the corporation then appropriated about 17 acres of land adjoining for that purpose. The grounds are well laid out, and there is an orchestra, erected at the cost of Charles Walker esq. and a fountain, constructed at the expense of C. J. Monk esq. M.P. The cricket and lawn tennis grounds adjoining were transferred to the municipal authorities in 1896: the former has a pavilion holding nearly 1,000 persons.

The Gloucester Football and Athletic Ground Company Limited have a ground of about seven acres at Kingsholm, set apart for football, cricket and other recreations.

Among the eminent natives of this place may be named Sir John Powell kt. a justice of the Queen’s Bench in 1702; who died at Gloucester June 14, 1713, and is buried in the cathedral; John Moore, archbishop of Canterbury, 1783—1805; John Taylor, the “Water Poet,” born here about 1580; John Lightfoot MA., F.R.S, a distinguished botanist, 1735—88; and the famous Rev. George Whitfield MA. born at the Bell inn, 16th December, 1714.

John Hooper, the Protestant martyr, born in Somersetshire in 1495, and bishop of Gloucester 1550—54, was burnt here as a heretic 9th February, 1554—5: a statue to his memory was erected in 1861 by public subscription on the spot in front of St. Mary’s square, where he met his death.

On the road from Gloucester to Hempstead stand the ruins of the second priory of Llanthony, founded in 1136 by Milo de Bohun, afterwards Earl of Hereford and constable of Gloucester, as a cell to the priory of the same name in Monmouthshire; like the elder foundation, it was appropriated to canons of the Augustinian order, and was dedicated to SS. Mary and John the Baptist: this monastery eventually rivalled the original establishment, and despoiled it of its treasures, and held, besides the rich land around, stretching towards the Severn, the grange or farm of Podesmead, about two miles distant, and property in some fifty different parishes in the counties of Hereford and Gloucester. The priory church was demolished on the construction of the ship canal in the last century, but there still remains a fine old bam with double bays of ashlar work, strengthened and ornamented with stone buttresses of admirable outline, and a noble embattled gateway of the Decorated period, adorned with shields of arms. In 1852 several stone effigies of the 12th century, supposed to represent members of the de Bohun family, were discovered: 200 Dutch prisoners of war were confined at the farm in June, 1781. To the east of the church of St. Mary-de-Crypt are remains of the Grey Friars monastery, founded by Thomas Lord Berkeley, before 1268: westward, and to the south of the same church, are remains of the establishment of Dominicans or Black Friars, consisting of the dormitory, 75 feet long, with open timber ceiling, and the refectory, 100 feet long; under the Fleece inn is a crypt of the 12th century, and the “Saracen’s Head” retains a vaulted cellar of Perpendicular date; the New inn, in Northgate street, is a timber house of chestnut wood, erected for the use of pilgrims, by John Twining, a monk of the abbey, between 1450 and 1457.

The municipal and parliamentary borough are co-extensive, and contain an area of 1,437 acres; rateable value, £161,034; the population in 1891 was 39,444, viz.:-Barton ward, 15,478; East ward, 9,297; South ward, 7,237; West ward, 7,432.

The number of electors on the parliamentary register in 1895 was 14,383.

The several parishes as below have been amalgamated for civil purposes into the one parish of Gloucester, under the provisions of the “Gloucester Corporation Act, 1894," the consolidation taking effect from March 25, 1896. Under the same Act, the part of Wotton St. Mary Within, outside the city, and comprising the Gloucester County Asylum, was formed into a new civil parish called Wotton Vill.

The population of the ecclesiastical parishes in the civil parish of Gloucester was, in 1891:-All Saints’, 5,859. Christ Church, 2,194; Holy Trinity, 416; St. Aldate, 511; St. Catherine, 3,511; St. James, 5,840; St. John the Baptist, 2,237; St. Luke, 4,392; St. Mark, 3,097; St. Mary de Crypt, 1,125; St. Mary de Lode, 3,938; St. Michael, 1,874; St. Nicholas, 2,851; St. Owen, 522; St. Paul, 5,156; Barton St. Mary, 15,478; Wotton St. Mary (Within), 2,868 (including 250 officers and inmates in the workhouse).

GLOUCESTER UNION

The union comprises the following parishes:-Ashleworth, Barnwood, Brockworth, Churchdown, Down Hatherley, Elmore, Gloucester, Hempstead, Over Highnam & Linton, Hucclecote, Lassington, Longford, Maisemore, Matson, Norton, Prinknash, Quedgeley, Sandhurst, Tuffley, Twigworth, Upton St. Leonards, Whaddon, Wotton St. Mary (without), & Wotton Vill. The population of the union in 1891 was 50,907; area, 32,984 acres; rateable value in 1897, £261,451. Board day, Tuesday, at 10.30 a.m. at the workhouse.Stolen from Fore-bears

Workhouse, Great Western road, an edifice of brick, erected in 1834, & will hold 350 inmates.

THE DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER.

Comprises the County of Gloucester (except the deaneries of Stapleton & Bitton & parts of the parishes of Broughton Poggs, Ilmington, Overbury & part of Ruardean), part of the parishes of Linton & Lea, in Herefordshire, the deaneries of Chippenham & Cricklade & the parish of Marston Meysey, in Wiltshire, and parts of the parishes of Welford & Weston-on-Avon, in Warwickshire, & is divided into two archdeaconries-Cirencester & Gloucester.

PLACES OF WORSHIP, with times of Services

Cathedral of the Holy & Undivided Trinity College green; holy communion, sun. 8 a.m. & midday; holy days, 8 a.m.; Thur. 6.45 a.m.; mattins, 7.30 & 10.30 a.m.; evensong, Sun. 3 p.m.; from Advent to Easter, in the nave at 7 p.m.; week days, 4 p.m.

* (r.) signifies Rectory, (v.) Vicarage.

All Saints (v.), Lower Barton street, Rev. Herbert Chas. Foster, vicar; Rev. Alfred Hunter Cheesman MA. & Rev. William Christian Macklin BA. curates; holy communion, sun. 8 a.m. also 11.45 a.m. on alternate sun.; on great festivals at 6, 7, 8 & 11.45 a.m.; holy days, holy communion 7.40 a.m. & mattins 10 a.m.; sun. mattins, 11 a.m. & evensong, 6.30; children’s service, 3 p.m.; daily mattins, 8 a.m.; evensong, 5.30 p.m.; Wed. evensong, 7 p.m.

Church of the Good Shepherd (chapel of ease to All Saints), Derby road; 3.30 & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.; holy communion, 2nd & 4th Sun.

Christ church (v.), Brunswick square, Rev. Wm. Pelham Acworth MA. vicar; holy communion, 8 & (3rd sun. in the month) 11 a.m.; morning service, 11 a.m. & evening service, 6.30 p.m.; Wed. & Fri. 10.30 a.m. & 7 p.m.

St. Aldate (r.), St. Aldate street, Rev. George James MA. rector; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

St. Catharine (v.), Priory road, Rev. George Clarke Keble BA. vicar; Rev. Geoffrey C. E. Ryley MA., Mus. Bac. curate; holy communion, 8 & 11 a.m.; mattins, 11 a.m. & evensong, 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

St. James (v.), Upton street, Rev. Frederick Billett MA. vicar; Rev. Alfred John Beedle MA. curate; holy communion, 8 a.m.; mattins, 11 a.m. & evensong, 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 8 p.m.

St. John the Baptist (r.), Northgate street, Rev. Alfred Collet Eyre MA.; holy communion, 8 a.m.; mattins, 11 a.m.; evensong, 6.30 p.m.; holy days, holy communion, 8 a.m.; evensong, 7.30 p.m.

St. Luke’s (v.), St. Luke’s street, Rev. Henry Proctor MA. vicar; Revs. Thomas Williams Jones & John Wm. Metcalfe, curates; holy communion, 8 & 11 a.m.; mattins, 11 a.m.; evensong, 6.30 p.m.; daily, 8.40 a.m. & 6 or 7.30 p.m.

St. Mark’s (v.), Kingsholm, Rev. Samuel Edwin Bartleet MA. vicar; Rev. John Muston Bostard MA. curate; holy communion, 8 a.m.; mattins, 11 a.m.; evensong, 3.30 & 6.30 p.m.; holy days, holy communion, 7.30 a.m.; daily, 7.45 a.m.

St. Mary-de-Crypt with All Saints & St. Owen (r.), Southgate street, Rev. G. Milner MA. rector; 8 & 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

St. Mary-de-Lode with Holy Trinity (v.), College green, Rev. S. Richmond Robertson, vicar; Rev. Arthur Butt MA. curate; mattins, 11 a.m.; evensong, 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.; holy communion, 1st & 3rd Sun. 8 & 11 a.m.; other Sun. 8 a.m.

St. Michael’s (r.), The Cross, Rev. George James MA. rector; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Advent, 7 p.m.; Lent, wed. & Fri. 11.30 a.m.

St. Nicholas (v.), Westgate street, Rev. John James Luce MA. vicar; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Thur. 7 p.m.

St. Margaret’s Chapel, Wotton, Rev. S. Richmond Robertson, chaplain; 11 a.m. & 3 p.m.; Wed. & Fri. 11 a.m.

St. Paul (v.), Stroud road, Rev. Jas. Hughes Owen BA. vicar; Rev. W. Tuzo Alston, curate; holy communion, 8 & 11.15 a.m. (choral); mattins, 10.30 a.m.; evensong, 6.30 p.m.; daily mattins, 9 a.m.; evensong, 6 p.m.

Mariners’ Chapel, The Docks, Rev. George Mallett, chaplain; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.; bible class, 7.30 p.m. Tues.; prayer meeting, Sat. 3 p.m. The week day services are held in the Mission hall, Southgate street.

St. Peter ad Vincula (Catholic), London road, Rev. Jsph. Bernard Chard, priest; 8.30 & 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; daily, 8 a.m. & 7.30 p.m.

English Presbyterian (Whitefield Memorial), Park road, Rev. George Main Smith, minister; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Baptist, Corn exchange, Rev. Joseph Edwin Barton; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Baptist, Brunswick road, Rev. W. E. Rice; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Baptist (Particular) (Mount Zion chapel), Bell lane; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Thur. 7.30 p.m.

Christadelphian Hall, King street; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

Congregational, St. Mary’s square; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

Congregational, Southgate street, Rev. Sidney T. Comer; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Congregational (Tyndale chapel), Lower Barton street, Rev. William John Porter; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Plymouth Brethren, Cromwell street; 11 a.m. & 6 p.m.; Mon. & Wed. 8 p.m.

Plymouth Brethren (Ebenezer Gospel Hall), King street; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Mon. & Thur. 7.30 p.m.

Primitive Methodist, Lower Barton street & Melbourn street, Rev. Edward Clements; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Thur. 7.30 p.m.

Society of Friends, Greyfriars; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7 p.m.

Society of Friends, Sherborne street (Mission Room); 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

Unitarian, Barton street (founded 1699), Rev. Welter Lloyd; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

Wesleyan, Northgate street, 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.: Wed. 7 p.m.

Wesleyan (Ryecroft), Falkner street; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Mariners’ Mission Hall, Southgate street; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.; bible class, 7.30 p.m. Tues.; prayer meeting, Sat. 3 p.m.

Saint Luke’s Mission Room, Linden road, Bristol road; 6.30 p.m.

Tredworth Mission Chapel, High street, Tredworth (in connection with St. James), 6.30 p.m.; children’s service, 2nd sun. 3 p.m.

Primitive Methodist Mission Room, Bristol road, Rev. Benjamin Moore, minister; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.15 p.m.

Primitive Methodist Mission Room, Barton end, Rev. Edward Clements, minister; 6.30 p.m.; Thur.7.30 p.m.

Salvation Army Barracks, King's Barton street.

COLLEGES & SCHOOLS

The King’s School, near the Cathedral, was founded by Henry VIII.; it is not a free school, nor is it limited to sons of the inhabitants of this city; the statutes declare expressly that it is open to all persons who may resort to it: it has been placed among schools of the first grade by the Educational Commissioners, & is maintained by the Dean & Chapter, the 16 cathedral choristers being educated free: three scholarships, called “Monk Scholarships,” have lately been founded by C. J. Monk esq. M.P. of Gloucester, & are of the annual value of £8, tenable for 3 years, & open to boys between the ages of 10 & 13: a large boarding house, in which the headmaster resides, & a field of 5 acres have been acquired for the use of the school: the head & second masters are appointed by the Dean & Chapter: boarders are received by the headmaster, the Rev. Bernard Knollys Foster MA. of Keble College, Oxford.

The Diocesan Mission College (Liddell memorial), in College green, is for the training of laymen for Church Mission work. President, The Right Rev. The Lord Bishop of the Diocese; Canon Missioner, the Rev. John Phillips A. Bowers MA. Canon of Gloucester.

The United Endowed Schools, constituted by the Charity Commissioners in 1882, consist of (1) The Crypt Grammar School; (2) Sir Thomas Rich’s; (3) Girls’ Lower.

Gloucester United Endowed Schools

Governors.

Henry Edward Waddy esq. chairman.

Rayner Winterbotham Batten esq. M.D. vice-chairman.

Co-optative:-Josiah Castree esq. Sir Thomas Robinson Richard Vassar Vassar-Smith esq. *Benjamin Bonnor esq. +John Bryan esq. *Albert Estcourt esq.

Representative (appointed by the Trustees of the Municipal Charities):-§Rayner Winterbotham Batten esq. M.D. (re-appointed), John Edward Turner esq. (re-appointed), +John Pleydell Wilton Haines esq. (re-appointed), ++Henry Edward Waddy esq. (re-appointed), ++Arthur Spry Helps esq. (re-appointed), Richard Gibbs Foster esq.

Representative (appointed by the Town Council):-§Trevor Powell esq. (re-appointed), Alfred Brown esq. (re-appointed), John Allen esq. Richard Holtham esq. James Platt esq. Henry Mousell esq.

Additional Governors for Girls’ School:-Mrs. R. G. Brown; Miss Jane Riddiford; Mrs. H. T. Simpson.

Clerk, Solicitor & Receiver, Thomas H. Washbourn.

Surveyors, Thomas Cadle, County estates; & W. B. Wood, City property.

* Term of office expires 1903; + in 1898; ++ in 1900; § in 1901; .|| in 1902.

The Crypt Grammar School, founded by Alderman John Cook & Joan, his wife, in 1539, was reorganised in 1882 under a new scheme by the Charity Commissioners: in 1889 it was removed from Barton street to new premises at Friar’s Orchard, Brunswick road, comprising 4 acres of ground, extensively wooded & containing a headmaster’s residence, a playground & a cricket & football field: the buildings include an assembly room, class rooms, special & separate accommodation for junior boys, an art room & a chemical laboratory: the headmaster, the Rev. Christopher Naylor MA. late scholar & prizeman of Corpus Christi college, Cambridge, is assisted by a competent staff of masters, & the school is under the management of 18 governors, elected by the corporation & charity trustees: there are about 100 scholars. The Townsend exhibition of £80 a year is tenable for four years at Pembroke College, Oxford.

Sir Thomas Rich’s school was founded by him in 1666 with the object of maintaining & educating 34 poor boys between the ages of 10 & 15; the present number of boys is about 300: this school, formerly in Eastgate street, was removed in 1889 to the buildings in Barton street, previously occupied by the Crypt Grammar School, the site of the old school being now covered by the new Guildhall.

The Girls’ Lower school, Mynd house, Barton street, founded in 1883, has 200 pupils.

The scheme under which these schools are managed also provides for the establishment of a girls’ upper school.

Gloucester Municipal Schools of Science, Art & Technology, Brunswick road.

A School Board of 9 members, for the city, was formed August 1, 1876; Nathaniel Phelps, Serlo rd. George Millard, 4 Commercial road.

Gloucestershire County Council Dairy School; Henry A. Howman, director of dairy instruction, Barrack square.

Gloucestershire School of Cookery & Domestic Economy; Miss Florence Baddeley, organising lady superintendent, Barrack square.

Board School (boys, girls & infants), Widden street, built in 1878, at a cost of £3,500, & enlarged in 1892, for 843 children; average attendance, 257 boys, 257 girls & 352 infants.

Board School, Tredworth road, built in 1886, at a cost of £10,000, for 240 boys, 240 girls & 204 infants; average attendance, 275 boys, 240 girls & 240 infants.

Board School, Linden road, Bristol road, built in 1895, at a total cost of £14,345, for 494 boys & girls & 326 infants; average attendance (mixed) about 430 & 210 infants. This school is a centre for cookery.

Christchurch National (for girls & infants), Park road, Spa, built to hold 180 children; average attendance, 90.

National, London road (boys), built in 1816, the foundation-stone being laid by the late Duke of Wellington, & enlarged in 1895, for 260 boys; average attendance, 300.

Free (boys), Deacon street, originally established in Northgate street, in 1813, erected in 1878, for 220 boys; average attendance, 150; the endowment arises from estates left by Mrs. Dorothy Cox, Mr. Hyett & Mr. Nourse.

St. Catharine National (girls & infants), Priory road, built in 1875, & enlarged in 1888, for 280 children; average attendance, 203.

St. James’s National, Barton end, built, with master’s house, in 1843, for 170 boys, 180 girls & 140 infants; average attendance, 180 boys, 184 girls & 138 infants.

St. Luke’s National, New street, Stroud road, built in 1870, & since enlarged, for 340 boys, 225 girls & as many infants; average attendance, 330 boys, 220 girls & 243 infants.

St. Mark’s National (boys, girls & infants), Sweet Briar street, for 600 children; average attendance, 140 boys, 140 girls & 160 infants.

St. Mary-de-Lode National (Sydney Reynolds’ Memorial School) (girls & infants), Priory road, built in 1868, for 130 children; average attendance, 120.

St. Michael’s National (girls & infants), Russell street, built in 1848, for 230 children; average attendance, 180.

St. Nicholas National (mixed), Quay street, built in 1872, for 350 children; average attendance, 127 boys & 180 girls & infants.

St. Peter’s (Catholic), London road (mixed), for 180 children; average attendance, 106.

British, Wellington street, erected in 1840, for 275 boys, 220 girls & 120 infants; average attendance, 205 boys, 200 girls & 78 infants.

Wesleyan Day, Northgate street (mixed), for 270 children; average attendance, 230; William George Taylor, master; & 95 infants; average attendance, 80.

Wesleyan Day (Ryecroft), Conduit street (mixed), established in 1871, previous to which date it was the Wesleyan chapel; it will hold 470 children; average attendance, 434.

CARRIERS BY WATER

Bristol Steam Navigation Co. Limited & The Gloucester Steam Shipping Co. Limited (branch office), 25 Commercial road (A. Gowan, agent).

Severn & Canal Carrying Co. Limited-General carriers between Bristol, Gloucester, Newport, Cardiff, Swansea, Cork, Worcester, Hereford, Birmingham, Stourbridge, Wolverhampton & other places in the Midland & Western Counties & South Wales; offices, Docks.

Jacob Rice & Son, to Bristol, Tewkesbury, Pershore, Worcester & Evesham & all parts of Staffordshire, twice a week from Docks, per steam conveyance.

‘Berkeley Castle’ & ‘Avonmore Castle,’ to Apperley daily during the summer, calling at intermediate places from Westgate bridge.

The ‘Wave’ & ‘Lapwing’ steam packets, to & from Gloucester & Sharpness Point (calling at the severe intermediate places as occasion requires), three times daily in summer, once daily in winter, from the Docks, Gloucester (A. W. Francillon, proprietor).