Thirty-six freeholders voted in 1776.

Population, 560—800—770. Houses inhabited, 117. The church, dedicated to St. John the Evangelist, is neat and well pewed, consisting of a nave and two side aisles, with a gallery, and a lofty well-proportioned spire at the west end. The Berkeley arms are painted in the window of the chancel and south aisle. The patronage of this church was originally in the Berkeley family, and was granted to the priory of Stanley Saint Leonards. Thomas de Bredon, Abbot of Gloucester, released the advowson to Thomas Lord Berkeley, in consideration of lands, called Lorlyrge, or Lorrenge, near Cam. It now belongs to Magdalen College, in Oxford, and the rector pays 107. a year to the college, to support a peculiar custom of having choir music every year on the top of Magdalen tower. Three rectors have been removed from this parish to bishoprics. The last, Owen Oglethorpe, was made Bishop of Carlisle, by Queen Mary, and was the only one that could be prevailed upon to crown Queen Elizabeth, Jan. 15, 1559. Charles Walker, A. M. is incumbent.

In P. N. tax. the church of Slynıbrugg, 28/. 13s. 4d. In King's books, 28l. 2s. 11d,

CCLXIV. STINCHCOMB,

Is a parish, two miles from Dursley, fifteen south from Gloucester, and contains 1208 acres, chiefly in pasture, with some tillage. It is said to have been formerly a part of Cam.

Stinchcomb is not mentioned in Domesday; the family of Braddeston were early proprietors, and continued so

till the reign of Hen. IV. Elizabeth, the heiress, carried it by marriage to Walter de la Pool, about 1434: and Sir Edward Ingoldsthorp was seized of this, and other estates, which had belonged to the Bradstones, 1457. It came afterwards to Lord Wentworth, who, in the reign of Elizabeth, sold it among several proprietors. Mr. John Hollister was lord of the manor in 1608, after whom it came to the family of Pinfold. John Pinfold, Esq. died in 1779, and left it to Edward Hoskins, Esq. from whom it passed, by purchase, with the mansion-house and a good estate, to John Wallington, Esq.

Peers Court, the residence of J. Wallington, Esq. is situated on a commanding spot, overlooking, on the west side, the fine rich vale of Berkeley, and the distant cliffs which overhang the Severn.

A good house and estate belong to John Mabbett, Gent. and a considerable estate to Thomas Morse, Esq.

STANCOMB is a hamlet, in which Stancomb-house, with a considerable estate, is the property of William Purnell, Esq. (256)

CLINGER, is partly in this parish (253).

Abundance of fossils of different kinds are found in the quarries in this neighbourhood.

Stinchcomb-hill shelters the village on the east: on the summit of it is an extensive plain, the scene of many rustic diversions. The prospects from this elevated spot are peculiarly beautiful, as far as bird's-eye views will admit. The extent of rich country which lies within its command is very great; and one of its principal beauties is the wide estuary of the Severn, which is here displayed in its grandest features.

Sixteen freeholders voted in 1776.

- Population, 500-450-419. Houses inhabited, 74. The benefice is a perpetual curacy in Dursley deanery, augmented by a benefaction of Mr. Pinfold and Queen Anne's bounty. The impropriate tythes did belong to the Bishop of Gloucester, till they were sold under the late act for the redemption of the land-tax, to John Wallington, Esq. William Purnell, Esq. Tho. Morse, Esq. and John Mabbett, Gent. with a reservation of twenty pounds a year to the curate, and patronage to the bishop. Rev. William Fryer is incumbent.

The church, dedicated to St. Cyril, consists of a nave and chancel, with a steeple of moderate height, resting on a tower battlemented and pinnacled. On the north side is a handsome porch, with ribbed vaulted cieling. On all the upper windows of the tower are the figures, '1632,' in open work, probably the date of its erection. The church is of an earlier period, about the latter end of the fourteenth century. No church was standing at the timeof P. N. tax.

CCLXV. STONE,

Is a small parish eighteen miles s. from Gloucester, and sixteen N. from Bristol. It is in general considered only as a tything of Berkeley The soil is nearly the same. The turnpike road from Gloucester to Bristol passes through it, crossing a large brook, which forms the Avon and joins the Severn below Berkeley. It contains about

300 acres.

The manor is not mentioned in Domesday, but unquestionably included in the lordship of Berkeley. Some persons occur in ancient records as possessors of the manor,

but they were probably mesne lords, or the manor 3003 reverted to the Berkeleys, and now belongs to the same noble family, with no property attached.

The principal estate belongs to the Rev. Stiverd Jenkins, who has a good house in the village. Considerable property is vested in the family of Cox.

In Lower-stone, John Hooper Bromedge, Esq. has an estate and house, in which he resides.

Houses inhabited, 39.

Seven freeholders voted in 1776. Population, 200—200—242. The benefice is a curacy in Dursley deanery, annexed to Berkeley, the vicar of which pays 87. a year to the curate. Mr. Morse left 300l. to purchase lands, and directed that 10l. a year should be paid to the curate, on condition of his residing there. To this has been added Queen Anne's bounty.

The tythes of this place belonged to the priory of Bradenstoke, co. Wilts, and were granted to the chapter of Bristol. Edward Lloyd, Esq. is lessee.

The church, dedicated to All Saints, is a handsome building, consisting of a nave and tower, with a neat spire. The whole is adorned with battlements and pinnacles.

CCLXVI. ULEY, anciently EUUELEGE,

Is two miles N. E. from Dursley, and fourteen s. from Gloucester. The soil in the lower parts is deep and in pasture, with some orcharding, intermixed with arable and wood land. The name seems to owe its origin to the springy nature of the land, as the word, like Dursley, signifies a watery place.

The clothing manufacture flourishes here to a considerable extent, and the poorer classes are entirely employed in it. A fine stream runs through the village, most conveniently adaptel and applied to the various machinery of modern introduction.

EUUELEGE was anciently a member of the great lordship of Berkeley. This estate was held by the elder branch of the family, till it was settled upon Maurice Berkeley, second son of Maurice Lord B. some time in the reign of Edw. III. This Maurice was the ancestor of the Stoke Giffard family, and his descendants held this manor without interruption till the reign of Richard III. when joining with the Duke of Buckingham against the King, he was forced to fly into Britaigne, and his estate given to Jasper, Duke of Bedford, uncle to Hen. VII. but in 1489, it was again re-granted to the family, and has descended to the present Earl of Berkeley.

Basset's-court, an ancient seat of the Basset's, is a reputed manor. It came into this family by marriage of Sir Anselm Basset, with Margaret, daughter of Thomas Lord Berkeley, and continued in their descendants till about the middle of last century, when it was parcelled out and sold to different proprietors. A small part only of the old manor is now remaining. The principal part belongs to G. Millar, Esq. (262)

The White-Court is another reputed manor, and is said formerly to have had two parks. The manor house has been demolished time immemorial, but the name is still retained, and the premises are covered with the buildings of various proprietors.

Stout's-hill, is an elegant building, ornamented in the Gothic style, situated on an eminence, with the village in