NEWNHAM, a market-town and parish, in the
hundred of WESTBURY, county of GLOUCESTER, 11
miles (W.S.W.) from Gloucester, and 116 (W. byN.)
from London, containing 1012 inhabitants. This town
appears to have originated in a ford over the river
Severn, formed by a ridge of rocks and a sand-bank, the
shifting of which latter, in 1802, rendered the river no
longer fordable. Here was anciently a castle, which
constituted one of the fortresses on the Welch frontier,
in the times of our Norman kings, but there are no traces
of it. The town is situated on the western bank of the
river, which is navigable, and across which there is a ferry
to Arlingham. A harbour for vessels of one hundred and
fifty tons' burden was constructed about eighty years
ago, and some coasting trade is carried on, though the
difficult navigation of the river near the town has
contributed to lessen its commerce, much of which has
been transferred to a port, a few miles to the south,
called Gatcombe. Ajrerdegris manufactory, and shipbuilding,
afford employment to some of the inhabitants;
and at Aylesford, in this parish, are large forges tor
working iron and making iron-wire. There being in tne
neighbourhood extensive iron and coal mines, and tne
carriage;of their produce is facilitated by the Bullo m
railway, which passes from the marble works on tn
Severn southward of the town, into the Forest of Dean,
through a tunnel one thousand and sixty yards m extent,
and also by the Berkeley canal. The market, now
very inconsiderable, is on Friday; and fairs are held o
the llth of June and 18th of October. The govern
ment was vested in a mayor and burgesses in the re g
of Edward I., but there are now few relics'of its. terms1
importance, except a sword of state, said to Have been
the gift of King John: two constables, locally termed
Beams, are appointed j but, until the beginning of the
present century, the inhabitants annually celebrated
the election of a mayor and six aldermen. The lord
of the manor holds a court leet yearly; and petty sessions
for the Forest of Dean are held here and at
Woolaston alternately. Newnham was returned as one
of the five boroughs in Gloucestershire, on a mandate
from the Crown, in the ninth of Edward I, and is
said formerly to have sent two members. to parliament.
The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry
and diocese of Gloucester, and in the patronage
of the Mayor and Corporation of that city. The
church, which is dedicated to St. Peter, and 'stands on
a cliff near the river, contains some portions of Norman
architecture, especially the arched entrance into the
chancel, ornamented with zig-zag mouldings, and supposed
to have belonged to a more ancient edifice. There
is a place of worship for Independents. Fifteen poor
boys are annually clothed from the funds of a charity,
called "Jocham's charity;" James Jocham having, by
will, dated December 21st, 1764, given the interest of
£1000 for ever, for this and other benevolent purposes.
There is also a savings bank.