Lydney, Gloucestershire

Several generations of Burgums of the "WW" family tree lived at Lydney in the Forest of Dean.

Kelly's Directory of Gloucestershire, 1861
Lydney's principle connection with the Burgum and Burgham families was due to the establishment of tinworks at Lydney as well as Lydbrook and Redbrook. Parkened was another significant site. "LYDNEY is a parish, town, and railway station: the parish is bounded on the east by the river Severn, which is here connected with the Wye by means of a tramway; the town is situated on the high road from Gloucester to Chepstow and Swansea, distant from Chepstow 9 miles north- east, 123 miles west-by-north from London by road, and 134 by rail, and 20 south-west from Gloucester, in the Bledisloe hundred, union and county court district of Chepstow, rural deanery of the Forest. Gloucester archdeaconry, and bishopric of Gloucester and Bristol.

The church of St. Mary is a large structure in the Early English style of architecture, with a square tower, surmounted by a handsome spire, nave, north and south aisles, chancel, clock, and a peal of 6 bells.

There is a boys' and girls' school, educating about 250 children, hitherto supported by Charles BATHURST, Esq. There are places of worship for Baptists, Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists. Here is also a mechanics' institute. Fairs are held on May 4th and November 8th, and a general wool and stock fair on 25th June.

Lydney is by some writers supposed to have been the Roman station "Abona," and there are certain evidences of its occupation by the Romans. In Lydney park, where stands the mansion of the late Charles Bathurst, Esq., are remains of a Roman villa and of two camps; and near a Roman bath, in tolerably perfect preservation, fragments of tesselated pavement, urns, statues, coins, &c., have likewise been found.

The town is situated in the district of the Forest of Dean. In the vicinity numerous coal and iron mines are worked, and a very superior kind of stone is quarried. There is also an extensive iron and tinplate works. The Lydney station on the Gloucester, Carmarthen and Swansea line is about half a mile east of the town. Petty sessions are held at the Feathers hotel every four weeks. Lydney creek, port of Gloucester, is the term given to the harbour; the width of the outer gates is 26 feet; and within, vessels of 400 tons find birth."

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