Ruardean St John the Baptist Burgums of the "AA" family tree, the "FF" family tree and the "GG" family tree lived and worshipped in this area. RUARDEAN ST JOHN the BAPTIST lies in the village of Ruardean, west of Cinderford, in the Forest of Dean. The church is a stone structure particulary impressive due to its fine spire and its location high on a hill. The church dates from 1111 AD and has a large wide nave, south aisle and chancel and tower with six bells. The porch was added in the 1200's, while the spire was added in the 1300's. As well as Ruardean itselfe, nearby there was Ruardean Hill and Ruardean Woodside. In addition to Ruardean St John the area was served by Ruardean Congregational, Crooked Ene Methodist Chapel and Ruardean Hill Baptist Chapel.

The list below shows the burials that took place at Ruardean.

Name	Date	Location	BMD	Minister	Notes	FT
Mary Burgin	06 Mar 1636	Ruardean St John	Baptism		P=William + Joan
William Burgine	02 Jun 1636	Ruardean St John	Burial		P=James + Annie
Julian Burgine	31 Jul 1636	Ruardean St John	Burial		dau of William
Jane Burgam	07 Jan 1669	Ruardean St John	Burial
Samuel Bergum	29 May 1683	Ruardean St John	Burial	James Jones	P=Edmund + Elizabeth
Edmund Bergum	22 Jun 1684	Ruardean St John	Baptism	James Jones	P=Edmund + Elizabeth
Hannah Bergum	04 Sep 1687	Ruardean St John	Baptism	Richard Greenway (1)	P=Edmund + Elizabeth
Thomas Bergum	09 Aug 1691	Ruardean St John	Baptism	Richard Greenway (1)	P=Edmund + Elizabeth
Elizabeth Bergum	15 Oct 1700	Ruardean St John	Burial	Richard Greenway (1)	m=Edmund Bergum
Ann Bergum	04 Jan 1721	Ruardean St John	Burial
Sarah Burgum	04 Jun 1727	Ruardean St John	Baptism
Hannah Birgum	01 Nov 1730	Ruardean St John	Baptism		P=Thomas + Sarah
Thomas Birgum	31 Oct 1732	Ruardean St John	Burial
Thomas Burgum	10 Feb 1734	Ruardean St John	Baptism		P=Thomas + Sarah
Stephen Bergum	12 Dec 1735	Ruardean St John	Marriage		m=Hannah Keyse
John Birgum	13 Feb 1736	Ruardean St John	Baptism		P=Thomas + Sarah
Benjamin Burgum	28 Oct 1739	Ruardean St John	Baptism		P=Thomas + Sarah
Benjamin Burgum	10 May 1741	Ruardean St John	Burial	Edward Kidley (2)	P=Thomas + Sarah
Mary Bergum	04 Dec 1742	Ruardean St John	Burial	Edward Kidley (2)
Mary Burgum	19 Jun 1749	Ruardean St John	Marriage	Edward Kidley (2)	m=George Smart
Thomas Burgum	01 Dec 1751	Ruardean St John	Baptism	Edward Kidley (2)	P=Edmund + Mary
Ann Burgum	16 Sep 1753	Ruardean St John	Baptism	Edward Kidley (2)	P=Edmund + Mary
Thomas Burgum	29 Aug 1764	Ruardean St John	Burial	Henry Jones
Sarah Burgum	06 Apr 1771	Ruardean St John	Marriage	D. Jones	m-James George
Mary Bergum	01 Sep 1774	Ruardean St John	Burial	John Harris
Thomas Burgum	27 Jun 1779	Ruardean St John	Baptism	J.H. Beeston (3)	P=Thomas + Ann
Sarah Burgum	25 Jul 1779	Ruardean St John	Burial	J.H. Beeston (3)	widow
Mary Burgum	13 Jan 1799	Ruardean St John	Baptism	J.H. Beeston (3)	P=Henry + Sarah	GG
Hannah Burgum	30 Jun 1799	Ruardean St John	Burial	J.H. Beeston (3)	Base dau. of Mary
Elizabeth Burgum	11 May 1800	Ruardean St John	Baptism	J.H. Beeston (3)	P=Henry + Sarah	GG
William Burgum	26 Dec 1802	Ruardean St John	Baptism	J.H. Beeston (3)	P=Henry + Sarah	GG
Thomas Burgum	14 Dec 1806	Ruardean St John	Baptism	J.H. Beeston (3)	P=Thomas + Ann
Sarah Burgum	21 May 1809	Ruardean St John	Baptism	J.H. Beeston (3)	P=Henry + Sarah	GG
John Burgham	03 Sep 1815	Ruardean St John	Baptism	T.D. Fosbrooke (4)	P=Henry + Sarah	GG
Eliza Burgham	16 May 1837	Ruardean St John	Baptism	J. Chell	P=Thomas + Mary
Selina Burgham	24 Dec 1840	Ruardean St John	Baptism	W.F. Rawes	P=Thomas + Mary A.	GG?
William Burgam	23 Dec 1848	Ruardean St John	Burial	Edward Mansfield (5)	Age 34	FF
Editha Burgum	25 Oct 1849	Ruardean St John	Marriage	M.S. Suckley	m=Thomas Owen	FF
Joseph Burgum	08 Apr 1860	Ruardean St John	Baptism	William Penfold (6)	P=Anthony T. + Ann	FF
William J. Burgam	1868	Ruardean St John	Baptism	William Penfold (6)	P=Elizabeth Burgam
Sarah T. Burgum	28 Feb 1868	Ruardean St John	Marriage	William Penfold (6)	m=William E. Partridge	GG
John Burgum	29 Jul 1871	Ruardean St John	Marriage	William Penfold (6)	m=Rolinda Hussey	GG
Caroline Burgwyn	30 May 1882	Ruardean St John	Burial	J.B. Beesley (7)	Age 35

(1) The Rev. Richard Greenway was vicar at Ruardean from 1681 until 1745. He was temporarily suspended in 1739 for failing to attend an episcopal visitation! gave in his will in 1745, £60, the interest of which was applied for the purpose of keeping a free-school for ever to teach 15 of the poorest inhabitants children in the parish of Ruardean to read well in the Bible and to say the Church-catechism under the care of four trustees.

(2) Edward Kidley, rector of Welsh Bicknor just across the River Wye, was employed as curate in Ruardean between 1737 and 1754.

(3) Rev. John Howton Beeston married Alicia Collins, whose father was John Stratford Collins, High Sheriff of the county of Herefordshire, who lived at Wythall, Walford. He was also rector of Hope Mansell and vicar of Ruardean. He died at the age of 55. The Monthly Magazine, May 1st 1811 stated "This truely pious man had, only an hour before, performed his sacred duties at the parish church of Walford, and was preparing to enter the church at Ruardean, when he was instantaneously seized, and expire in the arms, and amidst the tears, of his flock. His death will long be regretted by all who knew his unassuming merits, both as a scholarand private character, and deeply lamented by a disconsolate widow and numerous family". Alicia lived until 1849, dying in her 87th year.

(4) Rev. Thomas Dudley Fosbroke was an antiquarian and curate as well as serving as vicar of Walford and Ruardean from 1810. In 1822 Fosbrooke allowed Isaac Bridgman, the curate of Holy Trinity near Drybrook, to deliver a weekly lecture in the church, which Bridgman opened on one occasion to the evangelical preacher Rowland Hill. His writings published during that time included a guide to the river Wye. In his later years Fosbrooke sometimes employed a curate at Ruardean. He died in 1842, aged 72 years. A tablet in the church says - "for 32 years he faithfully discharged the duties of those parishes... in the literary world he had attained a high degree of eminence as a scholar, an antiquarian and local historian."

(5) Edward Mansfield was educated at Exeter College, Oxford, taking his B.A degree in 1842. He was curate at Dursley (1843-44) and St Mark, Gloucester (1846) before becoming the incumbent at Ruardean from 1847 until 1850. He left to become vicat of the Church of the Holy Innocents, Highnam, just outside Gloucester.. He resigned in 1876 due to ill-health and moved to the South of England. He died at Worthing in 1889.

(6) The Rev. William Penfold was born about 1792, and came from Steyning, Sussex. He married Ellen Lucy Woodward at Gloucester in 1853 and had several children including Charlotte, Frances, Catherine, William and John (who also became an eminent Anglican Priest). William was appointed perpetual curate of Ruardean in March 1851. The living in 1879 was described as- "a rectory, yearly value £235 and 3 acres of glebe, in the gift of the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol and held by the Rev. William Penfold (rector), M.A. of Lincoln College, Oxford. He became Chaplain to the Duke of Beaufort. William died aged 81 at the Rectory, in Ruardean on 22nd May 1881, having been rector there for thirty years.

(7) Rev. J.B. Beesley was collated to the vicarage at Ruardean by the Lord Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol in 1881.