I have an ancestor, Mark Edwards, with a family living at Bearth House, when he was born in 1824. Does anyone know where that was? It could be a farm where his father worked, possibly in the St Briavels/Hewelsfield area.

Thank you

Sandra

Had a look at the Gloucestershire Baptism Index CD - and Mark Edward's baptism at St Briavels - 21 March 1824 - is queried as Bearsh? House

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James & Elizabeth PRITCHARD - had a daughter christened at St Briavels - 5 April 1833 - farm: The Bearse

William & Eliza JONES - christened Daniel at St Briavels - 11 November 1834 - residence: Bearse

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The Advance Search is useful for residence…. and from this quickly looking at St Briavels there are baptisms at The Bearse, Bearse Common, etc. etc.

Well done MPG, no wonder I found nowt when googling Bearth !

Trying again gives the following info,
"Bearse Farm, Bearse Common, Lydney, GL15 6QU"

Searching "Bearse" in the great Old Maps site gives a direct hit at Bearse Common ST BRIAVELS Lydney, hence some close-detail 1:2500 old maps back to 1881 can be viewed. Nowadays there are various "Bearse" properties along this part of the B4228 twixt Sling and St Briavels, altho at first glance the older maps show rather less houses in the same (Orles Barn, old quarry) area ?.
http://www.old-maps.co.uk/maps.html

There's a good 1840 map on British History on Line St Briavels showing Bearse Common - (click on map to enlarge - think I can see Bearse Farm)

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=23262

What a star !, yes the text you've found contains 22 "hits" for Bearse, apparently Bearse Farm dates from the 1700s and was already about 200 acres by 1840, so a busy area when Mark Edwards was born.

Thanks everyone for your help.

Sandra