Project progress to date

The Forest of Dean transcription project has now been running for just over three and a half years with a total of 700,000 records having been added to the database. The project currently covers 61 parishes in Gloucestershire, namely:-

Abenhall, Alvington, Arlingham, Ashleworth, Awre, Beachley, Blaisdon, Blakeney, Bream, Bromsberrow, Bulley, Christchurch, Churcham, Cinderford St.Johns, Cinderford St.Stephens, Clearwell, Clifford's Mesne, Coleford, Corse, Drybrook, Dymock, English Bicknor, Flaxley, Gorsley, Hartpury, Hasfield, Hewelsfield, Huntley, Kempley, Lassington, Littledean, Longhope, Longney, Lydbrook, Lydney, Maisemore, Minsterworth, Mitcheldean, Newent, Newland, Newnham, Norton, Oxenhall, Parkend, Pauntley, Preston by Ledbury, Ruardean, Rudford, St. Briavels, Staunton, Staunton by Newent, Tainton, The Leigh, Tibberton, Tidenham, Tirley, Tutshill, Upleadon, Viney Hill, Westbury & Woolaston.

together with 16 Herefordshire border parishes, namely:-

Aston Ingham, Bishopswood, Goodrich, Hope Mansell, Lea, Ledbury, Linton, Little Marcle, Marstow, Much Marcle, Ross on Wye, Upton Bishop, Walford, Welsh Bicknor, Weston under Penyard & Whitchurch.

8 Monmouthshire border parishes, namely:-

Chapel Hill, Chepstow, Dixton, Llandogo, Monmouth, Penalt, St. Arvans & Tintern.

And 2 Worcestershire border parishes, namely:

Longdon & Redmarley D'Abitot

In addition to these Church of England records, all of the Gloucestershire Forest of Dean non conformist records are being added to the database, together with the non conformist records from the Herefordshire and Monmouthshire border areas.

It is estimated that when the project is nearing completion in about 12 months time, the database will contain over 800,000 records.

For Gloucestershire we are now filming the most recent (post 1900) parish and non conformist registers, together with all the marriages from Gloucester parishes, and it is hoped that these will be completed by the end of the year.

For Monmouthshire we have been working closely with Mike John and have copied most of the available transcripts of border parishes from his website. We are currently adding Monmouth to the database.

Progress on the Herefordshire border parishes has been slower, but we will only need one more visit to the Record Office to complete the filming.

We have now started the task of photographing the pre-1812 Bishops Transcripts starting with the Gloucestershire parishes. So far 6 are complete or in hand, the plan is to send out the parish registers, the BTs and the current transcripts to volunteers, so that they can be checked and updated with any additional information which is in the BTs but not the parish registers.

There are also 11 Gloucestershire registers which are still held in the churches, and plans are now in hand to get the majority of these photographed this year. The parishes concerned are Abenhall, Beachley, Bulley, Churcham, Corse, Maisemore, Rudford & Tainton.

It's good to hear that so many researchers are benefiting from the database. We are greatly indebted to all the transcribers without whom none of this would have been possible.

Graham Davison
Project Coordinator

July 2009

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This report is available as a PDF document
Project progress to date 2009-07-06.pdf