Holy Trinity Church Drybrook aka "Forest Church" (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Thursday, February 14, 2013, 02:50 (4303 days ago) @ slowhands

Hi,
pleased to see you're getting your history sorted and really glad you're going to visit the Dean. Regarding the Forest Church this prior post may interest you as it has links to a BBC TV programme who filmed in the Dean including at the Church last November. The programme used to be available to watch via the BBC website, but sadly that seems to have expired now, altho maybe its still accessible abroad ??.
http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?mode=thread&id=39065

I've checked Youtube and it's not there (yet..), but there is this rather entertaining clip featuring the local Silver Band (another old Vurrest tradition), you can get some idea of the Church interior.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnuIOtbGpjI

I've scoured Youtube for a glimpse of the Church, but even this interesting tour of the local roads in all seasons (or was it just June 2012?!) just manages to miss it. If nowt else it give's you an idea what to expect when driving the area, particularly at 5mins 40secs when the sheep take priority outside the Speech House !.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muNU4GRqFOY

I must get my cousin to post her wedding homemovie on Youtube. She's a Drybrook girl so was married at Forest Church in "the hot summer" of 1976. Her bridal car was a surprise horse-drawn carriage, I recall it was a bit hairy as the horse slipped a few times on the steepish Harrow Hill to the Church, and particularly to the reception up at Euroclydon House, now a nursing home. A lovely day. Apparently in years past it was normal for the churchgoers of my home town Bilson aka Woodside now Cinderford to walk thro the woods and upto the Church, it being built in 1817 well before Cinderford existed as such never mind had Churches.

Re your visit these prior threads may be of some guidance, apologies if you've already searched them out.
http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=36291
http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=33227

Enjoy your visit, hope the sun shines (autumn's often very good, honest!)

PS we sympathise & understand your problems relating to the local area place names and how they've evolved over the years. I grewup there yet still found it hardgoing when I started my FH research a few years ago !
And wrt your PREDDY name, my father's line is from the Pludds area of Lydbrook, and there's a Preedy girl in the mix, Rebecca born 1855 to John(not yours) & Sarah. Irrespective of the various ways of spelling Rebekkah, I've seen Preedy spelt in Census' and PRs in almost all these variations, no wonder your branch moved to the USA !! (Preedy, Preddy, Predy, Predey, Preedey, Priedy, Priddy, Priddey, Priday, Pryday, Pridday, and even Prideaux !!).