Forest of Dean FHT Forum - Property history pre census years

Property history pre census years (reply)

MPGriffiths — Sun, 04 May 2025 10:37:51 +0000

Looking at the spelling of surnames..... Lea (Ross, Hereford) ---- ARUDGE and GAREWAY....

Forest of Dean Transcripts from the original records, GAREWAY is spelt GORWAYE...... Researching Ancestors surnames can at times be difficult, especially with accents, West Country included, which is my accent. I would pronounce GAREWAY, GOREWAY. Also RUDGE, the R would be 'rolled'

Property history pre census years (reply)

MPGriffiths — Sun, 04 May 2025 10:21:13 +0000

In a recent reply to another Member, I did mention Men in Armour for Gloucestershire 1608, which is an online database on names, occupations, stature and age of 20,000 men in Gloucestershire, Able and Sufficient Men in Body fir for His Majesty's Service in the Wars etc.

If you Google: Coaley.net this contains a searchable transcript which you might find useful, given approx age , height and what they are fit for. There is a help page to explain the abbreviations.

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Having a quick check for RUDGE - the surname appears to also be spelt ARUDGE or even ALLRUDGE

The place names listed are

ELMORE (Gloucestershire)

ABENHALL (Forest of Dean)

RUARADEAN .... as spelt (Dean)

Lea (ROSS, Hereford)

Thomas ARUDGE, husbandman A40 - meanest stature
Thomas ARUDGE, yeoman unable in body has a corslet furnished
Robert ARUDGE son of Thomas ARUDGE yeomen A20, lower stature
the day John HANNIS and the said John GARWAY and John RUDGE have between them one musket furnished.

HINTON (Berkeley)

DURSELEY

WESTERLEIGH (South Glas. east of Bristol

Property history pre census years

Cole — Sat, 03 May 2025 20:37:40 +0000

Hi,
I'd love to know please if anyone knows of any records from before the census years, and ideally around the 1600s, that would shed light when researching a property.

I have been researching 2 farms in my family - Red House Farm - Dancing Green, and Meadow Farm - Pontshill.
Thanks to this fabulous site and the parish records, I have got back as far as John RUDGE residing at the Meadow in 1639. The Dancing Green has been more challenging.
The Herefordshire Militia Assessments of 1663 were useful for the Meadow, is there anything similar during those years for the forest and Gloucestershire?

I'd love to see any photos anyone has of the dancing green or Pontshill too.

Best wishes,
Sam