Notes on Uley which will hopefully assist family historians in adding depth to the basic births, baptism, marriage and death records of their ancestors. The notes are taken from odd fragments of information gleaned over the years, and have no specific format. Much of the information is second or even third hand, and should therefore be checked against the original record. Information is added regularly.
Notes on errors, omissions and additions are always welcomed.
Maps showing surrounding area are available from UK Streetmaps and Multimaps on the Gloslinks page.
Uley is situated approximately two and a half miles north east of Dursley.
Subsidy Rolls 1609-10.( From GNQ VI) The principal inhabitants of Uley, in 1609-10, taken from the Subsidy Rolls:
| Benedict AUSTENS | in lands £20-16-0 |
| William BASSETT, esq. | in goods £12-16-0 |
| John CADLE | in goods £ 3- 3-0 |
| Thomas DAUNSEY | in lands £40-02-8 |
| Michael DORNEY | in lands £20-16-0 |
| Thomas DORNEY, jun. | in lands £ 3-04-0 |
| Thomas DORNEY, sen. | in lands £40-02-8 |
| Thomas FRENCH | in lands £29-16-0 |
| James HARPER | in lands £ 3-03-0 |
| John PARSLOE | in lands £29-16-0 |
| Thomas PEGLER, sessor, | in lands £25-02-0 |
| Thomas POYNTZ, gent | in lands £40-02-4 |
Population
| 1831 = 2641 | 1876 = 1156 | 1911 = 945 | 1917 = 800 |
The reduction in population was due mainly to the collapse of the woollen industry. Families emigrated to Canada, America and Australia. Uley (and Bisley) parish borrowed money to assist families to emigrate.
Mains water was installed in the village in 1936. Prior to that water was obtained
from wells
A piped sewage system was installed in 1958
Gas pipeline installed in late 1930's. Electricity introduced in 1938.
St. Giles Church. Built in 1857-1858 on site of old church.
Designed by Mr. S. Teulon, Architect, London.
From GNQ: The old church, dedicated like its successor to St.
Giles, was an unpretending structure which had been much pulled to pieces by the addition
of pews and galleries. On the south side alone there were three exterior stair-cases
leading to the latter. The tower was supposed to be of great antiquity, but no records
remain respecting it. The whole building, in fact, was in such a condition that
restoration was found to be impossible, and it was therefore altogether removed.
MORE (With Photograph).
Union Chapel (Congregational). Built in 1790. Closed 1972. The
building was turned into a four bedroom, 2 reception room house and is currently (February
1998) advertised for sale at £350,000. The Gloucestershire Records Office holds the
registers, 1793 - 1971 and church roll 1793 - 1971.Monuments:
James HARRIS, 1801, and his widow Mary, 1814.
Timothy JACKSON, 1803
Nathaniel LLOYD, 1808, and his wife Elizabeth, 1807.
Daniel NEALE, 1844, yeoman, and his widow Sarah, 1849.
John TILLEY, 1842, his wife Martha, 1824, their daughter, Sarah, 1821, and her husband
Isaac FORD, 1858.
Thomas TILLEY, 1814. Artist "of this village".
Parish Registers, Uley. [Will open in new window - Close after reading to return to this page]
Further Information.
Gloucestershire Notes and Queries. Volume 1. Edited by the Rev. Beaver H. Blacker, M.A., and published in 1881.
Gloucestershire Notes and Queries. Volume VI. 1894-5. Edited by W.P.W. Phillimore, M.A., B.C.L. Published 1896.
Nonconformist Chapels and Meeting-Houses, Gloucestershire. Royal Commission on Historical Monuments of England. 1986.ISBN 0 11 300008 1
Dursley and its Neighbourhood. By John Henry Blunt, M.A., F.S.A, First published 1877. Reprinted 1975 Alan Sutton. ISBN 0 904387 04 6
Uley - A Cotswold Village. Edited by Leslie Hopkins, assisted by Robert Ward. Published by the Uley Society. 1983.
Parish Records. Gloucestershire Records Office.