Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for KELSTON, or KELWESTON

KELSTON, or KELWESTON, a village and a parish in Keynsham district, Somerset. The village stands on the river Avon, near Saltford r. station, 4 miles NW of Bath; and has a post office under Bristol. The parish comprises 1, 095 acres. Real property, £2, 714. Pop. in 1851, 259; in 1861, 212. Houses, 43. The decrease of pop. arose partly from the discontinuance of brass mills. The property is divided among a few. The manor belonged to Shaftesbury Abbey, went to a natural daughter of Henry VIII.; passed to the Harringtons, the Hawkinses, and the Neelds; and is now held by trustees of Mr. Inigo Jones. A mansion was built on it, for the Harringtons, in 1587, by Barozzi, the Italian architect; gave entertainment to Queen Elizabeth and James I.; was, with the exception of some out-buildings, taken down in 1760; and was succeeded by a picturesque structure, built for Sir Cæsar Hawkins, nearer the river. A handsome school-house was erected, in 1860, by Col. Inigo Jones. Kelston Round Hill has an altitude of 730 feet above sea level. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Bath and Wells. Value, £296. * The church was rebuilt and enlarged in 1860; consists of nave, S aisle, and chancel, with a tower; and contains the graves of Sir John Harrington, the wit and poet, Henry Harrington, the musician, and the Very Rev. Sir William Cockburn, Bart.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a village and a parish"   (ADL Feature Type: "populated places")
Administrative units: Kelston CP/AP       Keynsham RegD/PLU       Somerset AncC
Place names: KELSTON     |     KELSTON OR KELWESTON     |     KELWESTON
Place: Kelston

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