About

The parish of Westbury-on-Severn is bounded by the River Severn to the south and west, measuring roughly six miles from where Ley Brook flows into the river at The Denny, in the east, to Hyde Brook in the west, and the same north/south at its widest point.

In mediaeval times, the parish comprised 12 tithings: Adsett, Bollow, Boseley, Chaxhill, Cleeve, Elton, Upper and Lower Ley, Northwood (Green), Rodley, Stantway and Westbury. All these settlements remain today and are quite widely separated, the distances between them leading to a heavy dependence on the car.

There are 1,522 electors registered in the parish for 2015/16. Westbury and Northwood Green have the highest population densities, with Westbury having the lion’s share of the facilities because of its position on the A48 trunk road. Facilities in the parish include:

  • Two primary schools (Walmore Hill and Westbury-on-Severn C of E);
  • Community centres at Westbury-on-Severn Parish Hall Northwood Green Social Hall and Flaxley School Room. These serve as the base for various sports and leisure clubs and groups, including rugby, football, short mat bowls, yoga, cricket, W.I, amateur dramatics, scouts, gardening, Age Concern, Golden Age and local history;
  • Churches at Northwood Green, Westbury-on-Severn, Flaxley and Rodley;
  • A variety of shops and leisure facilities, including Post Offices at Westbury and the Flat, Minsterworth, two petrol stations (at Chaxhill and Elton), four pubs and the National Trust Westbury Court Water Gardens;
  • Dental surgery in Westbury

There are two, regular bus services which use the A48 from Gloucester and pass through the parish; one to Cinderford and the Forest of Dean, the other to Chepstow, Newport and Cardiff. Public transport away from the A48 is of the one-trip-a-week variety. The Gloucester to South Wales main railway line runs through Westbury but, unfortunately, the trains no longer stop.

The majority of the land area in the parish is still pasture, with livestock as the main farming activity but, nowadays, most of the working population out-commute.