Bisley, a decayed small town and a parish in Gloucestershire. The town stands 3 1/2 miles E by N of Brimscombe station on the G.W.R., 2 1/2 E by N of Chalford, 4 E of Stroud, and 102 from London. It has a post and money order office under Stroud; telegraph office, Chalford. This town formerly was famous for its sheep fairs, and a considerable manufacture of woollens was long carried on in the parish. There is a court-house, used for the meeting of the local Board of Health, and containing also a library and reading-room. A weekly market used to be held on Thursday. The parish includes also the hamlets of Bidfield, Bussage, Cbalford, Oakridge, Eastcombe, Eicomb, France Lynch, Througham, and Tunley. Acreage, 7399; population of the civil parish, 5171; of the ecclesiastical, 1687. The manor belonged anciently to the Mortimers, and was held by Edward, Duke of York, afterwards Edward IV. The old manor-house, Over Court, belonged to Queen Elizabeth before her accession to the throne. A common of 1200 acres is said to have been given by Roger Mortimer, Earl of March, to the poor of the parish, which has now been enclosed. Roman remains have been found in various places, and ruins of a Roman villa at Lilly-horn. The stone called "Bisley rag," which has been largely used in the construction of the churches in the county, was obtained in this parish. The living is a vicarage, united with the chapelry of France-Lynch, in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol; net value, £122 with residence. Patron, the Lord Chancellor. The church belongs to the Decorated and Perpendicular Periods, was restored in 1861, and contains an ancient font and a monument of a crusader, supposed to be one of the Nottingham family. A stone cross, believed to be of the 13th century, octagonal and finely panelled, is in the churchyard. The vicarages of Bussage, Chalford, and Oakridge are separate benefices. There is a Baptist chapel at Eastcombe, a Wesleyan chapel at Oakridge, and Congregational, Baptist, Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist chapels at Chalford.
