Pembridge Castle, originally called Newland Castle sits on the Welsh border and was thought by some to have been built by Matilda de Valery, wife of William Braose, in the late 12th century or early 13th. However, others say that the castle was built by Ralph de Pembridge in 1135. Whatever the truth, the Pembridge family were in residence in 1208 and it was probably at this time that the name changed from Newlands to Pembridge.
Sir Richard Burley
Possession of the Castle went from the Pembridge family to Sir Richard Burley, born in 1337, who was the eldest son and heir of Sir John Burley and his wife Amicia, the elder of the two sisters of Sir Richard Pembrugge.
He married Beatrice de Stafford without license, but was later pardoned – there were no children.
At the battle of Auray in Britanny on Michaelmas day 1364, Burley was given the command of the van along with Sir Robert Knolls and Sir Walter Hewett, and he is reported to have distinguished himself on many occasions during this campaign. Of particular note was his role in the battle in which Du Guesclin was imprisoned and Charles de Blois killed.
In 1382 he was elected into the Order of the Garter, and took the place of the deceased Earl of Suffolk near to the Prince’s side.
In 1386 letters of protection allowed him to move into Gascony, but one year later dreadful disease decimated the English army in Spain and under a convention with the enemy Richard Burley withdrew to Vilhalpando in Leon to try to recover. After some considerable time he succumbed to the disease and died on 23rd May 1387.
He is buried in Saint Paul’s Cathedral.
Edward Tudor; the Hoptons ; Sir Walter Pye and Thomas Bartlett
Pembridge Castle then went to Edward Tudor the half brother of Henry V1.
In 1445 the Castle passed into the vast Hopton family who later sold it to Sir Walter Pye.
After the Civil War when the castle was used as a Royalist outpost and suffered great damage during the siege of 1644, it was sold to George Kemble who set about making the castle fit to live in again.
Tenant farmers were in residence in the 18th century until the early 20th century when Thomas Bartlett, doctor, antiquarian and bishop of an obscure Anglo Orthodox sect, restored the castle; the gatehouse was repaired; the walls were rebuilt with new crenellations and the south gatehouse tower was rebuilt.
1841 – Pembridge Castle Household
| Jonas Keddle | 60 | Farmer | |
| Sarah Keddle | 68 | ||
| George Keddle | 25 | ||
| Henry Keddle | 20 | ||
| Sarah Keddle | 22 | ||
| Charlotte Keddle | 18 | ||
| Thomas Keddle | 23 | ||
| Eliza Keddle | 22 | ||
| Alfred Keddle | 3 | ||
| Morgan Keddle | 2 |
There seems to be some confusion in the camp over the actual birth dates of Jonas and Sarah!
1851 – Pembridge Castle Household
| Jonas Keddle | 69 | Farmer | b. Somerset |
| Sarah Keddle | 71 | Wife | b. Dorset |
| George Keddle | 34 | Son | b. Monmouthshire |
| George H. Selway | 13 | Visitor | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| Susannah Arkwell | 19 | Servant | b. Herefordshire |
| Thomas Lewis | 17 | Farm Labourer | b. Herefordshire |
| Thomas Arker | 18 | Farm Labourer | b. Herefordshire |
1861 – Pembridge Castle Household
| William Nelmes | 37 | Farmer | b. Gloucestershire |
| Sarah Nelmes | 38 | Wife | b. Breconshire |
| Mary B. Nelmes | 14 | Daughter | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| William Nelmes | 12 | Son | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| John A Nelmes | 8 | Son | b. Llangarron, Herefordshire |
| Elizabeth A Nelmes | 6 | Daughter | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| George Nelmes | 4 | Son | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| Emily J. Nelmes | 2 | Daughter | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| Julia B. Nelmes | 1 mth | Daughter | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| Lilian Larkman | 26 | Governess | b. London |
| Sarah Walters | 20 | Servant | b. Monmouthshire |
| Mary Scrivens | 15 | Servant | b. Monmouthshire |
| James Phelps | 22 | Carter | b. Aston Ingham, Herefordshire |
| James Powell | 17 | Servant | b. Monmouthshire |
| William Roberts | 13 | Carters Boy | b. St. Weonards, Herefordshire |
1871 – Pembridge Castle Household
| William Nelmes | 47 | Auctioneer and farmer | b. Gloucestershire |
| Sarah Nelmes | 40 | Wife | b. Breconshire |
| Mary B. Nelmes | 24 | Daughter | b. Kentchurch, Herefordshire |
| John E. Nelmes | 18 | Son | b. Llangarran, Herefordshire |
| Elizabeth A. Nelmes | 16 | Daughter | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| George F. Nelmes | 14 | Son | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| Emily J. Nelmes | 12 | Daughter | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| Julia B. Nelmes | 10 | Daughter | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| Albert E. Nelmes | 8 | Son | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| Mary Hambory | 19 | General Servant | b. Monmouthshire |
| James Walters | 32 | Farm Servant | b. Monmouthshire |
| George Davies | 38 | Farm Servant | b. Llangarran, Herefordshire |
| William Herring | 20 | Farm Servant | b. Llangarran, Herefordshire |
1881 – Pembridge Castle Household
| Robert N. Dampier | 40 | Farmer | b. Combe St. Nicholas, Somerset |
| Martha M. Dampier | 39 | Wife | b. Yarlington, Somerset |
| Catherine A. Dampier | 8 | Daughter | b. Manson, Monmouthshire |
| Robert R. Dampier | 6 | Son | b. Manson, Monmouthshire |
| Florence M. Dampier | 4 | Daughter | b. Manson, Monmouthshire |
| Alexander E. Dampier | 2 | Son | b. Pembridge Castle, Herefordshire |
| Catherine Dampier | 80 | Mother, widow | b. Axminster, Devon |
| Nicholas Dampier | 43 | Brother, Farmer | b. Combe St. Nicholas, Somerset |
| Anna M. Humphries | 19 | Visitor | b. Dixton, Monmouthshire |
| Caroline Jones | 18 | General Servant | b. Monmouthshire |
| Philip Nurse | 19 | Indoor farm servant | b. Llangarren, Herefordshire |
| Charles Prosser | 17 | Indoor farm servant | b. Dixton, Monmouthshire |
1891 – Pembridge Castle Household
| Catherine Williams | Farmer’s Widow | 72 | b. Carmarthenshire |
| John Williams | Son | 40 | b. Breconshire |
| Richard Williams | Son | 35 | b. Breconshire |
| William Williams | Son | 37 | b. Breconshire |
| Elizabeth Williams | Daughter | 39 | b. Breconshire |
| Ann Williams | Daughter | 33 | b. Breconshire |
| Ann Williams | Visitor | 2 | b. Breconshire |
1901 – Pembridge Castle Household
| James M. Jones | 46 | Farmer | b. Walterstone, Herefordshire |
| Clara C. Jones | 42 | Wife | b. Abbeydore, Herefordshire |
| Magera E Jones | 11 | Daughter | b. Walterstone, Herefordshire |
| Reginald J. Jones | 9 | Son | b. Walterstone, Herefordshire |
| Harold W. Jones | 8 | Son | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| Clifford R. Jones | 6 | Son | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| Percy W. Jones | 5 | Son | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| Harvy W. Jones | 4 | Son | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| Elsie M Jones | 2 | Daughter | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| Evelyn S. Jones | 8 mths | Daughter | b. Welsh Newton, Herefordshire |
| Martha A Mainwaring | 21 | Domestic Servant | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
| William H. Sanders | 32 | Farm Bailiff | b. Welland, Worcestershire |