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Downton Castle is situated at Downton on the Rock close to the border with Shropshire, and in the parish of Leintwardine. It should not be confused with Downton Hall which is a few miles the other side of the border. Continue reading Downton Castle History →

The church of St. Giles is the second to be built at Downton, the first being left to decay and fall to ruin in 1861.  Continue reading St. Giles Church – Downton on the Rock →

Downton on the Rock is on the Teme river some 10 miles from Leominster, and in the parish of Leintwardine

Continue reading Downton On the Rock →

Fire, guns and deadly lip balm – Leintwardine was accident prone

Continue reading Leintwardine News from the Past →

The Civil War, railway tunnels, market hall, gas lighting and much more

Continue reading Ledbury News from the Past →

The Lea Tunnel and Harvest Home Continue reading Lea News from the Past →

Accidents and a repulsive tramp Continue reading Kinnersley News from the Past →

Eeels, cricket clubs, free shoes and more Continue reading Kington News from the Past →

Toll Evasion, breach of promise, death and turnip thieves Continue reading Kingstone News from the Past →

Benefactions, Festivals and letters from the War in India Continue reading Kingsland News from the Past →

Account of the Cuban War with Spain, and other things Continue reading Kings Pyon News from the Past →

Tales of accidents, assault and other stuff Continue reading Kings Caple News from the Past →

Tales of strict sentencing and accidents Continue reading Kimbolton News from the Past →

Tales of lucky pigeons and harsh sentences Continue reading Kilpeck News from the Past →

Tales of a streaker, games of bandy,  and drownings Continue reading Kentchurch News from the Past →

Roman Excavations and teetotallers Continue reading Kenchester News from the Past →

Fire, plague, scandal and delinquents Continue reading Ivington News from the Past →

Tales of Fire, desertion, horrible deaths and law suits Continue reading How Caple News from the Past →

Theft, death and hairless horses Continue reading Hope Under Dinmore News from the Past →

Murder – or was it?   Death from alcohol, or was it?

Continue reading Holmer News from the Past →

Dishonesty;  exploding casks and love for landlord Continue reading Holme Lacy News from the Past →

Of Rabies, Bridges and broken stirrup leathers Continue reading Hoarwithy News from the Past →

Fire, Water, death and Masons Continue reading Hentland News from the Past →

Deaths, accidents and a bit of swine fever Continue reading Hampton Bishop News from the Past →

Murder at Hamnish Continue reading Hamnish News from the Past →

Riverside tales Continue reading Goodrich News from the Past →

Early RSPCA case and many drownings Continue reading Glewstone News from the Past →

Spurned suitors;  naughty vicars and bent policemen Continue reading Garway News from the Past →

Tales of a beacon bet, and other things Continue reading Ganarew News from the Past →

Tales of the consequence of drink – again – and other things Continue reading Foy News from the Past →

Of drunkenness, drownings and tragedy Continue reading Fownhope News from the Past →

Murder, suicide and ever so many deaths Continue reading Ewyas Harold News from the Past →

Tales of theft and accidents Continue reading Evesbatch News from the Past →

One death and little else

Continue reading Elton News from the Past →

Tales of Straying Pigs and Toll Evasion Continue reading Edvin Ralph News from the Past →

Possible madness and other things Continue reading Eaton Bishop News from the Past →

Christmas Day and Fire Continue reading Eastnor News from the Past →

Deaths and Post Mortems – WARNING – THIS PAGE CONTAINS GRAPHIC DETAILS Continue reading Eardisley News from the Past →

Landslips;  train crash and floods Continue reading Dormington News from the Past →

Tales of assault and tragedy Continue reading Docklow News from the Past →

Races, water and fire Continue reading Dilwyn News from the Past →

Underweight butter, a load of bull and assault Continue reading Dewsall News from the Past →

June Fair revelry and horse theft Continue reading Cusop News from the Past →

Railways and and absconding husband Continue reading Credenhill News from the Past →

Tales of earthquakes, assault and suicide Continue reading Craswall News from the Past →

Ploughing, drunks and storms Continue reading Cradley News from the Past →

Tales of temperance; a bull and highway robbery Continue reading Collington News from the Past →

Tales of Trespass, fire and the perils of gin Continue reading Coddington News from the Past →

Tales of storms, desertion and heavy drinking Continue reading Clifford News from the Past →

Tales of tributes and whipping Continue reading Clehonger News from the Past →

Fowl theft Continue reading Castle Frome News from the Past →

Tales of depravity;  plague and rain Continue reading Canon Pyon – News from the Past →

Earthquakes, reckless driving and tragedy Continue reading Byton News from the Past →

Murder;  swine fever, fire and much more Continue reading Burghill News from the Past →

Disease freee workhouse. suicide, drowning and more Continue reading Bromyard News from the Past →

Tales of accidents;  drownings and strange weather Continue reading Brimfield news from the Past →

Tragedies and disease Continue reading Bridstow News from the Past →

Guns;  burglary and drownings Continue reading Bridge Sollars News from the Past →

Tales of drink driving and chicken thieves Continue reading Bosbury News from the Past →

Tales of disgraceful behaviour;  Christmas Cheer and suicide Continue reading Bodenham News from the Past →

Flatulence and other news Continue reading Bishopstone news from the Past →

Pig runs amok, and some tragic deaths Continue reading Bishops Frome News from the Past →

A steamer is lost;  triplets;  child assault, and more Continue reading Aymestrey News from the Past →

Tales of unseemliness;  singing and funerals Continue reading Aston Ingham News from the Past →

A selection of fascinating, sometimes funny, sometimes tragic news items from Ashperton’s past Continue reading Ashperton News from the Past →

1849 – Assault

Thomas Turner, Labourer of Adforton, was charged by Mr. John Titley, Farmer of the same place, with having assaulted him on the night of Monday on the road near the complainant’s house. Continue reading Adforton News from the Past →

Harvest Festival and tragedy Continue reading Eardisland News from the Past →

Thatch was not only used for cottages and farmhouses in Herefordshire, but also for many churches and castles. Continue reading Thatcher →

Someone employed to remove stones from a field before ploughing Continue reading Stone Picker →

Also known as a Cordwainer, Cobbler or Snob. Continue reading Shoemaker →

Each of the largest towns in Herefordshire had more than one brewery, and many of the villages had small brewing operations going in in the cottages. Continue reading Brewer →

Not only a maker of wheels, but also of the whole wagon. Continue reading Wheelwright →

A washerwoman usually had her own recipe for making soap – often including wood ash and lard as well as water. Continue reading Washerwoman →

A curer of animal hides. As Herefordshire was, and still is, predominantly rural and industry free, the large numbers of cattle and sheep provided endless raw material for the tanners. Continue reading Tanner →

Farm labourers came under a general umbrella, but the range of talent and skills from man to man varied considerably. Continue reading Agricultural Labourers →

Men involved in the treatment of leather to make it soft, waterproof and durable. Continue reading Currier →

Maker of all manner of carriages, ranging from small light pony traps to large and ornate affairs requiring four or six horses to pull them. Ledbury had a very successful coach building firm in the shape of Hopkins Coachbuilders. Continue reading Coachbuilders →

The “Char” in Charwoman originated from the word chore. Continue reading Charwoman →

Male midwife – See the section on Croft Castle, Herefordshire for an example; albeit an ultimately tragic one. Continue reading Accoucheur →

This is something of a grey area – research has thrown up little of concrete value. Continue reading Horsebreaker →

Dressmakers, also known as Seamstresses, along with Milliners, were considered to be at the top end of women’s employment and most Herefordshire villages had one or more. Continue reading Dressmaker →

Wood in the nineteenth century was a valuable and important commodity, and Coppicers helped to provide continuous and renewable supplies. Continue reading Coppicer →

Also known as a Backmaker, These skilled craftsmen were to be found all over Herefordshire Continue reading Cooper →

Toll taker at bridges, sometimes called “Bridger” Continue reading Bridgeman →

Before the onset of motorised transport, livestock had no option but to walk from their farm to their destination – be it a market in a nearby town or long distance to London to help feed the ever growing population. Continue reading Drover →

These bankruptcies were spread out over Herefordshire, and didn’t seem to be confined to any particular area Continue reading Bankruptcies – Butchers →

One who slaughtered, prepared and sold meat. A Caddy Butcher dealt in horse meat. Continue reading Butcher →

In spite of the fact that Blacksmiths, or Farriers, were in huge demand because of the importance of sound horses etc. there were still a great many bankruptcies Continue reading Bankruptcies – Blacksmiths →

Sometimes shortened to “Smith”, Blacksmiths were extremely important in rural Herefordshire, and at least one forge was to be found in most villages but sometimes two or three as there was ample work for all Continue reading Blacksmiths →

Bredenbury Court was first called Bredenbury House, and then Bredenbury Mansion.

Continue reading Bredenbury Court →

All about poets!

Continue reading Poets →

The Estate Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Yazor stands by the main road in a fairly isolated setting. The tall narrow spire is quite a landmark, and can be seen for miles along the Wye Valley. Continue reading St. Mary the Virgin – Estate Church – Yazor →

Yazor is just under four miles from Weobley.
Continue reading Yazor →

Thomas Andrew Knight was born at Wormsley Grange on 10th October 1758 and grew up in the orchards of Herefordshire.  He died in 1838 in London Continue reading Thomas Andrew Knight →

This little church built in 1841 to replace the beautiful old Yatton Chapel, is plain and simple both inside and out – it is usually locked so I have been unable to take interior pictures, and I believe that it is rarely used these days. Continue reading All Saints Church – Yatton →

The village of Yatton sprawls over the hillside close to Much Marcle.
Continue reading Yatton →

The current church at Yarkhill is probably over 800 years old, although there were extensive renovations in 1862, but some 13th century bits and pieces still remain, such as in the porch and the base of the tower. Continue reading St. John the Baptist – Yarkhill →

Yarkhill is a small, village in the Frome valley, and in 811 was known as Geardcylle which meant an enclosure within a kiln. Continue reading Yarkhill →

This dear, simple little church is now sadly redundant but it is one of around 300 churches throughout England which are looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. Continue reading St. Mary’s Church – Wormsley →

The small village of Wormsley lies some three and a half miles from Weobley.
Continue reading Wormsley →