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Berrington Hall History

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Thomas Harley, a man who had made a fortune supplying the British army, decided that he needed a house to reflect his wealth and standing; he first employed Capability Brown who chose the ideal location for what was to become Berrington Hall – one which would afford wonderful views across to the Black Mountains in Wales as well as swathes of Herefordshire countryside. Continue reading

St. Mary Magdalene Church – Leintwardine

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The church at Leintwardine of St. Mary Magdalene is mainly 13th/14th century, although it is built on Saxon and Norman foundations
The Lady Chapel formerly the Mortimer Chapel, was constructed by Roger de Mortimer in order to offer Masses for the souls of his wife and Mistress – Queen Isabella, and her husband Edward 2nd. Continue reading

Kington

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In 1055, the Welsh thronged over the border and attacked Hereford, and Harold Godwinson was appointed to sort things out. He managed to push the Welsh back as far as Radnor, and then promptly dispossessed many of the surrounding land owners, dividing the spoils between himself, the king and some of his officers in the army. Continue reading

Kings Caple

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The village of Kings Caple, nearly five miles from Ross on Wye, gained its name by dint of the fact that during the time of the Norman Conquest the residents were Welsh speaking people who owed allegiance to English kings – as opposed to neighbouring How Caple and Caplefore (Brockhampton) which belonged to the Canons of Hereford Cathedral.
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Kinsham Court History

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This lovely manor house was once part of the Harley Estate and was used as a hunting lodge; It is also believed to have been lived in by the family of Florence Nightingale, and also Lord Byron who it was believed locally worked on “Childe Harold” here, although to date I can find no concrete proof of this and indeed a lady from “Byronmania” has contacted me saying that it is almost impossible for this to be true.  Lord Byron wrote the piece before he leased Kinsham Court.  She did concede that he could have written other poetry whilst at Kinsham.

 

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St. Thomas a Becket Church – Huntington

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This is a fascinating little church, and was reputedly built by Richard le Bret in around 1210 as a penance for being one of the murderers of Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. After the reformation, Becket was no longer considered a saint, but because of its remote location (and believe me, it really is remote!) it escaped the attention of the royal commisioners. It is one of only four churches in the country to have retained the name. Continue reading

St. Cuthbert’s Church – Holme Lacy

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The Medieval church dedicated to St. Cuthbert is no longer used but is still consecrated. The Scudamore family were major benefactors of both the church and people and if you have any connections with the Scudamore family, then this church is a must for your family history files. From before the 1700s they financed many repairs and improvements, and basically were largely responsible for the total upkeep of the church. Continue reading

Hereford Prison

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By far the most common reason for people coming before the Court was Larceny and there was a wide range of punishments recorded for this crime…………ranging from a few days to several months in gaol, sometimes with a whipping thrown in, or hard labour. Occasionally if it was a second offence, then the sentence was Transportation for a few years. Continue reading