Kilpeck may be delightful, but it was not without its share of villains and in 1839 James Beavan of this village went on the run after stealing sheep. He was described as being 36, 5’5″ tall with sandy hair, large whiskers, small eyes and thin features, and a bounty of five sovereigns was put on his head. (Just possibly a genealogist researching this name in Herefordshire will find this helpful!)

In 1124 Hugh gave the church of St. Waird at Kilpeck to the monks of St. Peter of Gloucester, along with the chapel of Our Lady which was within the now ruined Kilpeck Castle.

Hugh’s son Henry took the surname of Kilpeck from the castle, it being his principal seat.

Next came John de Kilpeck who in 1200 obtained a charter from  King John that neither himself nor his heirs would lose their bailiwick in the Forest of Hereford, but when he died shortly afterwards, his heir Hugh was very young, so all his lands were given to the custody William de Cantelupe, the brother of the Bishop of Hereford.

John de Kilpeck’s son, Hugh married Egidia, and and they had two daughters as heirs.   Her two daughters Isabel and Jane married William Walerand and Philip Marmion respectively and the barony of Kilpeck was merged with that of Marmion.