Charles Ballinger

The original house was bought in 1825 by Charles Ballinger who died in 1851. He was buried at the parish church of Goodrich, and in the evening the bell ringers at Madley rang out the age of Charles Ballinger (78 years) in a muffled peal. It was certainly a laborious struggle for the ringers as the whole thing took nearly 8 hours. The tenor bell which weighed 1 ton was in constant motion, and it was calculated that it revolved on its axis 12,324 times. This incredible feat reflected the fact that Charles was very highly respected and much loved by friends and neighbours alike. It was said that his death for the parishioners was the loss of a good neighbour, and for the poor, a kind friend.
The bell ringers :
Treble – John Taylor, carpenter; 2nd Jas. Bethell, shoemaker; 3rd Benjam Tristram, carpenter; 4th William Jones, carpenter; 5th James Morgan, shoemaker assisted by John Harris; tenor Richard Foster, butcher and John Lloyd alternately.
Conductor of the peal and timekeeper – John Drewer.

The following year the executors of his Will directed Morgan and Son to organise an auction to sell all of the household furniture, carriages, harness, cider, casks, garden tools……and a rick of well tended hay!
Later the same year, Great Brampton House and estate were put up for sale and described thus:
“A Mansion complete, with every convenience and calculated for the residence of a large family, with walled gardens, shrubberies, fish ponds, enclosed yard with double and single coach houses, stables, loose boxes and harness room.
Also, a farmhouse with all requisite and most convenient folds and buildings; seven cottages and gardens for labourers and very excellent arable, meadow, pasture and orcharding situate in the parishes of Madley and AbbeyDore”

The mansion and estate were bought by John Murray Aynsley, of Underdown near Ledbury, for over £20,000

John Murray Aynsley b 1796 died 1880

Initially John Murray Aynsley rented out Great Brampton House, one tenant being John Powell who died in 1856, whereupon all of his furniture and effects from inside the house were sold by auction. The house was then advertised again for let:

Description of Great Brampton House in 1856

“on the ground floor – entrance hall; geometrical oak staircase; dining room; drawing room; breakfast room; servants hall; butler’s and housemaid’s pantries; large kitchen; back kitchen; dairy; Brewhouse; laundry; laundry yard, and all requisite offices; spring and soft water pumps; arched cellaring etc.
On the second floor – six best bedrooms and water closet; china closet and store room, over which are five large and well lighted attics, two of them approached by a third and separate staircase.
Attached to the mansion are enclosed walled gardens well planted with choice fruit trees; fish pond; shrubberies and a portion of meadow land with the right of shooting over 560 acres, including woods and coverts. There is also a capital trout stream within easy distance and the Herefordshire Hounds meet in the neighbourhood.”
The house stayed in the family for some time, until it was acquired by Colonel Lionel Beaumont Thomas.

Lionel Beaumont Thomas

Lionel Beaumont Thomas was born in 1893 in Lydney, Gloucestershire and became Conservative MP for Birmingham King’s Norton.  He was educated at Rugby school and as well as business interests he became a Colonel in the British Army  and also a Justice of the Peace.

He enjoyed splashing the cash, and held extravagant parties which were sometimes attended by high profile guests, but the high life was not enjoyed by his wife who preferred to look after their children and run the home.  Perhaps this left Lionel a little too much time on his own, and he embarked on a pretty serious affair which resulted in him standing down from his seat in Parliament.  Although he claimed that this was due to ill health, it was in fact so that he could be out of the spotlight and divorce his wife in peace.

Eventually he moved his mistress into Great Brampton House, and she proceeded to redecorate in alarmingly modern fashion – inbetween dashing down to the South of France.

To his credit, he was awarded the Military Cross in January 1917.

In December 1942 Colonel Lionel Beaumont Thomas was aboard the U – boat Henry Stanley when it was attacked in the North Atlantic, he and all the crew were killed.

The Removal of the Top Layer of Great Brampton House

Great Brampton House was purchased in the 1950s by a gentleman who wished to give the mansion to his new wife.  However, she was horrified at the size of the place (perhaps he had refused a request for staff!) and he was so hurt by her refusal of his gift that he had the whole of the top layer of Great Brampton House removed – well, she did say that the house was way too big!  The removed layer was buried in the grounds.

Following this episode, Great Brampton House changed hands several times, and at one time was a successful antique centre as well as a family home for Lady Pamela Pidgeon.

1881 – Great Brampton House Household

1891 – Great Brampton House Household

1901 – Great Brampton House Household

1911 – Great Brampton House Household

1921 – Great Brampton House Household

Major Beaumont Thomas, Head,  absent

Churches of Madley

• Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church - Madley

  The dedication of a church to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is quite rare in England; and what is also rare about this church at Madley is the survival of some 14th century wall paintings which underwent restoration in 1992. The pictures told the story of the Passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.

  Madley church fell into a very poor state of repair, and in the 1870s was partially restored.

  The roof of the tower;  nave;  north and south aisles and porch were taken down and any rotten timbers were repaired or replaced with oak timber grown in Madley.  This work was done by day workers and not contractors, which although was money saving made the restoration rather long winded.

  During further restoration, Norman remains were found in the north porch, and the west wall of the Chilston Chapel is also Norman.  After this discovery, the architect Mr. Kempson of Hereford, examined under the floor of the church and found the foundations of a Norman church.  He also discovered that in the 14th century the edifice went through many alterations and additions……including the raising of the north wall and the addition of three large windows.

   

  The restoration included a partially new pulpit which was much bigger than the original one – it was made and carved by Mr. Mewrrick who used all of the old oak and adapted new pilasters to the old panels.

   

   

   

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  The private pews for the Lulham family.

   

   

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Font

  Another of Herefordshire’s enormous old fonts – in fact this is one of the largest in the country, and is nearly 1000 years old, bearing quite a resemblance to those in Kilpeck and Bredwardine.

   

   

   

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Memorial

  Tomb of Richard Willison

   

   

   

   

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Epitaph for John Lewis

  Died 6th January 1797 aged 79

  This earth on earth did lately tread,

  This earth in earth has made its bed,

  This earth in earth shall closely stay

  Until the resurrection day.

  Read More >

News from the Past Madley

• Madley News from the Past

  Poachers, schooling, murder and ghosts

  1790 – Private Tuition at Madley

  The Rev. Henry Davis B.A. advertised places for ten pupils who were “designed for University or the superior lines of trade”, with attendance to commence on 25th January.

  He wished to continue to superintend the education of young gentlemen, limited to just ten, with a plan carefully adapted to the respective institutions in life for which they were intended.

  He stressed that his small school included many important advantages not found in Public Schools, and that his pupils would be treated liberally with the material privileges of parlour boarders.

  The fees were eighteen guineas a year (washing not included!), with an entrance fee of one guinea.

  This small school continued successfully for a great many years.

   

  1793 – Poachers cause a Problem at Madley

  Ann Pateshall;  Richard Aubrey, J. Matthews and John Greeen posted the following in the Hereford Journal in August 1793:

  “Whereas the game in the several manors of Allensmore, Clehonger, Old Hill and Cagebrook in the parish of Madley have been for many years past greatly destroyed by poachers and unqualified persons;  therefore, to prevent the like depredations, we, whose names are underwritten, do give this public notice that all persons who shall in future be found destroying the Game upon any of the aforesaid Manors, will be prosecuted as the law directs.

  It is particularly requested that qualified Gentlemen will not sport upon any of the above Manors without making a previous application to us for that purpose”.

  1794 – Advertisement for Person to Preside over the Poor of Madley

  WANTED

  A person to preside over the POOR at Madley, and to provide for them all necessary accommodations whatever.  A large house and garden is ready, and shall be made perfectly convenient for that purpose.

  For more particulars, enquire of Mr. Geo. Foote, Overseer.

  1830 – Madley Turnpike Trust

  On 2nd November 1830 the Trustees of the Madley Turnpike Trust gave notice that from 1st January 1831 tolls would be taken for building materials taken through the turnpike gate on the road from Bun’s Lane to the White Hill in the parish of Weobley.

  1851 – A Tale of Love, Murder and Hallucination

  Hereford was awash with excitement over the murder of Richard Maskell and subsequent rumours and reports.

  Mr. Richard Maskell a currier of Weobley aged 36, had six children with a seventh on the way and he was a highly respected businessman with a wide circle of friends.

  Richard Maskell Disappears

  On Monday 26th February 1833, he left home to travel to Hereford and was his normal cheerful self when he said goodbye to his wife.  He was carrying about £260 (a huge amount of money then) which he intended to pay to Messrs Hatton of Hereford, and at midday he arrived at their offices in Church Street.  He was invited to dinner by Mrs. Hatton, and he accepted – then went down the street towards Cathedral Close.  He was never seen again.

  The Woman from Madley’s Secret

  At the time of Richard’s disappearance, a woman from Madley was in the service of a gentleman in Castle Street, and from there she went to London.  13 years later on her return to Madley she got to know the Davies family of Blackmarstone and she told them a tale of untmost secrecy – ufortunately, Davies was not one for keeping secrets and eventually the city police got to know of this secret.

  The secret was this –  When she was in service in Castle Street, two of her fellow servants were a coachman and a footman;  the coachman died a natural death, but the footman committed suicide by taking a “lovers leap” into the Castle Millpond.

  The coachman slept over the coachhouse and his son of four slept with him.  The Madley woman was a Primitive Methodist and usually got up early so that she could attend prayer meetings at 7 a.m..  One morning she got up far too early, (1 a.m. to be precise)  and once outside  she heard a noise in the stable;  she realised her mistake when she heard the clock strike so turned back to the house and as she did so her foot caught on something on the ground.  It was a man’s stocking soaked with blood.

  She chucked the stocking over the wall just as the coachman and footman came out to ask if she had seen anything unusual.  She told them about the stocking.

  Some time passed, and during an exhibition on the Castle Green one night she went up to a back room of her master’s house to watch;  whilst there she opened a cupboard and found the matching stocking to the one she had tossed away, along with a blood soaked shirt.  Apparently she took them both away and burnt them – goodness knows why!

  The Little Boy’s Secret

  The coachman’s little boy meanwhile told the house servants that he had a secret, but they were not to say anything because his father would beat him if he knew.  He then said that he had seen his father and the footman cutting up a man and throwing the pieces in the old well.  His father had told him that it was a big dog, but he said that he knew it wasn’t because he had seen a man’s legs.

  All this happened at the time that Richard Maskell disappeared.

  The Ghost of the Footman

  The woman from Madley said that she kept quiet at the time because she had good reason, but she later talked to the footman who begged her to stay silent and then asked her to marry him!  She constantly refused his attentions, he eventually he killed himself by jumping in the Castle Millpond.

  After his death, the woman often heard strange noises at night, and is sure that she saw the ghost of the footman at the back door of her master’s house.  It happened so often that she moved to London, but the ghost followed her there.  She wrote to the coachman, who admitted that he too had seen the ghost, and that he had had long conversations with it, but he reassured her that he had taken effective means to allay the disturbed spirit, and it indeed never appeared to her again.

  Soon after this, the coachman died.

  The Story Ends

  The police decided to ignore the ghost part of the story, but nevertheless were keen to interview the Madley woman themselves.  She kept to the story, but  denied having said that the little boy had seen the legs of a man.

  The whole business was closed and no attempt was made to verify the story,  so the mystery of Richard Maskell’s disappearance remains unsolved.

   

  1899 – Death of Mr. W. Taylor of Madley

  Mr. William Taylor of the Withies, Madley died after a short illness.  He had been a builder on the Tyberton Court and Madley Estate for 26 years, and for 24 years was a member of the Ancient Order of Foresters, Court Unity at Moccas.

  He was born February 28th 1836 and died February 15th 1899.

  Read More >

Buildings of Madley

• Great Brampton House History

  Great Brampton House is a Regency Building on the Site of an older property, probably built for John Pye who sold it in 1825 to Charles Ballinger. In 1853 the house was acquired by the Murray Aynsley family who are thought to have made many of the alterations that leave the house in the basic form which we see today.

  Charles Ballinger

  The original house was bought in 1825 by Charles Ballinger who died in 1851. He was buried at the parish church of Goodrich, and in the evening the bell ringers at Madley rang out the age of Charles Ballinger (78 years) in a muffled peal. It was certainly a laborious struggle for the ringers as the whole thing took nearly 8 hours. The tenor bell which weighed 1 ton was in constant motion, and it was calculated that it revolved on its axis 12,324 times. This incredible feat reflected the fact that Charles was very highly respected and much loved by friends and neighbours alike. It was said that his death for the parishioners was the loss of a good neighbour, and for the poor, a kind friend.
  The bell ringers :
  Treble – John Taylor, carpenter; 2nd Jas. Bethell, shoemaker; 3rd Benjam Tristram, carpenter; 4th William Jones, carpenter; 5th James Morgan, shoemaker assisted by John Harris; tenor Richard Foster, butcher and John Lloyd alternately.
  Conductor of the peal and timekeeper – John Drewer.

   

  The following year the executors of his Will directed Morgan and Son to organise an auction to sell all of the household furniture, carriages, harness, cider, casks, garden tools……and a rick of well tended hay!
  Later the same year, Great Brampton House and estate were put up for sale and described thus:
  “A Mansion complete, with every convenience and calculated for the residence of a large family, with walled gardens, shrubberies, fish ponds, enclosed yard with double and single coach houses, stables, loose boxes and harness room.
  Also, a farmhouse with all requisite and most convenient folds and buildings; seven cottages and gardens for labourers and very excellent arable, meadow, pasture and orcharding situate in the parishes of Madley and AbbeyDore”

  The mansion and estate were bought by John Murray Aynsley, of Underdown near Ledbury, for over £20,000

  John Murray Aynsley b 1796 died 1880

  Initially John Murray Aynsley rented out Great Brampton House, one tenant being John Powell who died in 1856, whereupon all of his furniture and effects from inside the house were sold by auction. The house was then advertised again for let:

  Description of Great Brampton House in 1856

  “on the ground floor – entrance hall; geometrical oak staircase; dining room; drawing room; breakfast room; servants hall; butler’s and housemaid’s pantries; large kitchen; back kitchen; dairy; Brewhouse; laundry; laundry yard, and all requisite offices; spring and soft water pumps; arched cellaring etc.
  On the second floor – six best bedrooms and water closet; china closet and store room, over which are five large and well lighted attics, two of them approached by a third and separate staircase.
  Attached to the mansion are enclosed walled gardens well planted with choice fruit trees; fish pond; shrubberies and a portion of meadow land with the right of shooting over 560 acres, including woods and coverts. There is also a capital trout stream within easy distance and the Herefordshire Hounds meet in the neighbourhood.”
  The house stayed in the family for some time, until it was acquired by Colonel Lionel Beaumont Thomas.

   

  Lionel Beaumont Thomas

  Lionel Beaumont Thomas was born in 1893 in Lydney, Gloucestershire and became Conservative MP for Birmingham King’s Norton.  He was educated at Rugby school and as well as business interests he became a Colonel in the British Army  and also a Justice of the Peace.

  He enjoyed splashing the cash, and held extravagant parties which were sometimes attended by high profile guests, but the high life was not enjoyed by his wife who preferred to look after their children and run the home.  Perhaps this left Lionel a little too much time on his own, and he embarked on a pretty serious affair which resulted in him standing down from his seat in Parliament.  Although he claimed that this was due to ill health, it was in fact so that he could be out of the spotlight and divorce his wife in peace.

  Eventually he moved his mistress into Great Brampton House, and she proceeded to redecorate in alarmingly modern fashion – inbetween dashing down to the South of France.

   

  To his credit, he was awarded the Military Cross in January 1917.

   

  In December 1942 Colonel Lionel Beaumont Thomas was aboard the U – boat Henry Stanley when it was attacked in the North Atlantic, he and all the crew were killed.

  The Removal of the Top Layer of Great Brampton House

  Great Brampton House was purchased in the 1950s by a gentleman who wished to give the mansion to his new wife.  However, she was horrified at the size of the place (perhaps he had refused a request for staff!) and he was so hurt by her refusal of his gift that he had the whole of the top layer of Great Brampton House removed – well, she did say that the house was way too big!  The removed layer was buried in the grounds.

  Following this episode, Great Brampton House changed hands several times, and at one time was a successful antique centre as well as a family home for Lady Pamela Pidgeon.

  1881 – Great Brampton House Household

   

  Richard Dalley	60	Widower, Gamekeeper	b. Ledbury, Herefordshire
  Clara Dalley	19	Daughter	b. Ledbury, Herefordshire

  1891 – Great Brampton House Household

  John Seubert	61	Caretaker	b. Germany
  Sarah Seubert	54	Wife	b. Bodenham, Herefordshire
  Caroline Crump	29	Housemaid	b. Madley, Herefordshire

  1901 – Great Brampton House Household

  John Cruger Murray Aynsley	76	Clergyman, Church of England	b. Torkington, Gloucestershire
  Harriet J. Prust	32	Niece	b. France
  Charles M.T. Weston	18	Nephew	b. India
  Lizzy Dunmore	52	Housekeeper	b. Monmouthshire
  Albert Bethel	26	Butler	b. Staunton on Wye, Herefordshire
  Evelyn Burns	32	Cook	b. Kington, Herefordshire
  Eliza Gatehouse	24	Lady’s Maid	b. Stretford, Herefordshire
  Alice Millington	17	Housemaid	b. Much Marcle, Herefordshire
  Florence Virgo	16	Kitchen Maid	b. Ewyas Harold, Herefordshire

  1911 – Great Brampton House Household

  John Conger Murray Aynsley	86	Widower, Clergyman, Church of England	b. Torkington, Gloucestershire
  Dorothy Norton	22	Niece	b. Plymouth, Devon
  Lizzie Dunmore	65	Housekeeper	b. Monmouthshire
  Louise Sprenger	52	Cook	b. Radnorshire
  Emily James	26	Housemaid	b. Herefordshire
  Herbert Bailey	23	Butler	b. Hatfield
  Sylvia Terret	18	Under Housemaid	b. Gloucestershire
  Sarah Williams	15	Kitchen Maid	b. Birmingham

  1921 – Great Brampton House Household

  Major Beaumont Thomas, Head,  absent

   

  Adeline D. Meares	b. Dunedin, New Zealand 1875	Nursery Governess
  Richard L. Beaumont-Thompson	b. London 1915	Son
  Cyril Beaumont- Thomas	b. London 1916	Son
  Paul Beaumont-Thompson	b. London 1919	Son
  Constance Hansford	b. Surrey 1880	Children’s Nurse
  Dorothy L. Phillips	b. Essex 1901	Under Nurse
  Agnes S. Sayce	b. Monmouth, Monmouthshire 1879	Housemaid
  Mary Shirras	b. Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 1892	Cook
  Marjorie Eckley	b. Leominster, Herefordshire 1902	Kitchen Maid

   

  Read More >

1790 – Private Tuition at Madley

The Rev. Henry Davis B.A. advertised places for ten pupils who were “designed for University or the superior lines of trade”, with attendance to commence on 25th January.

He wished to continue to superintend the education of young gentlemen, limited to just ten, with a plan carefully adapted to the respective institutions in life for which they were intended.

He stressed that his small school included many important advantages not found in Public Schools, and that his pupils would be treated liberally with the material privileges of parlour boarders.

The fees were eighteen guineas a year (washing not included!), with an entrance fee of one guinea.

This small school continued successfully for a great many years.

1793 – Poachers cause a Problem at Madley

Ann Pateshall;  Richard Aubrey, J. Matthews and John Greeen posted the following in the Hereford Journal in August 1793:

“Whereas the game in the several manors of Allensmore, Clehonger, Old Hill and Cagebrook in the parish of Madley have been for many years past greatly destroyed by poachers and unqualified persons;  therefore, to prevent the like depredations, we, whose names are underwritten, do give this public notice that all persons who shall in future be found destroying the Game upon any of the aforesaid Manors, will be prosecuted as the law directs.

It is particularly requested that qualified Gentlemen will not sport upon any of the above Manors without making a previous application to us for that purpose”.

1794 – Advertisement for Person to Preside over the Poor of Madley

WANTED

A person to preside over the POOR at Madley, and to provide for them all necessary accommodations whatever.  A large house and garden is ready, and shall be made perfectly convenient for that purpose.

For more particulars, enquire of Mr. Geo. Foote, Overseer.

1830 – Madley Turnpike Trust

On 2nd November 1830 the Trustees of the Madley Turnpike Trust gave notice that from 1st January 1831 tolls would be taken for building materials taken through the turnpike gate on the road from Bun’s Lane to the White Hill in the parish of Weobley.

1851 – A Tale of Love, Murder and Hallucination

Hereford was awash with excitement over the murder of Richard Maskell and subsequent rumours and reports.

Mr. Richard Maskell a currier of Weobley aged 36, had six children with a seventh on the way and he was a highly respected businessman with a wide circle of friends.

Richard Maskell Disappears

On Monday 26th February 1833, he left home to travel to Hereford and was his normal cheerful self when he said goodbye to his wife.  He was carrying about £260 (a huge amount of money then) which he intended to pay to Messrs Hatton of Hereford, and at midday he arrived at their offices in Church Street.  He was invited to dinner by Mrs. Hatton, and he accepted – then went down the street towards Cathedral Close.  He was never seen again.

The Woman from Madley’s Secret

At the time of Richard’s disappearance, a woman from Madley was in the service of a gentleman in Castle Street, and from there she went to London.  13 years later on her return to Madley she got to know the Davies family of Blackmarstone and she told them a tale of untmost secrecy – ufortunately, Davies was not one for keeping secrets and eventually the city police got to know of this secret.

The secret was this –  When she was in service in Castle Street, two of her fellow servants were a coachman and a footman;  the coachman died a natural death, but the footman committed suicide by taking a “lovers leap” into the Castle Millpond.

The coachman slept over the coachhouse and his son of four slept with him.  The Madley woman was a Primitive Methodist and usually got up early so that she could attend prayer meetings at 7 a.m..  One morning she got up far too early, (1 a.m. to be precise)  and once outside  she heard a noise in the stable;  she realised her mistake when she heard the clock strike so turned back to the house and as she did so her foot caught on something on the ground.  It was a man’s stocking soaked with blood.

She chucked the stocking over the wall just as the coachman and footman came out to ask if she had seen anything unusual.  She told them about the stocking.

Some time passed, and during an exhibition on the Castle Green one night she went up to a back room of her master’s house to watch;  whilst there she opened a cupboard and found the matching stocking to the one she had tossed away, along with a blood soaked shirt.  Apparently she took them both away and burnt them – goodness knows why!

The Little Boy’s Secret

The coachman’s little boy meanwhile told the house servants that he had a secret, but they were not to say anything because his father would beat him if he knew.  He then said that he had seen his father and the footman cutting up a man and throwing the pieces in the old well.  His father had told him that it was a big dog, but he said that he knew it wasn’t because he had seen a man’s legs.

All this happened at the time that Richard Maskell disappeared.

The Ghost of the Footman

The woman from Madley said that she kept quiet at the time because she had good reason, but she later talked to the footman who begged her to stay silent and then asked her to marry him!  She constantly refused his attentions, he eventually he killed himself by jumping in the Castle Millpond.

After his death, the woman often heard strange noises at night, and is sure that she saw the ghost of the footman at the back door of her master’s house.  It happened so often that she moved to London, but the ghost followed her there.  She wrote to the coachman, who admitted that he too had seen the ghost, and that he had had long conversations with it, but he reassured her that he had taken effective means to allay the disturbed spirit, and it indeed never appeared to her again.

Soon after this, the coachman died.

The Story Ends

The police decided to ignore the ghost part of the story, but nevertheless were keen to interview the Madley woman themselves.  She kept to the story, but  denied having said that the little boy had seen the legs of a man.

The whole business was closed and no attempt was made to verify the story,  so the mystery of Richard Maskell’s disappearance remains unsolved.

1899 – Death of Mr. W. Taylor of Madley

Mr. William Taylor of the Withies, Madley died after a short illness.  He had been a builder on the Tyberton Court and Madley Estate for 26 years, and for 24 years was a member of the Ancient Order of Foresters, Court Unity at Moccas.

He was born February 28th 1836 and died February 15th 1899.

Madley church fell into a very poor state of repair, and in the 1870s was partially restored.

The roof of the tower;  nave;  north and south aisles and porch were taken down and any rotten timbers were repaired or replaced with oak timber grown in Madley.  This work was done by day workers and not contractors, which although was money saving made the restoration rather long winded.

During further restoration, Norman remains were found in the north porch, and the west wall of the Chilston Chapel is also Norman.  After this discovery, the architect Mr. Kempson of Hereford, examined under the floor of the church and found the foundations of a Norman church.  He also discovered that in the 14th century the edifice went through many alterations and additions……including the raising of the north wall and the addition of three large windows.

The restoration included a partially new pulpit which was much bigger than the original one – it was made and carved by Mr. Mewrrick who used all of the old oak and adapted new pilasters to the old panels.

The private pews for the Lulham family.

Font

Another of Herefordshire’s enormous old fonts – in fact this is one of the largest in the country, and is nearly 1000 years old, bearing quite a resemblance to those in Kilpeck and Bredwardine.

Memorial

Tomb of Richard Willison

Epitaph for John Lewis

Died 6th January 1797 aged 79

This earth on earth did lately tread,

This earth in earth has made its bed,

This earth in earth shall closely stay

Until the resurrection day.