Churches of Mathon

• St. John the Baptist Church - Mathon

  The church of St. John the Baptist at Mathon was built at the end of the 11th century, and was extremely basic with little furnishings.
  During the late 14th century, a large tower was built – mainly for housing the six bells, (seven were mentioned later) but like many towers it was also used as a place of safety for the villagers when a raid was expected.

  In the middle of the 19th century, the church was in a somewhat dilapidated state.  The Rev. A.G. Douglas took over the living, and found that the church was in a shocking state, and the floor was covered with bits of brick and slate.

  The Rev. Douglas Won’t Give Up

  He set about restoring the church, making many personal sacrifices to achieve his aims;  the parish was so sparsely populated that little help could reasonably be expected from the villagers.

  However, the Rev. Douglas never gave up and although it took 15 years he achieved his aims – the parishioners did everything they could to help raise funds along the way, and did an amazing job considering how few of them there were.  Much of the work though was down to the Vicar and his family, and Miss Vale of Mathon Court.

  Reopening of the Church

  In 1863 the restored church was reopened, and this was the description at the time:

  “A beautifully restored church now invites the parishioners to worship – such a one as we would wish to see in every parish throughout the diocese – indeed throughout the world.  It consists of a nave and chancel, with tower at the east end and open to the nave, the church being built of rubble masonry.  The nave has been denuded of its layers of plaster and whitewash, and the stone work cleaned down and repointed.

  The chancel has been entirely rebuilt and the old Norman windows reinserted and filled with stained glass.

  The roof has been stripped ; the old stone slabs removed and replaced by new Broseley tiles, finished with ornamental cress;  stone coping being used throughout, and a new stone cross and the elegant old wooden one 0 although slightly disfigured – placed over the gables of the nave and chancel respectively.

  Internally, the plaster ceiling has been removed, and a fine open timber roof now looks down on the nave”

  The description carried on in great detail, all of it lavish in its praise.

  There is an oak chest bound with iron straps and made to hold the parish records. Its bears the names on the lid of the churchwardens, Jo. How, gent, and H. Dangerfield 1698.

   

   

  

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News from the Past Mathon

• Mathon News from the Past

  The Rev Somers Cocks, a bitten off ear and an attack by a pig

  1846 – Man’s Ear Bitten Off at Mathon

  A middle aged man by the name of Richard Burrow was found guilty of biting off the ear of Edward Thomas at Mathon.

  He was sentenced to six months in prison.

  1852 – Terrific Thunderstorm

  A truly violent storm left the whole of Herefordshire in chaos.  Mathon was completely flooded, and a great deal of damage was done to property and surroundings.

  Mr. Hill at The Bank

  The storm raged from early evening until two the following morning, and the road leading to Mr. Hill at The Bank, which was built on solid rock, was ripped up to a depth of two feet.  The debris was swept down by the floods into a hopyard, taking rows of hops and soil down to the bottom and making the road impassable.

  Mr. Hill’s potatoes were swept down three meadows, and Mr. Vale’s hop yard was destroyed.  Hedges disappeared, and new palings, gates and stiles were borne away.

  At Mr. Vale’s, a bridge over a stream leading to a farm called Stockton, was destroyed and the stream itself had become a huge lake.

  Mr. Lightband Rescued by a Newfoundland Dog

  The flood was so high and fast that it swept a mare and wagon belonging to Mr. Lightband over a hedge – Mr. Lightband was stuck in the hedge for two hours until he was found by a Newfoundland dog, rather injured.  The mare managed to get free and swam across two fields until she was rescued;  she was very bruised.

  Mr. King of Brook House Farm

  Mr. King of Brook House Farm lost a bridge, and his cellar filled up with water so that a 300 gallon cask of good cider was ruined, along with a hogshead of crab verjuice.  His barn was flooded, and much of his store of wheat was lost, along with many chickens.

  1856 – Death of the Hon. & Rev. Jas. Somers Cocks

  The death was announced of this hugely respected clergyman, which took place early in July 1856 at Mathon Lodge.

  The Rev. Somers Cocks was 67 years old, and had been born on 9th January 1790.  He was the second son of John, first Earl, and second Baron Somers.

  He was briefly an MP for Reigate, before taking holy orders;  he was an honorary prebend of Hereford.

  1858 – Conviction for “Unnatural Offence” at Mathon

  William Hockley, a 35 year old labourer, was sentenced to six months hard labour for committing an unnatural offence at Mathon on 23rd June 1858.

   

  1859 – 90 Year Old Woman attacked by a Pig

  An old woman of 90, named Bethal, was walking along the road in Mathon on her way to work, when she was viciously attacked by a sow.

  The pig knocked her to the ground, and broke her thigh.  When she was found she was immediately taken to the Infirmary.

  What is horrific about this story is not so much that she was attacked by a pig, but that at 90 years of age she was still having to go out to work.

   

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1846 – Man’s Ear Bitten Off at Mathon

A middle aged man by the name of Richard Burrow was found guilty of biting off the ear of Edward Thomas at Mathon.

He was sentenced to six months in prison.

1852 – Terrific Thunderstorm

A truly violent storm left the whole of Herefordshire in chaos.  Mathon was completely flooded, and a great deal of damage was done to property and surroundings.

Mr. Hill at The Bank

The storm raged from early evening until two the following morning, and the road leading to Mr. Hill at The Bank, which was built on solid rock, was ripped up to a depth of two feet.  The debris was swept down by the floods into a hopyard, taking rows of hops and soil down to the bottom and making the road impassable.

Mr. Hill’s potatoes were swept down three meadows, and Mr. Vale’s hop yard was destroyed.  Hedges disappeared, and new palings, gates and stiles were borne away.

At Mr. Vale’s, a bridge over a stream leading to a farm called Stockton, was destroyed and the stream itself had become a huge lake.

Mr. Lightband Rescued by a Newfoundland Dog

The flood was so high and fast that it swept a mare and wagon belonging to Mr. Lightband over a hedge – Mr. Lightband was stuck in the hedge for two hours until he was found by a Newfoundland dog, rather injured.  The mare managed to get free and swam across two fields until she was rescued;  she was very bruised.

Mr. King of Brook House Farm

Mr. King of Brook House Farm lost a bridge, and his cellar filled up with water so that a 300 gallon cask of good cider was ruined, along with a hogshead of crab verjuice.  His barn was flooded, and much of his store of wheat was lost, along with many chickens.

1856 – Death of the Hon. & Rev. Jas. Somers Cocks

The death was announced of this hugely respected clergyman, which took place early in July 1856 at Mathon Lodge.

The Rev. Somers Cocks was 67 years old, and had been born on 9th January 1790.  He was the second son of John, first Earl, and second Baron Somers.

He was briefly an MP for Reigate, before taking holy orders;  he was an honorary prebend of Hereford.

1858 – Conviction for “Unnatural Offence” at Mathon

William Hockley, a 35 year old labourer, was sentenced to six months hard labour for committing an unnatural offence at Mathon on 23rd June 1858.

1859 – 90 Year Old Woman attacked by a Pig

An old woman of 90, named Bethal, was walking along the road in Mathon on her way to work, when she was viciously attacked by a sow.

The pig knocked her to the ground, and broke her thigh.  When she was found she was immediately taken to the Infirmary.

What is horrific about this story is not so much that she was attacked by a pig, but that at 90 years of age she was still having to go out to work.

In the middle of the 19th century, the church was in a somewhat dilapidated state.  The Rev. A.G. Douglas took over the living, and found that the church was in a shocking state, and the floor was covered with bits of brick and slate.

The Rev. Douglas Won’t Give Up

He set about restoring the church, making many personal sacrifices to achieve his aims;  the parish was so sparsely populated that little help could reasonably be expected from the villagers.

However, the Rev. Douglas never gave up and although it took 15 years he achieved his aims – the parishioners did everything they could to help raise funds along the way, and did an amazing job considering how few of them there were.  Much of the work though was down to the Vicar and his family, and Miss Vale of Mathon Court.

Reopening of the Church

In 1863 the restored church was reopened, and this was the description at the time:

“A beautifully restored church now invites the parishioners to worship – such a one as we would wish to see in every parish throughout the diocese – indeed throughout the world.  It consists of a nave and chancel, with tower at the east end and open to the nave, the church being built of rubble masonry.  The nave has been denuded of its layers of plaster and whitewash, and the stone work cleaned down and repointed.

The chancel has been entirely rebuilt and the old Norman windows reinserted and filled with stained glass.

The roof has been stripped ; the old stone slabs removed and replaced by new Broseley tiles, finished with ornamental cress;  stone coping being used throughout, and a new stone cross and the elegant old wooden one 0 although slightly disfigured – placed over the gables of the nave and chancel respectively.

Internally, the plaster ceiling has been removed, and a fine open timber roof now looks down on the nave”

The description carried on in great detail, all of it lavish in its praise.

There is an oak chest bound with iron straps and made to hold the parish records. Its bears the names on the lid of the churchwardens, Jo. How, gent, and H. Dangerfield 1698.