Report

ROYAL COMMISSION ON THE ANCIENT AND HISTORICAL MONUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS OF ENGLAND

Report to the King's Most Excellent Majesty.

May It Please Your Majesty.

We, the undersigned Commissioners, appointed to make an Inventory of the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions connected with or illustrative of the contemporary culture, civilization and conditions of life of the people in England, excluding Monmouthshire, from the earliest times to the year 1714, and to specify those which seem most worthy of preservation, humbly submit to Your Majesty the following Report on the Monuments in S.W. Herefordshire, being the fourteenth Interim Report on the work of the Commission since its appointment.

2. We tender to Your Majesty our respectful thanks for the gracious message which accompanied Your Majesty's acceptance of our Inventory of the Eastern Division of the County of London.

3. We have pleasure in reporting the completion of our enquiries into the South-western division of the County of Hereford, an area containing 851 monuments in 72 parishes, with an average of 12 monuments per parish.

4. Following our usual practice, we have prepared an illustrated volume containing a full Inventory of the monuments in this part of the Country, which, under the advice of the Lords Commissioners of Your Majesty's Treasury, will be issued as a non-Parliamentary publication.

5. No alteration has been found necessary in the order and method of describing the monuments scheduled from that pursued in the description of the monuments in the County of Huntingdon. The detailed Inventory is introduced by the usual Sectional Preface.

6. With a view to saving expense in printing we have arranged that the Glossary in this and future volumes should contain explanations of such words only as occur in the volume itself.

7. In connection with the printing of this volume, which is the first of a new County, our thanks are due to the Members of our special Publications Committee consisting of W. R. Codling, Esq., C.B., C.V.O., C.B.E., Controller of Your Majesty's Stationery Office, Harold Macmillan, Esq., M.C., M.P., Dr. C. T. Hagberg Wright, Secretary and Librarian of the London Library, our colleagues W. Page, Esq., F.S.A., and E. V. Lucas, Esq., and our Secretary, Sir George Duckworth, C.B., F.S.A., for their recommendations with regard to the printing, etc., of this and future volumes which we have accepted. It will be seen that the "Garamond type" has been adopted accordingly and alterations made in the margins of the printed pages. Further, a finer screen has been adopted than that in use hitherto.

8. Further, for the better appreciation of the physical topography of the County and its effect on the location of the various classes of monuments we have provided that the map at the end of the volume shall shew contours over 400 feet in layers of a buff colour, the limits of the parishes and of the area comprised in the volume being shewn in green as before.

9. As in previous volumes, the descriptions of monuments have been referred for revision to the incumbents of each parish, and to the principal owners of domestic buildings, and we are satisfied that no important monument dating from the earliest times to the year 1714 has been omitted.

10. Our special thanks are due to the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Hereford, to the Rev. Canon Bannister, to Mr. W. E. H. Clarke architect to the Dean and Chapter, to the County Surveyor Mr. G. H. Jack, to Dr. Cyril Fox, as well as to the incumbents of the various parishes and the owners of houses for valuable assistance in our investigations.

11. We humbly recommend to Your Majesty's notice the following monuments in S.W. Herefordshire as "especially worthy of preservation":—

Earthworks

2. Aconbury.

(4) Aconbury Camp, a fairly well-preserved contour-camp with original entrances.

4. Bacton.

(9) Fortified Enclosure of irregular triangular form.

10. Bredwardine.

(3) Bredwardine Castle, extensive but much altered earthworks of a castle-site.

15. Clifford.

(2) Motte and Bailey earthwork at Old Castleton.

(3) Newton Tump or mound.

17. Cusop.

(2) Cusop Castle, an oval enclosure.

(3) Mouse Castle, a motte and bailey earthwork.

19. Dewchurch, Much.

(13) Fortified Mound.

21. Dinedor.

(6) Oyster Hill Camp, a contour-camp on Dinedor Hill.

22. Dorstone.

(1) Arthur's Stone, remains of the chamber of a barrow.

(3) Dorstone Castle, motte and bailey earthwork.

24. Eaton Bishop.

(13) Eaton Camp. A promontory camp on the S. bank of the Wye.

25. Ewyas Harold.

(2) Ewyas Harold Castle, a motte and bailey earthwork.

27. Ganarew.

(2) Little Doward Camp, a contour-camp with rock-defences.

34. Hereford.

(4) Hereford Castle, defences of the bailey only.

37. Kentchurch.

(2) Tump or mound.

40. Llancillo.

(2) Mound with remains of masonry on the top.

46. Longtown.

(4) Motte and Bailey at Pont-Hendre.

49. Michaelchurch Escley.

(29) Ring Earthwork, with outer escarpment.

50. Moccas.

(2) Moccas Castle, a motte and bailey earthwork.

52. Orcop.

(2) Motte and Bailey at Moat Farm.

60. St. Weonards.

(1) Tumulus.

65. Turnastone.

(5) Mound with a dry ditch.

67. Vowchurch.

(3) Tumps or mounds at Chanstone Mill.

(6) Earthwork, a small promontory fort.

68. Walterstone.

(3) Motte and Bailey near church.

(9) Walterstone Camp, a roughly circular enclosure with triple bank.

Ecclesiastical

1. Abbeydore.

(2) Parish church of St. Mary. The presbytery and transepts of a Cistercian abbeychurch of late 12th and early 13th-century date, with interesting fittings.

2. Aconbury.

(1) Parish church of St. John the Baptist. The 13th-century Nave of a Priory of Austin Nuns.

10. Bredwardine.

(1) Parish church of St. Andrew, dating from late in the 11th century with interesting detail and mediæval effigies.

16. Craswall.

(2) Craswall Priory. Remains of a priory of Grandmontine monks.

24. Eaton Bishop.

(1) Parish church of St. Michael, dating from late in the 11th century, with remarkable 14th-century glass.

28. Garway.

(1) Parish church of St. Michael. The church of a former preceptory of Knights Templar with remains of a round nave.

34. Hereford.

(1) Cathedral Church of St. Mary and St. Ethelbert, dating from early in the 12th century with a remarkable series of monuments, quire-stalls, chair, library, glass and other fittings. The subsidiary buildings include two cloisters, remains of the 12th-century timber hall of the Bishop's palace and ruins of the chapter-house.

(3) All Saints Church, dating from the 13th century with interesting woodwork.

35. Holme Lacy.

(1) Parish church of St. Cuthbert, dating from the 13th century, with interesting monuments.

38. Kilpeck.

(1) Parish church of St. Mary and St. David. A complete 12th-century church with remarkable ornament and retaining one angle of a pre-Conquest building.

39. Kingstone.

(1) Parish church of St. Michael, dating from the 12th century with interesting detail.

47. Madley.

(1) Parish church of St. Mary, a large and handsome building dating from the 12th century with an apse, crypt and interesting glass, tomb and family-pew.

50. Moccas.

(1) Parish church of St. Michael. A complete 12th-century church with 14th-century glass and monument.

54. Peterchurch.

(1) Parish church of St. Peter. A complete 12th-century church with a later tower and spire.

57. Rowlstone.

(1) Parish church of St. Peter, dating from the 12th century with remarkable ornament and ironwork.

59. St. Margarets.

(1) Parish church of St. Margaret, dating from the 12th century with an interesting screen and loft.

67. Vowchurch.

(1) Parish church of St. Bartholomew, dating from the 12th century with a remarkable 17th-century roof and screen.

Secular

10. Bredwardine.

(4) Old Court, a 14th-century house of stone, with remains of the original roof.

11. Bridstow.

(2) Wilton Castle, remains of the 13th-century castle of the Greys of Wilton.

(3) Wilton Bridge, over the Wye, built in 1597 and little altered.

15. Clifford.

(4) Clifford Castle. Extensive Earthworks and remains of an early 13th-century castle.

28. Garway.

(2) Church House Farm, including a 14th-century stone dovecot.

29. Goodrich.

(2) Goodrich Castle. Important remains, including a 12th-century keep and later walls, towers, chapel and bridge.

(3) Flanesford Priory. Remains of a priory of Austin Canons founded in 1346.

(8) Newhouse Farm. A house of curious Y-shaped plan, built in 1636.

33. Hentland.

(3) Gillow Manor.

34. Hereford.

(6) Wye Bridge, a structure of various dates from the 14th century onwards.

(7) The White Cross, a wayside cross built by Bishop Charlton (1361–70).

(10) Coningsby's Hospital. A quadrangular almshouse of c. 1614 with earlier remains.

(14) Aubrey's Almshouses. A range of timber-framed almshouses founded in 1630.

(15) Price's Almshouses. A range of stone and brick almshouses, founded c. 1665, with a chapel.

(17) The Old House. The best surviving example of a timber-framed house in the city; built 1621.

(83) No. 131a, Widemarsh Street. An interesting early 17th-century timber-framed building.

(99) Nos. 29 and 30, Castle Street, a house incorporating the late 14th-century hall of the Vicars Choral.

(105) Constitutional Club, dating from the 16th century with a rich 17th-century plaster ceiling.

35. Holme Lacy.

(2) Holme Lacy House, built late in the 17th century with rich plaster ceilings.

38. Kilpeck.

(2) Kilpeck Castle. A 12th-century mount and bailey castle with remains of a shellkeep.

42. Llangarren.

(3) Langstone Court, dating from the 16th century or earlier with a good block of c. 1700 and interesting plaster ceilings.

(4) Bernithan Court, a complete and interesting building of 1695.

46. Longtown and Clodock.

(3) Longtown Castle, extensive earthworks and a late 12th or early 13th-century cylindrical keep of unusual type.

(5) Old Court, a stone-built house dating from the 14th century.

(6) Ty-Mawr, a stone-built house also dating from the 14th century.

54. Peterchurch.

(4) Snodhill Castle, extensive earthworks and remains of the stone castle of the family of Chandos.

(8) Wellbrook Manor, with extensive remains of a 14th-century hall and solar-wing.

56. St. Weonards.

(3) Treago, a fortified house dating from late in the 15th or early in the 16th century.

61. Sellack.

(2) Caradoc Court. A good 16th-century timber-framed building with later additions in stone.

70. Welsh Newton.

(2) Pembridge Castle. Remains of a 13th-century stone castle with a cylindrical keep, perhaps of late 12th-century date.

71. Whitchurch.

(3) Old Court, a stone-built manor-house of the 16th century with later additions.

12. We offer our grateful thanks to Mr. Mill Stephenson, F.S.A., for the revision of the descriptions of Brasses, to Mr. R. E. Mortimer Wheeler, M.C., D.Lit., F.S.A., for the revision of descriptions of Roman Remains, and to Mr. O. G. S. Crawford, F.S.A., for revision of descriptions of Earthworks.

13. We desire to express our acknowledgment of the good work accomplished by our Executive Staff in the persons of Mr. A. W. Clapham, O.B.E., F.S.A., Mr. J. W. Bloe, O.B.E., F.S.A., Mr. E. A. R. Rahbula, M.C., F.S.A., Mr. G. E. Chambers, F.S.A., Mr. P. K. Kipps, Mr. A. T. Phillips, M.C., Miss V. M. Dallas and Mr. F. T. A. Power, M.C.

14. We regret exceedingly that owing to loss of staff and its continued non-replacement owing to Treasury ruling, and, a fortiori, to the refusal to entertain any immediate prospect of its expansion, it has not been possible to go forward with the pre-war intention of the Commission to train and place senior investigators in charge of separate areas with competent staffs under them to report the results of their enquiries to a central office in London for final editing and publication.

15. The next Inventory of the Commission will deal with the eastern portion of Herefordshire, followed by the third and concluding volume of the same County.

16. We renew an expression of thanks for the continued services of our Secretary, Sir George Duckworth, to whose good offices staff and Commissioners are alike indebted.

All of which we submit with our humble duty to Your Majesty.

Signed:—

CRAWFORD & BALCARRES (Chairman).

DILLON

J. G. N. CLIFT

E. J. HORNIMAN

ARTHUR J. EVANS

M. R. JAMES

D. H. MONTGOMERIE

WILLIAM PAGE

C. R. PEERS

HARTINGTON

E. V. LUCAS

E. E. DORLING

GEORGE H. DUCKWORTH (Secretary).

19th July, 1930.