William Seward was stoned to death by a crowd.

 St Mary, Cusop, Herefordshire

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The church originated in the early 12th century. There were restorations in 1857 and 1961. The ancient yew trees in the churchyard are mentioned in the Domesday Book.

In 1740, following his return from a trip to America, William Seward commenced open-air preaching on his own account. He encountered hostile crowds in South Wales and then at Hay-on-Wye in October he was heavily stoned by a particularly aggressive mob and a few days later died from his wounds, thus becoming the first Methodist martyr. He is buried near Hay, in the village churchyard at Cusop. The church there has a memorial tablet, which was dedicated in August 1978, 238 years after Seward’s death.

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James was drowned when he was 2 years old. The statue of him is charming.

Holmer Burial Ground, Holmer, Herefordshire 

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We had driven past the burial ground dozens of times over several years before we noticed it hidden behind a high bank and a thick hedge.

James was drowned when he was 2 years old. The statue of him is charming.

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The vicar and the church organist died on the same day.

 Christ Church, Llangrove, Herefordshire

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Christ Church, completed in 1856, was the first church designed by George Frederick Bodley (1827-1907) who went on to become one of our major Gothic Revival architects. Turning his back on the complexity and clutter of contemporary design, he was among those who chose the simplicity of fourteenth-century English Gothic as his pattern.

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The monument to Captain Samuel Skynner, by Thomas White of Worcester, is dated 1725.

St Michael and All Angels, Ledbury, Herefordshire 

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St Michael and All Angels Church in Ledbury is reckoned to be the finest non-monastic church in Herefordshire. It is one of the seven churches in Herefordshire to have a separate bell tower. This beautiful vast church is mostly 13th and 14th century with Anglo-Saxon origins.

 

 

The monument to Captain Samuel Skynner, by Thomas White of Worcester, is dated 1725.

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The impressive statue of the 10th Earl of Chesterfield was half-hidden behind the church.

 St Cuthbert, Holme Lacy, Herefordshire

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St Cuthbert's Church is a redundant Anglican church about 1 mile to the southeast of the village of Holme Lacy, Herefordshire. The church is now in an isolated position, but earthworks in its vicinity suggest that a village existed nearby, which subsequently became deserted. The fabric of the present church originates from the 13th century. The tower was added in the 14th century, and a north chapel and south porch followed in the 16th century.

This very impressive statue of the 10th Earl of Chesterfield was half-hidden by a hedge behind the church.

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John Harford (died 1573) has the earliest known signed sculptural monument in the country.

 Holy Trinity, Bosbury, Herefordshire

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A fine transitional church, neither Norman nor Early English, built around 1180 adjoining the Bishop's Palace of Bosbury. The massive detached bell-tower was clearly built for defence some forty years later. Its spire was lost after being struck by lightning in 1638.

The Harfords have two vast renaissance style effigial monuments flanking the high altar. John Harford (died 1573) has the earliest known signed sculptural monument in the country: "John Guldo of Hereford".

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Keep up to date with all my grave-hunting news and discoveries via my daily postings to the Social History group. Just click on the grave to apply!

 

 

Roman numerals can cause design problems for the mason. Thomas Pritchard died "in the Lth year of his age."

 The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Madley, Herefordshire

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It was the Normans who built the first stone church around 1100 AD; this was then greatly enlarged in the Early English style in about 1250 with further additions around 1320 giving us the building we see today.

Roman numerals can cause design problems for the mason. Thomas Pritchard died "in the Lth year of his age."

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The wonderful memorial to Richard Jones Powell - died 1834

 Hereford Cathedral, Hereford, Herefordshire

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The cathedral is dedicated to two patron saints, namely Saint Mary the Virgin and Saint Ethelbert the King. The latter was beheaded by Offa, King of Mercia in the year 792. The current Hereford Cathedral dates from 1079. Its most famous treasure is the Mappa Mundi, a mediaeval map of the world dating from the 13th century.

 

 

The wonderful memorial to Richard Jones Powell - died 1834

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Keep up to date with all my grave-hunting news and discoveries via my daily postings to the Social History group. Just click on the grave to apply!

 

 

 

  

The lady playing the organ is presumably the person to whom the window is dedicated.

 St Andrew and St Mary, How Caple, Herefordshire

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This parish church has a 14th century chancel. The west tower, nave and south transept date from 1693-5. Further restoration and alterations were carried out in 1889 and 1910-12 and during the 1920s and 30s.

 

 

The lady playing the organ is presumably the person to whom the window is dedicated.

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Keep up to date with all my grave-hunting news and discoveries via my daily postings to the Social History group. Just click on the grave to apply!

  

 

  

The wooden effigy of Walter de Helyon (c1350) is one of only two surviving in Herefordshire.

 St Bartholomew, Much Marcle, Herefordshire

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St. Bartholomew’s Church at Much Marcle is a large 13th century parish church often described as a mini Cathedral. 6 fine Charles Earner Kempe stained glass windows can be seen along with the internationally famous yew tree which is over 1500 years old.

 

 

The wooden effigy of Walter de Helyon (c1350) is one of only two surviving in Herefordshire.

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Keep up to date with all my grave-hunting news and discoveries via my daily postings to the Social History group. Just click on the grave to apply!

 

 

  

Captain Lechmere died on his passage from Banares to Calcutta in 1881.

 St Mary, Fownhope, Herefordshire

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One of the longest churches in Herefordshire, stretching almost 120 feet in length, St Mary's is built around a 12th century central tower, with a 15th century shingled spire. The east end of the nave is also 12th century, with a south aisle added in the 13th century and an early 14th century chancel and south chapel.

 

 

Captain Lechmere died on his passage from Banares to Calcutta in 1881.

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Keep up to date with all my grave-hunting news and discoveries via my daily postings to the Social History group. Just click on the grave to apply!

 

 

  

Cuthbert Brown was Physician Superintendent of the Hereford County and City Asylum.

 St Michael and All Angels, Belmont Abbey, Herefordshire

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Belmont Abbey is a Catholic Benedictine monastery that forms part of the English Benedictine Congregation. It stands on a small hill overlooking the city of Hereford to the east. The 19th century Abbey also serves as a parish church

 

 

 Cuthbert Brown was Physician Superintendent of the Hereford County and City Asylum.

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Keep up to date with all my grave-hunting news and discoveries via my daily postings to the Social History group. Just click on the grave to apply!

 

 

  

A small area of the graveyard has been reserved for soldiers who served in the S.A.S.

 St Martin, Hereford, Herefordshire

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 Located near the old Special Air Service base (now a housing estate) is St. Martin's Church, a Church with close links to 22 SAS Regiment. In a quiet corner, close to the rear of the Church is the final resting place for members of the Regiment.

 

 

A small area of the graveyard has been reserved for soldiers who served in the S.A.S.

 

 

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Keep up to date with all my grave-hunting news and discoveries via my daily postings to the Social History group. Just click on the grave to apply!

  

 

  

Drowned in the River Wye "in her 17th year".

 St Michael and All Angels, Moccas, Herefordshire

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St Michael's was built around 1130, on the site of a much earlier 5th century church dedicated to St Dyfrig, or Dubricius (see Madley). The building is of local tuffa with sandstone dressing. The most appealing feature of the church is that it has undergone very little rebuilding or restoration work over the centuries, so that it retains much of its medieval character.

 

 

Drowned in the River Wye "in her 17th year".

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Keep up to date with all my grave-hunting news and discoveries via my daily postings to the Social History group. Just click on the grave to apply!

 

 

  

A modern design which was not well received by some of the parishioners.

St Mary, Tyberton, Herefordshire 

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The present church is a red brick building consisting of a nave with a south porch, chancel and west tower. The south nave doorway from the medieval church was used in the 18th century building. There was a restoration in 1879 when the nave and chancel windows were replaced with inappropriate lancets.

 

 

A modern design which was not well received by some of the parishioners.

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Keep up to date with all my grave-hunting news and discoveries via my daily postings to the Social History group. Just click on the grave to apply!

 

 

  

The poem reflects on the sudden death of a 15 year old boy.

 St Faith, Dorstone, Herefordshire

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The present building, in the Early English style and built by the year 1889, was designed as nearly as possible on the lines of the old church erected in the 11th or 12th century.

 

 

The poem reflects on the sudden death of a 16 year old boy.

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Keep up to date with all my grave-hunting news and discoveries via my daily postings to the Social History group. Just click on the grave to apply!