Kingsland, Herefordshire

Extract from Littlebury's Directory and Gazetteer of Herefordshire, 1876-7
with Private and Commercial Residents

Transcribed by Marion B. Wilkinson, © Copyright 2001

KINGSLAND,
WITH THE TOWNSHIPS OF ASTON, LAWTON, LONGFORD, STREET, AND WEST TOWN.

KINGSLAND is an extensive parish comprising the townships above named, and situated in a rich valley, watered by the rivers Lugg and Pinsley. It has a station on the Leominster and Kington railway, distant 4½ miles N.W. of Leominster, 16 N.N.W. of Hereford, 10 S.W. of Ludlow, and 10 E.S.E. of Presteigne; is in Stretford hundred, Leominster union, county court district, and petty sessional division, and is a polling place for county elections. The population in 1861 was 1,150; in 1871, 1,138; inhabited houses, 265; families or separate occupiers, 299; area of parish, 4,735 acres; annual rateable value, £10,251 12s. 11d. The Right Hon. Lord Bateman is lord of the manor. The principal landowners are Lord Bateman, Richard Weaver Evans, Esq. (Eyton hall), Benjamin Lawrence Sanders, Esq., LL.B., W.H. Bradley, Esq., John Gethin, Esq., John J. Lewis, Esq., Thomas Roberts, Esq., Francis Parker, Esq. (Worcester), James Bevan, Esq. (Leominster), William Davis, Esq. (Dean park, Tenbury), Rev. W.T. Kevill-Davies (Croft castle), and Arthur H. Wall, Esq. The soil is clay and gravel, and is very fruitful, producing hops, wheat, barley, beans, roots, apples, pears, &c.

The parish is generally level, and there is a large portion of excellent meadow and pasture land. The rivers Lugg and Arrow are deservedly famed for trout, grayling, and other fish. The village of Kingsland is about a mile in length, and is remarkably neat and pretty. Most of the cottages have gardens. This parish was anciently a part of the great inheritance of the Mortimers. In the reign of Edward I., Margaret, widow of Lord Mortimer, procured a grant for a market and fair; the former has long been disused. The fair is held on October 11th, yearly, for cattle, sheep, horses and pigs. About a quarter of a mile above the village, at the junction of the roads, stands a neat Tuscan pedestal of white stone, erected by the neighbouring gentry to commemorate the celebrated battle of Mortimer's Cross, fought near this spot, between the partisans of the rival houses of York and Lancaster on Candlemas eve, A.D. 1460, the issue of which proved decisive in favour of the Earl of March, afterwards Edward IV., who commanded in person. On the base of the pedestal is the following inscription:-

"This Pedestal is erected to perpetuate the Memory of an obstinate, bloody, and decisive Battle, fought near this spot in the Civil Wars between the ambitious Houses of York and Lancaster, on the 2nd day of February, 1460, between the forces of Edward Mortimer, Earl of March (afterwards Edward the Fourth), on the side of York, and those of Henry the Sixth, on the side of Lancaster.

"The King's Troops were commanded by Jasper, Earl of Pembroke; Edward commanded his own in Person, and was victorious. The slaughter was great on both sides, four thousand being left dead on the field, and many Welsh Persons of the first distinction were taken Prisoners, among whom was Owen Tudor (Great-Grandfather to Henry the Eighth, and a descendant of the illustrious Cadwallader), who was afterwards beheaded at Hereford.

"This was the decisive Battle which fixed Edward the Fourth on the Throne of England, who was proclaimed King in London on the 5th of March following.
"Erected by subscription in the year 1799."

Kingsland is in the diocese and archdeaconry of Hereford and rural deanery of Leominster; living, a rectory; value, £785, with residence and 63 acres of glebe; patron, W.H. Bradley Esq.; rector, Rev. William Henry Bradley, M.A., of ----- College, -----, who was instituted in 1876. The church, dedicated in honour of St. Michael, was built by Edward, Lord Mortimer, in the reign of Edward I. It is a massive stone building, with square embattled tower (containing six bells), and consists of chancel, nave, two side aisles, porch, piscina, sedilia, font, clock, and some neat monuments. It has been completely restored at a cost of £2,000, raised mainly through the exertions of the late Rev. Richard D. Evans, the former patron and rector, and was reopened September 3rd, 1868. G.F. Bodley, Esq., of London, was the architect. The church is one of much beauty, and is a very interesting specimen of the architecture of the early part of the 14th century. The fabric has not been altered by more recent additions, and therefore shows great unity of style.

The nave and aisles are fitted with oak benches, and the chancel with oak stalls. All the windows of the chancel are filled with stained glass, and its ceiling is beautifully decorated. The pavement is of Godwin's encaustic tiles. The nave roof, previously ceiled, has been opened out and restored. There are several memorial windows: one to a former rector of the parish; another placed in the tower by Mr. Edward Russell, jun., to the memory of his wife and child; another given by Miss Weyman, of Stagbatch; and one at the end of the north aisle, by Heaton, Butler, & Bayne, placed there by the patron, W.H. Bradley, Esq., in memory of his eldest daughter. The east window, of painted glass, was erected as a memorial to the late Rev. Richard Davies Evans, the cost being defrayed by the subscriptions of the parishioners and friends of the late rector. The parish registers begin with the year 1564. The charities bequeathed for the benefit of the poor amount to £15 14s. yearly. Here is a national school for boys and girls, under government inspection. It has an endowment of £5 per annum. A new school-room, capable of accommodating 150 children, was erected in 1874, at a cost (including fittings) of about £600. A commodious play-ground has been given out of the glebe by the rector. The old room is now used as an infant's school.

There is a Wesleyan chapel in the village built by Mrs. Holloway in 1857, and a Primitive Methodist chapel at Shirl heath, erected in 1861. Street Court is the seat of Benjamin Lawrence Sanders, Esq., LL.B., of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, J.P. and D.L. for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, and lord of the manor of Hinton. This ancient mansion has been beautifully restored. It occupies a healthy and pleasant situation; the old Roman road (Watling street) passes near the grounds. The Rectory is a neat building in the old style, with extensive gardens and grounds, in which is the site of an ancient castle, which tradition states to be the burial-place of King Merwald, founder of the nunnery at Leominster. Aston is a township distant 1½ miles N.E. of the church; Lawton is about 2 miles S. of Kingsland and 3½ W. of Leominster; Longford and West Town form the village; Street is 1½ miles S.W.

POSTAL REGULATIONS.- Post and telegraph office, Walter Deane, Sub-Postmaster. Letters arrive at 6.10 a.m.; despatched at 7.25 p.m. Money orders are granted and paid, post office savings bank and telegraph business transacted from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. Kingsland being what is termed a Railway Sub-Office, letters should be addressed Kingsland R.S.O. (Herefordshire.)
Parish Church (St Michael's).- Rev. William Henry Bradley, M.A., Rector; Benjamin Lawrence Sanders, esq., LL.B., and John Gethin, Esq., Churchwardens; James Scandrett, Parish Clerk.
National School (boys and girls).- Mr. Walter Deane, Master.
Primitive Methodist Chapel, Shirl heath.- Ministers various.
Wesleyan Chapel, Kingsland village.- Ministers various.
County Police Station.- William Jones, Constable.
Assistant Overseer.- Mr. George Joseph Jones, Pembridge. Railway Station (Leominster and Kington Railway - G.W.R.)-James Goodman, Station Master.
Carriers to Leominster.- Frederick Bywater (from Wigmore) passes through on Fridays, stops at the Elephant and Castle Inn; J. Griffiths, on Fridays, stops at the Elephant and Castle Inn.
Kingsland Friendly Society.- (The annual meeting is held at the Lion Inn on the first Monday in June.)
St. Michael's Lodge of Oddfellows.- (The annual meeting is held at the Corners Inn on the first Monday after St. Swithin's day.)
Mortimer's Cross Agricultural Society.- Mr. John Taylor, Elsdon, Hon. Secretary.

KINGSLAND,
WITH THE TOWNSHIPS OF ASTON, LAWTON, LONGFORD, STREET, AND WEST TOWN DIRECTORY.

Marked thus * are in the township of West Town; thus † are in Longford; thus ‡ are in Street; thus § are in Lawton; thus ** are in Aston.
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
*Ash Mr. Moses young, Green park
*Bradley Rev. William Henry, M.A. (rector), The Rectory
†Carwardine Mr. George, Rose cottage, Cobnash
†Chattaway Mrs. Anne, Stone cottage
§Davies Mrs. Martha, Alma house
*Edwards The Misses, Harbour house
†Edwards Mr. Peter, Longford
†Gethin John, Esq., The Elms
†Hundley Mr. Joseph, Stone house
†Hunt Tom Oliver, Esq., M.R.C.S., The Villa
†Lewis Mrs. Ann, Ivy cottage
†Lewis John James, Esq., Mortimer cot.
*Marris Mrs., The Wardens
†Powell Mrs., Vine cottage
Price Mr. Thomas, Stanley villa
†Roberts Mr. Thomas, Fairfield
‡Sanders Benjamin Lawrence, Esq., LL.B., J.P., and D.L. (for counties of
Hereford and Worcester), Street court
*Thomas Mr. John, Lorne house
*Tudge Mrs., Preston villa
†Watts William, Esq., The Shrublands
Weyman Mrs. M.A., Upper house
*Williams Robt., Esq., M.B., The Croase
COMMERCIAL.
†Allen John, Corners Inn
‡Baker Joseph, frmr., Street Court farm
§Bedford George J., auctioneer, valuer, and farmer, Broomy Hill farm
Blundell Charles, coal, coke, lime, and general merchant, depôt at Railway
station (John Addis, Salesman); head offices, South street, Leominster (see
Leominster advertisements)
†Brindley Mrs. Mary, shopkeeper
*Brown Alfred, beer retailer (Three Horse Shoes), The Monument
†Burgoyne George, mason, Cobnash
†Caldicott William, thrashing machine proprietor
**Coates John, farmer, Nap farm
COLEBATCH G. PATESHALL, auctioneer, valuer, land, estate, and insurance
agent, Brick house
*Colebatch George Frederick, farmer and hop grower, the Showers
‡Corbett Mrs. & Sons, farmers, Corn hill
†Cornish John, baker
Crump Samuel, farmer and haulier, Brook bridge
†Davies Arthur, painter, plumber, glazier, and house decorator
†Davies Edward, farmer, Stone house, Cobnash
‡Davies Edward, farmer and hop grower, Lincoln's Inn farm
§Davies Thomas, miller, Arrow mill
‡Davies William, cider retailer and cooper (Old Crown), Shirl heath
†Deane Walter, schoolmaster and sub-postmaster, Post and Telegraph office
*Edwards Charles, farmer, Stone cottage
†Edwards George B., frmr., St. Mary's
§Edwards William, farmer, Marsh farm
†Evans John, miller, Lugg mills
Evans Richard Weaver, Esq., farmer and landowner, Sodgley; Thomas Nott, bailiff
*Evans William, boot and shoe maker
§Farmer James, farmer, Lawton court
*Fowler Mrs. Maria, frmr., &c., Bone mill
†Gethin John, farmer and landowner, The Elms
*Goodman James, station master, Railway station
†Greenhouse James, boot and shoe maker
†Greenhouse Mrs. Mary Jones, Angel Inn
*Greenhouse Walter, farmer and hop grower, The Harbour
†Harris Frederick, tailor and draper, Lower house
‡Harris Thomas, farmer, Shirl heath
**Holloway Joseph, farmer, The Day ho.
*Howells Francis, farmer and landowner, The Hall
†Hughes George, Cobnash
*Hundley George, farmer, Malt house
†Hunt Tom Oliver, M.R.C.S., surgeon, &c., The Villa
Ingram John, stonemason
†Jenkins George, cattle dealer and farmer, Cobnash
†Jones Chas., shopkeeper and farmer
*Jones James, gardener
**Jones Nathan, farmer, Black hall
†Jones William, police constable
**Jones William, farmer, White house
†Lancett John, cattle dlr., Fairfield cot.
†Leake John, wheelwright, Cobnash
†Leake Mrs. Martha, shopkpr., Cobnash
†Lewis George, wheelwright, &c.
†Lewis John, miller and farmer, Waterloo and Cholstrey mills
†Lewis John James, farmer and landowner, Mortimer cottage
Lidstone R., butcher
†Martin Joseph, farmer, Bank farm
*Morris Evan, farmer, New house, Hereford lane
‡Murphy Oakley, farmer, Shirl heath fm.
Nott Thomas, farm bailiff, Sodgley
†Perks William, cooper
Preece George, tailor
‡Price James, farmer, Shirl heath
†Price Thomas, cottage farmer, Cobnash
Prothero John, coal dealer & cot. farmer
‡Pugh Thomas, wheelwright, New house
†Reece William, Red Lion Inn
†Reynolds G. & C., butchers, Corners Inn
†Roberts Thomas, farmer and landowner, Fairfield
*Scandrett James, farmer, hop grower, tailor, draper, and parish clk., Brook fm.
*Smith Richard Oseman, relieving officer
*Stephens George, tailor, beer retailer, and shopkeeper (Blue Bell)
*Stephens George, jun., coal and lime merchant, The Croase
†Stevens Edward, farmer and stone and marble mason
*Taylor Francis, farmer, Upper house
§Wall Thomas, carpenter, joiner, and cottage farmer, Brook end
*Williams John, fishing tackle maker, &c., Lug Green cottage
*Williams Robert, M.B., surgeon, The Croase
†Williams Thomas, farmer and hop grower, Holgate
*Wynde John, blacksmith

Transcription by Marion Wilkinson in August 2001.

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