BACTON is a parish and village situated in the Golden Valley, near the river Dore, about 12 miles S.W. from Hereford, and 4 N.W. from Pontrilas station on the Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford branch of the Great Western railway. It is in Webtree hundred, Dore union and petty sessional division, Ewyas Harold polling district, Longtown school board district, and Hereford county court district. The population in 1861 was 154; in 1871, 122; inhabited houses, 28; families or separate occupiers, 29; area of parish, 1,155 acres; annual rateable value, £1,141. William Laslett, Esq., of Abberton hall, Pershore, is lord of the manor and principal landowner. Wheat, barley, beans, roots, and apples are the main produce of the soil, which is sandy and loamy; subsoil, clay and sandstone. Bacton is in the diocese and archdeaconry of Hereford and rural deanery of Weobley; living, a rectory; value, £132, with residence and half an acre of glebe; patron, William Laslett, Esq.; rector, Rev. Charles Proberts, of St. David's College, Lampeter, who was instituted in 1835. The registers begin with the year 1724.

The church, dedicated to St. Faith, is a plain Norman structure, having a square tower, covered with ivy, containing two bells. The interior consists of nave and chancel, containing font, and an ancient monument (with curious epitaph) to Blanche Parry, maid-of-honour to Queen Elizabeth, whom she attended from her birth. An ancient piece of tapestry worked by this lady, and until recently used as an altar-cloth, is still preserved. Blanche Parry was the daughter of Harry Parry, of New court, in this parish, and granddaughter of Milo ap Harry, who died and was buried at Bacton in 1488. There were splendid stained glass windows to his memory and that of Blanche Parry, but these were removed in 1808 (when there was no resident rector) to Atcham church, near Shrewsbury. A new altar-table, lectern, and litany desk, all of oak, and crimson altar-cloth, have been recently provided by subscription, and a handsome bible and prayer-book have been presented by Mrs. Marriott, of Ganarew. In the churchyard is a handsome monument to the memory of Margaret Anne, daughter of the Rev. Edmund and Margaret Davis, who died April 22nd, 1861, at the rectory, Llangattock Llingoed (Mon.), aged fifteen years. There are charities of £20 yearly value. Blanche Parry left £14 per annum to the poor of Bacton. The children from this parish are sent mainly to Dore and Newton schools. Bacton Green is half a mile west.