BODENHAM is an extensive parish, consisting of the townships above named, and situated on the river Lugg, which is famed for its trout and grayling fishing. The village is distant about 6½ miles S. from Leominster, 8 N. from Hereford, 10 S.W. from Bromyard, and 16 N.W. from Ledbury; the Dinmore station on the Shrewsbury and Hereford railway is in this parish, but distant 1½ miles E. of the church; and the main road between Leominster and Ledbury is about 1 mile W. Bodenham is the head of a polling district, in Broxash hundred, Leominster union, county court district, and petty sessional division; population in 1861, 1,096; in 1871, 1,111; inhabited houses, 221; families or, separate occupiers, 267; area of parish, 5,260 acres; annual rateable value, £7,222. John Hungerford Arkwright, Esq., of Hampton court, is lord of the manor and principal landowner. Mrs. Helme, Mrs. Forrest, and Mr. William W. Sessions, are also landowners here. The parish is well watered by the Lugg, and is very fertile, much of the land being under pasture, and the produce of the remainder being wheat, beans, hops, and fruit. Soil, loam and clay; subsoil, gravel. There are some extensive farms, with good houses attached. Dinmore Hill, a very considerable eminence, delightfully situated about 1½ miles N.W., commands a most extensive and splendid prospect. In this parish, near Calderwell farm, is a never-failing spring of beautiful water, containing some remarkable properties, and formerly used by invalids. In the early part of July 1872 the portion of this parish bordering on Felton was visited by a tornado, which caused much destruction to property.

Bodenham is in the diocese and archdeaconry of Hereford and rural deanery of Weston; living, a vicarage; value, £660, including 381 acres of glebe, with residence; patron, John Hungerford Arkwright, Esq.; vicar, Rev. Henry Arkwright, M.A., of Trinity College, Cambridge, who was instituted in 1843. The parish registers begin with the year 1584. The church, dedicated to St. Michael, was repaired and repewed in 1834, when 200 additional sittings were obtained. Accommodation is now provided for nearly 600 people. It is in the Early English style of architecture, and consists of chancel (with handsome ribbed ceiling), nave, north and south aisles, and square tower with four pinnacles and an unfinished lantern spire; the tower contains a peal of five bells, and a clock which was presented by J.H. Arkwright, Esq., in 1849. The organ was given by the vicar. There are several notable monuments, a carved stone font, &c. The charities belonging to the parish are of £18 yearly value. The national school for boys and girls was erected from the designs of F.R. Kempson, Esq., of Hereford, the cost being defrayed by subscription. It is in the Early English style, and has a residence for the master attached; the number of children under instruction is 128.

The principal residences in the parish are - The Vicarage (a modern stone building in the Elizabethan style, distant about a of a mile from the church), Broadfeld Court (an ancient mansion about 2½ miles N.E., the residence of Mrs. Helme), and Venwood (about 2½ miles S.E., in the occupation of Mrs. Forrest and Hugh Jenner, Esq., J.P.) The Railway Hotel, near Dinmore station, is much resorted to during the summer months by pleasure parties. Bowley is a township distant 1½ miles N.E. The Moor is a township ¾ of a mile E. Here is a Wesleyan chapel, which was rebuilt and enlarged in 1874. It is in the Hereford circuit. Maund Bryan is a township 2¾ miles S.E. A school church was erected here in 1865, and divine service is held once on Sundays. There is a school for boys and girls; number of children on the books, 45; average attendance, 30. It is a neat building of stone, with good residence for the mistress attached. Whitechurch Maund is a township distant 3 miles S. by S.E. from the church.