Eardisland, Herefordshire

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

Transcribed by Marion B. Wilkinson, © Copyright 2001

EARDISLAND is a large parish and village situated on the river Arrow, and the main road from Leominster to Kington, distant 5 miles W. of Leominster, 14 N. of Hereford, and 9 E. of Kington; in Stretford hundred, Weobley union and petty sessional division, Pembridge polling district, and Leominster county court district. The Leominster and Kington railway runs through part of the parish; the nearest stations being at Kingsland and Pembridge. The population in 1861 was 894; in 1871, 886; inhabited houses, 199; families or separate occupiers, 231; area of parish, 4,402a. 1r. 15p.; annual rateable value, £7,088. The principal landowners are John Clowes, Esq. (lord of the manor of Burton), Benjamin Lawrence Sanders, Esq., LL.B. (lord of the manor of Hinton), John Harding, Esq., Tattenhall lodge, Leamington (the present high sheriff for the county of Hereford), Right Hon. Lord Bateman, Major Richard Snead Cox, C. J. Haywood, Esq., and Dr. Lambe. The soil is clayey and alluvial; subsoil, chiefly old red sandstone; chief produce, wheat, beans, barley, hops, roots, fruit, and pasture.

Eardisland is in the diocese and archdeaconry of Hereford and rural deanery of Leominster; living, a vicarage; value, £339, with 2½ acres of glebe; patron, the Lord Bishop of Worcester; vicar, Rev. Joseph Barker M.A., of Christ's College, Cambridge, who was instituted in 1867. There is no vicarage house, the old one having been taken down about fifty years ago. The church (St. Mary's) is a fine example of the architecture of the middle ages. It has been beautifully restored at a cost of nearly £2,000, and was reopened in June 1865; architect, Henry Curzon, Esq., of London. It consists of nave, chancel, porch, vestry, and square tower containing a clock and a peal of five bells (with curious inscriptions) cast by Rudhall, of Gloucester in 1728. The piscina and aumbry, accessories of the altar, alms-window, and other interesting work, may be seen here. The earliest register is dated 1615. The churchyard, which is very large, has some beautiful trees in it, and is kept in nice order. There is a grammar school for boys, of which the vicar is head master, endowed in 1607 with about £50 yearly. It is now united with the parish school, the boys being educated at a very trifling cost to defray the expense of books. The building has been recently put in good repair, and a new class-room added, and a teacher's house built adjoining the school. There is a separate school for girls supported by subscriptions and weekly pence.

There are a few small charities for the poor. The Wesleyan chapel in the village was built in 1864. There is also a Wesleyan chapel at Barewood in this parish. A reading-room was established in 1872 by John Clowes, Esq., of Burton court, and the vicar. It is open till 9.30 p.m., and is well supplied with daily and weekly newspapers, monthly periodicals, &c. Members pay one penny weekly, and have the use of the "Burton Court Lending Library," which is now held in the same building. Near Burton Court, in this parish, the seat of John Clowes, Esq., J.P., D.L., is the supposed site of a Roman encampment, probably the one in which Prince Henry, afterwards Henry V., stationed his army to watch the motions of Owen Glendower. Twyford (the Double Ford) and Broom were likewise occupied by the Romans.

POSTAL REGULATIONS.- Richard Ball, Sub-Postmaster. Letters are received through Pembridge, and arrive about 8.30 a.m.; despatched at 5.30 p.m. Pembridge is the nearest money order and telegraph office. Letters should be addressed- Eardisland, Pembridge, R.S.O. (Herefordshire)
Parish Church (St Mary's).- Rev. Joseph Barker, M.A., Vicar; John Clowes, Esq., and Mr. John Hall, Churchwardens; Richard Roberts, Parish Clerk.
Grammar School.- Rev. Joseph Barker, M.A., Head Master; Mr. John M. Haynes, Assistant Master. Girls' School.- ____, Mistress.
Eardisland Reading Room.- Mr. George Parry, Librarian.
Wesleyan Chapel, The Village.- Ministers various.
Wesleyan Chapel, Barewood.- Ministers various.
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Barker Rev. Joseph M.A. (vicar of Eardisland, and head master of the grammar school), Staick house
Blackmore Rev. Saml. (Baptist), New ho.
Clowes John, Esq., J.P., Burton court; and Arthur's club, London, S.W.
Edwards Mr. Joseph
Hall Mrs. and Miss
Harding John, Esq., J.P., D.L. (high sheriff for the county), Lynch court; and Tattenhall lodge, Leamington
Matthews Mr. William Edward, The Folly
Yeld Mr. George, Twyford
COMMERCIAL.
Ball Richard, butcher, shopkeeper, and sub-postmaster, Post office
Bassett John, boot and shoe maker
Bassett Thomas, frmr. and assist. Overseer
Baynham William, cot. Frmr., Bar farm
Bottom Thomas, farm bailiffe Nun house
Coates Joseph, farmer and hop grower, Court house
Connop Herbert, farmer and hop grower, Grove house
Davies George, frmr., Upper Rhydimoor
Dowding George, Swan Inn, & plasterer
Evans J., farmer, Hardwick
Evans ____, cottage farmer and thatcher
Gough John, basket maker, Barewood
Gould James, wheelwright
Greenly Mrs. J., farmer, Lower Hardwick
Gregg John, farmer, Brockalye
Griffiths Charles, blacksmith
Griffiths John, cottage farmer, The Lime
Hall John, farmer and hop grower, Hinton Manor farm
Havard Thomas, frmr. & haulr., Barewood
Haynes John M., assistant master of grammar school
Hope Alfred, farmer & hop grower, Lower Barewood
Hornsby Edward, basket maker
Howard James, farmer, Hardwick
Howis Alfred, farmer, Little Broom
Howis George, cot. frmr., Eardisland cot.
Hughes Mrs. C., farmer, The Broom
Hundley Charles, miller & farmer, Glan Arrow house and Nun house farm
James Thomas, farmer, The Folly; res., Brook end, Pembridge, R.S.O.
Jepson Samuel, farm bailiff for J. Clowes, Esq., J.P., D.L., and parish constable, Burton Court farm
Jones John, cottage farmer, Broach farm
Jones Thos. B., brick manufactr., Burton court brickyard; res., 89 Etnam street Leominster
Kington James, farmer
Lewis Wm., head gardener to J. Clowes, Esq., J.P., Burton Court gardens
Lilley Samuel, cottage frmr. and haulier, Lower Burton
Lloyd Thos., baker & shopkpr., Barewood
Macklen George, Cross Inn, and brewer
Maund Jas., farmer, Lower Burton farm
Miles John, farmer, Lower Hardwick
Morgan John, farmer
Morgan John, tailor & draper, Bridge ho.
Morris Francis, cottage farmer, Barewood
Morris John, cottage farmer, Burton
Parry William, blacksmith
Perkins James, farmer, Rhydimoor
Powles William, carpenter, Barewood
Price Hugh, farmer, Nun's land
Price W., farmer, Hardwick
Prosser Job, farmer, Burton cottage
Pugh William, stonemason and cottage farmer, Lower Burton
Ratcliff E.W., miller, Upper mill
Reynolds George, butcher
Ricketts Thomas, cot. farmer, Barewood
Ricketts William, cot. farmer, Downways
Roberts Richard, shoemakr. & parish clk.
Smith J., grocer, provision dealer, and waiter
Stephens William, boot and shoe maker
Thomas George, cottage farmer & haulier, Lower Burton
Thomas John, farmer, Sytches
Thomas William, frmr., Upper Hardwick
Tomkins William, stonemason
Trumper Miss M.A. farmer, Burton; John Trumper bailiff
Turner Mrs. M., farmer and hop grower, Lynch court
Wall George, haulier and pig killer
Went George, miller & thrashing machine proprietor, Burton mill
Williams Hugh Morgan, frmr., The Riddox
Woodhall William, boot and shoe maker
Yapp Thomas, cottage farmer
Yeld George, frmr. & landowner, Twyford

Transcription by Marion Wilkinson in September 2001.

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