EWYAS HAROLD, or EWIAS, is a parish and large village distant 12 miles S.W. of Hereford, 13 N.E. of Abergavenny, and about 1 mile N.W. of Pontrilas station on the Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford branch of the Great Western railway (West Midland section), which line passes through a portion of the parish. It is situated on Dulas brook, in Webtree hundred, Dore union and petty sessional division, Hereford county court district, and is a polling place for county elections. The population in 1861 was 407; in 1871, 548; inhabited houses, 119; families or separate occupiers, 134; area of parish, 1,654a. 0r. 33p.; annual rateable value, £2,083. The Marquess of Abergavenny is lord of the manor of Ewyas Lacy, which includes Ewyas Harold and several adjacent parishes. The principal landowners are the Rev. Archer Clive, Edward Scudamore Lucas, Esq., the executors of the late Lieut.- Colonel Robert Feilden, Mrs. Davies, Miss Jones, Miss Parry, Messrs. William Jones, William Prosser, and others. The soil is clayey; subsoil, principally red stone; chief crops, wheat, barley, beans, and oats. Fairs are held here on the first Monday in May for hiring and stock, and on the first Monday after the 10th of October for stock only.

On an eminence in this parish was an ancient castle, now demolished, formerly the head of the lordship of Ewyas Harold, which is supposed to have been built by King Harold, and from which the place derives its name. Dugdale says that it was built by William Fitz-Osborne, Earl of Hereford, after the Conquest. Leland, however, observes, "The fame goeth, that Kynge Harold had a bastard namyed Harold, and of this Harold part of Ewis was named Ewis Harold. The fame is, that the castel of Map-Herald was builded of Harold afore he was kynge; and when he overcam the Walsche men, Harold gave this castel to his bastard. Ther was sumetyme a parke by the castel." Here was likewise a Priory or cell of Black Monks, which (says Leland) "was translatyd from Dulesse (Dulas) village, a myle and upper on the broke. Dulesse village longed to Harold. Filius Haraldi foundyd this at Dulesse; Robertus Tregoz translated it from Dulesse to Mapheralt; it was a cell to Cloucester;" to which place the monks were finally removed in the year 1338, and their possessions united to those of St. Peter's Abbey, their church having been given to this abbey early in the 12th century. Ewyas Harold is in the diocese and archdeaconry of Hereford and rural deanery of Weobley; living, a vicarage; value, £86, with residence and 59 acres of glebe; patron, the Lord Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol; vicar, Rev. Henry Bullocke B.A., of Exeter College, Oxford, who was instituted in 1874.

The church of St. Michael had for many years been in a state of decay, but through the energy of the late vicar (the Rev. W.R. Lawrence, now rector of Eaton Bishop) it was thoroughly restored in 1868 at a cost of £1,220. The fabric consists of a nave, chancel, vestry, tower, and south porch, and (with the exception of the windows on the south side of the chancel, and the tower, the latter being an excellent specimen of Early English work) until the recent restoration, possessed no particular architectural features. The work of restoration included taking down such of the tower as was actually necessary in its shattered condition, and rebuilding the same replacing stone for stone in its original position; the whitewashed ceilings removed, have exposed to view a well-renovated framed roof of oak, which is re-covered with local stone tiles, and finished with an ornamental tile cresting. New widows are inserted in the nave, and at the east end is a three-light window of bold geometrical treatment, filled with stained glass in 1872 by the Rev. H.F. St. John, who kindly undertook this work in conjunction with Messrs. Heaton, Butler, & Bayne.

A handsome archway, springing from carved corbels, has been inserted between the nave and chancel; a vestry is added on the north side of the chancel, and a new oak porch to the south doorway. The passages are paved with tiles manufactured by Mr. Godwin, of Lugwardine. The sacrarium and the east wall to the height of the reredos, is lined with the same material, all of which are rich and elegant in colour and pattern. In the north wall of the chancel is an admirable 14th-century canopy, in the recess of which is placed a recumbent figure, commemorative, it is said, of Lady Clarisa Tregoz. The font consists of the original bowl (octagonal in shape) surmounted on a new platform, base, shaft, and capital.

The pulpit, the seating, and the stalls (the original worked in) are wholly of oak, and neat in character, principally made up of good specimens of 16th century carved panelling; the reredos, in particular, being remarkably well executed, representing the last supper, and other appropriate subjects. The bells were originally five in number, but some being cracked, the whole were recast by Messrs. Mears & Stainbank, with an additional one added, and are particularly musical, and effectively hung by Messrs. White & Sons. In addition to the name of the founders, each bears the following inscription, viz.:-treble, S. Ethelbert-blessing; second, S. Mary-glory; third, S. Peter-thanksgiving; fourth, S. David-honour; fifth, S. Nicholas-power; tenor, S. Michael-Be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.- W. Jones and T.D. Kedward, Churchwardens.

In the churchyard existed the remains of a base, and a piece of the shaft of a cross which has been effectually restored, and bears the following inscription:-"In memory of William Jones and Edwin Jones, deeply regretted by the parish, this ancient cross is restored by the Vicar, A.D. 1868." The whole of the works were carefully executed by local contractors, Messrs. Edwin and James Giles, of Ewyas Harold, from drawings prepared by and under the direction of G.C. Haddon, Esq., architect, of Hereford and Great Malvern. The parish registers begin with the year 1704. the national school for boys and girls was erected in 1846, and rebuilt and enlarged in 1868. It is under Government inspection, and affords instruction to nearly 100 children. The Baptist chapel was erected in 1865, and the Primitive Methodist in 1866. Dineterwood is the property and residence of Edmund Thomas Husbands, Esq. Ewyas Harold Common is distant ½ mile N.W.