Sellack, Herefordshire

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

Transcribed by Rosemary Lockie, © Copyright 2004

SELLACK is a scattered village and parish possessing much beautiful scenery, being on the borders of the river Wye, about 3½ miles N.W. of Ross, 10½ S.S.E. of Hereford, and 2 S.W. of Fawley station on the Hereford, Ross, and Gloucester branch of the Great Western railway. It is in Wormelow hundred (upper division), Ross union, county court district, and polling district, and Harewood End petty sessional division. The population in 1861 was 345; in 1871, 353; inhabited houses, 75; families or separate occupiers, 75; area of parish, 1,551 acres; annual rateable value, £3,518 15s. Chandos Wren Hoskyns, Esq., of Harewood house, is lord of the manor or hundred of Wormelow. The principal landowners in Sellack are Lieut.- Colonel Thomas Powell Symonds, of Pengethley, Elisha Caddick, Esq., of Caradoc, and the Governors of Guy's Hospital, London. The soil is a rich loam on a red sandstone formation, and is extremely fertile. The chief crops are wheat, barley, roots, and pasture.

A ferry-boat crosses the river Wye to King's Caple. The winding course of the river renders the scenery very picturesque in this locality. On a commanding eminence between Pengethley and Michaelchurch is an ancient square camp called "Geer Cop". Sellack is in the diocese and archdeaconry of Hereford and rural deanery of Archenfield; living, a vicarage with the chapelry of King's Caple annexed; joint value, £312, with residence and 99 acres of glebe; patrons, the Dean and Chapter of Hereford; vicar, Rev. William Henry Ley, M.A., of Trinity College, Oxford, who was instituted in 1841. Sellack living is worth £140 yearly, with 97 acres of glebe. The vicar of Sellack for the time being is patron of the livings of Marstow and Pencoyd.

The church, dedicated to St. Teseliachus; is a handsome stone edifice, consisting of rave, chancel, and tower, surmounted with a lofty spire. The tower contains a peal of five bells. The church was enlarged in 1841 at a cost of £670, Of which £560 was raised by subscription and £110 by Incorporated Society grant. There are several monuments to the Pengetbley family, also a handsome stained glass memorial window to the late W. Jones, Esq., of Baysham. The organ is a fine-toned instrument. The register goes back to the year 1566. The charities belonging to the parish amount to £29 yearly. There is a parochial school for boys and girls, with an average attendance of 50. It is situated on the rise of the hill, opposite to the church, and is supported by subscription. Pengethley, the seat of Lieut.- Colonel Thomas Powell Symonds, J.P., D.L., is a fine mansion, occupying a lovely situation near the main road from Ross to Hereford. This seat was in 1622 the property of Sir Thomas Powell, Bart., and after descending to Sir John Williams, Bart., and his issue, the Rev. T. Powell Symonds succeeded to the property, from whom it descended to its present owner.

The view at this point is like a peep into fairy-land - the eye glancing above the tops of the trees: deep down in the wooded valley is the grey venerable tower of Hentland church; in the far distance may be espied the firs which crown the ridge of Stoke Edith park. Fine timber of every variety of leaf forms the foreground of the picture. Caradoc, a handsome Elizabethan mansion, is the seat of Elisha Caddick, Esq., who has recently, at great expense, completely restored and considerably enlarged the ancient building, carefully preserving all the architectural features. It is beautifully situated on an eminence near the Wye, commanding charming views of the surrounding country. Close to the mansion is the site of a small encampment. Baysham Court is the residence of Thomas Duckham, Esq., an eminent agriculturist, and author of the "Herd Book of Hereford Cattle".

POSTAL REGULATIONS.- Letters arrive by messenger from Ross. The pillar letter-box at Picts cross is cleared at 6.25 p.m. on week-days only. Ross is the nearest money order and telegraph office and post town.
Parish Church (St. Teseliachus').- Rev. William Henry Levi M.A., Vicar; Messrs. George W. Lloyd and Thomas Duckham, Churchwardens; Mrs. James Colcombe, Organist; William Probert, Sexton.
Parochial School (boys and girls).- Mrs. James Colcombe, Mistress.
Assistant Overseer.- Mr James Colcombe, jun., Picts cross.
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Caddick Elisha, Esq., Caradoc
Caddick Edward, Esq., Caradoc
Duckham Thomas, Esq., Baysham court
Hillman Mr. Nathaniel, Strangford
Ley Rev. William Henry, M.A. (vicar of Sellack with King's Caple), Vicarage
Ley Rev. Augustin, B.A. (curate of King's Caple), The Vicarage
Lloyd George Woodall, Esq., White house
Stallard William, Esq., Sidonia house
Symonds Lieut.-Colonel Thomas Powell, J.P., D.L., Pengethley; and Windham club, London, S.W.
COMMERCIAL.
Colcombe James, freeholder
Colcombe James, jun., assistant overseer for Sellack, Peterstow, and Bridstow, Picts cross
Colcombe Mrs. James, schoolmistress and organist
Davies Rd., beer retailer (Lough Pool)
Drew Joseph, farmer, The Grove
Duckham Thomas, farmer; editor and publisher of the "Herd Book of Hereford Cattle"; secretary to the Herefordshire agricultural society, Baysham court
Holder Sampson, farmer, Caradoc farm
Jones William, head gardener to E. Caddick, Esq.
Lloyd George Woodall, farmer, White house; and at Brook farm, Whitchurch, near Monmouth
Mailes John, farmer, The Grove farm
Minett Mrs., shopkeeper, Grove com.
Preece Richard, stonemason, Grove com.
Probert James, wheelwright & carpenter
Probert Joseph, wheelwright, Grove com.
Probert William, wheelwright and parish sexton
Ross George, carpenter & shopkeeper, The Marsh
Scudamore Richd., frmr., Pengethley fm.
Tarling Thomas, boot and shoe maker
Tommey William, blacksmith, Picts cross
Voyce John, blacksmith, Backney

OCR/Transcription by Rosemary Lockie in June 2004.

This is a Genealogy Website
URL of this page: https://texts.wishful-thinking.org.uk/Littlebury1876/Sellack.html
Logo by courtesy of the Open Clip Art Library