WHITNEY is a parish and railway station on the Hereford, Hay, and Brecon branch of the Midland railway, and on the northern bank of the river Wye; is distant 16¾ miles W.N.W. of Hereford, 4 N.N.E. of Hay, and 9 S. of Kington; is in Huntington hundred, Hay union and county court district, Eardisley polling district, and Bredwardine petty sessional division. The population in 1861 was 260; in 1871, 278; inhabited houses, 58; families or separate occupiers, 60; area of parish, 1,483 acres; annual rateable value, £2,980. Tomkyns Dew; Esq., of Whitney court, is lord of the manor and principal landowner. Mrs. Spencer Phillips, Miss Mary Sirrell, Mr. George Roberts, Mr. John Colley, and Mr. Edward Prosser, are also landowners here. The soil is clay and loam on the higher parts of the parish, and rich alluvial on the, lower level; the subsoil is gravelly in the valley; much of the high land is underlaid with rock and marl. The river Wye winds through the parish, which is most beautifully wooded, has rich pasture-lands, and magnificent scenery. There are two bridges (one of which is very handsome) over the Wye. Whitney is in the diocese and archdeaconry of Hereford and rural deanery of Weobley; living, a rectory; value, £234, with residence and 17 acres of glebe; patron, Tomkyns Dew, Esq.; rector, Rev. Henry Dew, B.A., of Jesus College, Cambridge, who was instituted in 1843. The old church, which formerly stood on the banks of the Wye, was washed down together with the Rectory house in the year 1730.

The present church of St. Paul was erected in 1740, at the sole expense of Mr. Wardour, then resident at Whitney court. It is a substantial stone edifice, with nave, chancel, and tower containing five bells. The chancel was entirely restored by the rector in 1868. The bells, which are large and of fine tone, were rehung (and one recast) in 1869. The east window has been recently filled with stained glass, as a memorial to the late Captain Roderick Dew, C.B., R.N., who died at Lisbon, March 24th, 1869, when in command of Her Majesty's ship Northumberland. The subject represents our Saviour saving St. Peter in his attempt to walk on the sea. A beautiful marble tomb bearing date 1698, and the ancient font, were recovered from the ruins of the old church. The earliest register is dated 1612. The parochial school, for boys and girls, is under government inspection. It is supported by subscription, and affords instruction to about 40 children. The school-house, with residence for the mistress, was erected in 1845 by the present rector, assisted by voluntary contributions. Whitney Court is the seat of Tomkyns Dew, Esq., J.P. and D.L. for Herefordshire and Brecknockshire, who was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1842.