Peterchurch, Herefordshire - Kelly's Directory, 1867

Extract from Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire, 1867

PETERCHURCH.

Peterchurch is a very extensive parish and picturesque village situated in the Golden Valley, on the River Dore, and on the turnpike road leading from Hay to Ross and Monmouth. It is distant 12 miles west from Hereford, 9 south-east from Hay, 14 south from Kington, and about 9 north-west from Pontrilas station, on the West Midlands section of the Great Western Railway. It is Webtree Hundred, Dore Union and petty sessional division, Hereford County Court district, diocese, and archdeaconry, and Weobley rural deanery. The area of the parish is 5,089 statute acres, and the rateable value £5,463. Mrs Sawyer and Miss Prosser are ladies of the manor; and Robert Lee Warner, Esq. Sir Velters Cornwall, Bart., Mrs Robinson, and Thomas Delahay, Esq. Are the principle landowners. The soil is a rich loam; the subsoil is clay and sandstone.

   In this parish is the site of the demolished castle of Snodhill, which Leland describes as "somewhat in ruine" even in his days. The same writer mentions a Free Chapel and Park here. The earliest notice of this castle occurs in a record of Henry III., as belonging in the 30^th year of the reign of Edward I., to Robert lord Chandos, who was fourth in descent from Robert Chandos, who came with The Conqueror. Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, in the time of Henry VI., held it in right of his wife Anne, who after his death at Barnet Field, settled it on King Henry VII. Queen Elizabeth granted it to Sir Robert Dudley, Knight of the Garter; it subsequently came into the possession of Thomas Prosser, Esq., in whose descendants it still continues. At Urishay Castle, also in this parish, is a disused chapel and portions of the moat, which formerly surrounded the building. It is now a farmhouse, in the occupation of Mr. James Bowyer. St. Peter's Wells are situated in this parish. The water from these wells was formerly extensively used for the cure of rheumatism and sore eyes. The church of St. Peter is an ancient edifice, in the Norman Style of architecture, much in need of restoration. It has tower, with spire and six bells, nave, chancel, porch, aisle, font, and several monuments; also a rude piece of stone sculpture, representing a trout with a gold chain round its neck, and which is said to have been taken in the river Dore; and from this circumstance the valley is said to have taken the name "Golden Valley". The church ends with an apse containing a curious old stone alter, with five crosses on its surface perfect. The living is a vicarage, annual value £390, with an acre and a half of glebe land in the patronage of the Rev. E. Williams and W. Farratt, Esq. The Rev. Braithwaite Armitage, B.A. of trinity College, Cambridge, is the vicar and the Rev. George Morehouse Metcalf, M.A. of Worcester College, Oxford, the Curate. In the Churchyard is a fine old yew tree, about 9 yards in circumference. The charities belonging to the church are of £16 yearly value. There are almshouses for six aged women in this parish. The Endowed National School for boys and girls is a neat building, erected in 1856. The average attendance is about 50. The Baptists, primitive Methodists, and Wesleyans, have chapels here. There is a free school in connection with the Baptists chapel, founded and endowed from Gough's charity. Fairs are held here on May 16^th (also hiring) June 30^th (wool and stock), and September 22^nd.

   Snodhill is distant two miles north-west. The population in 1851 was 730, and in 1861, 710. The number of inhabited houses was 159.

   Postal Regulations. -Thomas Davies, Sub-Postmaster. Letters arrive by messenger from Hereford vid Letton at 10.30a.m.; dispatched thereto at 2.20p.m. Letters can be registered. The nearest money-order office is at Hay. Post Town, Hereford.   Parish Church (St. Peter).-Rev. Braithwaite Armitage, B.A., Vicar. Rev. George Morehouse Metcalf, M.A., Curate. William Howard, Parish Clerk.

   Baptist Chapel. - Rev. Joseph Beard, Minister.

   Wesleyan Chapel (erected 1862). - Ministers various.

   Primitive Methodists Chapel (erected 1857). - Ministers various.

   National School (boys and girls). - John Appleyard, Master; Mrs. Caroline Appleyard, Mistress.

   Baptists School (endowed by Gough's Charity). - Joseph Beard, Master; Mrs. Beard, Mistress.

   Peterchurch and Clifford Charity. - The following gentlemen are the Trustees: Henry Allen Esq., B. H. Allen, Esq., Tomkyns Dew, Esq., T. W. Higgins. Esq., Rev. Thomas Powell, H. H. Wood, Esq., and Rev. W. W. Trumper. Clerk to the Trustees, Mr. Charles Griffiths, Hay.

   Almshouses. - For six aged women; each receive 7 shillings per week; supported by Smith's Charity, and under the management of the Trustees of the Peterchurch and Clifford Charity.

   Carrier to Hereford (passing through). - William Fowler, from Dorstone, every Wednesday and Saturday at 7 a.m.; returning the same days at 9 p.m.

PRIVATE RESIDENTS
Barrett Mr. Jeremiah, High House	Jones Rev. Morgan (incumbent of the consolidated livings of St. Margarets and Michaelchurch Eskley, Crossway.
Beard Rev. Joseph (Baptist) Chapel House	Metcalf Rev. George Morehouse, M.A. (curate of Peterchurch), Hinton Hall.
COMMERCIAL
Appleyard John, Master of national School	Jones Mrs. Farmer, Old Tays.
Bishop John, farmer, Lower Willbrook	LANE CHARLES EDWARD, grocer, linen and woollen draper, and general outfitter; dealer Glass, china, & earthenware, boots, shoes agent for W. & A. Gilbey wine importers and distillers, also for the Alton Court Brewery Company Ltd. of Ross, and Guinness's Dublin porter, Albion House (see advert p. 74).
Bowyer Amos, builder and beer retailer	Lewis Benjamin, Sgt. of Police, police House
Bowyer Jabez, farmer and mason, Clothier's Farm and Urishay Castle.	Lewis Walter. Farm bailiff for W. H. Lee Warner, Esq. (of Tibberton Court), Lion's Hall Farm.
Burleigh, Shoemaker.	Maddox Charles, farmer and beer retailer
Cleland William, framer, Trenant	Maddox James, miller, Trenant Mill
Davies John, farmer, Pen-y-land	Maddox William, farmer, Barley Knapp
Davies Robert, blacksmith	Mathews Enoch, farmer, Upper Willbrook
Davies Thomas, blacksmith & sub-Postmaster	Mathews Samuel, farmer, Upper Willbrook
Davies Thomas, farmer, New Enclosure	Medlicott James, farmer & landowner, Mowbage & Greenway Farms
Davies William, shoemaker	Medlicott John, farmer, Hinton Court Farm
Espencer William, estate & general agent & timber valuer	Meyrick Charles, blacksmith
Evans William, miller, Snodhill Mill	Morgan George, wheelwright & carpenter, The Gibs.
Fowler William, farmer and Landowner, Urishay Villa	Morgan William, farmer, Oatley farm
GARRETT WILLIAM, Boughton Arms Commercial Inn, and agent for the Liverpool and London Globe Fire and life insurance company (see adv., p. 74)	Norman Alfred, butcher
Goodwin Arthur, farmer, Wilmastone & Godway fms.	Page Joseph, saddler & harness maker
Griffiths Jonathan, farmer, Hinton Farm	Pearce Thomas, farmer, Snodhill Court
Hancorn William, farmer & timber merchant	Powell James, maltster & shopkeeper
Howard Robt., thrashing machine proprietor	Powell Thomas, farmer, Snodhill & New Lodge Farms
Howard William, Plough and Harrow Inn, carpenter, and Parish Clerk	Price Henry, farmer, Urishay Common
Howells Matthew, farmer, Cwm-Crone.	Price James, farmer, Dragon's Pool
Howells Richard, farmer, Cwm.	Price James, farmer, New House
Hughes Thomas, shoemaker	Price John, shoemaker, Hinton
Hunt Edward, shoemaker	Prosser Enoch, farmer & wheelwright
JENKINS JOHN, chemist and druggist; agent for the Hereford Times, and depot of the British and Foreign Bible Society, Crossway	Pugh William, farmer & mason, Wern-ere
Jenkins Mrs. Mary grocer & draper Crossway	White George, mason, Snodhill
Jenkins Thomas, farmer, Pool Farm, Snodhill	Williams George, farmer, Gobbets
Jones John, farmer, Lower House Snodhill	Williams William, farmer, Park Farm.

[Transcribed by Richard Lane in December 2002
from a copy of Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire, 1867 in Hereford Central Library]