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Holme Lacy, Herefordshire - Trade Directory, 1863

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Extract from Trade Directory of Herefordshire, 1863

Transcription by Richard Lane © 2002

HOLME LACY.

HOLME LACY, or Hom Lacy, is a parish, scattered village, and railway station, situated on the banks of the River Wye, being intersected by the Hereford, Ross, and Gloucester Railway, distant 139¾ miles from London, 30¼ from Gloucester, 114¼ from Liverpool, 4¼ south-east from Hereford, and 8 north-west from Ross, in the hundred of Webtree, Hereford Union, county court district, archdeaconry, and diocese, and rural deanery of Archenfield. The church of St. Andrew, situated near to the River Wye, is a Norman stone building, consisting of nave, chancel, north and south aisles, with a substantial square tower containing a fine peal of 8 bells. The register dates from 1615. In the interior of this edifice are several monuments, erected to the memory of the ancient Scudamore family; the late Duchess of Norfolk lies interred here. The living is a vicarage, valued at £543 annually, with good residence and about 12 acres of glebe land, in the patronage of Sir Edwyn Francis Scudamore Stanhope, Bart., The Rev. Francis Lewes, M.A., is the incumbent; and the Rev. James R. Woodgates, B.A., of Pembroke College Cambridge, is curate. Here is a Free School for boys and girls, with teachers residence attached, recently erected by Sir Edwyn Francis Scudamore Stanhope, Bart., by whom it is principally supported. Holme Lacy was for some centuries in the ancient family of Scudamores, whose ancestor, St. Scudamore (so called from the scutum amoris divini which he adopted for his arms), attended William the Conqueror in his expedition to England. Phillip Scudamore, a descendent, settled here in the fourteenth century. This remained the principle seat of the family till 1716, when the last Viscount Scudamore dying, the estate vested in his only child, a daughter; by Charles Fitzroy Scudamore, Esq. (her second husband), she also had a daughter, to whom the property descended; this lady married the late Duke of Norfolk in 1771, and the estate of Holme Lacy, together with various valuable estates in this county and in Gloucestershire, was added to the princely domains of that nobleman. The greatest part of Holme House (now the property and residence of Sir Edwyn Francis Scudamore Stanhope, Bart., J.P.) was built by the last Viscount Scudamore, who was the friend of the Pope' its situation is quiet and retired, commanding a beautiful but confined view in the front; the apartments of this noble building are decorated with family portraits, by some of the best masters; also some fine specimens of carving, by Grinling Gibbons, in birds, shell fish, fruit and flowers, &c; the old garden, on the south front, was formed after the model of Hampton Court, Middlesex, and displays a very spacious terrace; the extensive grounds and parks of this estate are most pleasantly situated. Sir Edwyn Francis Scudamore Stanhope, Bart., of Holme House is lord of the manor and chief proprietor. There are charities of about £18 yearly value connected with this parish. Near the parsonage house is a remarkable pear tree, covering a large space of ground, and forming an orchard of itself, which, according to records dated 1776 yielded from fourteen to sixteen hogsheads of perry, of 100 gallons each, and is accounted for as follows:- A large branch having been broken by the wind, its head fell to the ground, the butt still adhering to he trunk; some time after it appeared to struck into the ground, taken root, and formed a scion. Willing to encourage this lusus nature, the incumbent gave orders for other layers to be made from the tree, in a similar manner, which became rooted and bore fruit. At the bottom of an extensive meadow is a ferry, which crosses the river from here to the village of Fownhope. The population in 1861 was 307.

   BILLINGSLEY, HOLLINTON, THE TUMP, THE BOWER, and UPPER and LOWER BOGMARSH, are farms here.

   Parish Clerk, John Franklin.

Gentry and Clergy
Stanhope Rev. William Pitt, M.A. Holme House Woodgates Rev. Jas. R. B.A. Vicarage
Stanhope Sir Edwyn Francis Scudamore bart. J.P. Holme House  
Trades and Profession
Bonner John, farmer, The Bower Magness Matthew, blacksmith
Bray Thomas, shopkeeper Powell Ann (Mrs.) farmer, Canon Dale
Dallow Thomas, farmer, The Tump Prosser John, farmer, Billingsley
Downing John, farmer, Lower Bogmarsh Sexty Thomas, farmer, Hollinton
Elliott James, farmer & hop grower, Upper Bogmarsh Ward William, stonemason.
Froggett Henry F. farmer, The Folly  

   POST OFFICE.- Miss Mary Ann Ward, receiver. Letters arrive from Hereford at 9.30 a.m.; despatched thereto at 4 p.m. per messenger. Hereford is the nearest money order office.

   Railway Station, Henry Pearce, Station Master.

   Free School (boys and girls), Miss Mary Yates, mistress.

[Transcribed by Richard Lane in December 2002
from an original edition of this 1863 Trade Directory in Hereford Central Library]