SHOBDON, Herefordshire
- Pfuell, Ivor - A History of Shobdon. Published by Ivor Pfuell, 1994.
ISBN 0-95247900-1
This book, published by the author himself, documents Shobdon's history from - literally -
its very beginnings in geological time through to its heyday during WWII when "the War
came to Shobdon" in the form of an RAF school for glider pilots. The BATEMAN family,
beginning with Sir James, who acquired the manor of Shobdon in 1705 feature prominently
in the history through to the beginning of the 20th century, and the book includes excerpts
from letters from Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough to her grandaughter Anne SPENCER
who had married Sir James's son, William BATEMAN . In contrast, quotes from an account book
of the blacksmith at Shobdon Court, James FULLER (July 1823 to February 1824) illustrate the
more prosaic aspects of life, with the author commenting how much the blacksmith's business
was dominated by the horse.
- Ivor Pfuell, in his book A History of Shobdon [q.v. above], refers
to items costed in the Blacksmith's Accounts. These include mending various items such as
"two hip straps, traces and a pin for a wagon, irons for a timber carriage, a cartwheel,
a pair of body homes, a wagon, dunghook, a pair of harrows, a swarder, a stumping iron, wagon
shafts, a stall-gate, a mullin bridle, a turnip hoe, and two spreaders.", and making new
items such as "horse fetters, a timber chain... 4 clewts and a nail for a wagon, an iron
and cash saddle, spikes for a bolstor... pig rings, a plate and 4 rivets for cart timbers, a new
cattle chain and a new elbow strap for a cart"... and of course horse shoes which
were charged at different prices, so possibly of varying sizes and quality.
[Ed: Included as an illustration of relative importance - somehow I don't think accounts
featuring piston rings, brake pads, 4 new radials and a radiator hose would hold quite the
same fascination!]
URL of this page: http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/HEF/Shobdon/index.html