Bodenham, Herefordshire - Kelly's Directory, 1863

Extract from Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire, 1863

BODENHAM.

BODENHAM is a parish and village, with the townships of BODENHAM, BOWLEY, THE MOOR, MAUND BRYAN, and WHITECHURCH MAUND, 6 miles south from Leominster (its post town), 1 mile and a half east from Dinmore Railway Station, 8 miles west from Bromyard, and 8 north from Hereford, and 16 north-west from Ledbury, in Broxash hundred, Leominster union, Weston deanery, Hereford archdeaconry and bishopric; it is situate about 1 mile west from the Leominster and Ledbury turnpike road, and is intersected by the River Lugg. The Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway passes through the parish, and has a single station here called Dinmore Station. The church of St. Michael is an ancient and substantial stone building, in the Early English style of architecture, with square tower, four pinnacles, and an unfinished lantern spire; the tower contains 5 bells and an excellent clock, which was presented to the parish in 1849 by John Arkwright, Esq., of Hampton Court, near Leominster; the interior consists of nave, north and side aisles, chancel (with handsome ribbed ceiling), chastely carved stone font, and various small monumental tablets; there are also an organ loft and an organ; the church was entirely renovated and repewed in 1834, by which means 200 additional sittings were obtained, there being sittings for 650persons, 200 of which were free. The living is a vicarage, gross income £686 yearly, with residence, in the gift of John Arkwright, Esq., the Rev. Henry Arkwright, M.A. of Trinity College, Cambridge, is the incumbent; the vicarage house is a modern stone building in the Elizabethan style, a quarter of a mile from the church. There is a free school for boys and girls, with an average attendance of 70 children; a new school has been erected, capable of accommodating 130 children, with residence for the master; it is in the Early English Style, and was designed by Frederick Kempson, Esq., architect, of Hereford; the cost was defrayed by subscription. Broadfield Court, an ancient mansion is 2½ miles north-east; Venwood House is 2½ miles south-east; Dinmore Hill is delightfully situated about 1 mile and a half north-west, and commands a very extensive and beautiful prospect. The River Lugg is noted for its superior grayling, trout, and pike, and is preserved for a distance of 4 to 5 miles exclusively for a club of about 30 members, permission having been given for that purpose by J. Arkwright, Esq., and D. H. Burr, Esq. The population in 1861 was 1,096; the area is 4,976 acres. The soil is clayey, loamy and rich pasture. John H. Arkwright, Esq. (who is lord of the manor), John Henry Burchall, Esq., H. Burr, Esq., and E. N. Mason, Esq., are the chief landowners. There are several extensive farms, with good houses attached. The chief crops are apples, hops, wheat, and beans. There are charities of £18 yearly value. The Wesleyans have a small chapel.

   Bowley is 1 mile and a half north-east; The Moor, three quarters of a mile east; Maund Bryan, 2¼ miles south-east; Whitechurch Maund, 3 south-by-south-east, from the church

Bodenham
Arkwright, Rev. Henry, M.A. Vicarage	Helme Mrs. Broadfield Court
Burchall John Henry, esq., J.P. Broadfield Court	Hill William esq., Pent House
Dawes Rev. David Laugharne, Bodenham Hall	Newhouse, Col. William
Forrest John Richard esq., Venn Wood	Wilkins Mrs. Rhoda, Villa
Glading Mrs.
COMMERCIAL
Bray Wm. B., farmer, Dewdales Hope	Hill William, surgeon, Pent House
Burlton Thomas, farmer, Vern House	Hyde John, miller, Riffin's Mill
Chandler Thomas, Railway Hotel	Hyde Meline (Mrs.), farmer, Lower Broadfield
Colebourne John, farmer, Bodenham Court	Lait William, shopkeeper
Crompton William, farmer, Lower Venn	Lewis James, farmer, Howton
Daniel Joseph, shopkeeper, Pease Green	Perkins Samuel, farmer, Woodhouse
Dyke John, farmer, Broadfield Lodge	Perkins Timothy, farmer, Farm
Dykes John, beer retailer, Saffron's Cross	Phillips Richard, farmer, Richland
Edwards Sarah (Mrs.), farmer, Pigeon house	Powell John, farmer, Holbatch
Gladwin William John, farmer	Symonds Jonathan, farmer, Calderwell
Green Francis, England's Gate	Went John, blacksmith, Bridge
Griffiths Joseph, farmer, Millcraft	Wright William, farmer, Brockington
Griffiths William, builder & wheelwright, Poolhead	Yeomans Esther (Mrs.), New Inn
Harford John, Collector of rates

Bowley
Gladwyn William, shoemaker	Taylor Thomas, wheelwright
James Edward, farmer	Watkins Elizabeth, (Miss), schoolmistress
Saw Joseph, shoemaker

The Moor
Beaman Thomas, mason	Powell George, farmer, Upper Moor
Bowen James, tailor	Spencer John, grocer and farmer
Duncan Allan, shopkeeper	Strangward Joseph Dennis, farmer, Upper Moor.
Hill Charles, mason	Watkins Thomas, mason, Lower Moor
Hughes John, farmer	Williams Robert, tailor
Merrick Ann (Mrs.), farmer, Low Moor

Maund Bryan
Baker Joseph, farmer, Maund Court	Stedman John, wheelwright

Whitechurch Maund
Bedford George, farmer, Rowbury	Watkins John, farmer
Derry Francis, beer retailer & shopkeeper

   POST OFFICE. - John Harford, sub-postmaster, Pease Green. Letters arrive from Leominster at 9.20 a.m.; dispatched thereto at 3.30 p.m. The nearest money order office is at Leominster.

   Free School, James Morton, master; Mrs. Jane Morton, mistress.

   CARRIER TO HEREFORD. - James Fleet, Wednesday & Saturday.

[Transcribed by Richard Lane in December 2002
from a copy of Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire, 1863 in Hereford Central Library]