Holme Lacy, Herefordshire - Kelly's Directory, 1879

Extract from Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire, 1879

HOLME LACY.

HOLME LACY parish, scattered village, and railway station on the Hereford, Ross, and Gloucester Railway, situated on the banks of the River Wye, 139¾ miles from London, 4¼south-east from Hereford, and 8 north-west from Ross, in the Hundred of Webtree, Hereford Union and county court district, rural deanery of Archenfield and archdeaconry and diocese of Hereford. A handsome modern bridge, of three arches, crosses the river to the village of Fownhope. The church of St. Andrew, situated near to the River Wye, is a Norman stone building, consisting of nave and transept with square tower, containing a fine peal of 8 bells: There are several monuments to the ancient Scudamore Family; the late Duchess of Norfolk lies interred here. The register dates from the year 1615. The living, a vicarage, yearly value £543, with good residence and about 12 acres of glebe, in the gift of Sir Henry Edwyn Chandos Scudamore Stanhope, Bart., and held by the Rev. William Pitt Scudamore Stanhope, M.A. of Brasenose College, Oxford. Near the vicarage 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 the trunk; some time after it appeared to have struck into the ground, taken root, and formed a scion. Willing to encourage this lusus naturæ, the incumbent gave orders for other layers to be made from the tree, in a similar manner, which became rooted and bore fruit Holme Lacy was for some centuries in the ancient family of the 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. Philip Scudamore, a descendent, settled here in the 14^th century. This remained the principle seat of the family till the year 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 seat of Sir Henry Edwyn Chandos Scudamore Stanhope, Bart., J.P., was built by the last Viscount Scudamore, who was the friend of Pope. Its situation is quiet and retired, commanding a beautiful view in the front; the apartments 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; the old garden, on the south front, was formed after the model of Hampton Court Palace, Middlesex, and displays a very spacious terrace; the grounds and parks of this estate are most pleasantly situated. Sir Edwyn Chandos Scudamore Stanhope, Bart., is lord of the manor, and the chief landed proprietor. The soil is clayey loam; subsoil clay. The chief crops are wheat, barley and oats. The area is 3,192 acres; rateable value, £5,275; the population in 1871 was 404.

   Parish Clerk.- Henry gains.

   POST OFFICE. - Ephraim Williams, sub-postmaster. Letters arrive from Hereford at 9.45 a.m.; despatched at 4.45 p.m. per messenger. Hereford is the nearest money order office

   National Free School for boys and girls, with teacher's residence attached, supported by voluntary subscription; Miss Clara Jones, mistress.

   Railway Station.- Charles Hayes, Station Master.

Scudamore-Stanhope Rev. William Pitt, M.A., Vicarage	Scudamore-Stanhope Sir Henry Edwyn Chandos, Bart., D.L., J.P., Holme House
COMMERCIAL
Adams Thomas, farmer, Lower Bogmarsh	Holl William, farmer, Hollanton
Coleman Roynon Josiah, farmer, The Tump	Millichamp Richard, farmer & coal merchant, The Folly
Cousins James Webster, farmer, Billingsley.	Powell George, farmer, Canon dale
Elliott James, farmer & hop grower, Upper Bogmarsh	Ridler Richard Henry, farmer, The Bower
Games Henry, blacksmith	Starling William, builder & grocer

[Transcribed by Richard Lane in January 2003
from a copy of Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire, 1879 in Hereford Central Library]