Bosbury
Encyclopedia
Bosbury is a village and civil parish
in Herefordshire
, England
. It is about 8 km (5 mi) north of Ledbury
. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 780.
The church, dedicated to The Holy Trinity, stands in the centre of the village and is of Norman foundation with some fine later medieval additions. The tower is notable for being one of seven in Herefordshire standing quite apart from the church, some considerable distance in Bosbury's case. This was for defensive purposes in the troubled border marches.
The village was most noted in the 19th and 20th centuries for hops
, being the largest hop farming area outside of Kent. The local hop industry in the area is much reduced and many old hop yards stand empty or have been demolished.
The medieval bishops of Hereford
had a palace at Bosbury (supporting the village's proud boast that in pre-Conquest times it was a larger community than the City of Hereford), and frequently held court there. The palace remains are on the site of Old Court Farm behind the church.
The Knights Templar
had a base in Bosbury at what is now Prior's Court Farm, and there is a Templar grave stone inside the church.
The most notable dwelling, Bosbury House, is a substantial Georgian red brick building just outside the village.
Bosbury is also noted for its many black and white dwellings, some in the village, and several scattered throughout the parish in the ancient farms.
The Victorian novelist, Edna Lyall, is buried and commemorated in the churchyard.
Inside the church sanctuary, one on each of the north and south walls, are two fine examples of Renaissance Italian tombs, dedicated to members of the Harford family who lived in Bosbury throughout the 16th century.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is about 8 km (5 mi) north of Ledbury
Ledbury
Ledbury is a town in Herefordshire, England, lying east of Hereford, and south of the Malvern Hills.Today, Ledbury is a thriving market town in rural England. The town has a large number of timber framed buildings, in particular along Church Lane and High Street. One of Ledbury's most outstanding...
. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 780.
The church, dedicated to The Holy Trinity, stands in the centre of the village and is of Norman foundation with some fine later medieval additions. The tower is notable for being one of seven in Herefordshire standing quite apart from the church, some considerable distance in Bosbury's case. This was for defensive purposes in the troubled border marches.
The village was most noted in the 19th and 20th centuries for hops
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
, being the largest hop farming area outside of Kent. The local hop industry in the area is much reduced and many old hop yards stand empty or have been demolished.
The medieval bishops of Hereford
Bishop of Hereford
The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury.The see is in the City of Hereford where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Ethelbert which was founded as a cathedral in 676.The Bishop's residence is...
had a palace at Bosbury (supporting the village's proud boast that in pre-Conquest times it was a larger community than the City of Hereford), and frequently held court there. The palace remains are on the site of Old Court Farm behind the church.
The Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
had a base in Bosbury at what is now Prior's Court Farm, and there is a Templar grave stone inside the church.
The most notable dwelling, Bosbury House, is a substantial Georgian red brick building just outside the village.
Bosbury is also noted for its many black and white dwellings, some in the village, and several scattered throughout the parish in the ancient farms.
The Victorian novelist, Edna Lyall, is buried and commemorated in the churchyard.
Inside the church sanctuary, one on each of the north and south walls, are two fine examples of Renaissance Italian tombs, dedicated to members of the Harford family who lived in Bosbury throughout the 16th century.