TRANSACTIONS OF THE WOOLHOPE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB HEREFORDSHIRE "HOPE ON" "HOPE EVER" ESTABLISHED 1851 VOLUME XLIII 1980 PART II TRANSACTIONS OF THE WOOLHOPE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB HEREFORDSHIRE "HOPE ON" "HOPE EVER" ESTABLISHED 1851 VOLUME XLIII 1980 PART II TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Proceedings, 1980 - - - 85 Mr. Guy's Hospital and its Herefordshire Estate, by Muriel Tonkin - 91 Kenchester (Magnis): A Reconsideration, by A. R. Wilmott 117 © Woolhope Naturalists Field Club 1980 The Roman Buildings at New Weir, Herefordshire, by R. Shoesmith - I35 All contributions to The Woolhope Transactions are COPYRIGHT. None of them may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, A Saxon Spearhead from the River Lugg at Lugg Mills, Hereford, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the writers. Applications to by W. R. Pye - 155 reproduce contributions, in whole or in part, should be addressed, in the first instance, to the editor whose address is given in the LIST OF OFFICERS. The Thirteenth-Century Font at Hope-under-Dinmore, by M. Thurlby 160 Mobility of Parochial Clergy in Hereford Diocese c. 1400, by P. E. H. Hair - 164 The Purchase and Building of Stoke Edith Park, Herefordshire, 1670-1707, by D. Whitehead - - - - - 181 Herefordshire Agriculture in the Mid-nineteenth Century, by J. P. Dodd - 203 REPORTS OF SECTIONAL RECORDERS Archaeology, 1980, by R. Shoesmith 223 Buildings, 1980, by J. W. Tonkin - 229 Entomology, 1980 - - 231 Ornithology, 1980, by C. W. Sheldrake 233 Archaeological Research Section, 1980, by Mary Thomas 235 Natural History Section, 1980, by C. W. Sheldrake .■ 237 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Page Kenchester (Magnis) Fig. I Roman Herefordshire - 116 2 Magnis. Local topography - - 118 3 Magnis. Before the mid-second century 122 4 Magnis. Mid-second century alterations 122 5 Magnis. Section of road - - 124 6 Magnis. Subsequent development - - 124 The Roman Buildings at New Weir, Herefordshire Pl. I The Roman cistern at New Weir from the south-west II The Roman upper revetment at New Weir from the south Fig. 1 The neighbourhood of Magnis (Magna) in the Roman period showing the New Weir site - - 134 2 New Weir. Site plan showing position of revetments, cistern and trial excavations - - - - 136 3 New Weir. Plan and section of the cistern - - - 138 4 New Weir. The upper revetment, south-western elevation 140 5 New Weir. The upper revetment, south-eastern and north-western elevations - - - 141 6 New Weir. The resistivity survey - - - 142 7 New Weir. Interpretation of the resistivity survey - - 144 8 New Weir. Finds of pottery - - - 148 A Saxon Spearhead from the River Lugg Fig. l Saxon Spearhead from the River Lugg - - - 156 The Thirteenth-Century Font at Hope-under-Dinmore Pl. III Detail of St. John the Baptist IV Detail of Christ V Amesbury Psalter, Christ in Majesty VI Lichfield Cathedral, tympanum of Chapter House doorway The Purchase and Building of Stoke Edith Park LIST OF OFFICERS Pl. VII Part of William Deeley's survey of Stoke Edith, 1680 1980-81 VIII Part of John Bach's plan of the house and garden at Stoke Edith, 1766 IX The north elevation of Stoke Edith from Vitruvius President - - Mr. F. M. KENDRICK Britannicus (1715) President-elect - - Mrs. M. M. VOSS X The plan of Stoke Edith from Vitruvius Britannicus (1715) XI An unidentified drawing of Stoke Edith Vice-presidents - Mr. R. A. PAGE XII Stoke Edith from Repton's Red Book, 1792 Dr. W. H. D. WINCE Mr. R. C. PERRY Mrs. M. TONKIN Herefordshire Agriculture in the Mid-nineteenth Century Fig. I Regions 1850 - 206 Central Committee - Dr. A. D. BRIAN, Mr. C. H. I. HOMES, Mrs. M. E. HUNT, Mrs. V. E. PERRY (to retire 2 Radnor Border 208 1981), Mr. B. BUTCHER, Mr. J. G. HILLABY, 3 Black Mountains 209 Mr. R. E. KAY, Mrs. J. O'DONNELL (to retire 1982), Mr. C. E. ATTFIELD, Miss M. 4 Monmouth Border 212 EDWARDS, Mr. H. J. POWELL, Mr. C. W. 5 Central Plain 215 SHELDRAKE (to retire 1983). Hon. Secretary - - Mr. F. M. KENDRICK Hon. Assistant Secretary - Mrs. M. TONKIN Hon. Treasurer - Mr. J. C. HOLLAND Hon. Auditor Mr. H. S. BERISFORD Hon. Librarian - Mr. B. J. WHITEHOUSE Hon. Assistant Librarian - Mr. J. G. HILLABY Hon. Field Secretary - Mr. & Mrs. B. F. VOSS Hon. Editor - Mr. J. W. TONKIN Hon. Assistant Editors - Mr. R. E. KAY (Archaeology) Mr. F. M. KENDRICK (Natural History) SECTIONAL RECORDERS Archaeology Mr. R. SHOESMITH Proceedings, 1980 Botany and Geology - Mr. F. M. KENDRICK SPRING MEETINGS Buildings Mr. J. W. TONKIN FIRST MEETING: 12 January: Mr. R. A. Page, senior vice-president, in the chair. Deserted Medieval Villages - Mrs. R. E. SKELTON Mr. Noel King, the area conservancy officer, gave an illustrated talk on 'The Work of the Nature Conservancy Council in Hereford and Worcester'. He made Entomology Mrs. M. W. PRYCE particular reference to the importance of the Lugg meadows for the snake's head fritillary, the Doward for the fly orchid and bats, Moccas Park which is the most Industrial Archaeology Mr. C. H. I. HOMES important biological site in Britain, and the Wye Valley. For ten years Chaddes- ley Wood had been a nature reserve and soon it was hoped to add another 800 Mammals - Dr. W. H. D. WINCE acres to the 800 acres of the Wyre Forest. Mr. King said that some sites were vulnerable to outside pressures and consultations were constantly taking place to Ornithology Mr. C. W. SHELDRAKE solve the problems. SECOND MEETING: 9 February: Mr. R. A. Page, senior vice-president, in the chair. Address of Address of Address of Mr. J. G. Hillaby, B.A., spoke on 'Herefordshire during the Great Anarchy Hon. Secretary: Hon. Asst. Secretary: Hon. Editor: of Stephen's Reign, 1135-54'. He based his talk on the writings of William of Mr. F. M. KENDRICK Mrs. M. TONKIN Mr. J. W. TONKIN Wykeham, Florence of Worcester and others. He explained how Robert de 40 Stanhope Street Chy an Whyloryon Chy an Whyloryon Bethune through the influence of Miles of Gloucester and Payn fitzOsbern became bishop of Hereford from 1131-48. He later became the prior of Llanthony Abbey. Hereford Wigmore Wigmore In the struggle between Stephen and Matilda, the latter was supported by Miles Leominster Leominster of Gloucester and the former by the earls of Leicester and Worcester. Hereford HR6 9UD HR6 9UD was besieged in 1138 and 1139. Later Miles plundered a number of churches and was excommunicated by Bishop Bethune. In 1148, Roger, son of Miles, made peace with Bishop Gilbert Foliot. Stephen was succeeded in 1154 by Henry II, son of Matilda, who found himself in a struggle with the Marcher lords, including Articles intended for inclusion in future issues of the Woolhope Club the Mortimers. Transactions should be submitted to the editor whose address is given under LIST OF OFFICERS. Notes for Contributors to the Transactions will be sent on request. THIRD MEETING: 8 March: Mr. R. A. Page, senior vice-president, in the chair. This was the open meeting held in St. Peter's Hall as the annual F. C. Morgan lecture. Dr. Wendy Davies spoke on 'The Llandaff Charters and Herefordshire'. She explained how the Archenfleld area of Herefordshire was once part of the diocese of Llandaff and said that the Llandaff charters were an exceptional source material for its early history. The charters were a collection of some nine collec- tions, and careful analysis showed that they were made up in the 12th century but referred to the previous six centuries. Dr. Davies also explained how the Archen- field area had retained its distinctive identity. 85 86 PROCEEDINGS . PROCEEDINGS 87 SPRING ANNUAL MEETING: 29 March: Mr. R. A. Page, senior vice-president, in the FOURTH MEETING: 12 July: LLANTHONY AREA chair. After a visit to Clodock Church with its 12th-century nave, 13th-century The assistant-secretary reported that the club now had 822 members. chancel, 15th-century tower and communion rails, and a pulpit and monuments Mr. Page briefly reviewed the year's activities. Mrs. Muriel Tonkin gave an dating from c.1700, the party divided into two groups. Fifty of the sixty-four address 'Mr. Guy's Hospital and its Herefordshire Estate' which is printed on members walked from Longtown over the mountain track used by Bishop Bethune pp. 91-115. This was the subject which the late president, Mr. A. T. G. Garnett, who was bishop of Hereford, 1131-48, to Llanthony Priory. The others visited the had intended using for his presidential address. ruined Longtown Castle and travelled to Llanthony by coach. Mr. Hillaby Mr. F. M. Kendrick was installed as president for 1980-81. described the ruins of the priory and gave an account of its foundation and that of Llanthony Secunda at Gloucester in 1137. Patrishow Church with its fine 15th- century carved rood-screen, Laudian altar rails and a font said to date from FIELD MEETINGS c.1055 was also visited. FIRST MEETING: 26 April: DOWNTON AND BOULDEN AREA This meeting was arranged as a follow-up to Mr. Page's presidential address. FIFTH MEETING: 14 August: WHITFIELD COURT AND KILPECK At Downton members walked down to Forge Bridge and inspected the very ruinous site of the old forge where Mr. Page referred to the Knight and other Members were welcomed at Whitfield Court by Lady Mary Clive and Mr. families connected with the iron industry, and Mr. Homes explained how the George Clive. The house was built 1755-60 and a top storey added in the 19th industry seemed to work from at least the 17th to the 19th century.