O F T HE C HU R CH , E P ISCO P A L M A N O R , a a h othe r &m ucus of nut&t e s t B O S B U R Y , E R E F R D H I R E H O S . S A M U E L B E N T L E Y , BL A U V I CA R . L O N DO N E M R O E O O L D L E Y B S S N S , a “ B A I ; A N D E R Y D B . M D C & C C L & & I . r a l P v f r r. paper read to the Members of the British Archae ological Association on their visit to Bosbury in August last . It was thought that the w I particulars respecting the parish , hich have been enabled from various sources to obtain , would not only interest the inhabitants , but serve as a kind of guide to any who might visit the place . To the Rev . Edward Higgins , of Bosbury House , I am indebted for much valuable information , and for the readiness with which at all ti m es he has aided me in my researches . Nor must I omit to express my obligations to a talented y oung artist, M r . Arthur Harrison , who has supplied me with the illustrations . On hearing of my f intention to print, he kindly o fered the use of his pencil , and sent me the drawings which are so a n acceptable addition to my paper. 1 1305511111. ' ROM one of the Harleian M SS . in the & 1 we British Museum , learn that the village of Bosbury, in Herefordshire, derives its ’ B osan be r r i Saxon name of g, or Bosa s town , from one was Bosa , who the owner of land in the place, and Witl af of held office in the household of , King Mercia , ’ 8 . A D . 33 Bosa s name appears as a witness to the Charter of Confirmation to the Abbey of Croyland , ” in Lincolnshire, in which document he describes ’ ” himself as the king s scribe , and as having written it with his own hand . Bosbury at that time was endowed with one or two privileges ; a market was held there , and the tenants of the manor were toll free . I t has been thought probable that Bosa ’s influence with the king procured for the inhabitants the se advantages they posses d , and that they would be not unlikely to show their gratitude to their benefactor by calling their town , for so it was then termed , after his name. There can be no doubt that the place is of great antiquity, and that the old “ saying, Bosbury was a town ere Hereford was a ” city, rests on a basis of truth . In another MS . we read that Bosbury , before the “ Norman Conquest , appertained to the Bishops of Hereford , and was their See (or Seat) , until the y d 1 0 w a s t S no held in 7 5 , when it forbidden hat ' Bishop s S e es should lie obscure in meane and small & towns . After the Conques t Bosbury gave name to a w & w family of orship . Of one member e find men t ion in the Book of Obi t s belonging to the Church o f r bitu Hereford . The ent y runs O s R oge r i de ’ y ui l e an t . Bosbur q g , etc Anoth er record of some considerable date informs “ u s that at the Lower House were found embedded t he t r ag o in earth for y yea s two cannon balls , bu t one sear ches in vaine for any historical fact w ith w hic h t he appe ar ance of th ese war- like missiles may ‘ be associated . ' th e l ag I n Gent eman s M azine for September . 1 w be 7 5 4, the follo ing account may read i g r o in Some p ersons d g gin for g avel at B sbury , Herefordshire, ay s 8 1 s u . e b r o on Thur d , A gu t 754, discover d a out a ya d fr m the a e ar t t m a o s t a d surf ce of the h, eleven se s of hu n b ne , but lit le dec ye , i n a y b r s w t th e t and ly g very regul rl a out a y a d a under, i hout leas ” ar n v e e ffi appe a ce of ha ing ever be n nclosed in co ns. The ch ief objects of interest in Bosbury ar e its O l d t he t t he M and beau tiful Church . an d fac that anor h as been in the poss e ssion of the Bishops of Hereford for many centu ries ; indeed it is one of t he oldest s th e t he pos essions of See . and many of Bishops from ti me to time made it th eir principal residence. The t a church itself, wi h its m ssive detached tower, the in rema s of the old palace, though little indeed does i th e e v h rema n . and quaint long stre t of the illage , wit e o i r its gabl d r ofs, not only cannot fa l to a rest the i th e v i th e attent on of sitor, but possess a charm for i lover of an tiquity by no means easy to descr be . I N T E R I O R U R O H u l 6 59 Qfi rr i. h , Church is dedicated to t e Holy Trinity Church . l ) s & and consi ts of chance , nave , north and south aisles , and the chantry chapel of Sir Rowland Morton (forming part of the chu rch) . The tower, one of the detached belfries of Hereford m shire , is distant fro the church about sixty yards to the south . The church was probably built during the e p isco pate , i f not through the influence of Bishop William V I 1 86 de ere, who occupied the See of Hereford from “ 1 1 to 99, and is spoken of by Godwin as a great ” builder. The style is Transitional Norman . There . are two entrances , one by the south porch (which is of South Porch O & pen timberwork) . The doorway is Norman the circular arch with its two plain mouldings , recessed , being supported by circular shafts with simple bases and capitals . I n the middle of the shaft on the right, there was a holy water stoup ; the shaft is divided , Stoup . the and remains of the stoup are visible . The entrance on the north side is a simple circular -headed North Door doorway, without a porch of any kind . 8 6 The chancel is 3 feet inches in length from the Chancel . 2 2 east wall to the screen , and feet 3 inches in width . c The east window is a Late Pe rpendi ular insertion , E ast Window . and has recently been filled with stained glass by the 1 0 — Rev . E . Higgins , of Bosbury House designed as a joint memorial to two of his grandsons , Arthur n r 6 h M o s . 0 t Clinton Baskerville y , Lieut Rifles , who 1 8 died at Natal , in April , 79 ; and Charles Baskerville M n r o s . y , who died at the age of four years The subjects of the window are figures of the four Evan e l ists g , under elaborate canopies , and an illustration ’ of our Lord s presentation in the Temple . In niches at the bases of the lateral lights are two groups having special reference to the deceased—our Lord - blessing little children , and a view of the death bed M n or s a scene of Arthur C . B . y , under c nvas , at Fort Pearson . The tracery is filled with monograms , surrounded by angelic figures and richly coloured foliage . Side Windows On the north side there is a simple narrow lancet of Chancel . window ; on the south , there are three lancets of the same size and character, one of which has lately n bee filled with stained glass by the Rev . F . and Mrs . P oy n de r the other two are partly filled with stained glass, but are not in any way remarkable . I n the space bet ween the lancet on the north side of the chancel and the screen , a very fine organ was m nifi e n e 1 8 1 u c c . placed , in 7 , by the of M rs Hope (widow of the Rev . F . W . Hope, M . A . , and sister of Mrs . Higgins , of Bosbury House) . The case n of the orga is stained pine, the front pipes being richly and beautifully illuminated , and the tone of the instrument is unusually rich and grand . hl It . S e e c was built by Messrs p y and Ingram , of the Camden Works , London . Mrs . Hope also built the w ’ organ chamber . The hole cost of this lady s muni fi c e n t gift amounted to little short of IS The roof of the chancel ribbed , stained , and varnished .