Peterchurch, Herefordshire - Kelly's Directory, 1885

Extract from Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire, 1885

PETERCHURCH.

PETERCHURCH is a parish and village with a station on the Golden Valley Railway, very pleasantly situated on the River Dore, in the Golden Valley, on the Ross and Hay road, 12 miles west from Hereford, 9 north-west from Pontrilas Station on the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway, 9 east from Hay, in the southern division of the County, Webtree Hundred, Dore Petty Sessional Division and Union, Hereford County Court District, Weobley rural deanery, and Hereford archdeaconry and diocese. The church of St. Peter is an ancient building of stone in the Norman Style, consisting of apsidal chancel, with aisle, nave, porches and a tower with spire containing 8 bells: there are three fine Norman arches, several monuments, two stained windows, and a rude piece of stone sculpture, representing a trout with a golden chain round its neck, said to have been taken from the River Dore; the church was entirely restored in 1874, at a cost of £1,700, and the spire in 1879, at a cost of £500. The register dates from the year 1605. The living is a vicarage, yearly value from tithe rent-charge, with 2½ acres of glebe, £375, without residence, in the gift of Percy Davies esq. Of Porthmaw, Crickhowell, and held since 1875 by the Rev. Thomas Prosser Powell B. A. of St. John's College, Oxford D. L., J. P. Here are Baptist, Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist chapels. The charities are of about £15 yearly value, arising from monies left in 1729 by John Smith, and almshouses, built and endowed by the same benefactor, for 6 aged women with 7s. per week and fuel. St. Peter's Wells, situated in this parish, are reputed to have healing powers. The remains of Snodhill Castle are also in the parish. Urishay Castle, with a disused chapel, 1½ miles south-west is owned by Richard Delahay esq. as a shooting box and farmstead. The representatives of the late Rev. Thomas Prosser, are Lords of the Manor of Snodhill, and the Rev. Sir George Henry Cornewall bart. M.A., J.P. of Moccas Court, Hereford; Richard Delahay esq. And the Rev. Thomas Prosser Powell B.A., D.L., J.P. of Peterchurch, are the chief landowners. The soil is a rich loam; subsoil, clay and sandstone. The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats, beans and Swedes. The area is 5,089 acres: rateable value, £5,267; the population in 1881 was 639.

   SNODHILL, a hamlet in this parish, is 2 miles north-west.

   Parish Clerk.- William Howard

   POST AND MONEY ORDERS OFFICE and savings bank.- Miss Mary Ann Davies, sub-postmistress. Letters through Hereford, arrive at 8.30 a.m.; dispatched at 5 p.m.; no delivery on Sundays. Pontrilas is the nearest telegraph office.

   SCHOOLS.- National, built, with residence for master, in 1857, for 95 children; average attendance, 78; & endowed in 1856 with £90 per year, from monies left in 1729 by John Smith; John Appleyard, master; Mrs. Caroline Appleyard, mistress.

   Goff's British (mixed), built in 1820, for 86 children; average attendance, 64; Mrs. Emma Beard, mistress.

   CARRIERS TO HEREFORD.- Thomas Maddox and William Morris, from Dorstone, Wednesday and Saturday returning same days.

Beard Rev. Joseph [Baptist]	Powell Rev. Thomas Prosser B.A., D.L., J.P. [vicar], Hinton Hall
Garratt Charles, Hinton Cottages	Williams Thomas Evans, Crossway
Molony Major William Mills, Fairfield
COMMERCIAL
Allen John, farmer, The Villa	Maddox Jessae (Mrs.), miller (water), Trenant Mill
Andrews Jabez, family grocer, tea dealer & provision merchant, Hinton	Maddox William, farmer, Barley Knapp
Beaven John, farmer, Rose Cottage	Mapp John, coal merchant & shopkeeper
Bishop John, farmer, Lower Wellbrook and Pen-y-Lan	Matthews Enoch, farmer, Upper Wellbrook and Lions Hall
Bowyer Elijah, mason	Medlicott William, farmer, Mowbage Lane
Bowyer James, farmer and mason, Craft Hall	Metcalf Jacob, general dealer
Brown William, farmer, Prospect	Morgan Ann (Mrs.), Park Farm
Davies David, farmer, Greenway	Morgan George, beer retailer and wheelwright
Davies Thomas, blacksmith, Urishay	Pearce James, farmer, Snodhill Court
Davies Thomas, farmer, New Enclosure	Phillips Joseph, farmer, The Slade
Davies William, farmer	Price Charles, farmer, Oatley Farm
Espener William, estate agent and land surveyor	Price Henry, farmer, Urishay Court
Evans James, wheelwright, Urishay	Price James, farmer, Dragon's Pool
Garratt William, Boughton Arms Public House	Price James, farmer, Old Tays
Goodwin Edwin, farmer, Wilmaston	Price James, junior, farmer, New House
Hancorn Ann (Mrs.), shopkeeper	Pritchard Thomas, blacksmith
Harris John Henry, tailor	Prosser Thomas, shoe maker
Howard Robert, machinist & thrashing machine proprietor, New House	Prosser William, farmer, Stenchley
Howard William, carpenter	Ratcliffe William, farmer, Lower Snodhill
Hughes Isaac, corn dealer & assistant overseer	Reece Thomas, farmer, Hinton Court
Jenkins John, grocer and chemist and druggist, Crossway	Roach Thomas, Haulier & farmer, High House
Jones Frederick, shoe maker	Sherratt William, farmer, Trenant Farm
Jones John Charles, Plough Inn	Thomas James, farmer, Snodhill
Jones John, butcher	Williams David, farmer, Mowbage
Lancaster Charles, saddler & harness maker; repairs neatly executed; near school	Williams George, farmer, Gobbets
Lane Charles Edwin, grocer and draper, general outfitter, iron monger, china & glass dealer, wine and spirit merchant, ale & porter stores	Williams Henry, farmer, Urishay Castle
Lewis David, farmer. New Lodge	Williams, George, farmer, coal merchant and agent for Hadfield's manures, Wern-Ere
Llewellin George, blacksmith	Williams, James, farmer, Pool Farm, Snodhill
Maddox Charles, farmer & beer retailer

[Transcribed by Richard Lane in January 2003
from a copy of Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire, 1885 in Hereford Central Library]