Welsh Newton
Encyclopedia
Welsh Newton is a small village and civil parish in the county
of Herefordshire
, England
. It is located close to the border with Wales
to which the parish extends.
The parish of Welsh Newton (which is grouped with the parish of Llanrothal to form Welsh Newton and Llanrothal Group Parish Council) contains three churches: a derelict Methodist
chapel and a very small Anglican
church called St Faith
's atop Welsh Newton Common, and a Norman (now) Anglican church, St Mary's, at Welsh Newton (containing an original rood screen
). Catholic martyr St John Kemble
, executed in 1679, is buried in St Mary's churchyard. There is another Anglican church at Llanrothal.
The area contains a lot of history, including Pembridge Castle
and at least thirty-one other archaeological
sites in Welsh Newton parish alone. The parish also contains a piece of common land
, currently registered as unowned under the Commons Act 2006
, at Welsh Newton Common; a hill (and hamlet
) overlooking the Wye Valley
.
According to Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire 1929:
(1) Cf Wikipedia: Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of 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 located close to the border with Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
to which the parish extends.
The parish of Welsh Newton (which is grouped with the parish of Llanrothal to form Welsh Newton and Llanrothal Group Parish Council) contains three churches: a derelict Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
chapel and a very small Anglican
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
church called St Faith
St Faith
Saint Faith is a saint who is said to have been a girl or young woman of Agen in Aquitaine. Her legend recounts how she was arrested during persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire and refused to make pagan sacrifices even under torture. Saint Faith was tortured to death with a red-hot brazier...
's atop Welsh Newton Common, and a Norman (now) Anglican church, St Mary's, at Welsh Newton (containing an original rood screen
Rood screen
The rood screen is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or wrought iron...
). Catholic martyr St John Kemble
John Kemble (martyr)
Saint John Kemble was an English Roman Catholic martyr. He was one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.-Early years and ordination:...
, executed in 1679, is buried in St Mary's churchyard. There is another Anglican church at Llanrothal.
The area contains a lot of history, including Pembridge Castle
Pembridge Castle
Pembridge Castle, originally called Newland Castle, is a late 12th century to early 13th century Grade I listed former border castle located approximately northwest of Welsh Newton in Herefordshire, England....
and at least thirty-one other archaeological
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
sites in Welsh Newton parish alone. The parish also contains a piece of common land
Common land
Common land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
, currently registered as unowned under the Commons Act 2006
Commons Act 2006
The Commons Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It implements recommendations contained in the Common Land Policy Statement 2002.-Section 56 - Commencment:The following orders have been made under this section:...
, at Welsh Newton Common; a hill (and hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
) overlooking the Wye Valley
Wye Valley
The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an internationally important protected landscape straddling the border between England and Wales. It is one of the most dramatic and scenic landscape areas in southern Britain....
.
According to Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire 1929:
- "Welsh Newton is a Parish on the HerefordHerefordHereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
and MonmouthMonmouthMonmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
road, three and a half miles north from Monmouth and 8 south west from Ross, in the Southern Division of the county, Wormelow HundredHundred (division)A hundred is a geographic division formerly used in England, Wales, Denmark, South Australia, some parts of the United States, Germany , Sweden, Finland and Norway, which historically was used to divide a larger region into smaller administrative divisions...
, Monmouth union and county courtCounty CourtA county court is a court based in or with a jurisdiction covering one or more counties, which are administrative divisions within a country, not to be confused with the medieval system of county courts held by the High Sheriff of each county.-England and Wales:County Court matters can be lodged...
district, Harewood End Petty Sessional division, rural deaneryDean (religion)A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of ArchenfieldArchenfieldArchenfield is the historic English name for an area of southern and western Herefordshire in England. Since the Anglo-Saxons took over the region in the 8th century, it has stretched between the River Monnow and River Wye, but it derives from the once much larger Welsh kingdom of...
and archdeaconArchdeaconAn archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
ry and dioceseDioceseA diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Hereford. The Parish extends into MonmouthshireMonmouthshire (historic)Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
. The church of St. Mary is a plain but ancient building of stone in the Norman style, consisting of chancelChancelIn church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, nave, south porch and a small western tower containing 2 bells: the screen is 12th century, lit by a 14th century dormer window: the roof is 14th century; the stained east window was presented by Mrs. Marriot, in 1879, and there are memorial windows to Mrs. Tylor, of Callow Hill, who died in 1881. The register of baptisms dates from the year 1798; marriages, 1758; burials, 1800. The living is a vicarage, with the rectory of Llanrothal annexed in 1927...in the gift of the Bishop of HerefordBishop of HerefordThe 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...
. There is a Primitive Methodist Chapel on Welsh Newton Common. Pembridge CastlePembridge CastlePembridge Castle, originally called Newland Castle, is a late 12th century to early 13th century Grade I listed former border castle located approximately northwest of Welsh Newton in Herefordshire, England....
, built prior to the 13th century, is now a farmhouse. This historic castle was purchased by Dr. Hedley Bartlet, Bishop of Hereford, and partially restored in 1914; It was the home for many years of the priest and martyr Father John KembleJohn Kemble (martyr)Saint John Kemble was an English Roman Catholic martyr. He was one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.-Early years and ordination:...
(d. 1679), whose tomb pilgrims visit in the village churchyard; his hand is preserved in a shrine at Hereford. The soil is loamy; subsoil, clay and rock. The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats, turnips and fruit. The area is 1,943 acres (7.9 km²)."
(1) Cf Wikipedia: Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844