Weobley
Encyclopedia
- Not to be confused with Weobley CastleWeobley CastleWeobley Castle is a fortified manor house on the Gower Peninsula, Wales in the care of Cadw.It is near the village of Leason overlooking Llanrhidian Marsh and the Loughor estuary. The castle dates from the 13th Century. It was attacked and damaged by the forces of Owain Glyndŵr in 1403.- External...
in Wales
Weobley is a black and white village
Black and white village
The term black and white village refers to several old English villages, typically in the county of Herefordshire, West Midlands of England.The term "black and white" derives from presence of many timbered and half-timbered houses in the area, some dating from mediaeval times. The buildings' black...
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...
.
The name possibly derives from 'Wibba's Ley', a ley
Leigh
- In England :* Leigh, Dorset* Leigh, Greater Manchester** Leigh * Leigh, Kent* Leigh, Staffordshire* Leigh, Surrey* Leigh, Wiltshire* Leigh, Worcestershire* Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset...
being a woodland glade and Wibba being a local Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
landowner. In the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
the village name was transcribed as Wibelai.
In the Saxon period it is known that brewing and glove-making were carried out in the village.
The village has an historic church, the Church of St Peter and St Paul, with a Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
south doorway, 13th-century chancel and 14th-century tower, and a spire that is the second-tallest in the county, castle ruins, a high school and a primary school with a pioneering system of heating.
In the village is 'the Throne', a large 400 year old box - King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
spent the night here on 5 September 1645, after the Battle of Naseby
Battle of Naseby
The Battle of Naseby was the key battle of the first English Civil War. On 14 June 1645, the main army of King Charles I was destroyed by the Parliamentarian New Model Army commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell.-The Campaign:...
during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
It was once incorporated as a borough, sending two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
until the Reform Act 1832
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales...
, (see Weobley (UK Parliament constituency)
Weobley (UK Parliament constituency)
Weobley was a parliamentary borough in Herefordshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1295 and from 1628 until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.- MPs 1628–1660 :...
and once had a borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
corporation.
In 2001 the artist Walenty Pytel
Walenty Pytel
Walenty Pytel is a Polish-born contemporary artist based in the United Kingdom, recognised as a leading metal sculptor of birds and beasts. His creations are often inspired by nature and his artworks include the Jubilee Fountain in Westminster, a piece titled Take Off which is located at Birmingham...
completed a sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
of a magpie
Magpie
Magpies are passerine birds of the crow family, Corvidae.In Europe, "magpie" is often used by English speakers as a synonym for the European Magpie, as there are no other magpies in Europe outside Iberia...
for the village (a magpie is the village's emblem). The sculpture was commissioned after the village won the Calor Gas/Daily Telegraph Great Britain Village of the Year in 1999.