Herefordshire Through Time
This was set up in 1898-9 using funds raised by local Friendly
Societies, and it cost £1,500 to build. Leominster was the last of
the market towns in Herefordshire to get a Cottage Hospital. It was
designed by E.G. Davies of Hereford and built by John Watkins. The
building at the front that you see today was actually the nurses'
home. It once included a mortuary, operating theatre and x-ray
facilities. In 1904 50 patients were treated at the hospital.
Carry on towards the town centre and you will come to the:
The present Moravian religion was started by Count Zinzendorf in
Europe around 1727, but it has roots that go back to 1457. Strong
elements in the Moravians' religious convictions were missionary
enterprises, hymn singing, fellowship and a general simplicity of
approach to life. The foundations for this chapel were laid on 29th
April 1760, and it was opened on 18th January 1761. Adjoining the
chapel building is the minister's house, and there is a burial
ground behind.
From the Moravian Chapel carry on up South Street until you come to the junction with Etnam Street. On the corner you will find:
This is a Tudor house, built in the late 16th century, but it
now has an 1850s Gothic façade. It was once known as Safferton
House, but was renamed after John Dutton, six times MP for
Leominster, who acquired it in 1670. John Dutton was opposed to the
Catholic King James I; he was tried for treason in 1684 and fined
£10,000. To avoid detection he hid in a secret chamber within the
existing Tudor fireplace.
Continue along Etnam Street until you reach:
From the museum, carry on down Etnam Street until you come to:
Built in 1771 at the expense of Mrs Mary Marlow, who also paid
for a minister's house and two cottages for poor widows of the
church. Behind the building is the burial ground.
From the Baptist Chapel, cross over the road and through the car park, turn right and you will come out onto:
Built in 1633 by John Abel, the King's Carpenter. This was
originally the Old Town Hall and was situated at the junction of
Broad Street and High Street. Here it provided the entrance to the
Buttercross and was used as public offices and magistrates' courts
upstairs, with the underneath being an open-air poultry and butter
market. In 1853 it was dismantled and bought by John Arkwright (of
Hampton Court) who re-erected it in its present location in 1858 as
a dwelling house. There are inscriptions around the building, which
read: 'Vive Deo gratus, toti mundo tumulatus crimini mundatus,
semper transire paratus'.
From the Grange head north to:
The Minster, or Priory, of Leominster was founded in AD 660 by
Merewald, the Saxon king of Mercia. The story of his conversion to
Christianity is that Edfride, a monk from Northumberland, had
stopped in Leominster. While he was sitting down by the river to
eat a fierce lion appeared, but Edfride was unafraid and instead
offered his bread to the lion who gently took it. The lion is said
to represent the warrior king Merewald and the bread the Christian
religion that Edfride was teaching. The legend of the lion is
commemorated in a carving on the north door of the Priory, which
shows a lion being led into the church. Later, the Priory suffered
from numerous attacks by the Welsh and the Danes. It also became a
cell (attachment) of the Benedictine monastery at Reading in
Berkshire. The Norman nave on the north side of the chapel was
consecrated in 1130. The Priory was originally a cruciform
(cross-shaped) building, and the nave was always reserved for the
townspeople. This led to disputes with the monks, and in 1239 a
central nave was built to serve as the parish church. In 1320 the
south nave was added and around this time the gardens, orchards and
fishponds of the Priory became popular relaxation spots. In 1539
the monastery at Reading was dissolved by King Henry VIII and the
buildings, along with those at Leominster, were ransacked. The last
Abbot of Reading was hanged in front of the gates of his own
monastery; the fate of John Glover, the last Prior of Leominster,
is not known. The eastern part of the Priory buildings (the part
most used by the monks) was completely destroyed, along with the
central tower. The parishioners erected the present eastern wall to
protect the remaining fabric of the church. This is why the present
church consists of three naves and is almost square in shape.
The oldest part of this building is the section in front of you
that runs from east to west. The eastern part dates from the early
part of the 15th century, and has some original windows and a large
doorway on the first floor. The western part was rebuilt after the
Dissolution (1536-1540). This building was once used as an asylum
for consecrated virgins, and afterwards was used by the monks of
the Priory. At the end of the 17th century it was fitted out by L.
Coningsby as a gaol, and then became a mansion house. In 1836-8
further buildings were added (to form a cross shape) and Priory
House became the Union Workhouse. The single storey block at the
front contained the board-room, clerk's office, waiting area,
porter's room and receiving room. Behind the entrance block were
men's and boys' yards separated by a block in between. Running
parallel to the entrance block was the chapel-cum-dining-hall.
Accommodation for female inmates was to the rear of the complex.
The 15th century monastic section was used as the infirmary and
dormitory accommodation. The workhouse buildings later became the
Old Priory Hospital and are now used as Herefordshire Council
offices.
From Priory House take Church Street until it comes to the junction with Broad Street. Here you will notice five streets heading out from this point in different directions (Burgess Street, Broad Street, High Street, Church Street and Drapers Lane). This spot was originally known as 'Five Ways' and was the site of the Old Town Hall (Grange Court) and the Buttercross (where Barclays Bank now stands).
Turn right into Broad Street and walk along until you are opposite:
This is a Grade II listed building in 18th century style. It was
formerly the Lion Hotel and was an important coaching inn and wagon
centre. In 1808 mail coaches went from here to Bristol and Holyhead
faster than today's service. Inside is a large Regency ballroom
that has been restored to its former glory.
From here walk back up Broad Street and turn right into Burgess Street. This place-name is interesting as it refers to the burgage plots which once made up the historic core of the town. Burgage plots were small parcels of land, often arranged around the market place, which were rented out. The organisation and regular size of burgage plots is often an indication of a planned town.
Halfway along Burgess Street you will find:
The foundation stone for this building was laid on 6th September
1866, and the chapel opened in June 1867. Inside there was
accommodation for about 250 people. The total cost of the building
was about £1,600, and Mr James Page of Leominster was the builder.
The worshippers at this chapel later became Llewellyns after the
introduction of a new faith by their minister and they claimed no
connection with any other religious group. The style of the
building is 14th century Gothic architecture and the spire is
around 80ft high.
Head on up Burgess Street and on your right you will find:
This closed in 2002 - all cases are now heard in Hereford.
Next to the magistrates court is the:
This building is on the site of the town theatre, which dated
back to the 13th century.
Next to the police station is:
This chapel was built in 1841 and was the first purpose-built
chapel for the Wesleyans in the town, although they had been in the
area since the late 18th century. As the Methodist religion grew in
the area the chapel was soon too small to cope with the
congregation's numbers, and less than 20 years after the opening of
this chapel a new one was built nearby.
This chapel was built in the 1860s after the Methodist
congregation became too big for its original chapel. It cost £985
and seated up to 300 people. During World War II the enforced
'blackouts' meant that services were only held on alternate weeks.
The army requisitioned the schoolroom of the chapel and the access
to the chapel was blocked up. The army continued to use part of the
building right through the end of the War. In 1945 the pews and
organ were put up for sale and the building was sold for
£2,400.From Corn Square, you could either walk down School Lane and end your walk with a trip to the Leominster Folk Museum or walk up Corn Lane and then turn left onto South Street and head back to the starting point at the Minster School.
End of Walk
[Original author: Miranda Greene, 2005]
