Is anyone researching family in the parish of Kenderchurch? The paucity of entries in the parish registers and bishop's transcripts makes me think it was a very thinly populated part of Herefordshire. For some years in the 18th century there are no entries at all; for other years there are just two or three. The census records for mid 19th century seem to confirm this. In 1841 there were 15 households recorded in the parish, compared to 82 households in the adjoining parish of Ewyas Harold. Maps show no distinct village at Kenderchurch, though Howton is marked on some 18th century maps. Does anyone know if there was a "village" in Kenderchurch parish, or whether there was perhaps an Inn or coach stopping place? Surnames of interest to me in Kenderchurch are SEABORN, IRELAND, WILLIAMS, CROSS, SMITH, NATION, BARRINGTON. I have a micfofilm on loan at the moment if anyone wants a name checked out. Maureen Robinson, Canberra, Australia.

Try http://www.old-maps.co.uk/ Search for Ewyas Harald and then travel eastwards a few frames or else use Grid Ref: 340544,228410 It looks pretty empty except for St Mary's Church. Regards Tom

Maureen, Kenderchurch church is a remarkably bleak looking building on top of a bare hill overlooking the Hereford/Abergavenny road. I am not in the least surprised that there are very few inhabitants. There is little to temp one to stop and go up and have a look at it!. Pevsner observes: 'Of ancient features the restoration of 1871 has left hardly anything'[!!] Alec Whitfield from North Herefordshire UK [email protected]

Hi Maureen I agree! it certainly was a thinly populated parish. There is no village as such, just a scattering of farms and cottages. There was certainly more people living there in 1841 than in 1901, as by then, there was only 12 households, containing the grand total of 69 residents! I have a branch of my Yeoman's family living at Howton Court during most of the 18th & part of the 19th centuries. A quick look at Littlebury's Directory & Gazetteer for 1876-7 on Genuki gives only 5 commercial residents (most are farmers) and no private residents. On my visits there the church of St Mary's always looks pretty grey and nondescript and I am sure was only erected there because there was a motte & bailey castle built there, probably to keep us marauding Welsh from the cookie jar! Allan ROBINSON <[email protected]> wrote: Is anyone researching family in the parish of Kenderchurch? The paucity of entries in the parish registers and bishop's transcripts makes me think it was a very thinly populated part of Herefordshire. For some years in the 18th century there are no entries at all; for other years there are just two or three. The census records for mid 19th century seem to confirm this. In 1841 there were 15 households recorded in the parish, compared to 82 households in the adjoining parish of Ewyas Harold. Maps show no distinct village at Kenderchurch, though Howton is marked on some 18th century maps. Does anyone know if there was a "village" in Kenderchurch parish, or whether there was perhaps an Inn or coach stopping place? Surnames of interest to me in Kenderchurch are SEABORN, IRELAND, WILLIAMS, CROSS, SMITH, NATION, BARRINGTON. I have a micfofilm on loan at the moment if anyone wants a name checked out. Maureen Robinson, Canberra, Australia. ==== ENG-HEREFORD Mailing List ==== . ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx