A Herefordshire-based writer obsessed with history

About Me

When I first moved to Herefordshire at the age of eight, I wasn’t all that interested in the county’s past. My parents were both born and bred in the area, but my birthplace ended up being Swansea, and with us all moving every two years or so for my dad’s job, little of my childhood was spent in my family’s home county.

My passion for history has always been there though, and it all started with my first watch of James Cameron’s Titanic at seven years old. Ever since then, I have been obsessed with the maritime world, and for over a decade it was my only interest in the past.

However, that changed in my second year of university. I was back home for the winter, and although the origin of my interest in local history is a little fuzzy, I somehow began spending hours upon hours poring over old photographs of Herefordshire.

From there, my desire to know more about my county’s history, and indeed the that of the British Isles as a whole, only grew. Having studied creative writing at university, it was only natural that I decided to create a blog to share my interests.

On that note, feel free to read through my historical ramblings on anything that takes my fancy. From the rolling hills of the shire, to the rolling waves of the sea, I’m sure you’ll be able to find something here that captures your interest!

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Remnants of Ross’s Railway
Remnants of Ross’s Railway

Though Ross-on-Wye’s railway has been gone for almost sixty years, there are still reminders of it scattered throughout the town and the surrounding countryside. From old outbuildings to disused bridges, even today there is plenty to see of Ross’s lost railway.

Ross-on-Wye’s Lost Railway: Part 2
Ross-on-Wye’s Lost Railway: Part 2

Once the railway was completed in 1855, people were eager to take advantage of the new transport link. It would not all be smooth sailing though, as a decade later, services were halted as major alterations were carried out. Would these changes help, or hinder the railway?

Ross-on-Wye’s Lost Railway: Part 1
Ross-on-Wye’s Lost Railway: Part 1

In the early nineteenth century, a proposal was put forward to build a railway from Gloucester to Hereford via Ross-on-Wye. But with numerous false starts and setbacks plaguing the project, would its supporters ever be able to get it past the drawing board?

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When Kington Market Hall was opened in 1885, the traders of the town were reluctant to use it. The reason is unclear, but it must have been a good one, for even the prospect of no tolls failed to draw in any business. One advantage of the new Market
The Royal Hotel in Ross-on-Wye was built by James Barrett in 1837 at the cost of more than £15,000. It was designed in a picturesque style and offered its patrons breathtaking views of the River Wye and the surrounding countryside. The hotel
The nave of Weobley Church was built in the 14th century, but its west window dates from much later, having been created by Cox Sons Buckley & Company in 1886. The west doorway is of the same date as the nave, and is decorated with beautiful sto
A photograph I took of Court House, Dorstone a few months ago, basking in the fading summer sunlight. It was a rather impromptu trip, as I spontaneously decided one evening to head out to the small village, nestled in Herefordshire's beautiful Golde
The west front of Weobley Church, which is dedicated to St Peter and St Paul. Before 1865, the three gables atop the south aisle, nave, and north aisle did not exist, as the roof was originally one huge span covering the entire width of the church.
James Wentworth Leigh was Dean of Hereford between the years of 1894 and 1919. It is thanks to him that Hereford Cathedral has its present west front, as he used the earthquake of 1896 as an excuse to have Wyatt's unpopular front rebuilt. Unfortun
A photograph taken from High Town of the corner of High Street and Widemarsh Street, sometime before 1923. The building on the corner is that of the London City and Midland Bank. It was rebuilt in 1923, and we can still see the result of this today,
There have been many times I have passed Belmont Abbey and marvelled at its grand, cohesive appearance. It was not until a few years ago that I realised the structure was not actually built all in one go, but instead in stages over a half-century. T
Did you know a set of houses once stood outside the west front of Hereford Cathedral? The first photo was taken on Jubilee Day, 6 May 1935, and shows the houses shortly before they were demolished. The second was taken from almost the same angle on
A photograph of what is now @dekoffiepothfd on the north bank of the River Wye in Hereford. This area was once known as the North Wharf, and was one of a number of mooring points in the city where barges and small sailing craft could tie up. The wh