Welsh Bicknor

infobox UK place| static_

static_image_caption= Welsh Bicknor Church
official_name= Welsh Bicknor
welsh_name= Llangystennin Garth Brenni
unitary_england= Herefordshire
lieutenancy_england= Herefordshire
region= West Midlands
country= England
constituency_westminster= Hereford
post_town= ROSS-ON-WYE
postcode_area= HR
postcode_district= HR9
dial_code= 01594
os_grid_reference= SO595175
latitude= 51.855064
longitude= -2.588711
london_distance=

Welsh Bicknor (Welsh: "Llangystennin Garth Brenni" [http://www.kimkat.org/amryw/1_clawdd_offa/22_cymru_dros_glawdd_offa_enwau_euas_eng_cym_0980e.htm Welsh placenames in Herefordshire] ] ) is an area of Herefordshire, England. It is historically a detached parish (exclave) of the county of Monmouthshire.

Courtfield, the manor house of Welsh Bicknor was originally known as Greyfield or Greenfield, the name altered after King Henry V of England had lived there as a young child of eight, following the death of his mother Mary de Bohun, under the care of Lady Margaret Montacute, wife of Sir John Montacute, 3rd Earl of Salisbury long before his father, King Henry IV was to usurp the throne of King Richard II. An effigy of Lady Margaret Montacute can be seen in Welsh Bicknor church and her plain tomb is beside the altar in Goodrich church.

The manor house and surrounding land of Welsh Bicknor were seized from Richard Vaughan in 1651 because he was a Catholic and given to Phillip Nicholas of Llansoy, in Monmouthshire. This is how the rather unusual situation of the exclave occurred.

It has been deemed to be part of Herefordshire since the Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844.

As its name suggests, Welsh Bicknor has close ties with Wales, being a detached parish of Monmouthshire, although adjacent to English Bicknor and Lydbrook, which are part of Gloucestershire.

The Manor House of Welsh Bicknor, known as Courtfield, belonged to the Vaughan family. However, in 1651 Richard Vaughan, who was a Catholic, had his land sequestered and given to Phillip Nicholas of Llansoy, in Monmouthshire.

Religious dissension within the Vaughan families continued for several generations. In 1715, a John Vaughan (presumably one of Richard's descendants) refused the oath of allegiance to George I. He had estates in the several counties of Monmouthshire, Radnorshire, Herefordshire, and Gloucestershire valued at £1,000 per annum. In 1719 he was fined for not attending church.

A later generation, in the person of Richard Vaughan, joined Prince Charles Edward Stuart's army in 1745. Vaughan took part in the Battle of Culloden and followed the Prince into exile. He and his brother William Vaughan were outlawed and their property seized, while they themselves fled to Spain and became officers in the army of that country. Both married Spanish Ladies and some of their descendants settled in the home of their adoption and became grandees of Spain.

Richard Vaughan died in Barcelona in 1795 but his son William eventually returned to Wales and obtained a restoration of the main portion of his estates, as heir to his uncle. Finally, John Vaughan of Courtfield, elder brother of William took the oath of allegiance to King George III at Monmouth in 1778.

Welsh Bicknor parish records are now held by Hereford Records Office.

There is currently a Youth Hostel at Welsh Bicknor, adjacent to the Church. The building had served as the Rectory to the local Church until it was sold in the 1960s.

References

External links

* [http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=3758981 photos of Welsh Bicknor and surrounding area on geograph]