[Preamble] [Private Residents] [Commercial Residents]
BOSBURY is a parish and village on the river Leadon in the Southern Division of the county, Radlow hundred, Ledbury union, county court district and petty sessional division, rural deanery of Frome south division and archdeaconry and diocese of Hereford, 4 miles north from Ledbury, 14 east from Hereford, situated on the river Leadon. The parish is divided into three townships – Bosbury, Upleadon and Catley. The church of the Holy Trinity is an ancient building of stone in the Transition Norman style, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles and a massive detached tower, erected in the 13th century, and containing 6 bells: a clock was presented by the Rev. John Edmund Cheese, late vicar, in 1878: the chancel is separated from the nave by a fine oak screen; the restoration of the chancel and repewing of the nave was completed in 1878, at a cost of £3,000, under the superintendence of Ewan Christian esq. architect, Whitehall place, London: there are some ancient monuments to the Harford family, and a finely carved pulpit. The register dates from the year 1558.

The living is a vicarage, average tithe rent-charge £400, gross yearly value £418, including 6 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Hereford, and held since 1879 by the Rev. Samuel Bentley M.A. of St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge, and rural dean of Frome, southern division. There is a Wesleyan chapel at Stanley Hill.  Bosbury House, the seat of Willoughby Baskerville Mynors esq. D.L., J.P. is a structure of red brick and stone in the Italian style, with balustrades and a portico; it contains a fine collection of curiosities, ancient and modern. Old Court, which is now a farm, was formerly a palace of the bishops of Hereford; the refectory is used as a cider cellar; and the doorway and wicket are still perfect. Temple Court, the residence of John Pitt Harford esq. was formerly occupied by the Knights Templars. In the Crown Inn, formerly the mansion 0f the Harford family, there is an ancient panelled room, with the date 1571 and the arms of different members of the Harford family: over the fire-place are four shields with the arms of John Skipp, bishop of Hereford 1539-53; and of William Paulet, first Marquess of Winchester K.G. who died 1572, with the garter and coronet; Wrottesley, of Wrottesley; Scrope, of Castle Combe, Wilts; and Fox of Brimfield; the room is now used as a lodge-room of the Bishop Swinfield Lodge of Oddfellows (M.U.). The Ecclesiastical Commissioners are lords of the manor of the whole parish. Willoughby B. Mynors and John Harford Pitt esq. are the principal landowners. The soil is heavy; subsoil, clay. This is a cider and hop district. The chief crops are wheat, beans, hops and barley. The area is 4,769 acres; rateable value, £7,785 the population in 1881 was 989.

   CATLEY township is half a mile north-west
   UPLEADON township is 1 mile west-by-south.
 
   Parish Clerk, Edwin Townsend.
 
POST & MONEY ORDER OFFICE & Savings Bank.– Mrs Sarah Kendrick, sub-postmistress. Letters are received through Ledbury at 8 a.m.; dispatched thereto at 3.55 p.m. Ledbury is the nearest telegraph office.
WALL LETTER BOX, Stanley Hill, cleared at 11.25 a.m. daily except sun

Police Station, Robert McDonald, officer in charge

SCHOOLS.

Free Grammar, built in 1540 for 60 boys; average attendance, 50; with a yearly endowment of £107; Samuel Morgan, master
National (girls), built in 1848 & enlarged in 1883, for 100 girls; average attendance, 86; Miss Mary Ann Arrowsmith, mistress

CARRIER:– Ann Fidoe, to Worcester, sat & Ledbury tues.; returning same days

PRIVATE RESIDENTS. [Top of Page]
Barrett James, Staplow house
Bentley Rev. Samuel M.A. Vicarage
Burry Mrs. New House
Jenkins James,White house
Morgan Samuel, Grammar school
Pritchard Thomas, New house
Mynors Willoughby Baskerville D.L. J.P. Bosbury house
Pitt John Harford, Temple court
Pitt Thomas, Stanley house
Willcox Samuel, The Grange
 
COMMERCIAL. [Top of Page]
Barrett James, farmer & landowner, Staplow house
Bettington Caroline (Mrs.), farmer, The Brook
Bosley Thomas Edwin, farmer & landowner, Bentleys
Bo(o)sley Thomas, farmer, Woodlow
Brazier James Herbert, Crown inn
Bunn George, farmer & hop grower, Swinmore
Bury William, farmer, The Verne
Cale John, carpenter, Palace
Collett Jane (Mrs.), grocer
Cotton Allan, wheelwright & smith New house
Cotton Robert, farmer & hop grower, The Hill
Crouce Thos. miller (water), Lower mll
Cummings Jsph. farmer & hop grower, Slatch
Dodd Elizabeth, shopkeeper
Edwards George Benjamin, farmer & shopkeeper, Stanley hill
Edwards William, farmer, Woodlow
Fidoe Anne, (Mrs.) carrier
Gardiner Ann (Mrs.), farmr. Norbridge
Gardiner Thomas, farmer, Townend
Green Thomas, farmer & hop grower, Upper Catley
Green William, farmer & hop grower, Lower house
Hall Thomas, farmer, Long acre
Harding John, farmer & hop grower, The Green
Harford Richard, farmer, Swinmore
Hawkins John, farmer, Stanley hill
Hawkins Thos. farmer, Holly mount
Haynes John Richard, tailor
Hickox Thomas, blacksmith
Hill John, farmer & hop grower, Note ho
Hoar William, farmer, Little Noverings
Hodgetts John, coal merchant, Staplow
Holder Joseph, farmer
Homes Robert, farmer & hop grower, Old Court
Homes William, farmer & hop grower, Gold hill
Jackson Joseph, farmer & hop grower, Orchards
Jackson William, farmer, Noverings
Jay Thos. farmer & haulier, Briercrfoft
Jennings William, cooper
Kendrick James, farmer & hop grower, Hill house
Lane Edward Thomas, farmer & hop grower, Old Court
Lane William Sivell, farmer & hop & cider grower, The Farm
Matthews John, beer retailer, The Brook
Morgan Samuel, schoolmstr. & organist
Morris Mary (Mrs.), Bell inn
Mutlow John, farmer & hop grower, Cold green
Orgee Kenelm, farmer & beer retailer, Old country
Palmer William, farmer & miller (water), Upper mill
Parsons George, shopkeeper, Staplow
Parsons James, sawyer, Long acre
Pitt John Harford, landowner, farmer & hop grower, Temple court
Powell Elisha, farmer & hop grower, Woodlow
Powell William, farmer & hop grower, Little Catley
Preece Charles, haulier, Pow green
Preece John, farmer & carpenter, Gospel Yew
Preedy John, shopkeeper, Stanley hill
Price George, farmer & hop grower, Catley court
Pullen James, carrier, Stanley hill
Rogers Thomas, farmer, Nelmes
Shaw Jn. assistant overseer & beer rtlr
Spencer Edward, farmer, Fox hill
Thomas Charles, farm bailiff to W. B. Mynors esq. Nash end
Townsend Allen, butcher
Townsend James, blacksmith
Townsend William, beer retailer & blacksmith, Staplow
Vobe Elizh. (Mrs.), farmer, Broadoak
Wilks Thomas, carpenter & joiner, Southfield
William James, farmer, Shillo
Winter John, shoe maker
Winter William, boot & shoe maker, Arbour hill

Source: Kelly: Directory of Herefordshire, 1885.