Bromyard, Herefordshire

Description
Bromyard, a small market-town, a township, the head of a poor law union, and a parish in Herefordshire. The town stands on the river Frome, 12 miles E of Leominster, 14 SW of Worcester, 14 NE of Hereford, and 134 from London; and has a station on the Worcester and Bromyard branch of the G.W.R. It has pleasant, well-wooded, hilly environs, and consists of a few streets. Many of the houses are old and wooden ; but the town has been much improved in recent years, and many new houses erected. It sent members to Parliament in the time of Edward I., and is now a seat of a county court, publishes a weekly newspaper, and has a post, money order, and telegraph office under Worcester, two banks, a church, a grammar school founded by Queen Elizabeth, a cottage hospital, and Congregational, Wesleyan, and Primitive Methodist chapels. The church is chiefly Norman, consists of nave, chancel, aisles, with a central embattled tower, contains an ancient alter-tomb of a Baskerville, a number of other monuments, some stained windows, and was anciently collegiate for three prebendaries. A large building erected in 1871 is used as a temperance hall and assembly rooms. There is a small trade in malting and tanning, and a manufacture of spade handles; but agriculture is the chief interest. A weekly market is held on Thursdays, fortnightly stock sales on Thursdays, and fairs on the Thursday before 25 March, the 25 March, 1 May, 3 May, the Thursday before 25 July, 29 September, and the Thursday before 29 October. Bromyard is noted for its races, which are called " The Herefordshire Derby," and take place on the Downs about a mile from the town. Acreage of township, 165; population, 1460; of the ecclesiastical parish, 2913. The parish contains also the townships of Winslow, Linton, and Norton with Brockhampton. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Hereford; net value, £303 with residence. Patron, the Bishop of Worcester. The workhouse is in Linton township.