The
place for information on Ross-on-Wye and the Wye Valley
St.
Bridget's, Bridstow and the War Memorial - Ross-on-Wye
It
is likely that the earliest church on this site was a wattle
and daub Welsh church dedicated to St. Freit, which is Celtic
for St. Bridget. Following this a Norman church was consecrated
in Bridstow, Herefordshire
in 1066 by the Bishop of Llandaff. The oldest part of the current
church is the 14th century tower, of which the largest bell
within was cast by Robert Hendley of Gloucester in 1480. A later
bell was added in 1658 but the full octave which is heard today
was not added until 1924.
The
registers in the church date from 1560 and until 1675 were made
in a parchment book, most of which is still legible. The names
of known vicars date from 1277, the first being Walter de Beriton.
There is also a complete list of churchwardens from 1607 to
the present day.
In
a recess of the chancel there is a tomb which dates from around
A.D.1300. It is either that of a child or could be what is known
as a 'heart tomb', a tomb which contains just the heart of the
individual.
The
photographs below were taken on the unseasonably sunny and warm
27th January 2003. Having recently started to receive quite
a few requests for information from people interested in genealogy
and trying to trace distant relatives, I have listed the names
on the war memorials below the photographs as they are difficult
to make out on these images, which are greatly reduced in size
for ease of internet access.
Stained
Glass Window, St Bridget's, Bridstow in January 2003.
War
Memorial inside St Bridget's, Bridstow in January 2003.
Bridstow
Village War Memorial, January 2003.
Bridstow
War Memorial, January 2003. A closer view of those remembered.
Names
of Those Remembered on the War Memorials
1914
to 1919 in the Church of St. Bridget:
W. C. Andrew, T. Counsell, A. J. Cowmeadow, P.B.Farr, C.W.Floyd,
A. A. Francis, E. N. Getting, W. Lloyd, C. Malsom, W. Malsom,
H. Marklove, A. Nelmes, E. Powell, R. G. Sainsbury, H. Thomas,
C. Thomas, E. W. Turrell, E. Wilson.
1914
to 1919 on the Village Memorial:
W.
C. Andrew, T. Counsell, A. J. Cowmeadow, P.B.Farr, C.W.Floyd,
A. A. Francis, E. N. Getting, W. Lloyd, C. Malsom, W. Malsom,
H. Marklove, A. Nelmes, E. Powell, R. G. Sainsbury, H. Thomas,
C. Thomas, E. W. Turrell, E. Wilson.
1939
to 1945 on the Village Memorial:
C. Deakin, G. F. Deakin, R. J. Holloway, M. G.
Ling, D. W. Maude, H. T. Taylor.
