Dorstone

Dorstone

Dorstone

Human settlement in England

Dorstone is a village within the Golden Valley, Herefordshire, England. There is a church[2] and public house[3] with restaurant. The Golden Valley area offers hillwalking and horseback riding countryside and is noted for its scenery. It is within the catchment area of Fairfield secondary school.

Quick Facts Population, OS grid reference ...

Dorstone was once the location of Dorstone Castle.[4] A mile to the south the fragmentary remains of Snodhill Castle can still be seen.[5][6] From 2014 to 2018, the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England (Historic England) put £150,000 into scientific and historical study of the Snodhill Castle site, plus an additional £500,000 grant to the Snodhill Castle Preservation Trust to complete clearing and restoration of the remains of Snodhill Castle, with the site opening to the public as of May 2018.[7][8]

St. Faith's parish church in Dorstone was reputedly built by Richard de Brito, one of the knights who murdered Thomas Becket, as penance for the murder. He also built the Pandy Inn in Dorstone to house the workmen who built the church. During Victorian era rebuilding of the church in the 1890s a tomb to another de Brito was found which contained a pewter chalice. This was housed in the church for many years, but was stolen in 2006.

The Dorstone History Society seeks to study the church and the village – which stretches back to Neolithic times as suggested by the local Arthur's Stone, an ancient monument. This is said to be the spot where King Arthur slew a giant who left the impression of his elbows on one of the stones as he fell.[9]

An annual sloe gin competition is held in Dorstone.[10] Each year the winner is crowned the "Grand Master of the Sloes".[11]

Railway

The Golden Valley Railway branch line to Hay-on-Wye was opened on 1 September 1881 as far as Dorstone and later extended to Hay-on-Wye. The new line involved considerable additions to the track layout and buildings where it joined an existing line at the junction station of Pontrilas.

The last passenger train from Dorstone was on 23 August 1951.

  • Dorstone Church
  • This impressive motte and bailey is thought to date from 11th to 12th centuries
  • One of the last original tickets railway tickets

References

  1. [1]
    "Civil Parish population 2011". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  2. [2]
    "Dorstone Church:: OS grid SO3141 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland – photograph every grid square!". Geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  3. [3]
    "The Pandy Inn, Dorstone:: OS grid SO3141 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland – photograph every grid square!". Geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  4. [4]
    "Dorstone Castle:: OS grid SO3141 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland – photograph every grid square!". Geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  5. [5]
    staff writers (23 October 2016). "Trust takes over Snodhill Castle in Herefordshire". BBC News. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  6. [6]
    "Snodhill Castle – 2:: OS grid SO3240 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland – photograph every grid square!". Geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  7. [7]
    staff writers (9 May 2017). "Snodhill Castle is restored by villagers after £50k (sic) grant". BBC News. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  8. [8]
    "Snodhill Castle Has Been Saved!". Historic England. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  9. [9]
    "History of Arthur's Stone". English Heritage. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  10. [10]
    "Golden Valley annual Sloe Gin Competition prepares for kick off". Hereford Times. 11 January 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  11. [11]
    "Dorstone Sloe Gin Competition 2010 – judging this Friday". Hereford Times. 20 January 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
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