Holme Lacey, Much Marcle & Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire.

Much Marcle is a small village in rural Herefordshire, between Ross-on-Wye and Ledbury, on the southern slope of the Malvern Hills. Ledbury, dating back to the Domesday Book, where it was recorded as Liedeberge, and returned members to Parliament in the reign of Edward I. Notable buildings in the area include the parish church and Eastnor Castle, while the Painted Room contains sixteenth century frescoes. At a distance of seven miles north of Ross-on-Wye, Much Marcle and the grounds of St. Bartholomew's Church, a huge and ancient yew tree offers shelter from either sun or rain.

The church of St. Bartholomew is well worth a visit with its 13th century nave, the 14th century altar tomb of Blanch Grandison and tombs of several members of the Kyrle family who were local benefactors. Bartholomew was one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is generally supposed to have been the same person as Nathanael. In the Synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Philip and Bartholomew are always mentioned together, while Nathanael is never mentioned. Bartholomew, along with Saint Jude Thaddeus is reputed to have brought the new religion of Christianity to Armenia in the 1st century. Thus the Armenian Church is called the Armenian "Apostolic" Church, as both saints are considered to be the patron saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The festival of St. Bartholomew is celebrated on August 24. The holiday has a relatively bloody history, being the date of the impalement of 30,000 Transylvanians by Vlad the Impaler (Dracula) as well as that of the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. The festival however has also been a traditional occasion for markets and fairs; such a fair serves as the scene for Bartholomew Fair, a play by Ben Jonson.

In 1096 Hellens Manor at Much Marcle in rural Herefordshire was granted to the de Balun family, who were to witness the signing of the Magna Carta. Thereafter by marriage deed or gift, it passed eventually to the Mortimers, and by 1301 to the Lords Audley, created Earls of Gloucester in 1337. Hellens is a living monument to much of England's history. A nephew, James - companion to the Black Prince - rented the Manor for a pair of silver spurs. He then leased it to Walter Helyon, who gave his name to the house: his descendants have lived here almost without interruption ever since. Hellens is a manor house which has two haunted rooms, including those for 'Bloody Mary' and her tutor, Fetherstone. An old cider mill house and a rare 17th century octagonal dovecote stand in the beautiful grounds and in the Stone Hall is a great fireplace bearing the crest of the Black Prince.

Ross-on-Wye is on the River Wye, and on the edge of the Forest of Dean. Markets are held at the sandstone 'Market House' building in the town centre, which was built between 1650 and 1654. In the front of the church is a large and rare Plague Cross, commemorating the three hundred or so townsfolk who were buried here by night without coffins during a savage outbreak of the plague in 1637 and is located within the grounds of St. Mary's Parish Church. For the past 700 years, St. Mary's Parish Church has been the town's most prominent landmark when approaching Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire from most directions. Located close to the plague cross are the Rudhall Alms Houses, which probably date from the 14th century. William Rudhall (d.1530) – is one of the last great alabaster sculptures from the specialist masons of Nottingham.

King Arthur's Cave is just one of many small caverns which can be found at the Doward, close to both Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth. Although Ross is a medieval market town, the current market house was built between 1650 and 1654, replacing an older building. In 1430 the Bishop of Hereford, Bishop Spofford gave what is now the east window of St. Mary's, Ross to Bishop's Chapel at Stretton Sugress, North of Hereford. During the 18th century however the chapel was destroyed by fire but the glass remained undamaged. At this time, the east window of St. Mary's, Ross-on-Wye was decayed and rods were used as mullions to support the structure. The Churchwardens, having heard that the glass from Stretton Sugress was available to purchase for next to nothing, put in a successful bid. In 1873 some glass experts restored the window to its former glory, except that the original had five lights. The four remaining lights look inward and portray:

• (1) St. Ethelbert - Saxon King,
• (2) Bishop Spofford offering his heart to the Virgin Mary, who is sitting on the knee of her mother, St. Anne,
• (3) St. Haochim, husband of St. Anne, bearded, clothed in a mantle and strange black head dress, holding a book,
• (4) St. Thomas de Cantilupe, Bishop of Hereford in 1282. Other local churches: St. Michael's in Brampton Abbotts, St Lawrence's in Weston, St. Catherine's in Hoarwithy, St Bridget's in Bridstow.

Index