Peterstow
| Peterstow | |
| Herefordshire | |
|---|---|
 Yew Tree Inn, Peterstow | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SO564245 |
| Location: | 51°55’5"N, 2°38’6"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 444 (2011) |
| Post town: | Ross-On-Wye |
| Postcode: | HR9 |
| Dialling code: | 01989 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Herefordshire |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Hereford |
Peterstow is a village in Herefordshire, about two miles west of Ross-on-Wye on the A49 road.
The villages is named form the dedication of its church to St Peter: the name means 'Peter's Place'. The appearance of the name has though during the past thousand years. The first recorded name is Llanpetyr (from 1045–1104) which is Welsh. The name Petrestowe is found in 1278. Other variants from 1291 to 1724 are Ecclesiade-Petrestowe; Petrustoye; Petrestowe; and Pitstowe.[1]
Churches
The Parish Church was begun in the Norman period, with windows from 13th and 14th centuries; and so too the chancel. The door had a scissor braced roof. The tower and spire were build in the 15th century. The pulpit was installed in the Jacobean period, in a style typical for that period in Herefordshire.
The earliest known building was Anglo-Saxon, built on the site of an existing burial ground. A reference in the Book of Llandaff says that Herwald, Bishop of Llandaff, consecrated a church at Llanbedr in 1066.[2] A 12th century Norman building replaced this, using some of the enormous foundation stones. This was rebuilt in 1330. A font and bell tower were added in the 15th century, and a panelled pulpit in the 17th.
The present appearance of the building is due to the "great restoration" in the 1860s, under the rector, Dr John Jebb with Sir George Gilbert Scott as architect. The re-opening was on 2 July 1866.[2]
In 2009 the nave was "re-ordered", the pews being removed and a modern wooden floor and chairs installed.[3] The west end was partitioned off to provide for a kitchen, and a toilet to disabled access standards.
The nave is available as a village hall when not required for Church services. The chancel has not been altered during this work.
The church is in the Ross and Archenfield Deanery of the Diocese of Hereford.
A former Wesleyan Methodist Chapel stands in the village. In 1874, a Mr Thomas Blake gave land for the Wesleyan Methodists to build a chapel, which they did, in the simpler architectural style typical of the Primitive Methodists. This chapel was used by the Wesleyans for 50 years. The Chapel was bought by the Parish Church in 1924, and used as a church hall until a few years ago.[4] It was sold because it is not possible to install modern facilities including water supply and drainage and is now in private ownership.[5]
History
Possibly the earliest record of habitation in the area relates to iron ore smelting in Roman, and possibly mediæval times. Artifacts relating to this are on display in the Heritage Centre at Ross.[6]
In 1100, King Henry I set up three royal manors in Herefordshire, including the manor of Wilton, which included Peterstow.[7]
About the village
The Herefordshire Trail long distance footpath passes through the village.
The Common has with a war memorial in the form of a stone cross bearing the village name. There is also a pub, the Yew Tree, and a village stores and post office. The village school closed in 1969 and is now a private dwelling. The village bakery also has a shop in Ross-on-Wye.
Until mains water was provided in 1960, the village was supplied by wells and pumps. Of several ram pumps installed around the village, one manufactured by Green and Carter has been restored and is pumping water at the Flann (one of the original farms of Peterstow).[8]
Pictures
-
One of the windows in St Peter's Church -
Interior of St Peter's Church after re-ordering of the nave -
Former Wesleyan Methodist Chapel -
Village store and Post Office -
The Common -
War memorial
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Peterstow) |
- Peterstow on A Church Near You
- AREAC Midlands Ltd.
References
- ↑ The Peterstow Millennium Book, "for the villagers of Peterstow by the villagers", published by the villagers, 2000, page 3
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Millennium Book, p. 17.
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120306015755/http://www.stainburntaylor.co.uk/news.html. Retrieved 2011-09-30.
- ↑ Millennium Book, p. 22.
- ↑ Conversation with Church Wardens, June 2009
- ↑ Millennium Book, p.6.
- ↑ Millennium Book, p.5
- ↑ Millennium Book, p. 148
- Salter, Mike (1998). The Old Parish Churches of Herefordshire. Malvern.