|
|
“Bromyard is a market
town situate very pleasantly betwixt hills, the inhabitants whereof
boast themselves to be the inhabitants of one of the most ancient
market towns on this side of England.”
…so wrote Silas Taylor in c.1652 and even today the inhabitants
rightly believe they live in a town that offers a variety of unique
shopping experiences, many places to eat delicious meals and relax
in convivial surroundings, and a peaceful, attractive corner of
Herefordshire that many people simply pass by.
Fortunately, you have made a decision to stop and visit this market
town of approximately 4,200 inhabitants. The earliest reference
to Bromyard dates back to an Anglo-Saxon charter of about 840 which
describes the land to be given to the ‘minster’ church
which is called ‘Bromgeard’, meaning a ‘broomy
enclosure’. It appears that the town was a large and important
meeting place, centred around the Bishop of Hereford’s estate,
and close to crossing places on the River Frome.
On our walk around Bromyard, you will encounter a little of what
makes this town so special, and makes a ‘broomy enclosure’
come to life! We start our tour at St. Peter’s Church,
much enlarged in the 12th century from humble Saxon beginnings.
Above the door set into the wall lies a carving of St. Peter with
his keys, probably from this earlier building. The doorway, itself,
is a fine example of Norman carved decoration. Inside the church
its three aisles reflects the growth of the town during the Norman
period. In the northwest corner, sometimes forgotten, lies a tomb-slab
with an incised figure of a knight from the ruine d
church at Avenbury. The south transept ‘Lady Chapel’
is dedicated to those who have died in the World Wars. Today, the
church is also used for civic events, concerts and school productions
which ensure a vibrant and developing church, at the heart of its
community.
Turning left outside the church, we reach Church Street. On the
left lies the old Grammar school founded in 1399
and subsequently granted a Charter by Queen Elizabeth I. Following
the road round, you will see the newly replaced bridge over what
was the railway between Worcester and Leominster, completed in 1897
and closed in 1964. Many thousands of hop pickers must have congregated
on the station waiting for the special trains that took them home
to the Black Country and South Wales. The closure provided the beginnings
for an industrial estate which extends to the Tenbury
Road. The view to the Downs is an impressive sweep
of countryside dotted with cottages. The summit of the hill rises
to 800 feet above sea  level
and provides footpath access to stunning National Trust land at
Brockhampton.
Returning to the town into Church Street, there are many fine buildings
including the old Public Library which occupied
the former Police Station and Magistrates’ Court. The much
used Post Office, built in 1911, is next door to
the Bromyard and District Local History Society
which puts on regular exhibitions and stores many pictures and documents
that tell the history of this town.
Crossing by the zebra crossing, you will reach the Square,
an open area which provides a gathering place for entertainment
during the festivals and the Christmas lights ‘Switch-On’
in late November. Many of the buildings hide 17th century timber-framed
houses but here many show their true beauty. Set above this gallery,
the Millennium Clock, designed by Michael N. Oxenham,
and carved and autonomated by Robert Race, master toymaker of Bradford-on-Avon
provides the town with an interesting reminder of what the time
is – on the hour the carved figures become animated and perform
a risqué routine!
Onwards along Broad Street, the Georgian and Victorian
brick fronts provide a varied and picturesque walk through the main
shopping street in the town.  Many
visitors to Bromyard come time and time again, especially to use
the specialist shops that provide individual customer service, a
high quality of commodities for sale, and excellent value for money.
Perhaps these are qualities which are not so readily apparent in
major chain-stores in larger towns.
On the corner of Broad Street and Pump Street, the striking timber-framed
Falcon Hotel was one of many inns in the town which catered
for the influx of visitors on market days and when the daily Royal
Mail coach stopped between London and Kington. Until about 1890,
the livestock markets were held in the streets; fortunately you
can now park close to the shops for a limited amount of time.
If we take a detour down Pump Street, passing several
fine houses and the Nunwell Surgery, we reach the
by-pass opened in 1967. Through the pedestrian underpass, painted
with murals by students from the Queen Elizabeth High School, there
is a quiet park on the right with seats to sit and admire the Downs
rising above Bromyard. Also, the Time Tower stands resplendent echoing
the wealth of timber structures in the area. The carvings on the
Tower are based on an agricultural heritage which is central to
the historical success of the town.
The wealth of timbers is apparent on Tower House
which stands opposite. King Charles I is reputed to have stayed
the night here on his way to relieve Hereford in 1645. At the top
of Tower Hill, Froome Bank Community Hospital,
provides residential care and a day hospital. Beyond, there are
peaceful walks towards Avenbury by farm lanes and public footpaths
following the River Frome.
Returning into Bromyard to the High Street, continue
left towards the Bromyard Centre. With a new library,
leisure centre, function room and Herefordshire Council’s
‘one-stop shop’ for information about
Council services and Tourist Information, this
building highlights the wealth of opportunities on offer. The staff
will be happy to answer visitors’ questions and help make
your visit a success. To mark the opening of the library in 2004,
the colourful wooden frieze which appears on the cover of this guide,
was commissioned. It was designed and created by David Jones and
shows a fantastic display of Bromyard’s past and present.
Towards this end of town, you’ll pass the New Road,
where the local Police Station, Fire Station and
Methodist Church can be found. Amongst some of
Bromyard’s smaller older houses, looking left up the Old
Road, stands the Catholic Church.
On the Tenbury Road car park, there is the excellent
Conquest Theatre, which opened here in 1991 built
with generous donations and local fundraising. It is run by volunteers
and receives little public funding. There are regular performances
from visiting drama, music and ballet groups, as well as in-house
productions from the resident amateur group and a monthly film night.
Next door is the Legges of Bramyard, for locally
produced meat and much more, The Co-op supermarket,
and further on, at the entrance to the industrial estate, another
of Bromyard’s sculptures lies. The ‘Spheres
of Play’ consists of two interlinked spheres which
represent the ball in sport, generations linked together in harmony
through the joy of play. Along the road, play is for real at the
Sports Ground, where locals have excellent facilities for
rugby, tennis, bowls and archery.
Back outside the Bromyard Centre, the view down the High Street
with its busy shops, pubs and restaurants will not have changed
much since medieval times. Take time to soak up the atmosphere and
stop at one of the many long established inns or vibrant cafés
for refreshments. Bromyard in Bloom organise displays of colourful
flowers which grace the streets of the town during the summer months.
Britain in Bloom have been very impressed with the community effort
to help make the town an attractive place and have recently awarded
a gold award.
Turning towards the parish church down Cruxwell Street you will
reach the town’s Public Green which hosts stalls and drama
performances during the town’s many festivals. There are many
older people in Bromyard who still remember the early Autumn days
when harvesting the hops with their familiar smell got underway.
Outside the Heritage Centre, lies the Resting Sheep, sculpted by
local artist, Ann Campbell. She encourages people to feel its tactile
qualities that reflect the rolling surrounding landscape of this
corner of Herefordshire.
The town’s Public Green hosts stalls and drama performances
during the town’s many festivals. Alongside, stands the Public
Hall which is available for hire to the many community organisations
in the town and county. The large Georgian building nearby was once
the Vicarage, but is now owned by Herefordshire Council. The local
Bromyard and Winslow Town Council has its offices inside.
Looking out over the church, we arrive back at the start of our
tour. Some city dwellers often think that life in a small town must
be rather slow and uninteresting; nothing could be further from
the truth and the community spirit, which is so evident, is one
of the greatest assets of the town. This spirit has embraced local
Bromyard families, incomers and visitors alike and we hope that
in your walk around the town you have sensed something of what it
is like to live here.
|
Welcome
