Woolhope, Herefordshire

Burgums of the "FF" family tree lived at Woolhope.

WOOLHOPE, is an extensive parish and pleasant village situated about 2 miles N.E. of the upper road leading from Hereford to Gloucester; is distant 8 miles E.S.E. of Hereford, 8 W.S.W. of Ledbury, and 9 N. of Ross; is in Greytree hundred, Ledbury union, petty sessional division, and county court district, and Fownhope polling district. The population in 1861 was 803; in 1871, 769; inhabited houses, 173; families or separate occupiers, 209; area of parish, 4,549a. 11r. 36p.; annual rateable value, £5,959. The Dean and Chapter of Hereford are lords of the manor, and the Lady Emily Foley, of Stoke Edith park, near Hereford, and the Lady Lyttelton, of Hagley hall, near Stourbridge, are the principal landowners. The soil is a stiff clay; hops and fruit are much cultivated, with wheat, beans, and roots. The Surrounding neighbourhood is beautifully wooded, and the scenery from the hills in this part of the county is very picturesque. Woolhope is in the diocese, archdeaconry, and rural deanery of Hereford; living, a vicarage; value, £292, with residence and 22 acres of glebe; patrons, the Dean and Chapter of Hereford; vicar, Rev. Francis Merewether, B.C.L., of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, who was instituted in 1841.

The church of St. Mary is an ancient stone edifice, with nave, chancel, two aisles, porch, and square tower containing six bells. It was restored a few years since under the superintendence of W. Chick, Esq., of Hereford, but is in need of further renovation and improvement. The east window was filled with stained glass in 1869 by Lady Lyttelton as a memorial to her late husband, H.F. Mildmay, Esq., formerly M.P. for the county. The subject represents incidents in the life of our Saviour, and is beautifully executed. The parish registers commence with the year 1558.
(Note from me - The church of St Mary is actually in Fownhope, three miles distant from Woolhope! The principle church in Woolhope is St George's)

A school board has been recently formed for this parish, and new schools are about to be erected. The charities belonging to the church are of £30 yearly value. There is a Primitive Methodist chapel at Broadmoor. Woolhope Court (formerly called Wessington court) is the property of Lady Lyttelton and the residence of Josiah Booker, Esq. Buckenhill, distant 2 miles S., is a township in which are traces of an ancient encampment of Roman origin.
Source - Littlebury's Directory and Gazetteer of Herefordshire, 1876-77

Postal Regulations - John Williams, Sub-Postmaster. Letters arrive by messenger from Ledbury at 10.5 a.m.; despatched thereto at 2.40 p.m. Fownhope is the nearest money order office. Ledbury and Hereford are the nearest telegraph offices. Post town, Ledbury.

Parish Church (St. Mary's).- Rev. Francis Merewether, B.C.L., Vicar; Messrs. Thomas Price and James Sisum, Churchwardens; John Cox, Parish Clerk.

Board School (boys and girls).

Primitive Methodist Chapel, Broadmoor.- Ministers various.

WOOLHOPE, (WITH BUCKENHILL TOWNSHIP) DIRECTORY.
Private Residents - Booker Josiah, Esq., Woolhope Court
Brown Mr. William, Welcheston
Griffiths Mrs. Mary
Merewether Rev. Francis, B.C.L. (vicar), The Vicarage

Commercial -
Burgum Edwin, farmer, Hazel Court
Charles Thomas, farmer, Sapness Farm
Cole James, farmer, Overbury
Cooke Edward J., auctioneer, &c., Cockshute cottage
Cox George, wheelwright
Cox John, carpntr., shopkpr., & parish clk.
Godsall Anthony, farmer, Park Farm
Grundy Joseph, farmer, Copyhold Farm; res., Mill Farm, Fownhope,near Hereford
Hodges Henry, beer retailer
Hodges Mrs. Mary, farmer, Frog pool
Hooper Richard, farmer, Beans butts
Hooper William, butcher
Hughes William, frmr., Lower Buckenhill
Jones William, farmer and wood dealer, Links Well
Jones William, gamekeeper and woodman
Lane William S., farmer, Brainge House
Maile Caleb, farmer, Hatsford
Maile Peter, farmer, Crews Farm
Morgan George, farmer
Morgan Miss, shopkeeper
Nation Thomas, farmer, The Scarr
Packwood Reuben, beer retailer (Gurney's Oak) and farmer
Pope Mrs. Sarah, farmer, The Hill
Powell James, farmer, Fulmores Farm
Powis John, farmer, Wessington Court Fm.
Price John, grocer and draper
Price Thomas, farmer, Big Canwood
Pugh John, farmer, The Buildings
Ravenhill Thomas, Crown Inn, & carpenter
Sisum James, farmer, Hazels
Slade Francis, farmer, Lower Buckenhill
Stephenson Thomas, gardener
Till Joseph, cottage farmer, Stoney Hill
Turner James, farmer, Hoar House
Tyler Richard, farmer, Upper Buckenhill
Watkins Henry, farmer
Williams James, farmer, Court Farm
Williams John, blacksmith &.sub-postmr.

Left - Hazel Court, Woolhope, Herefordshire.

Sisum James (see the list of residents above) was living at Hazel Court, at Woolhope, farming 90 acres at the time of the 1861 census. Living with him was his wife Ann Newton Sisum (formerly Burgum), their daughter Sarah (age 3) and Ann's brother James Burgum. Three years later Edwin Joseph Burgum, another brother of Ann's, was living and farming at Hazel Court, as listed in the Electoral Register for 1864.

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