Ross-on-Wye Civic Society


Ross Civic Society

Pink Publications

The Ross and District Civic Society publishes Pink Publications each of which give a detailed study of points of particular interest in an around the town of Ross and the Wye Valley.

The Pink Publications cost £5 each and are available from the Heritage Centre, Ross-on-Wye (in the Market House).

They are also available by post for £5 + p&p, please email publications@rosscivic.org.uk for details.



The currently available publications are:

No. 1
Walter Scott's Charity School, Ross-on-Wye
by Kevin Brookes & Colin D Price

Walter Scott (1716-1786) was one of several eminent Ross-on-Wye benefactors. He attended the charitable Blue Coat School in Ross which was set up to educate 60 poor boys and girls. At 13 years old, Walter ran away to London - afraid of being arrested and worse for scrumping pears, and returned a rich man to improve and endow the Blue Coat School. The foundation stone of the new school was laid 6 years after Walter's death.
ISBN: 978-0-9521460-0-1 Pub: 1993 Size: 17 pp x A4

No. 2
The Lime Kilns and Associated Quarries in Walford, Ross-on-Wye
by C A Viginia Morgan

An interesting description of 6 lime kilns in the hills near Ross-on-Wye; how they were built and worked, from the end of the 18th century through the 19th.
ISBN: 978-0-9521460-1-8 Pub: 1993 Size: 20pp x A4

No. 3
A History of the River Crossing at Wilton-on-Wye, Herefordshire
by Heather Hurley

Illustrated history of the river crossing, and the bridge built 1597 at Wilton which crosses the Wye from the modern M50 roundabout (1960) leading into Ross-on-Wye. The story goes from the ferry & ford in mediaval times to the bridge refurbishment in 1993.
ISBN: 978-0-9521460-2-5 Pub: 1993 Size: 17 pp x A4

No. 4
A History of the Manor of Wilton and Parish of Bridstow
by R A Hart

History of the manor since Domesday Book 1086 - the Norman de Greys, The 18th century Brydes and the Earl of Chandos, up to the 15th century Baron died in 1614; Guys Hospital owned the estate from 1731 to 1961. Bridstow Church & Parish were divided off from Wilton Castle by the M50 in 1960. The Castle is now restored with the help of English Heritage, and holds very pleasant open days during the summer.
ISBN: 978-0-9521460-3-2 Pub: 1994 Size: 29 pp x A4

No. 5
A Landscape History of Ganarew, Herefordshire
by M A Howard

A history of the parish of Ganarew, which lies either side of the M50, going north from Monmouth to Ross between Wyestone-Leys and Crockers Ash: an attempt to trace the development of early settlements from the Stone Age to Domesday Book 1086, a summary of Ganarew in 1988 and possibilities for the future.
ISBN: 978-0-9521460-4-9 Pub: 1994 Size: 24pp x A4

No. 6
The Knights Templars & Hospitallers in The Manor of Sarway, Herefordshire
by Joan Fleming-Yates

An illuminating account of a Templars church in the Monnow Valley, giving an interesting and detailed history of an English/Welsh settlement of Knights Templars: useful background for those interested in Da Vinci Code matters and Templars' history.
ISBN: 978-0-9521460-5-6 Pub: 1995 Size: 26pp x A4

No. 7
Nathaniel Morgan 1775-1854 of Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire
by C A Virginia Morgan

An eminent 19th century Ross-on-Wye benefactor, Clerk of the Ross Friends' Meeting for nearly 20 years. Often controversial, he was always a robust radical Quaker, supporting pacifism, parliamentary reform, other 'free' churches, help for the poor and improvements for the citizens of Ross-on-Wye.
ISBN: 978-0-9521460-6-3 Pub: 1995 Size: 24pp x A4

No. 8
Thomas Blake 1825-1901, the Pious Benefactor of Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire
by Jon Hurley

Life-long friend and benefactor of Ross-on-Wye, Thomas Blake was born and bred in Ross, Member of Parliament and Justice of the Peace, an inveterate committee member. His father William traded as a brazier and tinman, and Thomas worked his way up from post office clerk to wealthy business man and property-owner. A committed Baptist, he packed his life with money-making, radical politics and helping Ross citizens and churches.
ISBN: 978-0-9521460-7-0 Pub: 1996 Size: 32pp x A4

No. 9
Historic Harewood, Herefordshire
by Heather Hurley

The Harewood estate lies in a lovely Herefordshire valley, on the west bank of the River Wye near Ross-on-Wye. It's history is traced from the Stone Age, owned in mediaeval times by Knights Templars & Hospitallers, then by the Brownes, who converted the house into a Tudor manor. This was later replaced by the Hoskyns who adapted the building into a Georgian mansion. In 1959 Harewood House was demolished, and later some of the outbuildings were used, for a short while, as kennels for breeding dogs for scientific testing. However, now better times have arrived for the estate as part of Prince Charles' Duchy of Cornwall.
ISBN: 978-0-9521460-8-7 Pub: 1996 Size: 30 pp x A4

No. 10
River, Road & Rail in The Monnow Valley
by Joan Fleming-Yates

A story of how - three times - a quiet, peaceful and rather remote valley might have become a main line communication from Wales and the North, through to the Bristol Channel and the Severn crossing - but didn't: through canals, road building and railways.
ISBN: 978-0-9521460-9-4 Pub: 1997 Size: 23 pp x A4

No. 11
The Ross Union Workhouse
by C A Viginia Morgan & Joyce M Briffett

A community hospital in Ross-on-Wye replaced the Ross Union Workhouse at Dean Hill, Alton Street. This account is part of the story of those who lived and worked in the Workhouse between 1836 and 1914.
ISBN: 978-0-9532021-0-2 Pub: 1998 Size: 29 pp x A4

No. 12
The Cathotic Martyrs of the Monnow Valley
by Joan Fleming-Yates

When the Act of Uniformity was passed, it became illegal to fail or refuse to go to the Anglican Church on Sundays. Those who refused were mainly Roman Catholics, and were called recusants. This is a facinating local story of some recusants in the border country between Wales and England; among them, John Kemble and David Lewis who paid the ultimate price of intolerance and oppression - both were executed in 1679.
ISBN: 978-0-9532021-1-9 Pub: 1999 Size: 28 pp x A4

No. 13
The Beautification of Hoarwithy Church
by Philip Anderson

The village of Hoarwithy lies a few miles west of Ross-on-Wye and has a unique and extraordinary Victorian Italianate church and reading room, built in local pink sandstone. Originally built in 1843, this church was 'beautified' by the equally extraordinary benefactor - the Rev. William Poole (1819-1902) This is a strange story of the Victorian architecture and philanthropy of one of the many Herefordshire churches which are well worth a visit.
ISBN: 978-0-9532021-2-6 Pub: 2002 Size: 29 pp x A4

No. 14
Domesday Book Entries for the District around Ross-on-Wye
by lan Standing

Written in two parts - the first explains how the Domesday Book was compiled in 1086; the second part lists entries from the Domesday Book relating to that part of the English/Welsh border country called "Irchenfield" now known as Archenfield.
ISBN: 978-0-9532021-3-3 Pub: 2003 Size: 27pp x A4

No. 15
Stained glass in the Ross-on-Wye Area
by Philip Anderson

This paper is a guide to some of the interesting stained glass windows in the Ross area, and sets these windows into the context of the development of stained glass in this country, from the late 12th century to those commissioned to celebrate the Millenium.
ISBN: 978-0-9532021-4-0 Pub: 2004 Size: 32 pp x A4

No. 16
The Old Mill, Hoarwithy, Herefordshire
by Heather Hurley

The Old Mill stands beside its millstream fed by two streams - the Red Brook and Wrigglesbrook - opposite the delightful 'New Harp' pub, across a field from the west bank of the River Wye, near Ross-on-Wye in the little village of Hoarwithy. This is the historical story of the Old Mill from late 17th century to the present day when it is a comfortable B&B.
ISBN: 978-0-9532021-5-7 Pub: 2004 Size: 14pp x A4

No. 17
Henry Southall, 1836-1916 Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire
by John Powell

This is not only the life story of the Quaker benefactor Henry Southall - The Grand Old Man of Ross, but also an interesting picture of his family and life in Ross-on-Wye in Victorian and Edwardian times.
978-0-9532021-6-4 Pub: 2005 Size: 31 pp x A4

No. 18
Dubricius - Celtic Saint of Herefordshire
by Margot Miller

From legendary and historical sources, this is the story (as far as we know it) of St Dubricius (Dyfrig), 5th - 6th century early Christian leader of Erging (Archenfield) and South Wales, plus descriptions of the churches dedicated to him in the Ross-on-Wye area.
ISBN: 978-0-9532021-7-1 Pub: 2007 Size: 37pp x A4

No. 19
The Alton Court Brewery and its Pubs
by Heather Hurley

This illustrated booklet, with many black and white illustrations, contains exactly what it says on the label - a brief history of brewing before 1865, and then the rise and fall of the Alton Court Brewery and its pubs in Ross-on-Wye. The old brewery buildings are found behind Sainsbury's supermarket right in the centre of Ross-on-Wye.
ISBN: 978-0-9532021-8-8 Pub: May 2008 Size: 25pp x A4

No. 20
James Cowles Prichard 1786-1848
Doctor, linguist and anthropologist, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire.
by John Powell

Dr James Prichard of Sellack, near Ross-on-Wye, was a Quaker man of science with exceptional ability - a leading anthropologist of his day; a successful doctor in Bristol with special skill in mental illness appointed a London Commissioner of Lunacy before retiring back to Sellack.
ISBN 978-0-9532021-9-5 32 pp A4





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