Golden Valley (Herefordshire) facts for kids
The Golden Valley is a beautiful valley in western Herefordshire, England. It's a lovely area with gentle hills and countryside. The valley sits protected by the Black Mountains, Wales.
The main villages you'll find here are Dorstone, Peterchurch, Abbey Dore, and Ewyas Harold.
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What's in a Name?
The name Golden Valley likely comes from a mix-up. The River Dore runs through the valley. People might have confused "Dore" with the French words d'or, which means 'of gold'.
The Normans, who came to England a long time ago, might have heard the Welsh word dŵr, meaning 'water', and thought it sounded like 'd'or'. Something similar happened with the Douro river in Spain and Portugal. Its original Celtic name was changed to sound like a precious metal in Romance languages.
Explore the Golden Valley
The Golden Valley is full of interesting places to visit and discover. From ancient stones to historic churches and castles, there's a lot to explore.
Ancient History
Arthur's Stone, Herefordshire is a very old chamber tomb. It's located near the village of Dorstone. This stone structure was built during the Neolithic Period, between 3700 and 2700 BC. It is the oldest man-made building in Herefordshire.
Historic Buildings
Dore Abbey
Dore Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery from the Middle Ages. It was built between 1175 and 1220. The abbey was later restored in the 1630s. Today, during the summer, it hosts many musical concerts.
Bacton Church
Nearby, you can find Bacton Church. It has a special monument to Blanche Parry. She was a very close friend and helper to Queen Elizabeth I for 56 years! This monument was made before November 1578. It is the earliest picture anywhere of Queen Elizabeth I shown as a powerful symbol, or 'Gloriana'. This picture was made even before paintings showed her this way. Bacton Church also has rare stone carvings of World War I medal ribbons from 1914-1918.
Norman Castles
The Golden Valley is home to old castles. Snodhill Castle is a very early Norman stone fort. Ewyas Harold Castle is another early Norman castle. It is a motte and bailey castle, which means it had a mound (motte) and a walled courtyard (bailey). St Michael's Church in Ewyas Harold has an old stone statue, called an effigy. It shows a lady from the 13th or 14th century holding a heart in her hand.
Famous Connections
Literary Landscapes
The writer Francis Kilvert wrote about the beauty of the local area in his diaries. He described the English river valleys, protected by the Black Mountains, Wales. Kilvert is buried in Bredwardine. He was the Rector at St Andrew's church in Bredwardine until he passed away in 1879.
A Prince in Hiding
It is said that Owain Glyndŵr spent his last years hiding in the Golden Valley. He disappeared after his rebellion against King Henry IV failed. He supposedly lived under a different name with his daughter, Alys Scudamore, and her husband, Sir John Scudamore.
On the Big Screen
The Golden Valley was even featured in the 1993 film Shadowlands. In the movie, C. S. Lewis, the main character, owned a painting of a valley. To him, as a child, this painting looked like heaven. The Golden Valley was shown both in the painting and as a real place in the film.
Unique Local Spots
The Last Toll Bridge
The last remaining toll bridge in Herefordshire is at Whitney-on-Wye. This bridge leads to the town of Hay-on-Wye.
Welsh Connections
During some repairs at St Margaret's Church, near Newton, a plaque written in Welsh and dated 1574 was found. It is now on display in the church. The church also has a printed notice about the duties of churchwardens. This notice is special because it is written in both English and Welsh.
Modern Developments
In 2008, a large natural gas pipeline was built through the Golden Valley. This pipeline is 196 kilometers long. It runs from Felindre in Swansea to Tirley in Gloucestershire. The pipeline helps transport more gas from new LNG terminals to the rest of the UK.
