The ancient family of Walwyn settled in the County in the 12th Century. The original settlement of the Longworth Walwyns was at a place we now call ‘Old Longworth’, in the parish of Lugwardine just north of the confluence of the River Lugg and the River Wye. The property consisted of a moated manor house, pre-reformation chapel, priests house and tythe barn. The chapel, according to Basil Butcher a local historian, was built about 1390.
Eight generations of Walwyns lived here by the river from 1414 through nearly three centuries. Their name cropping up frequently in old documents. In 1538, for example, Nicholas Walwyn of Longford took a lease on 12 acres of the nearby Tidnor Wood, for 2000 years, virtually a perpetual lease.
The Manor of Longford was mentioned in the will of Thomas Walwyn (1583-1658), but it appears to have held no Courts. These were held within The Manor of Lugwardine.
Over the years the Walwyns improved and enlarged their manor house and in 1665 they were paying a hearth tax on seven fireplaces. The Herefords of Old Sufton, visible just across the river were paying tax on only five. (This manor house has recently been restored.) By comparison one might get some idea of the size of the property at Longford at that time, the house probably built of stone with some timber framing. Two years later in 1667 the Manor of Longford, with appurtenances and a capital messuage, was being mortgaged by Richard Walwyn, for Ł1200. (Deeds HRO).
During the reign of James 11(1685-1688), and while in the possession of Bishop Herbert Croft the manor house was supposedly ‘taken down’. On the death of Bishop Croft in 1691 the estate was brought back into the Walwyn family by James, a wealthy merchant, and it is thought that a new mansion house was built in the late 1600’s or early 1700’s on higher ground, away from the river, where the modern Longworth now stands. In his will dated 1704 Dr. James Walwyn, (late of Barbados, now of Longworth), mentions his farmhouse and mill, mansion house, land and tenements.
The other buildings on the original site were subsequently converted into tenements and largely rebuilt possibly incorporating some old materials from earlier buildings. In the 1850’s these tenements were called Chapel Cottages. An old photograph shows part of the roof of what looks like a black and white timber framed property. Demolished in the 1920’s.
The chapel, meanwhile, had become redundant and for many years was used as a barn. In 1857/9 it was restored and opened for public use, by the then owner, Robert Biddulph Phillipps, a devote Roman Catholic. Five years after his death (1864) and according to his express wish, the chapel was moved to nearby Bartestree Convent (also founded by RBP) under the supervision of his Chaplain, Fr. Anselm Cockshoot.
Longworth Mill, now a private house, is probably the mill mentioned in James Walwyns’ will of 1704. It lay right next to the ford that undoubtedly gave Longford its name. According to articles in the Hereford Times, the ford was not a very good one. It caused considerable annoyance and inconvenience. The River Froome was very unpredictable and on many occasions people crossed the ford early in the day only to find the river in flood on returning and having a long walk home. In the neighbourhood a bridge had long been the subject of discussion. The main instigators of a bridge were Mr William Henry Barneby of Longworth and Mr William H. Godwin of The Ferns (now The New Inn) who had frequently been caught by the uncertain temper of the little stream.
The bridge was funded by subscription in 1892 by the residents of the village and took two months to build. Rev. Hereford gave the land. The contractor was Messrs Stone Bros of Fownhope, who charged Ł190. The approaches were estimated at Ł100.
A large crowd gathered to see Lady Foley arriving in her coach and pair to lay the foundation stone on 25th April 1892. Music was provided by the Lugwardine Volunteer Drum and Fife Band. Among the dignitaries were Mr Henry Foley, Mr Paul Foley, Miss Edith Baskerville, Netherwood, Mr & Mrs W H Barnaby and several members of their family, Mr & Mrs W H Godwin, Rev & Mrs Hereford, Sufton, Mr & Miss Watkins, Wilcroft, etc. There were also deputations from schools at Withington, Lugwardine and Mordiford. In one of the piers a bottle was placed containing a daily newspaper, a half crown, a shilling and a sixpence. The last two stones were laid by W H Barneby and Mrs W H Godwin on 24th June 1892.