Robert Biddulph Phillipps inherited the Longworth Estate in 1822 on the death of his father, Robert Phillipps, a lawyer and former MP, and became one of the chief landowners in the parish. This young man of 24 had just obtained his BA at Trinity College, Oxford and later went on to study law at the Temple.

In August 1834 Phillipps married Elizabeth Barneby of Brockhampton, near Bromyard at St Marylebone Church in London. They had two daughters both born at Longworth – Elizabeth Bulkeley in 1836 and Mary Anne in 1838. Cooke’s Hereford (1830) states that the mansion house at Longworth was fitted with much elegance.

Phillipps took an active role in parish affairs and was a member of the Vestry of St Peters until at least 1847. When Lugwardine schoolroom and house were built in 1840 at a cost of £160, he was one of the chief contributors, forking out £20. He became a JP, a deputy Lieutenant and finally Lord Lieutenant of the County. During the 1840’s he purchased the Hagley Court Estate and Lower Bartestree Farm thereby increasing the size of the Longworth Estate to about 550 acres. (Valued in 1859 at £38,000)

In 1843 he caused a bit of a stir in the parish, he had a dispute with the parish council about a plan to remove the west porch of the Longworth Vault which lay under the north transept of the church. This was required to enable a new north aisle to be built and provide more seating for members of the general public. Eventually he conceded but laid down several conditions, one being that he approved the design of the new aisle and the alterations to the vault. Secondly that the job was done at the expense of the parish and thirdly that the agreement be entered in the parish book and a copy sent to the Bishop. (It turns out thirty years later in the Kempson restoration of 1870-1872, the re-sited porch was removed and the Longworth Vault closed up without any apparent objection from anyone.)

By 1851 he had taken up residence at Hagley Court where his two daughters were being educated by their governess – Miss Ellen Wishant. His indoor staff consisted of a housekeeper, housemaid, cook, schoolroom servant and a stable lad. Meanwhile, Longworth House as it was called, was occupied by Lady Harriet Jones.

Robert B. Phillipps had many interests, one being architecture. He was a member of the Ecclesiological & Oxford Architectural Societies. He was interested in local history and was a keen genealogist. He wasn’t the first owner of Longworth who had an interest in the history of Herefordshire – a member of the Walwyn family who died in 1750 at the early age of 32 had made some contributions, which Phillipps later acquired. His large collection of manuscripts and his own notebooks were bequeathed to Belmont Abbey in Hereford. Some are now housed at the Hereford Record Office. (Some were sold at Sotheby’s in London in June 1896). He was not alone in his persuits, the landed gentry practically monopolised antiquarian writing in the mid 19^th century, their main interest being in the ecclesiastical and manorial history. Jones’ Guide to the City of Hereford c1866, reveal that on the west side of the 100 ft long cloisters at the Benedictine Monastery of Belmont, are extensive and valuable libraries in several apartments, two of which are filled with works bequeathed to the monastery by the late Robert Biddulph Phillipps of Longworth. Later, some of his works were purchased by the Hereford Library and Record Office.

Although he came from a staunchly protestant family he was inspired by the lectures of John Newman and decided to take the faith in 1851 and became a devout Roman Catholic. His eldest daughter took her vows in June 1859 and attended the Convent of Notre Dame de la Charite et du Refuge at Caen. His wife died in 1852 and his youngest daughter sadly died in June 1858 at the age of 20 leaving him virtually a childless widower.

On what was the northern boundary of the estate at Bartestree is the Roman Catholic Convent of Our Lady of Charity and Refuge which was founded by him in 1863 a year before his death. The Convent has been described, on the one hand as ‘a very handsome pile of buildings’ and on the other as ‘about as ugly a piece of mock Gothic architecture as you would find anywhere’.

Situated in about 13 acres, the Convent was designed by Edwin Welby Pugin in the Gothic style. Of the four Sisters first engaged at the Convent, one was Phillipps’ eldest daughter, Sister Mary Peter of Alcantara, (alias Elizabeth Bulkeley Phillipps).

Although the Convent had it’s own Chapel, it was Phillipps’ wish that the pre-reformation chapel at Old Longworth, that he had restored in 1859/60, be moved to the Convent. This was achieved in 1869/70 a few years after his death.

In 1857 Phillipps mortgaged part of the estate, ie the Sheepcote Farm, 4 cottages, some land at Old Longworth and part of Tidnor Wood as security for £8233, possibly to finance the restoration of the chapel and the building of the Convent. He, at some time, also constructed a carriageway, called ‘The Avenue’, from Longworth House, east to the Ledbury Road, built two monumental lodges and erected an imposing pair of wrought iron gates. (Later reputed to have been sold to the Moorlands Match Factory at Gloucester). Now gone. The lodges, are stone built with hipped roofs, quoins, doorways with Gibbs surrounds and arched pediments. The windows have Tuscan columns and shallow triangular pediments. Pevsner says they look 20^th century classical. They do not appear on the 1839 tythe map or in 1841 census.

By 1861 Phillipps was once again living at Longworth House, with his chaplain, who at that time was Thomas Rollings, and nine indoor staff. He died in August 1864. His estate valued at just under £25,000. In his will he desired to be buried in the chapel at Old Longworth, together with his beloved wife and daughter. He also mentioned his "private chapel with sacristy adjoining in my house at Longworth". He left his books to Belmont Abbey, requesting the setting up of a "Longworth "or " Phillipps" library. He left his butler and valet, Philip Norse, his rosewood dressing case with the silver fittings, and £20; to his footman, John O’Donovan he left £19 guineas "for saying mass for five years in my chapel". His housekeeper and housemaid (Ann Miles and Charlotte Seale), both of whom had been in his service for over twenty years, were also remembered. Charlotte, a spinster, was still living on the estate at Old Longworth when she died in 1884 aged 74.

Robert Biddulph Phillipps, his wife Elizabeth, and their youngest daughter Mary Anne now lie beneath the Chancel of the Old Longworth Chapel at Bartestree Convent. The spot is marked by three marble crosses in the floor. On the walls are memorial plaques; and his coat of arms is incorporated in the stained glass windows. His eldest daughter, Elizabeth died in 1909 and is buried at Caen.

Having no male heir the estate was sold in 1865 to Edward Smalley Hutchinson.

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