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The
parish of Clifford (the ford by the cliff) largely
coincides with the castellary created by William
fitz Osbern shortly after the Norman Conquest.
When fitz Osbern’s heir, Roger of Breteuil,
forfeited his lands for rebellion in 1075, the
castle was granted to Ralph Tosny who held it
directly from the crown. According to Domesday
Earl William had built the castle on waste land
which had been held by a certain Bruning
in 1066, and the castle lay in the kingdom of
England but not in any hundred.
From Ralph, Clifford passed to his son-in-law
Richard des Ponts, who took the surname Clifford.
Clifford Castle was the home of Fair Rosamund,
the mistress of Henry II, and who was ensconced,
and later (according to legend rather than history)
poisoned, in Woodstock Palace.
Clifford was an important castle and communication
was officially catered for by a sergeant at Kingston
whose duties, in exchange for a messuage and garden
in Kingston, included the conducting of the king’s
writs from thence to Clifford. The defences at
Clifford Castle were hurriedly improved in 1402
after the Herefordshire levy had been heavily
defeated by a Welsh army led by Owain Glyn Dwr
at the battle of Bryn Glās, or Pilleth, in 1402.
Archaeological records from Clifford are held by Historic Herefordshire
On Line.
Clifford
was archaeologically examined by the Central
Marches Historic Towns Survey (1992-6). The report
is available to download from the
Archaeological
Data Service website.
See also see
www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/HEF/Clifford/
Illustration courtesy of
Hereford City Library
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