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Turnastone
is a small parish of just 214 hectares (530
acres) in the Golden Valley in south-west
Herefordshire.
In 1086 Domesday recorded five manors in
the Golden Valley as being held by Hugh
l’Asne – Beltrou, Wluetone,
Wilmestune, Almundestune and Alcamestune.
Of these, only one, Wilmestune, has been
identified beyond doubt – Wilmastone.
The derivation of the first part of the
place-name Turnastone has been suggested
by Bruce Coplestone-Crow.
According to the Hereford Domesday –
an annotated copy of the original made a
century later - the manor of Wluetone was
then held by Robert Turuei. Robert
seems to have been the son of Ralph de Tornai
who was associated with a chapel of St Leonard
in the Golden Valley. The family
may have originated in Tournai-sur-Dive,
Orne.
The chapel stood at Lower Slough and in
1132 the people of Turnastone were referred
to as parishioners of St Leonard.
Turnastone is therefore possibly named from
Tournai.
Turnastone became a medieval parish but
a very small one. It is surrounded on three
sides by the parish of Vowchurch - the churches
are only 340 metres apart.
In 1222/3 Turnastone was one of about thirty
Herefordshire manors belonging to the Mortimers
of Wigmore
which were confiscated by Edward II.
In 1861 there were only 10 inhabited houses
with a population of 54.
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