Hereford 1265

1265 - An earthen bank was erected around the city in the 1140s. It has now largely been replaced in stone and will soon be put to its first test.
Hereford supports Simon de Montfort against Henry III. In November, Simon's enemy, Roger Mortimer, will attack the city and burn down its suburbs. The walls will stand.
Next May, Simon will arrive in Hereford with Henry and his son Prince Edward (later Edward I) as his prisoners. On the 28th the prince will escape from his escorts while riding on the outskirts of the city.

Simon de Montfort

It was not against the Welsh that Hereford's new defences were to be tested. Henry III negotiated a series of truces with Llewellyn while he manoeuvred to free himself of the control of his barons, led by Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester. In May 1264 Simon was victorious at the Battle of Lewes and Henry and his son Prince Edward became his prisoners. Hereford took Simon's side in the affair and on 10th November 1264, Simon's bitterest enemy, Roger Mortimer of nearby Wigmore Castle, moved against the city.

The outlying hamlets of Lower Bullingham, Putson, Hinton, Tupsley, Widemarsh and Huntington were pillaged and that night the priory of St Guthlac's was despoiled. That night too, the inhabitants pulled down houses outside the walls which might have concealed the enemy.

The following morning the assault on the city began in earnest, but by now, although not complete, the defences were of sufficient strength to repel the attackers and the army had to content itself with ravaging the suburbs. Having burnt down the houses outside the Bye Gate in Bishop's Street (Commercial Road), the attackers withdrew.

18th century view showing the eastern walls of Hereford and the spires of the cathedral, All Saints and St Peter's. The cathedral spire was removed at the end of the century.

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In January 1265 Simon summoned his famous parliament to Westminster, which included two knights from each shire and two burgesses from each borough. On the 6th May 1265 he arrived in Hereford with Henry and Edward as his prisoners in all but name.

It was a dangerous move. On the 28th, as the result of a conspiracy, Prince Edward escaped from his escorts while riding on the outskirts of the town. He galloped to the Mortimer stronghold at Wigmore and thence to Ludlow and was soon in the field at the head of a loyalist army. In late June, Simon moved the court to Monmouth, but prevented from crossing the estuary to Bristol, returned to Hereford. From there he marched east to the Severn, and having forded it, was defeated and killed by Edward at Evesham on 4th August. The leading citizens of Hereford were summoned to court and the city was fined five hundred marks for their support of Simon.

The ruins of the Dominican Priory at Hereford. The 'Black Friars' or Friars Preachers first arrived in Hereford in the 13th century and moved to this site in the early 14th century when these buildings were constructed. Their church was dedicated in the Presence of Edward I, the Black Prince, and three archbishops.

Hereford at this time had wealthy Jewish community. De Montfort was no friend to the Jews, and some were expelled from their houses in Hereford in order that these should be given to citizens whose own houses outside the walls had been pulled down to improve the city's defences.

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