Dormington Church

St Peter’s Church, Dormington is in the Hereford Diocese.

It has a wonderful history and is well worth a visit. The bronze door knocker is unique among European knockers in style and type, consisting of the head of a feline beast with large eyes and a ring through its mouth. It has affinities to the “Herefordshire School of Carvers” seen in many of the County churches including Fownhope, Kilpeck and elsewhere in the area. The original knocker which was stolen and then returned many years ago, is kept in Hereford Cathedral Treasury for safe keeping; there is a replica on the church door.

It also has a beautiful Burne-Jones stained glass window (showing Fortitude and Justice), a memorial to one of the Preece family, one of a number of Burne-Jones windows in Herefordshire, as he had connections to the area.  The Dormington Angel shown below is also a memorial to another of the Preece family.

The Churchyard has a glorious display of snowdrops each February, so keep your eyes open for the Snowdrop Tea where you may visit the Church and a local garden to have tea and cakes, and buy snowdrops in aid of the Church.

The Church is part of the Caring for God’s Acre and operates a “no mow May” during which a wide range of wild flowers can be seen.  It has a kitchenette and is open for use by the Community.

Mordiford Church

The Church of the Holy Rood, Mordiford is in the Hereford Diocese and part of the Benefice which includes Fownhope, Brockhampton, and Woolhope with Checkley.

Services are held in each of the churches each Sunday. The times of the services are given on the back page of The Beneficial Magazine. This is published and distributed throughout the Benefice each month. Items for inclusion should be with the editor by the 10th of the previous month.  The editor can be contacted at fownhopebeneficial@gmail.com.

If, when visiting, you find the church locked, you might like to view photographs of items of interest found inside the church. Photos of the wonderful stone carvings found on the church can be viewed here.

The Churchyard was closed to burials many years ago, but there is a small Garden of Remembrance.

In 2012, to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, an English Yew was planted in the churchyard by three loyal parishioners, Mr Peter Davies, Mr Edgar Moss and Mr John Harris. A plaque is sited nearby.

In 2022, to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, it is planned to plant a Wild Service Tree (Sorbus tormenalis), which is becoming very rare in the UK, in the Churchyard, with a plaque carved in Welsh Slate.