Leintwardine Village Parish Council

Information, news & photos from the the village of Leintwardine in Herefordshire

Leintwardine Village in Herefordshire

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Leintwardine snuggles in between the South Shropshire hills and the flattish land of North Herefordshire which bears many rivers. The border between the two counties is erratic and sometimes there seems little purpose in the definition. Hereford is the county town with Leominster being its northern subsidiary. In the county gazeteer of 1900, there were 50 separate businesses in Leintwardine and the majority of people’s requirements were available locally. It is very different today and although the village has adequate local services (see services in the village) everyone has to travel for many things.

Leintwardine village

Image courtesy of John Williams (click to see fill size in new window).

The county is deeply rural with agriculture being the predominant industry but, surprisingly, the village has two small industrial sites giving further employment. Some of these businesses are obscure but successful, others are routine occupations but all are important for the well being of the village. With the change in communications, several people have moved into the area because they can work from home needing only a broadband connection. As a matter of interest, Hereford has a steel works; it has contracted somewhat but it used to be enormous.

Rural areas are usually deprived; urban dwellers are frequently unaware of this. Herefordshire is no exception but rural deprivation is usually discreet and does not attract the attention that inner city areas do. There is isolation of living and services due to the remote nature of the area but Herefordians do not moan and complain, they get on with life in whatever way they can.

The village is very much a working village and there is a mixture between the indigenous population, the new working population, the retired (again indigenous and incomers) and the children. There is an excellent primary school. So there is a good balance.

Leintwardine is a very beautiful village set in the most stunning countryside. Its name is derived from two sources:- firstly, Leint is the old name for the River Clun which has its confluence with The Teme just outside the village and secondly, the word “wardine” is an old word used to mean a cattle enclosure. There are lots of “wardines” in Herefordshire. Architecturally, it is a mixture of traditional rural vernacular along with larger and grander houses but not many of them. There is an old council estate(c. 1958) of which many houses have been bought privately but some are still in the ownership of a Housing Association.

Apart from the very fine Grade 1 medieval church and two of the tombs, the bridge over The River Teme is also a grade 1 monument and has only ever been been damaged by an accident, never by flooding. It is a very fine medieval bridge.
For history sleuths, the village was the last home and then final resting place of Sir Banastre Tarleton. He was famous for his activities during The War of American Independence. He gave no quarter. He is not remembered well in the USA. There is a plaque inside the church to him and his grave is in the church yard.

The PC hopes that as either a local or a visitor, this website is useful.

In the meantime, why not go and have a look at some of the completed pages linked in the box below for further information:

Further Information

Or, have a look at some village photos to prepare you for your visit ! Worried about getting lost ? Check your route to Leintwardine with this map or use the other map to see where everything is in the village

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© Leintwardine Village Parish Council 2010