HERITAGE UPTON BISHOP
Grants:
Heritage Lottery Fund: £24970
Nationwide Building Society: £2000
                                       The Upton Bishop Fragment
                                       
More pictures here

The "Early Times in Upton Bishop" Project

The "Early Times in Upton Bishop" project sponsored by the Local Heritage Initiative (LHI) and Nationwide Building Society is now at an end.   A 50-page, colour A5 book about the project and the findings is now available.   For further details contact Jan Stevenson on 01989 780285 or email:   janstevenson@tiscali.co.uk .

The project was initiated because of interest in part of a carved stone frieze depicting two figures in adjoining niches which was originally found in 1860 in the wall of the chancel of the Upton Bishop parish church.   The LHI project set out to find out more about this history of this stone by investigating the early life of the village.   It used archaeological and iconographical studies to place this carving in its historical setting related to the surrounding parish landscape.  


The principle conclusion is that the stone is potentially unique in forming a link between the earlier Roman and later Hereforshire styles of stone carving.   It most probably relates to the first church and the earliest settlement associated with it, in the late Saxon times.   In discovering this, a whole panorama of the history of this our south Herefordshire parish unfolds.

The local archaeological work carried out for this project was led by Dr Keith Ray, County Archaeologist for Herefordshire.   However, other experts from all across the country were used for specialist advice, research and evaluation.   Their input and the support of the Local Heritage Initiative to fund this community enterprise have been essential and highly valued.

Activities carried out in and around Upton Bishop that formed part of this project included the following:

Public Lectures:
•  17 September 2004      Talk by Dr Keith Ray, County Archaeologist to launch the project.
•  2 December 2004        Talk by Tim Hoverd, Herefordshire Archaeology on Archaeological surveys in woodland (prior to guided walk)
•  20 June 2005              Talk by Dr Peter Guest of Cardiff University about the local Roman connections and how it affected our lives today
•  21 July 2006                 Talk by Dr Keith Ray to wrap up the findings of the project "The final story - the lost village of Upton Bishop"

Exhibitions about the Project:
•  17 November 2004     Initial project "finds" identification workshop
•  12 December 2004     Community Archaeology Day
•  25 June 2005             UB Jamboree Day - including "church detective tours" and exhibitions of the project and findings
•  Early- Mid 2006          Exhibition of the project established in the church on display boarding
•  21 July 2006              Medieval Marvel Festival
Artefacts, project information, photos, etc have been displayed at all public lectures and other events in the village

Guided Walks:
•  23 September 2004    Field Walking around the church (Tim Hoverd/ David Williams of Herefordshire Archaeology)
•  19 October 2004         Historic Landscapes walk 1 - around Upton Bishop (1-3pm - led by Dr Keith Ray)
•  19 October 2004         Local Churches visits (3-6pm - led by Dr Keith Ray)
•  5 March 2005        Walk at Queens Wood - Archaeological surveys in woodland (Tim Hoverd, Herefordshire Archaeology)
•  17 March 2005            Historic Landscape walk 2 - other areas of Upton Bishop (led by Dr Keith Ray)
•  25 June 2005              Church detective tours (led by Dr Keith Ray)