Holme Lacy: Difference between revisions

Holme Lacy is a village in the English county of Herefordshire.

It is a primarily rural village.

Holme Lacy is not from Old Norse holmr "island" like other places of the name Holme, but from the fairly similar Old English hamm "land in a river-bend". The name was recorded as Hamme in the Domesday Book in 1086.^[1]

The name has varied through history; it has also been known as Homme Lacy (1396) ^[2] Hamlayce (1648), Humlachie (1701) and Hom Lacy (1836).

The town was an estate of the Bishop of Hereford and held by Roger de Lacy, which is where the "Lacy" affix comes from. De Lacy was a Lord of the manor, indicating that a feudal system was in existence during the Middle Ages.

William had returned Hamme to Bishop Walter and in 1086 the total population included:

• 16 villeins
• 4 bordars (Villeins of the lowest rank who held a cottage at their lord's pleasure, for which they rendered menial service)
• 1 reeve
• 1 male and 2 female slaves
• 1 priest
• and 1 Frenchman who between them had 20½ ploughs.

The priest shows there was a church at Holme Lacy. There were also two ploughs under the lordship's tenure in existence.

The village comes under the jurisdiction of the West Mercia Constabulary.

Holme Lacy was for some centuries in the ancient family of Scudamore, one of whom attended William the Conqueror in his expedition to England;Philip Scudamore, a descendant, settled here in the 14th century,^[3] and his descendant John Scudamore esq. was created a baronet in 1620, and in 1628 Baron Dromore and Viscount Scudamore, of Sligo. His successor, the second viscount, commissioned Anthony Deane in 1674 to build a new country mansion on the estate.

Holme Lacy House continued to be the principal seat of the family till the year 1716, when on the death of James, the 3rd and last Viscount Scudamore, the estate was vested in Frances Scudamore (1711-1750, childbed), his only daughter and heiress. In 1729 Frances married Henry Somerset 3rd Duke of Beaufort, who in 1730 assumed the name and arms of Scudamore. Frances was divorced in 1744 and there were no children of the marriage.

Frances then married as her second husband Charles Fitzroy esq. He also assumed the name and arms of Scudamore, and had by her an only daughter and heiress, Frances (1750-1820), wife of Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk to whom the property then in part descended, and, together with other valuable estates in this county and Gloucestershire, was added to the princely domain of the Howards.

The Duke and Duchess died without surviving children and after extensive litigation the Holme Lacy estate devolved upon Capt. Sir Edwyn Francis Stanhope, Bart., R. N. who assumed the additional name and arms of Scudamore and succeeded in 1883 as 9th Earl of Chesterfield. (Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire - edited)

The mansion of Holme Lacy by the 2nd Viscount Scudamore remained, renovated in 1828-31 and again in early 20th century, the family seat of the Earls of Chesterfield until 1909. It is a Grade I listed building.^[4]

• St Cuthbert's Church, Holme Lacy

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Holme Lacy.

• Holme Lacy House at Images of England
• Holme Lacy House Hotel at Warnerbreaks
• Photos of Holme Lacy and surrounding area on geograph

52°01′N 2°39′W / 52.017°N 2.650°W / 52.017; -2.650