Once it was the Cotswolds that attracted the celebrities. Now they are buying homes
in Herefordshire. We see them regularly on television, but few locals will know they
live amongst us.
One of the most famous is Elizabeth Hurley, the stunning model and actress and one time girlfriend of
Hugh Grant. She lives in the multi-million pound Donnington Hall near Ledbury. And mixes with the locals
in the village!
Richard Hammond, who made his name and fortune in Top Gear, nearly killing himself in the process.
He lives in a mansion near Ross-on-Wye and mucks in with the ‘yokels.’ He served as president of the
county’s Country Show.
Who didn’t watch Only Fools and Horses? John Challis became a household name as Boycie, the dodgy
car dealer. John and his wife abandoned London to live in a rambling old Abbey amongst the ruins of
Wigmore Castle. He is one of the villagers and happy to support county charities. Monty Don, the country’s
top television gardener has lived in Ivington near Leominster for 20 years where he spends his spare time
digging in his Gardener’s World garden. But a neighbour told Festive News that Monty doesn’t share his
spare veg with the neighbours. Another keen gardener is Sir Roy Strong, one time director of the National
Portrait Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. He and his late wife made Herefordshire
their home many years ago and created one of the country’s finest gardens at The Lasket in Much Birch,
open to the public. Most locals watch the news on BBC Midlands Today, but how many realise that two of
the main presenters are Herefordians. Mary Rhodes is a Weobley girl and Giles Latchham’s father owned
a bookshop in Church Street, Hereford for many years. John MaGuire grew up in Hereford, adopted son of
Des McGuire, founder of the city’s first night club, The Crystal Rooms. John actually lives in Bristol but
he is a great example of Herefordians made good. For those who watch BBC Breakfast on TV he is a
brilliant reporter, but few would realise he is one of us.
Yet another Herefordian is a television regular. Kate Bliss, a Hereford girl whose father Lydon Alcock
was a city surveyor and auctioneer, a career Kate followed herself. She was a young trainee auctioneer at
Brightwell’s antique saleroom in Leominster when the BBC arrived to film for one of their antique
programmes. They offered her a job as one of their antique experts. But most famous of all is Ellie Golding,
one of the nation’s leading pop singers, who grew up in Lyonshall and is now a friend of Royalty. She was
a guest at Princess Eugenie’s wedding at Windsor Castle.
These are just a few who help make Herefordshire known for its culture and not just its bulls and cider.
A ROSY FUTURE FOR BLACKFRIARS GARDENS
Kate Bliss
Monty Don
The first of hundreds of new roses to be planted
as part of the restoration of the historic Blackfriars
Rose Gardens in Hereford’s Widemarsh Street
was dug in by the Mayor of Hereford, Cllr Sue
Boulter.
It was the culmination of a year of work by the
Friends of Blackfriars Rose Gardens preparing the
neglected gardens next to the ruins of the
Blackfriars Monastery consecrated in 1276 for a
return to their original glory.
The gardens were created in 1964 to mark the
centenary of the Hereford and West of England
Rose Society which initially donated 100 roses,.
The gardens were
fully maintained by
Herefordshire Council until funding
was
reduced.
Members of the Arts Society Hereford started
a parks and garden project, researching the garden
history and tidying up the rose beds, leading to the
formation of the Friends, a group open to all and
dedicated to the rescue of the city’s most
outstanding public garden. The volunteers have
rejuvenated the 29 old beds, and plan to replant
them over the next few years as funds become
available. The first eight have just been replanted.
Hereford Lions Club donated £800 to sponsor a
bed next to the ancient preaching cross and
members planted the roses dedicated to former
members and their families who have died. “It was
a privilege to be part of such a worthwhile
community project,” said Lions president Jim
Hamilton.
Liz Hurley
Sir Roy Strong
SEATS
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Ellie Goulding
Richard Hammond
John Challis
The Mayor, Cllr Sue Boulter plants the first new tea rose
surrounded by the volunteers of ‘The Friends (below).’
The Mayor, Cllr Sue Boulter joins the Lions to inspect their planting
work (left).
Anne Harbour is an American who worked in London as a book
publisher. She visited Hereford in 1978 and the last visit on her
sightseeing tour was the Coningsby Museum and Blackfriars Rose
Gardens. Years later she would make Hereford her home and her
mission now is to restore the gardens to their former glory.
Anne Harbour, leader of the volunteer team said: “Some of the visitors
we met o while working grew up in Hereford but had never visited the
historic site and rose gardens before – and were surprised and pleased to
find such a hidden gem so close to the city centre.
“Now it is returning to its original well maintained state we urge
everyone to take the opportunity to visit the gardens.”
Membership of The Friends of Blackfriars Rose Gardens is £10 (cheques
payable to Hereford in Bloom) send to Mrs JE Ferguson, 12 St Owen
Gate, Hereford, HR1 2QA. 01432 370711.
Email: [email protected].
7
Mary Rhodes
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