HISTORY GROUP -- The autumn meeting of the Byton, Coombe, Kinsham and Stapleton History Group took place at the Arkwright Hall, Kinsham,on September 12. Eighteen members heard Miss Sue Hubbard, of the County Record Office, describe the wealth of source material stored under controlled conditions in the Hereford Record Office that is available for research into family history and houses.

The' detective work' involved in such research can involve consultation of census records, land tax and poor rate assessments, tithe maps, parish registers, estate surveys and even records of the Bishop of Hereford's visits -- in this case a document in Latin referred to Byton in 1396.

With land and property, there is an abundance of wills, and the group was able to consult ancient conveyances and mortgages on vellum, one of which related to the former nunnery at Limebrook, sold as a private home in 1625. Of general interest was the 1724 agreement between Edward Hanley and Francis Jennings to build a wall around Wapley Hill to retain a rabbit warren.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday, November 14, at the Arkwright Hall, Kinsham, at 7.30pm, when Mr J Tomkin will talk on 'Yennacular Architecture: the Heritage of Herefordshire'. All are welcome.