Avenbury

Avenbury is a civil parish in Herefordshire, England. It is on the A465, just south of Bromyard, and by the River Frome.

Avenbury was mentioned on the Doomsday Book. [cite web|url=http://www.archenfield.com/Bromyard.htm|title=Bromyard History|accessdate=2007-12-31] The village that was centred around the church of St Mary has now disappeared leaving the parish comprised of a series of farms and hamlets. [cite web|url=http://www.bromyardhistorysociety.org.uk/avenbury.htm|title=Bromyard Historical Society|accessdate=2007-12-31]

In the post-medieval period the village had a barn and several lime kilns as well as houses. [cite web|url=http://www.smr.herefordshire.gov.uk/hsmr/db.php?SF=1&parish_1=AVENBURY|title= Historic Herefordshire Online - Archaeological Records|accessdate=2007-12-31]

The church was built c. 840 AD cite web|url=http://www.ledburyreporter.co.uk/news/ledburynewsbromyard/display.var.1805667.0.lottery_cash_could_buy_ruined_church.php |title= Ledbury Reporter - Lottery Cash to buy Historic Church|date=2007-11-02|accessdate=2007-12-31] and closed in 1931 [cite web
url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester/content/image_galleries/haunted_church_gallery.shtml?2
title = BBC - Closure Date
accessdate = 2007-12-31] and is said to be haunted. [cite web|url = http://www.paranormaldatabase.com/hereford/heredata.php|title = Hereford & Worcester - Paranormal Database Records |accessdate=2007-12-31] Many of the Baskerville family are buried in the churchyard. Three of the bells were rehung in St Andrew by the Wardrobe in 1933. [cite web|url=http://www.walksoflondon.co.uk/35/haunted-london-richard-jo.shtml|title=Haunted London Richard Jones historic tours.|accessdate=2007-12-31]

In May 2007 the church, which had been acquired by a pagan [cite web|url= http://archive.herefordtimes.com/2007/9/10/88497.html
title= Hereford Times - Church's pagan owner warned
date = 2007-09-10
accessdate=2007-12-31] in the 1970s was put up for sale and a trust created to buy it for preservation. [cite web|url= http://archive.herefordtimes.com/2007/9/10/88497.html
title= Hereford Times - Hope for derelict church
date = 2007-09-10
accessdate=2007-12-31]

References

* cite web
url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/herefordandworcester/realmedia/video/avenbury_church?size=16x9&bgc=C0C0C0&nbram=1&bbram=1
title=BBC Interview at Church
accessdate=2007-12-31
* cite web
url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester/content/image_galleries/haunted_church_gallery.shtml?1
title = BBC Photos and Commentary
accessdate = 2007-12-31