Villages Of The Forest of Dean
Staunton
On a warm summers day in early July I visited the picturesque village of Staunton, a small village on the edge of the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley, boasting a church and an inn. It's easy just to pass through this village as it is on the main route from the Forest of Dean to Monmouth. Indeed the local pub lists itself as being the last one before entering into Wales. There is evidence of Staunton being occupied from Anglo-Saxon times.
Staunton is known for being surrounded by stones such as the Buckstone, the Suckstone and the Near Hearkening Rock and there are some fine walks linking these. The best-known stone and a local landmark is the Buckstone. When Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton visited Monmouth and district in 1802, it was painted white in their honour. Up to the middle of the 19th century it used to rock on its base, however, in June 1885 a party of five travelling actors from the London Star Company and the landlord at the Agincourt Inn in Monmouth, having enjoyed an evening of sampling fine wines, managed to dislodge the stone and send it crashing down the slope. It split into several pieces, but was hauled back up the hill at great cost and to prevent further vandalism was cemented in place and no longer rocks.*. Oh, and there was a very friendly cat.
Staunton is known for being surrounded by stones such as the Buckstone, the Suckstone and the Near Hearkening Rock and there are some fine walks linking these. The best-known stone and a local landmark is the Buckstone. When Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton visited Monmouth and district in 1802, it was painted white in their honour. Up to the middle of the 19th century it used to rock on its base, however, in June 1885 a party of five travelling actors from the London Star Company and the landlord at the Agincourt Inn in Monmouth, having enjoyed an evening of sampling fine wines, managed to dislodge the stone and send it crashing down the slope. It split into several pieces, but was hauled back up the hill at great cost and to prevent further vandalism was cemented in place and no longer rocks.*. Oh, and there was a very friendly cat.
All Saints church has 6 bells which over the years has been of some interest to campanologists. There have been many bellringing clubs in the past, training new bellringers to ring for local weddings and funerals. The church originally had a paved path leading out of the porchway direct in a straight route to the main road. During the 1980s, this was altered. The original entrance to the graveyard was replaced with a right-angled route instead.
Opposite the village hall is a pound where lost sheep would be kept. When farmers collected their sheep, they would have to pay for their release. This is now a frequent place for the Summer fete to be held.**
Opposite the village hall is a pound where lost sheep would be kept. When farmers collected their sheep, they would have to pay for their release. This is now a frequent place for the Summer fete to be held.**
INFORMATION COURTESY OF: *Visit The Wye and **Wikipedia
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© STEVE GASKIN PHOTOGRAPHY 2019 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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