Bedstone

Bedstone, Shropshire.

Bedstone is a small village and civil parish (population 85) in Shropshire, England, close to the borders of Herefordshire and Wales.

The village is approximately 1½ miles (2.5 km) from the railway stations at Hopton Heath and Bucknell and is situated just off the B4367 road.

Norman Origin

Its church dates back to Norman times and features an original Norman font, a timber framed bellcote and a shingled spire, and some of the houses, which include several thatched cottages, are more than 600 years old.

Architectural Gems

Manor Farm house is a fine example of a timber framed house and was partly stone faced in 1775. Bedstone Court is a more flamboyant black-and-white mansion, built between 1882 and 1884, designed by Thomas Harris for Henry Ripley, MP and is a calendar house reputed to have 365 windows, 52 rooms (on the first two floors)12 chimneys and seven external doors. The central hall has a magnificent 52 panelled stained-glass window depicting the months of the year, signs of the zodiac, birds associated with the month and the agricultural activity of the month. The building was heavily damaged by a fire in 1996 but was fully restored and continues to be the centre-piece of Bedstone College.

Parish

The parish council has now been merged with that of neighbouring Bucknell parish council. In ecclesiastical terms, the church is linked with those of Hopton Castle and Clungunford.

Bedstone College

Bedstone is home to Bedstone College, an independent boarding and day school founded in 1948, which is run by a non-profit educational trust. Famous former pupils include Astronomer Royal, Sir Martin Rees, now Baron Ludlow, and explorer Monty Halls.

Judged by GCSE results, this is the 2nd best non-selective school in Shropshire and 6th overall.

External links

• Bedstone College
• The Parish of Bedstone and Bucknell
• [1].
• http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/group_08.pl?Mode=Z&Type=LA&Begin=b&No=893&Base=g&Phase=1&F=1&L=50&Year=08