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KINGSLAND
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To the west of the church is a 5m mound
with a diameter of about 40m. The oval summit measures 26m There was once
a Norman stone castle on this site and a record exists from the early
16th century which describes parts of it still standing. There were two
large baileys NE and E of the mound which can be seen in the form of two
shallow ditches. The adjacent stream probably fed wet moats. It dates
from around 1130 when king Henry I gave the royal estate of Kingsland
to Philip de Braose. Later in 1216 king John stayed here whilst waging
war against the same de Braoses, though exactly how he came into possession
of it is not clear.
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Most of the church dates from c.1290-1310.
It was erected by the powerful Mortimer family of Wigmore castle and is
pretty much as the builders left it. The tower was heightened in the 15th
century and the south porch also dates from this time. A small chapel
which is connected to the porch contains a tomb to an unknown person and
is thought to be a memorial connected with the battle of Mortimers Cross
in 1461, although curiously the bones of a woman and a child were said
to have been found when it was opened in 1826.
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The church has a beautiful painted
ceiling in the chancel and some fine stained glass. There is also some
good carving. A more modern delight is the wonderfully varied and colourful
collection of embroidered prayer kneelers done by the local W.I. A full
guide is available inside.
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