Castle Frome History

Castle Frome is referred to in old maps as Frome of the Castle or Frome of the King, indeed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as land having belonged to King Harold before the Norman Conquest. Castle Frome is about two miles from both Bishop’s Frome and Canon Frome which received its name from the Canons of Llanthony Abbey who administered it, before the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII.

The river Frome is reputed as having derived its name from Roman times and the Latin FORMOSUS which means beautiful. Camp Coppice on the high ground to the east of the church is believed to be the site of a Roman Camp and hellebore still grows there which was always to be found by roman sites because they used it as a purgative. The Castle was also built here.

Herefordshire was in 1060’s the scene of welsh raids which reached as far as Leominster until the leader Gruffydd ap Llewellyn was slain by Harold Godwinson (King Harold) and his half-brother Tostig.

Castle Frome is mentioned in the Domesday Book as Brismerfrum.
“Brictmer held it from Earl Harold. 5 hides which pay tax. In lordship 3 ploughs; 7 villages a reeve and 1 free man with 7 ploughs. 10 slaves, a mill at 10. Value before 1066 70s; now 60s (s=shillings)