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ultimately passed away from the direct line by the marriage of his youngest sister 

 Elizabeth to Dr. Samuel Peploe, Archdeacon of Richmond, and Warden of 

 Manchester, from whom it has descended to its present possessor. 

 In connection with Weobley we may mention — 



1. That it was formerly famous for its ciorw, or ale, and not very long 

 since for some trade in gloves. 



2. That having returned representatives to Parliament during the reign 

 of Edward I., this custom, having been discontinued for many years, was revived 

 in 1610 and continued until 1831, when the Reform Act abolished the rights of 

 this and many other decayed boroughs. 



3. Attempts ajspear to have been made at various times to establish a fair 

 as well as a market at Weobley, but without much success, though a house called 

 the Market-house was in existence till not very long ago. 



4. King Charles I. having come to Hereford after the Battle of Naseby, 

 came to Weobley on September 5th, 1645, and had supper at the Unicorn Inn. 

 On the following day he returned to Hereford. On Thursday, SejJtember 18th, 

 having left Hom Lacy in the morning, he marched with a party of horsemen to 

 Weobley, and thence to Presteign. 



The Unicorn Inn is believed to have been situate at the south end of the 

 town on the way to the Castle. 



THE CASTLE. 



Of the objects which claim our attention in connection with the ancient town 

 of Weobley, the last to be visited is the site, for it is no more than a site, of the 

 Castle. It was probably built soon after the Conquest, but it is not mentioned in 

 Domesday, and no record exists concerning,' its foundation or the name of its founder, 

 but the earliest mention of it is made in the troublous reign of Stephen, during 

 which it was either taken by Geoffrey Talbot or by Fitz-Scroope on the part of the 

 Empress Maud, but soon re-taken by Stephen, who fortified it as well as the Castle 

 of Hereford, a.d. 1129. In 1210 W. de Braose, father of Margery, wife of Walter 

 de Lacy, and founder of Aconburj' Priory, a determined opponent of King John, 

 on his way to attack Leominster, attacked also and took Weobley Castle. The 

 Castle and its chaplain are mentioned in the second year of Edward III., a.d. 1329, 

 in which year Margery Verdon, descended in the fourth degree from Walter de 

 Lacy, being then, as it seems, but not certainly, a widow, became the wife of 

 Walter Blount, and afterwards of Sir John Crophull, who died a.d. 1382. Her 

 grand-daughter Agnes married (1) Sir Walter Devereux, and (2) Sir John 

 Marbury, whose daughter Elizabeth married the grand-son of Sir Walter and 

 Agnes Devereux. Their son became Lord Ferrers, to whose family the Castle 

 belonged when it was visited by Leland between 1533 — 1540, who describes it 

 as "a goodly castle, but somewhat in decay." At some time in the reign of 

 Richard II. Sir Simon Burley, K.G., is mentioned as Governor of the Castle. 

 In 1483, Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, connected with Lord Ferrers, 

 whose son John Devereux was husband to Ciceley Bourchier, descended, as was 

 also the Duke, from Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, and Eleanor 

 Bohun, revolted against Richard III., but being hindered in his attempt by the 



