THE REV. ROBERT SYMONDS 45 



in Herefordshire adjoining Holme Lacy. 

 Joseph's son Thomas he made his private 

 chaplain. Robert, the Duke nominated in 

 1 80 1 to the Rectory of Abbeydore, also in 

 Herefordshire, and at that time one of the 

 best livings in the county. Robert, whose 

 clerical office had hitherto sat lightly on him, 

 had already been appointed by his father- 

 in-law to the Rectory of Hinton, though 

 only a deacon. He now took priests orders 

 at once, and applied to be inducted to 

 the living of Abbeydore by the Bishop of 

 Hereford. At this time he was living in 

 Berkshire, and the bishop thought that the 

 duties of Hinton, to say nothing of the 

 management of his father - in - law's hounds, 

 afforded him sufficient occupation, and there- 

 upon made some objection to inducting him. 

 The Reverend Robert said the objection was 

 altogether frivolous ; that he would undertake 

 to hunt hounds on Saturday, and then ride 

 over to Abbeydore (a distance of about a 

 hundred and ten miles) in time to take the 

 service there on Sunday morning. Anyhow, 

 he was duly instituted, but he only held 

 the living one year — probably he found his 

 "country" after all too extended. 



When their father died in 1774, Robert 

 Symonds, with his brother Edward, set up a 



