8 4 
LIFE OF LORD SCUDAMORE. 
proceeding in those days; and another local tradition which has been preserved by Mr. W. H. Cooke, 
Q.C., and most kindly communicated for this paper, has the merit of showing how the difficulty was 
overcome. The tradition comes through the family of the Lanes, long resident in the parish of 
Hampton Bishop, and themselves famous as cattle breeders. Mr. Cooke heard from Mr. James 
Lane, of Hampton Bishop, who died in 1827, cet 70; (the father dying in 1809, cet 90; and the 
grandfather in 1754) that the family of the Herefords, of Sufton Court, in the adjoining parish, 
helped Lord Scudamore in the importation of the cattle. 
On reference to the Sufton pedigree, it appears, that the second and third sons of Roger 
Hereford, who died in 1659, emigrated to Dunkirk, in which port they established themselves as 
merchants. Sir Edward Harley, M.P., for Herefordshire, was made Governor of Dunkirk, in 1660, 
and he would naturally aid Lord Scudamore in any plan for the benefit of their common county. 
Dunkirk was taken by Cromwell in the year 1658, and sold by Charles II. to the King of 
France in 1662. It is most probable, therefore, that Lord Scudamore obtained the cows from 
Dunkirk, through the assistance of Sir Edward Harley, and the sons of his neighbour at Sufton. 
They would not be Dutch, but would be obtained from the rich residents of the Belgium of our day. 
We have only to suppose that the cattle were imported in this way about the year 1661, and all 
the local traditions with reference to the origin of the Herefordshire Breed of Cattle are fully borne 
out. The importation of the cows might possibly have taken place some six or eight later, since 
Lord Scudamore lived until 1671, and the Messrs. Hereford remained at Dunkirk after it was sold 
to the French King ; but it is most probable that they were brought over at the time suggested. 1 
There is no record of any special festivities being held at Holme Lacy on the Restoration. 
The rejoicing was so general throughout the kingdom, that it scarcely seems to have been called 
for. Lord Scudamore was invited to become a candidate to represent the City of Hereford in the 
1 st Parliament of Charles II ; since in the British Museum, there is a Copy of his Letter to the 
Mayor and Council of Hereford declining to be proposed. He did take a part in the Election 
however, for there are copies of two speeches of Lord Scudamore at this Election among the 
MSS. at the British Museum. 
Lord Scudamore especially took delight in the planting and grafting his Orchards. “ This 
part of Husbandry,” says Gibson, “was the main diversion his Lordship had,” and the influence of 
a man so highly esteemed and beloved, could not fail to be as great, as Evelyn represents 
it to have been, in extending the orchards all around him. The Norman apples which he was the 
first to introduce are more planted for cider all through the County than any other kinds. It is 
singular also that that the modern system of growing pears, the “ Cordon System ” as it is called, 
should also have been first introduced at Holme Lacy, to spread as it deserves, and probably will 
spread, from the same centre through the County. 
The last letter of Lord Scudamore, preserved among the MSS. at the British Museum, is 
dated October 8th, 1667. It is one written to his grandson, at Christchurch, Oxford, as follows : 
“Jack, 
Your Father hath delivered your letter of the 26th September. Your readiness and profession to attempt whatsoever 
1 It is stated in the “ History of the Hereford Breed of Cattle,” by Mr. Thos. Duckham, that “ there are red-with-white-face 
breeders who advance, that they can trace them as being the breed of their Ancestors for the past two hundred years.” (p. 5.). 
