Simon
de Montfort
1265
- An earthen bank was erected around
the city in the 1140s. It has now largely
been replaced in stone and will soon
be put to its first test.
Hereford supports Simon de Montfort
against Henry III. In November, Simon's
enemy, Roger Mortimer, will attack the
city and burn down its suburbs. The
walls will stand.
Next May, Simon will arrive in Hereford
with Henry and his son Prince Edward
(later Edward I) as his prisoners. On
the 28th the prince will escape from
his escorts while riding on the outskirts
of the city.
|
It
was not against the Welsh that Hereford's
new defences were to be tested. Henry
III negotiated a series of truces with
Llewellyn while he manoeuvred to free
himself of the control of his barons,
led by Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester.
In May 1264 Simon was victorious at
the Battle of Lewes and Henry and his
son Prince Edward became his prisoners.
Hereford took Simon's side in the affair
and on 10th November 1264, Simon's bitterest
enemy, Roger Mortimer of nearby Wigmore
Castle, moved against the city. |
The
outlying hamlets of Lower Bullingham,
Putson, Hinton, Tupsley, Widemarsh and
Huntington were pillaged and that night
the priory of St Guthlac's was despoiled.
That night too, the inhabitants pulled
down houses outside the walls which
might have concealed the enemy.
The following morning the assault on
the city began in earnest, but by now,
although not complete, the defences
were of sufficient strength to repel
the attackers and the army had to content
itself with ravaging the suburbs. Having
burnt down the houses outside the Bye
Gate in Bishop's Street (Commercial
Road), the attackers withdrew. |

18th
century view showing the eastern walls
of Hereford and the spires of the cathedral,
All Saints and St Peter's. The cathedral
spire was removed at the end of the
century. |
[Back
to top]
In January 1265 Simon summoned his famous
parliament to Westminster, which included
two knights from each shire and two burgesses
from each borough. On the 6th May 1265 he
arrived in Hereford with Henry and Edward
as his prisoners in all but name.
It
was a dangerous move. On the 28th, as
the result of a conspiracy, Prince Edward
escaped from his escorts while riding
on the outskirts of the town. He galloped
to the Mortimer stronghold at Wigmore
and thence to Ludlow and was soon in
the field at the head of a loyalist
army. In late June, Simon moved the
court to Monmouth, but prevented from
crossing the estuary to Bristol, returned
to Hereford. From there he marched east
to the Severn, and having forded it,
was defeated and killed by Edward at
Evesham on 4th August. The leading citizens
of Hereford were summoned to court and
the city was fined five hundred marks
for their support of Simon. |

The
ruins of the Dominican Priory at Hereford.
The 'Black Friars' or Friars Preachers
first arrived in Hereford in the 13th
century and moved to this site in the
early 14th century when these buildings
were constructed. Their church was dedicated
in the Presence of Edward I, the Black
Prince, and three archbishops. |
Hereford at this time had wealthy Jewish community.
De Montfort was no friend to the Jews, and
some were expelled from their houses in Hereford
in order that these should be given to citizens
whose own houses outside the walls had been
pulled down to improve the city's defences.
[Back to
top] |
|