Photography by John Ball - November 1997 (scanned from colour prints taken with a Sigma SA-300 35mm single lens reflex camera)

The village of Gladestry is close to the border between Radnorshire (Wales) and Herefordshire (England). This part of Wales is very thinly populated; today, the entire parish of Gladestry has a population of only about 200 people.

Image 1:

The quiet main street through Gladestry village. On the right is the Post Office; on the left is the village inn. The parish church is in the distance, directly ahead.

Image 2:**

The village Post Office.

Image 3:

The Royal Oak Inn, Gladestry.

Image 4:

Zion Baptist Chapel, built 1842, but now for sale! It was here that the famous Welsh preacher known as "Jones the Rock" (Rev James Jones, 1820-1907) began his ministry.

Image 5:

Gladestry Court, built 1689.

Image 6:

The parish church of St Mary the Virgin.

The belfry houses five bells, cast in 1719. One of the bells suffered a crack in 1830 and was recast in 1916. Around 1856, a man named Smith was tried at Presteigne Assizes and sentenced to be transported for stealing and disposing of 1 cwt (one hundredweight) of metal which he had sawn from the cracked bell!

Image 7:

The nave and chancel of St Mary's church. Parts of the nave date from the 13th century.

Image 8:

The view looking eastwards from the churchyard towards Hergest Ridge.