Winforton with Willersley
In the Group Parish, Willersley and Winforton are joined together. Situated on the A438, approximately six miles from Hay-on-Wye, Willersley is a hamlet of about twelve dwellings, surrounded by beautiful farming land close to the River Wye.
The larger village of Winforton is over-shadowed to the south by the steep, dark height of Merbach Mountain. View from the top. Both villages share the 12th century church of St Michael and All Angels in Winforton. In 2004 the church was re-ordered to create a Community Hall, with kitchen and toilet accommodation, where functions, concerts can be held and a Youth Club for the village meets weekly. The Chancel is separated from the Hall by delightful curtains which then enclose a smaller, quaint and elegant place of worship in the church. Finances for the project originated from the sale of the old village hall, across the road from the church on the site of the Old Malthouse, as well as from grants.
On the south side of the main road in Winforton there are a number of black and white half-timbered houses, many of which are interesting historically for different reasons. Among them and along the north side of the road, there are houses representing later periods.
Winforton Court, once owned by Roger Mortimer Earl of March, was used on several occasions in the 17th century as a court by Judge Jeffreys. The cell where prisoners were kept is still there. Traces of a chapel, used by a later Catholic owner, can be seen in the rafters. Now, the Court provides excellent bed and breakfast. Hospitality can also be found at Well Farm, a modern dwelling on the outskirts of the village, and at the Sun Inn, which has a pitch for boules and is a registered caravan campsite.
Opposite the Sun car park and standing in front of the 12th century Old Cross House are the remains of a medieval preaching cross. Also opposite the Sun, on a site that used to be a garage, there is a mail order company ‘Sportfish’. Winforton is home to a variety of other small businesses as well. Farming is important in the area - both Willersley and Winforton are surrounded by fertile farmed land.
Away from the main road, the River Wye is accessible to walkers via Bakers Lane. A tale tells of a baker who used to use this lane to cross the River by a ford to deliver his bread to Clock Mills, and who was swept away, with both horse and cart, by the River Wye in flood.
Walkers can also follow the path of the old tram track to nearby Eardisley by going north up the lane over Nicholas Common. Bungalows off the Common Lane were used as laboratories by Professor Merton who lived in Winforton House and who was host to Winston Churchill there during the Second World War. Professor Merton worked with Barnes Wallis testing the famous ‘bouncing bomb’.
The A438 Brecon Road runs through the centre of Winforton, which means that despite the speed limit, fast moving traffic is a fact of life in this attractive, well-kept village.