Clifford, Herefordshire
| Clifford | |
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 The Former Methodist Chapel in Clifford |
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 Clifford
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| Clifford shown within Herefordshire | |
| Population | 511 (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SO243457 |
| • London | 162 mi (261 km) |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Hereford |
| Postcode district | HR3 |
| Dialling code | 01497 |
| Police | West Mercia |
| Fire | Hereford and Worcester |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
Clifford is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England, four miles to the north of Hay-on-Wye. It lies on the south bank of the River Wye, which here forms the border between Wales and England. Through the village runs the B4350 which is the main road.
The civil parish also includes the hamlets of Priory Wood and Hardwicke. There has been a fluctuation in population, the graph shows that the population was higher in the 2001 census, stating there was a population of 530 Newton Tump is the remains of a motte and bailey castle 3 miles southeast of the village.
In the 1870s, Clifford was described as:
The Village has a parish church which is dedicated to St. Mary. The church is made up of an ancient structure in a Norman style, and there are several monuments within the church.
The population graph shows an increase in population up until 1840 when the population of Clifford began to decrease. The movement of people away from rural areas in the early 19th century was due to technical advances and socio-economic changes leading to urban areas becoming more densely populated. The technical advances meant that fewer people were needed in the agricultural industry, and this allowed people to move into towns and cities and begin to work for the labour industry. Therefore, this continuous decrease in population resulted in an overall net decrease from 1801 to 2011.
Neighbourhood statistics show that from 2001 and 2011 there has been an overall decrease in population from 530 to 511 people, although statistics show that there has been an increase in the ageing population from 287 people aged over 45 in 2001 to 296 people aged over 45 in 2011.
The ruins of the Norman castle of Clifford Castle are in the village.
Clifford Castle is a "traditional motte and bailey castle" which stands next to the River Wye on the border between England and Wales, it "covers an area in excess of 4 acres". The castle was founded by Earl William Fitz Osbern between the time of his being made Earl of Heredford in 1066 and his death in 1071. "Clifford Castle is one of five castles mentioned in the Domesday Survey of 1086". The castle is situated alongside a steep drop to the River Wye close by to a ford, therefore "this gave the site its later name, the cliff by the ford or Clifford". Originally the castle was built to protect a settlement which was to be built around the same time as the castle, housing up to 200 families. This settlement was the village of Clifford although it is now only a small village.
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Wikipedia