Black and white village
Encyclopedia
The term black and white village refers to several old English
village
s, typically in the county
of Herefordshire
, West Midlands
of England
.
The term "black and white" derives from presence of many timbered and half-timbered houses in the area, some dating from mediaeval times. The buildings' black oak
beams are exposed on the outside, with white painted walls between. The numbers of houses surviving in this style in the villages creates a very distinctive impression and differs from building styles outside this area.
It was probably only during the late Victorian
age that it become fashionable to finish the buildings in a black and white veneer. In earlier times, the oak would not have been stained, but retained its natural colour and the walls would have reflected the colour of the local clay, generally a pink colour, rather than a white whitewash lime.
A 40-mile circular tourist trail known as the "Black and White Village Trail" was developed in 1987 as a means of encouraging tourists to take a closer look at the Herefordshire villages, heritage and countryside. The trail was developed mainly for travel by car
, but it is also possible to make the journey by bicycle
. Many coach tours now take in the trail also.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s, typically in the county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
, West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The term "black and white" derives from presence of many timbered and half-timbered houses in the area, some dating from mediaeval times. The buildings' black oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
beams are exposed on the outside, with white painted walls between. The numbers of houses surviving in this style in the villages creates a very distinctive impression and differs from building styles outside this area.
It was probably only during the late Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
age that it become fashionable to finish the buildings in a black and white veneer. In earlier times, the oak would not have been stained, but retained its natural colour and the walls would have reflected the colour of the local clay, generally a pink colour, rather than a white whitewash lime.
A 40-mile circular tourist trail known as the "Black and White Village Trail" was developed in 1987 as a means of encouraging tourists to take a closer look at the Herefordshire villages, heritage and countryside. The trail was developed mainly for travel by car
Čar
Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...
, but it is also possible to make the journey by bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
. Many coach tours now take in the trail also.
Locations on the trail
- DilwynDilwynDilwyn is a village in Herefordshire, England located about from the city of Hereford and from its nearest town, Leominster. It is situated on the northern edge of a broad valley that stretches from the River Wye through to Leominster...
- EardisleyEardisleyEardisley is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire about south of the centre of Kington. Eardisley is in the Wye valley in the northwest of the county, close to the border with Wales....
- KingslandKingsland, HerefordshireKingsland is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Herefordshire. It is located north-west of Leominster.To the west of the church are the earthwork remains of a motte-and-bailey castle.-External links:...
- WeobleyWeobleyWeobley is a black and white village in Herefordshire, England.The name possibly derives from 'Wibba's Ley', a ley being a woodland glade and Wibba being a local Saxon landowner...
- Wigmore
- YarpoleYarpoleYarpole is a small village in rural north Herefordshire, England located between Leominster and Ludlow, Shropshire.St Leonard's church chancel was restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1864....
- LyonshallLyonshallLyonshall is a historic village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 750.- Location :...
- PembridgePembridgePembridge is a village located just south of the River Arrow on the A44 between Leominster and Kington in Herefordshire, England.Describing itself as The Jewel in the Crown of the Black and White Village Trail, Pembridge has a history stretching back at least eight hundred years and is notable for...
- EardislandEardislandEardisland is a village and civil parish on the River Arrow about west of the market town of Leominster in Herefordshire. The civil parish includes the hamlets of Upper Hardwick, Lower Hardwick and Lower Burton....
External links
- Visit Herefordshire website - details of the Black and White Trail
- http://www.blackandwhitehouses.co.uk- a celebration of black and white timber-frame buildings in England, including the Black and White Trail and slideshows of Herefordshire villages and others with black and white buildings