Holme Lacy

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Holme Lacy is a village in the English county of Herefordshire. It is a primarily rural village.

1 Etymology
2 History
3 Police force
4 Holme Lacy House
5 External links

[edit] Etymology

Holme Lacy is not from Old Norse holmr "island" like other places of the name Holme, but from the fairly similar Old English hamm "land in a river-bend". The name was recorded as Hamme in the Domesday Book in 1086.

[edit] History

The town was an estate of the Bishop of Hereford and held by Roger de Lacy, which is where the "Lacy" affix comes from. De Lacy was a Lord of the manor, indicating that a feudal system was in existence during the Middle Ages.

William had returned Hamme to Bishop Walter and in 1086 the total population included:

16 villeins
4 bordars
1 reeve
1 male and 2 female slaves
1 priest
and 1 Frenchman who between them had 20½ ploughs.

The priest shows there was a church at Holme Lacy. There were also two ploughs under the lordship's tenure in existence.

[edit] Police force

The village comes under the jurisdiction of the West Mercia Constabulary.

[edit] Holme Lacy House

The mansion of Holme Lacy was, until 1909, the family seat of the Earls of Chesterfield. The name has varied through history; in the Doomsday Book it is called Hamm Lacy, also it has been known as Hamlayce(1648), Humlachie(1701) and Hom Lacy(1836).