Much Birch is a village and

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...

Herefordshire Herefordshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England, bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, between

Hereford Hereford ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of the ceremonial county of Herefordshire, England. It is on the banks of the River Wye and lies east of the border with Wales, north-west of Gloucester and south-west of Worcester. With ...

and

Ross-on-Wye Ross-on-Wye is a market town and civil parish in Herefordshire, England, near the border with Wales. It had a population estimated at 10,978 in 2021. It lies in the south-east of the county, on the River Wye and on the northern edge of the Fore ...

. The village has an approximate population of 500 residents. The parish includes the settlements of Kings Thorn, Much Birch and parts of Wormelow. The village extends for about along the A49, a busy trunk road running from the border with

South Wales South Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the Historic counties of Wales, historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire ( ...

North West England North West England is one of nine official regions of England and consists of the ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial counties of Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside. The North West had a population of 7,4 ...

. The church of St Mary and

St Thomas of Canterbury Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then as Archbishop of Canterbury fr ...

by Thomas Foster dates from

1837 Events January–March * January 1 – The destructive Galilee earthquake causes thousands of deaths in Ottoman Syria. * January 26 – Michigan becomes the 26th state admitted to the United States. * February 4 – Seminoles attack Fo ...

. The

chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the Choir (architecture), choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may termi ...

ceiling is painted with

cherub A cherub (; : cherubim; ''kərūḇ'', pl. ''kərūḇīm'') is one type of supernatural being in the Abrahamic religions. The numerous depictions of cherubim assign to them many different roles, such as protecting the entrance of the Garden of ...

s peeping over clouds. The village also features the

12th-century The 12th century is the period from 1101 to 1200 in accordance with the Julian calendar. In the history of European culture, this period is considered part of the High Middle Ages and overlaps with what is often called the Golden Age' of th ...

St Mary's Church, which is a Grade II listed building and includes a Norman doorway and a 14th-century tower. The settlement of Much Birch also consists of a primary school. Additional amenities in the village include traditional pubs and restaurants serving locally sourced food and drink, a village hall, and a post office. Much Birch is a popular destination for tourists, drawn by its peaceful surroundings and rich history. The village is surrounded by stunning countryside and is a popular spot for walkers and cyclists. It is situated close to the Wye Valley, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which is home to a variety of wildlife including otters, kingfishers, and peregrine falcons. Visitors can explore the area by foot or by bike, enjoying the scenery and tranquility. The Much Birch Parish Council serves as the closest tier of local government, providing updates on community events and issues, and acting as an information resource for both residents and visitors.

References

External links

* Villages in Herefordshire Civil parishes in Herefordshire {{Herefordshire-geo-stub