Garway (St. Michael)

GARWAY (St. Michael), a parish, in the union of Monmouth, Lower division of the hundred of Wormelow, county of Hereford, 7 miles (N. W.) from Monmouth; containing 574 inhabitants. The parish is situated on the left bank of the river Munnow, which separates the county from that of Monmouth; it comprises 3582 acres, whereof 249 are waste land or common, chiefly the portion forming Garway Hill. The living is a perpetual curacy; net income, £81; patron, W. R. Jenkins, Esq.; impropriator, Lord Southwell, whose tithes have been commuted for £230. The church is a small edifice, the nave of which is separated from the chancel by a fine Norman arch, supported by several pillars in the same style: the belfry tower was used as a prison during the great rebellion. Near the church was a commandery of the knights of St. John of Jerusalem, originally belonging to the Knights Templars: the dove cote, a curious circular tower with a crypt roof, is the only portion of the building remaining. About half a mile north of the church was a chapel, dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene; but no remains now exist.