{{Use British English|date=April 2012}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox UK place |country = England |official_name = The Doward |coordinates = {{coord|51.843|-2.67|display=inline,title}} |civil_parish = |population = |population_ref = |unitary_england = Herefordshire |region = West Midlands |lieutenancy_england = Herefordshire |constituency_westminster = Hereford and South Herefordshire |post_town = |postcode_area = |postcode_district = |dial_code = |os_grid_reference = |london_distance = |static_image = View from The Great Doward 3 - geograph.org.uk - 1397857.jpg |static_image_width = 250px |static_image_caption =View of Monmouth from Great Doward }}
'''The Doward''' ({{langx|cy|Deuarth Fach}}, {{abbr|lit.|Literally}} "two small hills"),<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.kimkat.org/amryw/1_vortaroy/geiriadur_cymraeg_saesneg_BAEDD_o_1600e.htm | title=Welsh – English dictionary | work=kimkat.org | accessdate=13 April 2012}}</ref> is an area in the parish of Whitchurch in south Herefordshire, England, consisting of the hills of '''Little Doward''' and '''Great Doward''' and extensive woodland. It is within the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, on the border with Monmouthshire, Wales. The area, about {{convert|3|mi}} north-east of Monmouth, is shrouded in legend and King Arthur's Cave is in the vicinity.
==Geography== [[File:Great Doward viewed from above Whitchurch - geograph.org.uk - 1206566.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Little Doward viewed from above Whitchurch]] The Doward is located in the far south of Herefordshire, just across the border from Wales. In 1854, the district was reported to be of 254 acres.<ref name="Commons1854">{{cite book|author=Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons|title=House of Commons papers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_qkSAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA51|year=1854|publisher=HMSO|page=51}}</ref> Little Doward is located about {{convert|3|mi}} from Monmouth, just to the southeast of Ganarew and just to the west of Symonds Yat. The River Wye flows through the area forming the eastern and southern boundary of the area, and the A40 road forming its western boundary. It is heavily forested with several cave formations.<ref name="(Firm)1872">{{cite book|last=Murray |first=John|title=A Handbook for Travellers in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Herefordshire ...|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XLaMuyFN-bQC|year=1872|publisher=J. Murray}}</ref> The landscape is mountainous common, sprinkled with rock outcrops.<ref name="FosbrokeGilpin1822">{{cite book|last1=Fosbroke|first1=Thomas Dudley|last2=Gilpin|first2=William|title=The Wye tour, or Gilpin on the Wye|url=https://archive.org/details/wyetourorgilpin01gilpgoog|year=1822|page=[https://archive.org/details/wyetourorgilpin01gilpgoog/page/n61 31]|publisher=Printed for and sold by W. Farror }}</ref>
The Great Doward area is marked by "extensive stratified limestone mountains" and the Great Doward Hill is said to contain "large deposits of rich iron-ore of a peculiar quality".<ref name="Taylor1854">{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=Robert|title=Taylor's illustrated guide to the banks of the Wye|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VRENAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA70|year=1854|page=70}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first= Samuel|title=A Topographical Dictionary of England|date=1848|publisher=Institute of Historical Research|pages=543–551}}</ref> A lane in the area is called Black Stone Kiln's Lane, indicating historical economic activity here.<ref name="GM"/> To the west, the area is woody with wild elevations, interspersed with tame swells and hollows.<ref name="FosbrokeGilpin1822"/> Maliscot Wood lies to the southeast of The Doward.<ref name="GM">{{cite map|title= Maps|publisher=Google Maps}}</ref> The woodland is part of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and is protected by the Herefordshire Nature Trust.
==Landmarks==
===King Arthur's Cave=== {{main|King Arthur's Cave}} King Arthur's Cave was occupied by man during the Upper Palaeolithic era.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wyenot.com/doward.htm|title=KING ARTHUR'S CAVE – THE DOWARD|publisher=Wyenot.com|accessdate=26 March 2012|archive-date=8 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608072402/http://www.wyenot.com/doward.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Painter1964">{{cite book|last=Painter|first=K. S.|title=The Severn Basin|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vQYhAAAAMAAJ|year=1964|publisher=Cory, Adams & Mackay|pages=14–19}}</ref> In 1871 the caves were excavated by Reverend W. S. Symond.<ref name="The antiquarian">{{cite book|title=The Antiquarian|url=https://archive.org/details/antiquarian00unkngoog|year=1871|publisher=E.W. Allen|page=[https://archive.org/details/antiquarian00unkngoog/page/n178 164]}}</ref><ref name="Oldham"/> The cave is shrouded in local superstition and is said to have had a part in the early legend of King Vortigern, a native British king who fought against the invading Anglo Saxons.<ref name="Oldham">{{cite web|last1=Oldham|first1= Tony|last2= Jones|first2= Keith|url=http://www.showcaves.com/english/gb/caves/KingArthurOldham.html|title=King Arthur's Cave, Caves of the South Eastern Outcrop |year=2003|publisher=Showcaves.com}}</ref>
===Hillfort=== Little Doward hosts a British hillfort which seems to have been refortified in the post-Roman era. Ford tentatively identified it with the '''Cair Guorthigirn'''<ref>Nennius ({{abbr|attrib.|Traditional attribution}}). Theodor Mommsen ({{abbr|ed.|Editor}}). ''Historia Brittonum'', VI. Composed after AD 830. {{in lang|la}} Hosted at Latin Wikisource.</ref> ("Fort Vortigern") listed by Nennius among the 28 cities of Britain in his ''History of the Britains''.<ref name=nashford>Ford, David Nash. "[http://www.britannia.com/history/ebk/articles/nenniuscities.html The 28 Cities of Britain] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415120312/http://www.britannia.com/history/ebk/articles/nenniuscities.html |date=15 April 2016 }}" at Britannia. 2000.</ref>
===Wyastone Leys=== {{main|Wyastone Leys}} Wyastone Leys, formerly Lays House, is located at the southwestern corner of The Doward.<ref name="FosbrokeGilpin1822"/> The original house, The Leys, was built in 1795 by S. O. Attley of London. It was purchased around 1820 by Richard Blakemore who bought the Hadnock estate on the other side of the River Wye, demolished Hadnock House, and used the materials to rebuild and extend the Leys, between 1821 and 1838. The house was rebuilt in 1861 for John Bannerman of Manchester, by William Burn.<ref name=kiss1>Keith Kissack, ''Monmouth and its Buildings'', Logaston Press, 2003, {{ISBN|1 904396 01 1}}, p.24</ref> In the woodland of Little Doward Hill above the house, the Forestry Commission planted, in 1953, a pattern of trees with contrasting foliage in the shape of the letters ER, to mark the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
===Other=== The Doward also contains several cottages.<ref name="DP">{{cite web|url=http://www.dowardpark.co.uk/|title=Doward Park Campsite|publisher=Dowardpark.co.uk|accessdate=13 April 2012}}</ref> The camp has traces of three circular terraces winding in a snail mount. The Vikings once escaped via the precipice near the camp.<ref name="The art journal London">{{cite book|title=The Art Journal London|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oo1CAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA85|year=1859|publisher=Virtue|page=85}}</ref> Vaga Cottage is also of note and was home to the local reverend in the early 19th century.<ref name="FosbrokeGilpin1822"/> Other cottages include Beech Cottage, Leaping Stocks House, Lilac Cottage, and Highland Cottage near Symonds Yat.<ref name="GM"/> In the north of the Doward the small Biblins Bridge footbridge crosses the Wye to the Forestry Commission Biblins Youth Campsite.<ref name="DP"/><ref>[http://www.forestry.gov.uk/biblins Biblins Youth Campsite]</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery> File:Monmouth from Little Doward-1.jpg|View of Monmouth from Little Doward in autumn File:Cottage overlooking the River Wye - geograph.org.uk - 734318.jpg|A house in the southern part of The Doward File:Doward_viewed_from_Llangrove_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1207124_(cropped).jpg|The wooded hill at Doward viewed from a footpath near Llangrove File:Wooded_slopes_of_Little_Doward_-_geograph.org.uk_-_755286.jpg|Wooded slopes of Little Doward File:Doward_Farm_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1203815.jpg|Doward Farm viewed from the south File:Farm_track_with_view_of_Little_Doward_-_geograph.org.uk_-_757864.jpg|Farm track with a view of Little Doward From the Llangrove road File:Little_Doward_trig_point_-_geograph.org.uk_-_249930.jpg|Little Doward trig point File:Welcome_sign_in_Little_Doward_woods_-_geograph.org.uk_-_797628.jpg|Welcome sign in Little Doward woods File:Trees_on_the_banks_of_the_River_Wye_-_geograph.org.uk_-_734027.jpg|Trees on the banks of the River Wye below Little Doward File:The_River_Wye_-_geograph.org.uk_-_734006.jpg|The River Wye below Little Doward File:View_south_from_Llangrove_-_geograph.org.uk_-_757869.jpg|A public footpath cuts through farmland towards Little Doward </gallery>
==References== ;Notes {{reflist}} ;Sources :{{Source-attribution|E.W. Allen's ''The Antiquarian'', 1871}} :{{Source-attribution|Thomas Dudley and William Gilpin's ''The Wye Tour, or Gilpin on the Wye'', 1822}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Doward}} Category:Geography of Herefordshire