Background
He was born in the parish of Dymock, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom on the 22nd of May 1637. His father was a barrister and M. P. , and the family had lived at Ross, in Herefordshire, for many generations.
He was born in the parish of Dymock, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom on the 22nd of May 1637. His father was a barrister and M. P. , and the family had lived at Ross, in Herefordshire, for many generations.
He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford, studied Law.
He succeeded to the family property looking over the market square at Ross. He was behind the establishment of 'The Prospect' in Ross in 1700, a public garden on the hilltop just above Ross town centre where a viewpoint and walkways were set out and a public fountain provided clean water for town residents. The Prospect commands excellent views over the River Wye and the surrounding countryside. He lived a great deal in the open air, working with the labourers on his farm.
He remembered for his time in Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire. He established 'The Prospect', that is still exist, alongside the churchyard of St Mary's church.
His name is commemorated throughout Ross-on-Wye, not only in The Prospect but in the 'Man of Ross' public house on Wye Street and his market square townhouse. The town's secondary school carries his name.
In everything that concerned the welfare of the little town in which he lived he took a lively interest- in the education of the children, the distribution of alms, in improving and embellishing the town.
He was generous to the poor and spent all he had in good works. He delighted in mediating between those who had quarrelled and in preventing lawsuits.
