Kingston village lies in the green fields of Herefordshire, close to the city of Hereford. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Land of the King" or "Kings' Tun". The old church, houses, gardens, hedges, stone walls, cows, crops and grass, still reflect a harmony of nature and man.
The twelfth century stone church of Saint Michael and All Saints, stands in the village on a slight elevation. The square stone tower of the Norman style, in the mode of a fortress, brings to mind the bloodied early history of the Welsh borders.
Old gravestones are incorporated into the floor of the church, some of them bearing the names of Preece and Wathen forebears. Judith Preece is buried in the churchyard. A brilliant stained glass window gives a more modern touch to the ancient building.
James Preece's mother Judith Wathen, may have lived in one of the houses once owned by the Wathen family, near the village. The Wathens were well respected. Her father was Churchwarden of St Michaels.
There had been Preeces at Kingstone and neighbouring parishes for many generations, but James Preece's father, born about 1757 was (according to his marriage documents) from Monmouth which is a short distance to the south. William Price used the English form of the name. However by the time James was baptised on July 19 1801, he was was recorded as William Preece, husband of Judith. William Preece (one of two men with the same name at Kingstone Parish at that time) was Parish Clerk of St Michael and All Angels.
It is not difficult to visualize what it may have been like to have grown up in this quiet country village in the early 1800's.
Look at other parts of the Preece story by following the link to the Index page.
OVERLOOKING KINGSTONE VILLAGE 1997
