The Doward
| The Doward | |
|---|---|
 View of Monmouth from Great Doward |
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 The Doward
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| The Doward shown within Herefordshire | |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | West Mercia |
| Fire | Hereford and Worcester |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
The Doward (Welsh: Deuarth Fach, lit. "Little Pair of Riverbanks"), 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 3 miles (4.8 km) north-east of Monmouth, is shrouded in legend and King Arthur's Cave is in the vicinity.
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. Little Doward is located about 3 miles (4.8 km) 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. The landscape is mountainous common, sprinkled with rock outcrops.
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". A lane in the area is called Black Stone Kiln's Lane, indicating historical economic activity here. To the west, the area is woody with wild elevations, interspersed with tame swells and hollows. Maliscot Wood lies to the southeast of The Doward. The woodland is part of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and is protected by the Herefordshire Nature Trust. The area contains some rare plants, such as Helix furca.
King Arthur's Cave was occupied by man during the Upper Palaeolithic era. In 1871 the caves were excavated by Reverend W. S. Symond. 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.
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Wikipedia