Sing of the times for Hamnish

1:00pm Tuesday 18th November 2008

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A COUNTY historian has launched a campaign to restore a village’s full name.

Alec Haines is urging Herefordshire Council to put Hamnish Clifford back on the county map.

The village near Leominster is named in full on Ordnance Survey maps, but is only called Hamnish on road signs.

He believes the omission is insulting to 12th century lord, Walter de Clifford, and fears the name could be lost forever.

“Hamnish Clifford is a spread-out village and Walter had a castle and a mansion here,” he said.

“But now you see the signposts just say Hamnish and that’s all wrong.

“People who move in won’t know anything different but this is part of Herefordshire and we’ve got to fight to keep it.”

Mr Haines, aged 88, said the shortened term first appeared on roadsigns around 40 years ago.

Herefordshire Council press officer Alison Grange said the village signs were taken from the current Ordnance Survey edition, which lists the area as Hamnish.

She added a name change was possible, but could prove costly to residents.

“If the parish council did want the name changed to Hamnish Clifford, then it would have to contact the highways department for further advice,” she said.

“If the name was changed, all the deeds of homes in the parish would have to be altered and this would, obviously, carry a considerable cost to villagers.”