‘Within Sight and Memory’

Be it called Epynt or Sennybridge Ranges, the piece of land is about thirty-six thousand acres, about twelve miles long by five wide, running from south-east to north-west. With few noticeable peaks, there are a number of deep ravines and nearly all the area lies well over a thousand feet above sea level. There is evidence of shepherds tending their flocks here three thousand years ago, and bronze age cairns have been found. From the early middle ages until the nineteenth century there was a drover’s road coming over from west Wales and leading to the river Wye near Erwood, where livestock would cross the river en route to the market-place, having avoided the fees payable on the turnpike roads along lower routes. The old Drovers Arms public house still exists on the Epynt but, sadly, it is now de-licensed and only available to the Army. It was in the early days of World War II, dark days for all, when the Epynt was considered by the Army as very suitable for military training, to include the firing of live ammunition. Thus, within a short time, farmsteads had to be vacated and the hill cleared of its people. This meant for over fifty families the loss of homes and livelihood – a traditional way of life stretching back beyond memory. Some monetary compensation was paid but it was a derisory amount. Although small farming opportunities would be found elsewhere and despite our national emergency with whatever need there might have been for training areas, it is impossible to find words to express the huge and sad loss felt by those families then. Even today, memories linger on of the uprooting of a community.