The Healing Legend of Ethelbert

In the 18th Century a young king, Ethelbert, travelled to meet his future wife. But he was taken captive and murdered, and his body and severed head thrown into the river Lugg, before being removed for burial at Hereford. His burial site became a shrine, and tales of miraculous healing there were reported. One of these, Egwin Shakehead, badly afflicted with palsy, was so grateful for his healing that he donated his Lydbury Manor to the Bishops of Hereford who later built the town of Bishop's Castle on the site. Fast forward to the present day and we have the Bishop's Castle community hospital. Closed in 2021, it reopened in 2023 after a community campaign to raise funds and recruit staff. Driven by community spirit to provide the best care for patients locally, Ethelbert's healing spirit lives on here.