Kington is a market town, electoral ward and also civil parish in Herefordshire, England. According to the Parish, the ward had a population of 3,240 while the 2011 census had a population of 2,626. The name 'Kington' is originated from King's-bunch, being Anglo-Saxon for "King's Town", similar to various other neighboring towns such as Presteigne definition "Priest's Town" and also Knighton being "Knight's Town". Kington is to the west of Offa's Dyke so probably this land was Welsh in the 8th century AD. The land was held by Anglo-Saxons in 1066, yet devastated. After the Norman Conquest Kington after that passed to the Crown on the downfall of Roger de Breteuil, 2nd Earl of Hereford in 1075. Prior To 1121 King Henry I gave Kington to Adam de Port, that founded a brand-new Marcher barony in this part of the very early Welsh Marches. Kington seems to have actually been a quiet barony and was related to the workplace of sheriff of Hereford. In 1172, Adam de Port, possibly the great-grandson of Henry Port, rebelled as well as got away the nation. He returned in 1174 with a Scottish army, just to get away from the resulting Battle of Alnwick to the terrific mirth of the Norman court. With this his barony of Kington was taken by the Crown and became an appurtenance of the office of Sheriff of Hereford, finally being given to William de Braose, fourth Lord of Bramber in 1203 for £100. The castle then saw activity in the Braose Wars against King John of England as well as was likely to have actually been ruined by royal forces in August 1216. Within a few years a new fortress was started as well as the neighboring Huntington Castle as well as Kington Castle were deserted. All that continues to be of Kington Castle today is a fantastic outcrop of rock topped by a few fragmentary earthworks. The old town gathered around the castle and also Norman church in addition to a protective hill above the River Arrow. St Mary's church, located on higher ground over the community centre. 'Chingtune' was recorded in the Domesday Publication in 1086, the name meaning Kings Town or Manor, high on capital over the community where St. Mary's Church currently stands. The brand-new Kington, called Kyneton in the Fields, was outlined in between 1175 and 1230 on land bordering the River Arrow as well as potentially assigned as part of the Saxon open area system. Located on the direct route the drovers took from Hergest Ridge and also with 8 annual fairs, Kington grew in value as a market town as well as there is still a thriving livestock market on Thursdays. The community retains the middle ages grid pattern of roads and also back lanes. In the chapel of St. Mary's Church, there is the alabaster burial place of Sir Thomas Vaughan of neighboring Hergest Court, slaughtered at the Battle of Banbury 1469, and his better half, Elen Gethin. The ghost of Sir Thomas, as well as also that of the Black Dog of Hergest are stated to haunt the area around Hergest Ridge. The Black Dog's sighting reputedly presages fatality. It is likewise rumoured to have been the model for The Hound of the Baskervilles as Conan Doyle is known to have stayed at close-by Hergest Hall quickly before he wrote the novel.