Kington is a market community, electoral ward and also civil parish in Herefordshire, England. According to the Church, 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-load, being Anglo-Saxon for "King's Town", similar to various other nearby 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 most likely this land was Welsh in the 8th century AD. The land was held by Anglo-Saxons in 1066, but ravaged. After the Norman Conquest Kington after that passed to the Crown on the failure of Roger de Breteuil, second 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 early Welsh Marches. Kington seems to have actually been a silent barony and was related to the workplace of sheriff of Hereford. In 1172, Adam de Port, possibly the great-grandson of Henry Port, rebelled and also left the country. He returned in 1174 with a Scottish army, only to leave 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 ended up being an appurtenance of the office of Sheriff of Hereford, ultimately being granted 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 and was most likely to have actually been ruined by royal forces in August 1216. Within a few years a brand-new citadel was commenced as well as the close-by Huntington Castle as well as Kington Castle were abandoned. All that remains of Kington Castle today is a fantastic outcrop of rock covered by a couple of fragmentary earthworks. The old town gathered around the castle and Norman church on top of a protective hillside over the River Arrow. St Mary's church, located on higher ground over the town centre. 'Chingtune' was recorded in the Domesday Publication in 1086, the name significance Kings Town or Manor, high up on the hill above the community where St. Mary's Church currently stands. The new Kington, called Kyneton in the Fields, was set out between 1175 and also 1230 ashore surrounding the River Arrow as well as possibly designated as part of the Saxon open area system. Positioned on the direct route the drovers drew from Hergest Ridge as well as with 8 annual fairs, Kington expanded in relevance as a market town and there is still a growing animals market on Thursdays. The community maintains the medieval grid pattern of streets and also back lanes. In the chapel of St. Mary's Church, there is the alabaster tomb of Sir Thomas Vaughan of neighboring Hergest Court, killed at the Battle of Banbury 1469, and also his wife, Elen Gethin. The ghost of Sir Thomas, as well as likewise that of the Black Dog of Hergest are said to haunt the area around Hergest Ridge. The Black Dog's discovery reputedly presages death. It is likewise rumoured to have actually been the model for The Hound of the Baskervilles as Conan Doyle is understood to have remained at close-by Hergest Hall shortly before he composed the book.