Upper Hall sits out of sight on the hillside above Ledbury nestling beneath Dog Wood, and has origins which go back to the early thirteenth century, undergoing a few name changes over time, originally being known as Aula Superior, then Over Court, Over Hall and finally Upper Hall. As is the case with many important houses in Herefordshire, Upper Hall is very close to the Church.

The present building is made up of many additions over the years, following its near destruction in the Civil War. A Jacobean wing was built in the seventeenth century and a Georgian wing in the eighteenth. Later in the eighteenth century these two wings were joined up by a Georgian style house, and later still many Victorian alterations were made. It was originally owned by the Skyppe (also spelt Skippe) family who hailed from Norfolk, and one of the branches of this family who settled in Herefordshire was John Skippe, Bishop of Hereford from 1539 to 1552.

Alice Skippe married John Willason who leased the estate, and eventually bought it – and Upper Hall, along with other properties in the Ledbury area, passed through the death of Willason’s heir to John Skippe who died in 1619. Following generations of the Skippe family continued to buy land and property in Ledbury, until finally they sold it all in 1812.

Then eventually to the MARTIN family Bankers ( merged with BARCLAYS bank)

To the Cathedral Church of Hereford 3s. 4d.

To the parish Church of Bishopps Frome, 3s. 4d.

To John Skippe his son one standing bedstead with furniture, two bedsteads for servants, one Table board with frame standing in the parlour, three forms, one square table, two little stools, two "broches", one dripping pan and one brass pot, all at Ledbury.

To Alice Skyppe, his daughter, £40 to be paid at or within a year of her marriage.

To Elizabeth Skyppe, his daughter £40 to be paid as above.

To Jane Andrewes, 20s. to be paid within a year of his death.

To Margaret Turner, £5 to be paid as above.

To Dorothy his wife, his lease of the manor of Bishopps Frome for her life, remainder to George Skyppe and his issue, remainder to Thomas Skyppe son of the testator

To Thomas Skyppe his lease of the Dean and "Chamters" portion in the parish of Frome Bishoppe, the "cubbard and deske in my chamber" all his books, a "Wyned" standing bedstead with furniture in the little parlour, one truckle bed and one square table.

To his wife Dorothy if she remain unmarried all his free lands in Ledbury and Eastnor during her life.

The rest of his goods and chattels, his debts, etc. having been discharged to her towards the bringing up of their children.

He appoints Dorothy his wife executrix, she, John Skyppe and George Skyppe his sons to see the bequests fulfilled.

Proved before Gabriel Wallwyne, clerk surrogate, 7th May, 1608.

Date: 14th April 1608

Source National Archives

A previous note SKIPP on this Forum and Donnington stated :-
He never married but ensured his family were looked after with properties in Ledbury including Upper Hall, Ledbury.

Wiki entry :-

John Skypp [1] (c. 1495 – 1552) was the Bishop of Hereford from 1539 until 1552, and the almoner of Queen Anne Boleyn.

Born in Irstead, Norfolk of humble parents, Edmund and Alice Skyppe who both died in 1507, he graduated from Gonville Hall, Cambridge in 1518,[2] and later was Master of Gonville Hall. He embarked on a clerical career that saw him become Vicar of Newington, Shepway in Essex. Skip went to London to the court where he met with Boleyns and the reformers in the church. Skip was well-read and learned in the scriptures, a biblical scholar and fundamental interpretationist, he used his knowledge of the Bible to the furtherance of his own Protestant views.

Skypp was almoner to Anne Boleyn at the height of her power. On the dissolution of the monasteries, he managed to persuade Queen Anne that all proceeds should go to charity and education of the poor, a cause Anne took to Henry. It may have been a source of intense rivalry with Thomas Cromwell and a contributory factor in her downfall during a parallel with the Persian Xerxes's 'wicked minister'.[3] For courageous as Queen Anne Boleyn was, she recruited Archbishop Cranmer, another reformist, against Cromwell's aims. Henry VIII knew that he needed the repeal of Act of Succession 1534, which only parliament could have done, a fortnight later.[4]

He held the benefice as Vicar of Thaxted in Essex from 1534 to 1539.[2] He served as Archdeacon of Suffolk before elevation to the episcopate.[5]

He was buried in the churchyard of St Mary Mounthaw, a church in the City of London which was destroyed during the Great Fire of London.

GG Grandson of Edmunde SKIPP 1540 -1608 and Dorethy HEREFORD

GGG Grandson of Robert ( brother to John the Bishop[?)

Is Edmunde related to John The Bishop of Hereford , a nephew ? I have seen a "tree" suggesting Dr John SKIPP as his Father

stirnet DOT com/genie/data/british/ss4as/skippe1.php

There was a Vicar Edmund SKIPP of Bodenham circa 1650

Although I don't belong to Ancestry, can see a brief note on

John SKIPP 1743-1816

born 7 April Upper Hall, Ledbury - parents: Dinah DAVIS

buried at Dymock 23 September 1816 aged 75 Dymock (which is on the Forest of Dean Records)

One being the Register of deputations to gamekeeper

30 August 1785

7 Sept.

Old Grainge and Gamage Hall also.

Little Rev. Wyniatt,
clerk: John SKIPP

Dimmock(par DymockO

Offspring in FOD records here
1773 SKIPP Penelope John Ann Dymock
1777 SKIPP Juliana John Ann Dymock

There is a Will held at Gloucestershire Record Office for a Margaret SKIPP dated 1803.

This may mention John? (or not as the case may be)

Children baptised Ledbury
1808 SKIPP Charlotte John Ann Ledbury
1810 SKIPP Richard John Ann Ledbury
1816 SKIPP Harriet John Ann Ledbury
1816 SKIPP Ann John Ann Ledbury
1823 SKIPP Penelope John Ann Ledbury
1823 SKIPP John John Ann Ledbury
1823 SKIPP Robert John Ann Ledbury

reasonable correlation with 1841 census ( not perfect)

14 November 1825

Richard SKIPP over 21
Residence: Dymock

Mary COLE over 21
Residence: Ledbury in the County of Hereford
Marriage by Licence
He signs
Sworn before W Beale to marry at Dymock

----

Marriage at Dymock 19 December 1825

Richard SKIPP
Bachelor, Dymock

Mary COLE
residence: Ledbury Hds

by banns

witnesses: Eliza SKIPP, Charles MOORE

----

Richard and Mary SKIPP, have children christend at Dymock. Early ones, Richard is a Miller, then a Publica, and then a Gamekeeper

and by 1841, had a Son David, christened at Broomsgreen Chapel, occupation: Game Keeper

Hereford Journal - Wednesday 23 September 1835.

COUNTY OF HEREFORD

Persons who have obtained GAME CERTIFICATES for the year 1835

List 1.

General Certificates at 3l. 13s. 6d.

SKIPP Richard , DODDINGTON
SKIPP John, LEDBURY

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As one of my Forest of Dean Ancestors was a Gamekeeper, the Gloucestershire Records Office found me the places were he worked.

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Family Search

Marriage: Birmingham Warwickshire, 17 November 1851

Robert SKIPP Age 30
Father's Name: John SKIPP

Ellen NICHOLS: Age 22
Father's name: William NICHOLS

1851 Kings Heath, Kings Norton,
John Skipp Head Married Male 66 1785 Laborer Dymock, Gloucestershire, England
Ann Skipp Wife Married Female 62 1789 - Herefordshire, England
Robert Skipp Son Unmarried Male 26 1825 Gardener Herefordshire, England
Hannah H Skipp Daughter Unmarried Female 22 1829 - Herefordshire, England
Ann M Spencer Grand daughter - Female 4 1847 Scholar Birmingham, Warwickshire, England

Marriages Dec 1851 (>99%)
NICHOLS Ellen Birmingham 16 499
SKIPP Robert Birmingham 16 499

1861 Kings Heath Alcester Road, Kings Norton,
Robert Skipp Head Married Male 38 1823 Gardener Ledbury, Herefordshire, England
Ellen Skipp Wife Married Female 30 1831 - Worcestershire, England
Richard Skipp Son - Male 8 1853 Scholar Worcestershire, England
George Skipp Son - Male 5 1856 Scholar Worcestershire, England
Ann Skipp Daughter - Female 1 1860 - Worcestershire, England

Marriages Sep 1869 (>99%)
Siddall Frances Birmingham 6d 192
SKIPP Robert Birmingham 6d 192

1871 Balsall Heath Road Ludley Terrace, Kings Norton,
Robert Skipp Head - Male 43 1828 - Gardener Ledbury
Francis Skipp Wife - Female 28 1843 - Wales
George Skipp Son - Male 15 1856 - Worcestershire, England
Mehaba Skipp Daughter - Female 10 1861 - Worcestershire, England
John Siddall Son - Male 7 1864 - Warwickshire, England
Minnie Siddall Daughter - Female 4 1867 - Warwickshire, England

Deaths Dec 1873 (>99%) ???
SKIPP Robert Joseph 51 King's N. 6c 260

There is a marriage at Ledbury on the 14 May 1806

John SHIPP
Bachelor of this Parish

Anne JONES
Spinster of this parish

By Licence:

Both sign

witnesses: Robt JONES
Mary JONES
John Bowler

---

Googling on Heritage

gives the parents of John : Richard SKIPP 1735-1785 and Margaret Hemming: 1743-1803

and list 13 children of John & Ann SKIPP

Baptisms at St Michael and All Angels, Ledbury
29 December 1816

Harriet SKIPP, parents John & Ann
Abode: New Street
father's occupation: Innkeeper

(also Sister Ann, christened same day)

2 March 1823

Robert SKIPP
father: John SKIPP, Occupation: Innkeeper
mother: Ann SKIPP

Abode: New Street

---

brother John SKIPP, christened on the same day and Sister: Penelope **

---

Sister : Constance, christened : 19 March 1824

same parents:

abode: Malms Pool Cottage
father's occupation: Game Keeper

---

Hannah Maria SKIPP, christened 11 March 1829
same parents:
father : John SKIPP, mother Ann
person abode: Highbridge Cottage,
occupation: Gamekeeper

----

Elizabeth SKIPP, christened 23 May 1831
parents: John & Ann SKIPP
person abode: Eyebridge Cottage
father occupation: Gamekeeper

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** There is a burial for a Peneloper SKIPP aged 12, 25 January 1823, residence: Homend Road.

Ism especially interested in any link which might lead me back to Bishop John Skip (Skyppe, Skypp, Skip).