Benbow's Farmhouse and the Mormons

This past Spring, a friend of mine, Judy Z, gifted me with a piece from her David Winter Cottages collection. She gave me "Benbow's Farmhouse" and described it as having a very interesting connection to the Mormon church.

Researching further, I found that Benbow's Farmhouse by David Winter Cottages was a commemoration piece to honor the 150th anniversary of the arrival, from America to Britain, of the first missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon).

In 1840, Apostle Wilford Woodruff of the LDS Church arrived at Worcester, England in a horse-drawn carriage and then walked about fourteen miles to Hill Farm (Benbow's Farmhouse) at Castle Frome, Herefordshire. There he presented his Gospel message to John and Jane Benbow, members of the United Brethren. In a barn at the Benbow's farm was held a religious revival, in those days a huge event. At three meetings that day, over a thousand people heard the message of Apostle Wilford Woodruff. In John Benbow's farm pond more than six hundred converts were baptized by immersion into the Mormon faith. Many of these converts soon made their way to America to join the Mormons in Missouri, Illinois and later in the Utah Territory. John Benbow himself was instrumental in the first printing of the Book of Mormon in Great Britain.

The image, David Winter - Benbow's Farmhouse, was originally uploaded by Edna Barney. It is posted here from Barneykin's account.