Architect. He rose to prominence in 17th Century England, and served as King’s Carpenter to English monarch King Charles I. John Abel was born in Sarnesfield, Herefordshire. He was a Catholic recusant, along with his wife Johanna. John married twice, but there is no record of his second wife except on his table tomb in Sarnesfield. He had one son, named John, who later became churchwarden of Sarnesfield. John’s first known commission was in 1625 when he was contracted to build Lady Hawkins’ grammar school in Kington. In March 1633, it is known that John was contracted again, this time by John, 1st Viscount Scudamore, to renovate Abbey Dore Church, a former Cistercian monastery in Herefordshire. ‘The modell of ye New Building’ still exists and is currently kept at Tyberton Court, where the work was originally done, this was contracted in 1652 and was a new creation of John’s. Other works built by him are market houses in Brecnoc (1624), Kington and Lemster (1634).  The Kington market hall was demolished in 1820. In 1645, during the middle of the civil war, John was in Hereford when the Scots besieged it. Charles I and his soldiers were inside the city walls, mills were important to ensure the food supply lasted, and the powder mills to make gunpowder. The Roundheads had burnt down the mills that the town had previously owned. John was able to design and build another one. The King granted John the title of the King’s Carpenter. Abel died in January 1675 and was buried at Sarnesfield on January31, 1675. He was 97 years old. (bio by: Shock)