Hereford, Herefordshire travel guide and information

Visit Hereford

Hereford is a substantial town - strictly speaking it is a cathedral city - on the River Wye in the county of Herefordshire, near the border between England and south Wales to the south-west of Worcester.

Hereford cathedral

The most important monument in the town is Hereford cathedral itself. Dating from the late 11th - early 12th centuries, with substantial 13th-16th century modifications, the cathedral is essentially Gothic in style.

There are a couple of unique items inside the cathedral, including a very rare medieval map of the world (called the 'Mappa Mundi', it has Jerusalem in the centre and the top of the map is east); and one of the few 'chained libraries' in the world - a library where each of the books is individually chained to the bookshelf to prevent theft, an idea with origins in the time when books were extremely valuable. There are also about 40 carved misericords within the cathedral.

Other Hereford highlights

One particular highlight in Hereford is the so-called Old House. A delightful half-timbered building with decorative eaves, small leaded windows, and a narrow canopy roof protecting the ground floor, it dates from 1621 and is the only house remaining in what once must have been a very attractive street. The Old House is now a museum commemorating the Jacobean period.

You can also see some traditional almshouses in Hereford; the pretty bridge across the river; and several other medieval buildings (eg Booth Hall), some featuring ornate carvings. It is also worth making the trip south to Kilpech to visit 12th century Kilpeck church, which features a local style of early medieval stone-carving, especially around the entrance doorway.