Herefordshire may be a quiet, tranquil part of the country now but this peacefulness belies a very turbulent past. Situated on the border with Wales, the county has been the site of many an important battle waged between Celt and Saxon, Norman and Celt, Norman and Norman, Lancastrian and Tudor and, later, Parliamentarian and Cavalier. Fortunately, the residents don’t do much fighting now unless you visit one of the many battle re-enactments organised by the Sealed Knot society that take place in sites of historical interest throughout the year.
King Offa, one of the Saxon kings who controlled the border country in the 9th Century even tried to emulate Hadrian (the Roman general who divided England from Scotland with a wall) by building a dyke to keep out the warring Celts. That dyke is now a long distance footpath that enables hikers to enjoy fabulous views across Wales to the west and England to the east as it traverses north-south along the English Welsh border.
As soon as the Normans arrived, they built a series of castles, which were inhabited by wealthy landlords and Earls of the Marches for several hundred years afterwards. The most famous and well preserved of these is Goodrich Castle near Ross-on-Wye. Wigmore Castle is a more romantic, less accessible and well preserved ruin but has had a richer history – it was the stronghold of the Mortimer family whose heir Edward IV took the throne after beating his Lancastrian opponent in the Wars of the Roses. Hampton Court near Leominster that older than London’s Hampton Court and has a delightfully restored garden. But not all castles are ancient: Eastnor Castle was built in the 19th Century in the romantic style of a medieval castle and boasts one of the finest collections of steel armour in the world.
There are plenty of opportunities to understand Herefordshire’s rich historical past better- the county offers a wide range of heritage attractions, castles, stately homes and museums for your enjoyment and education.
Herefordshire also has a wide selection of ancient and beautiful churches exhibiting a range of architectural styles. The jewel is undoubtedly Hereford Cathedral whose treasures include the Mappa Mundi, an ancient map of the world created in about 1289 on vellum reflecting the prevailing view at the time that Jerusalem was at the centre of the world and Hereford was right on the edge! It also houses one of the world’s largest collections of illuminated manuscripts – some 1400 books, many over 1000 years old.
In addition to the Cathedral, some 73 churches are mapped in a special leaflet entitled Visiting Herefordshire Churches Hunting among the second-hand bookshops may uncover such treasures as The Marcher Lords and Their Churches, Communities, Monks and Monasteries, Building Crafts and Craftsmanship and Art, Music, Liturgy and Literature. For homework before you come, read the diaries of Francis Kilvert, a Victorian country parson and kept a diary from 1870 to 1879, erstwhile Vicar of Bredwardine.
