Hereford
Encyclopedia
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town
of Herefordshire
, England
. It lies on the River Wye
, approximately 16 miles (25.7 km) east of the border with Wales
, 24 miles (38.6 km) southwest of Worcester
, and 23 miles (37 km) northwest of Gloucester
. With a population of 55,800 people, it is the largest settlement in the county.
The name "Hereford" is said to come from the Anglo Saxon
"here", an army or formation of soldiers, and the "ford", a place for crossing a river. If this is the origin it suggests that Hereford was a place where a body of armed men forded or crossed the Wye
. The Welsh name for Hereford is Henffordd, meaning "old road", and probably refers to the Roman Road and Roman settlement at nearby Stretton Sugwas
.
An early town charter from 1189 granted by Richard I of England
describes it as "Hereford in Wales". Hereford has been recognised as a city since time immemorial
, with the status being reconfirmed as recently as October 2000.
It is now known chiefly as a trading centre for a wider agricultural and rural area. Products from Hereford include: cider
, beer
, leather
goods, nickel
alloys, poultry, chemicals and cattle
, including the famous Hereford breed
.
Hereford became the seat of Putta, Bishop of Hereford
, some time between AD 676 and 688, after which the settlement continued to grow due to its proximity to the border between Mercia
and Wales
, becoming the Saxon
capital of West Mercia
by the beginning of the 8th century.
Hostilities between the Anglo-Saxons and the Welsh
came to a head with the Battle of Hereford
in 760, in which the Britons freed themselves from the influence of the English. Hereford was again targeted by the Welsh during their conflict with the Anglo-Saxon
King Edward the Confessor
in AD1056 when, supported by Viking allies, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn
, King of Gwynedd and Powys, marched on the town and put it to the torch before returning home in triumph.
The present Hereford Cathedral
dates from the 12th century. Former Bishops of Hereford
include Saint Thomas de Cantilupe
and Lord High Treasurer of England Thomas Charlton.
The city gave its name to two suburbs of Paris
, France
: Maisons-Alfort
(population 54,600) and Alfortville
(population 36,232), due to a manor built there by Peter of Aigueblanche
, Bishop of Hereford
, in the middle of the 13th century.
Hereford, a base for successive holders of the title Earl of Hereford
, was once the site of a castle
, Hereford Castle
, which rivalled that of Windsor
in size and scale. This was a base for repelling Welsh attacks and a secure stronghold for English kings such as King Henry IV
when on campaign in the Welsh Marches
against Owain Glyndŵr
. The castle was dismantled in the 18th century and landscaped into Castle Green.
After the Battle of Mortimer's Cross
in 1461, during the Wars of the Roses
, the defeated Lancastrian leader Owen Tudor
(grandfather of the future Henry VII of England
) was taken to Hereford by Sir Roger Vaughan and executed in High Town. A plaque now marks the spot of the execution. Vaughan was later himself executed, under a flag of truce, by Owen's son Jasper.
During the civil war
the city changed hands several times. On 30 September 1642 Parliamentarians
led by Sir Robert Harley and Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford
occupied the city without opposition. In December they withdrew to Gloucester
because of the presence in the area of a Royalist
army under Lord Herbert
. The city was again occupied briefly from 23 April to 18 May 1643 by Parliamentarians commanded by Sir William Waller
but it was in 1645 that the city saw most action. On 31 July 1645 a Scottish
army of 14,000 under Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven
besieged
the city but met stiff resistance from its garrison
and inhabitants. They withdrew on 1 September when they received news that a force led by King Charles
was approaching. The city was finally taken for Parliament
on 18 December 1645 by Colonel Birch
and Colonel Morgan
. King Charles showed his gratitude to the city of Hereford on 16 September 1645 by augmenting the city's coat of arms with the three lions of Richard I of England
, ten Scottish Saltires signifying the ten defeated Scottish regiments, a very rare lion crest on top of the coat of arms signifying "defender of the faith" and the even rarer gold-barred peer's helm, found only on the arms of one other municipal authority: those of the City of London
.
Nell Gwynne, actress and mistress of King Charles II
, is said to have been born in Hereford in 1650 (although other towns and cities, notably Oxford
, also claim her as their own); Gwynn Street is named after her. Another famous actor born in Hereford is David Garrick
(1717–1779).
The Bishop's Palace next to the Cathedral was built in 1204 and continually used to the present day. Hereford Cathedral School is also one of the oldest schools in England.
body covering Hereford is Herefordshire Council
. Hereford has a "City Council" but this is actually a parish council
with city status
, and has only limited powers.
Historically Hereford has been the county town
of Herefordshire
. In 1974 Herefordshire was merged with Worcestershire
to become part of the county of Hereford and Worcester
, and Hereford became a district
of the new county. Hereford had formed a historic borough and was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
. On 1 April 1998 the County of Hereford and Worcester was abolished, and Herefordshire and Worcestershire were re-established as separate counties, although with slightly altered borders.
However the new Herefordshire was a unitary authority
without any districts, and so Hereford lost its district status (although, confusingly, the authority's full legal name is the County of Herefordshire District Council). Charter Trustees
were appointed to preserve mayoral traditions until a civil parish council could be set up, which happened in 2000. Hereford is one of only seven civil parishes in England which have city status.
The current member
of the House of Commons
for Hereford and South Herefordshire is Jesse Norman
.
, with limited seasonal temperature ranges, and generally moderate rainfall throughout the year. The nearest Met Office
weather station for which 30-year averages are available is Preston Wynne
weather station, about 5 miles (8 km) north east of the city centre. Since 2001 a weather station at Credenhill
, under 4 miles (6 km) to the west, has provided data.
Since 2001, extremes at Hereford Credenhill have ranged from 33.6 °C (92.5 °F) during July 2006, to as low as -15.8 °C during December 2010
and currently the plan is for a nine-mile (14 km) dual carriageway
; however, HM Government as yet has refused to grant permission or supply funds. Until then the A49 Trunk Road
, A465, and A438 continue to run through the city centre.
on the Welsh Marches Line
which opened in 1854. There was also another station in Hereford which is now closed, this was Hereford Barton. Services regularly connect to Worcester
, Birmingham
, London
, Manchester
and settlements in south Wales
.
was a non-flying station of the Royal Air Force
located nearby to Hereford. It was the home of a wide variety of training schools from 1940 until it closed for RAF training in 1999.
The city was the home of the British Special Air Service
(SAS) for many years, although the Regiment relocated to the nearby RAF Hereford site at Credenhill
in the late 1999.
The main public service employers in Hereford include:
In 2005 Hereford was granted Fairtrade City status.
Major employers in the city include:
Other major companies based in Herefordshire include:
Herefordshire is a centre for cider
production as it supports many acres of orchards, so many breweries and associated organisations exist here, along with other heavy and light industries. Within the city, many are based at the Rotherwas Industrial Estate.
Hereford also supports at least one of each of the major supermarket chains, with more on the way!
Many of the schools in Hereford have been rebuilt and improved, so exam results have improved even in the disadvantaged areas of the city. The Herefordshire College of Technology
has also been rebuilt to a 21st century standard.
Hereford benefitted from the PFI
reconstruction schemes for NHS hospitals, with the former County Hospital site having £60 million spent on a brand new, one-site hospital to replace the former 3 hospitals: the General, the Eye Hospital, and the County Hospital. The new Hereford County Hospital was the single largest investment in Herefordshire at that point.
, managed by Hereford Futures. This covers an area of around 100 acre (0.404686 km²) just north of the old city walls. Work is expected to start in late 2011, and should take around 15 years to complete the whole project. The regeneration includes the rebuilding of the canal basin at the end of the disused Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal
.
The £80 million phase 1 will include a supermarket, multiplex cinema, shops, resturaunts, and other facilities
The Butter Market
is due for refurbishment within the next 2 years
A proposed bypass
has been drawn to circulate the city, which suffers from rush hour traffic, with potential routes either to the east or west of the city. Both routes would connect with the Rotherwas Access Road which was recently completed, connecting the Rotherwas Industrial Estate to the A49
. Rotherwas itself has recently been awarded an Enterprise Zone status by the government which is expected to boost the economy and bring in thousands of new jobs.
Hereford is due to receive half of the 20,600 new homes expected to be built in the county by 2026 as part of the Regional Spatial Strategy
.
, best known for beating Newcastle
in the FA Cup
in January 1972, when they were still a non-league side and Newcastle were in the top division of English football. They had a spell in the Football League
from 1972 to 1997 reaching the second tier
of English football in 1976, and were relegated to non-League status in 1997 before returning to beat Halifax Town A.F.C.
3–2 in the Nationwide Conference
play-off final in 2005-06
to book a return to the Football League. They were again promoted, this time automatically, during the 2007-08
season, projecting them to this level of football for the first time since the late 1970s
.
As part of the regeneration of Hereford City Centre, the football club are renovating their ground.
Football within the county is administered by the Herefordshire Football Association
Hereford Rugby Club is also a popular local team. The club has just announced a major £6 million move to a new home.
The city is also home to Hereford Racecourse
, a traditional National Hunt course to the north of the city centre which hosts around twenty meetings a year. Within the racecourse is a municipal Golf
course owned by HALO Leisure, who plan major improvements. Many other golf courses surround the City at Belmont, Burghill and Brockington.
(that includes huge sports halls, gymnasium
, squash courts, golf
course, and an outdoor athletics
facility), and the Hereford Leisure Pool (which includes a gymnasium, full size swimming pool, leisure pool, diving pool, and learners pool).
; it is a popular club with a strong junior group. The stretch of river is also used for other water sports. The Wye is the third largest river in Britain.
Hereford has a thriving nine pin skittle
league, formed on 24 October 1902, and today consisting of five divisions.
Hereford has other well attended set of clubs and societies including the Liberal Club
, Railway Club, Farmers Club, Welsh Club, Military Club, and the Whitecross Squash
& Lawn Tennis
Club.
, a higher education institution which offered teacher training qualifications.
The National School of Blacksmithing
is the oldest established Blacksmithing college in the UK, also the largest facility for training smiths in Europe. This is also part of HCT.
Primary Schools in the city include:
and NHS Herefordshire became the first local authority and Primary Care Trust to form a new kind of partnership. A single chief executive leads both organisations and there is also a joint management team and several joined up teams and services, which work as one organisation to plan, purchase, design and deliver care, which reduces duplication and expenditure.
The major hospital in Hereford is the Hereford County Hospital. Ambulance
Services are provided by the West Midlands Ambulance Service
NHS Trust.
A private national firm operates a hospital in Hereford, and the city is well populated with council-funded, private and charity based nursing, residential and other elderly care homes & facilities.
; a major market site for many years.
Sadly with the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak the market suffered and trade reduced. Established by Act of Parliament
, the market must be provided, and so a new Bill was introduced in 2003 to move the site to the outskirts of the city. The inner city site would then be available for redevelopment, a process that has now begun.
The new Hereford Cattle Market opened its doors in August 2011 on a new site just outside the city.
, originating in the 18th century and one of the oldest music festivals in Europe, is held in Hereford every third year, the other venues being Gloucester
and Worcester
.
Composer Sir Edward Elgar
lived at Plas Gwyn in Hereford between 1904 and 1911, writing some of his most famous works during that time. He is commemorated with a statue on the Cathedral Close
. One of his Enigma Variations was inspired by a bulldog named Dan falling into the River Wye at Hereford, and the dog is similarly honoured with a wooden statue beside the river.
Hereford is home to the Hereford Police Male Voice Choir who competed on the BBC TV show "Last Choir Standing", and the Railway Choir.
There are numerous little galleries and places to find artworks in Hereford.
squad Rainbow
were based at RAF Hereford, as detailed in the novel Rainbow Six
.
which broadcasts on 97.6FM, Sunshine Radio
on 106.2 FM and 954 kHz Am, and BBC Hereford and Worcester
which broadcasts on 94.7FM.
Hereford is briefly mentioned, though mispronounced, in Ronin
as a ploy by Sam (Robert De Niro
) to expose Spence (Sean Bean
) as a liar.
The Hereford Times
is the major weekly newspaper, with the 'Hereford Journal' and 'Hereford Admag' also in circulation. The Council produces a regular magazine called "Herefordshire Matters".
Local TV content is currently provided by BBC Midlands Today and ITV Central News. Hereford has been selected as a viable location for a new local TV station by the UK Government.
which was opened in 1998, replacing the New Hereford Theatre.
There is also a single screen Odeon cinema
in Commercial Road, although the nearest multiplex facility is some distance away in Worcester. This is set to change when the new city centre development is complete, with a new multiplex being built by 2015.
TGS Bowling, home to a Ten Pin Bowling alley and Adventure Golf course is located near the train station.
There is also a dedicated Skatepark
on Holmer Road.
, with the exception of lead singer Chrissie Hynde
, were from Hereford, as were the rock band Mott the Hoople
.
Frank Oz
, puppeteer for The Muppets
was born in Hereford and lived there for the first five years of his life.
The actress Beryl Reid
and the singer Ellie Goulding
were born in Lyonshall but now lives in Hereford, as were footballers Aaron Wildig
and Connor Wickham
.
Sarah Siddons
, John Kemble
, Nell Gwynne, and David Garrick
are all historical figures popularly associated with Hereford.
is an historic black and white house in the centre of High Town in Hereford City. It is now a museum about life in the Jacobean
era of the 1600s when it was built.
The Hereford Museum and Art Gallery
, housed in a Victorian Gothic building and opened in 1874, presents artefacts, fine art, and decorative art associated with the local area.
The Hereford Cider Museum is located in the City, with a shop and a fully interactive guide to how to produce the drink.
Hereford Cathedral
dates from 1079 and contains the Mappa Mundi
, a medieval map of the world dating from the 13th century which was restored in the late 20th century. It also contains the world famous Chained Library
.
Holme Lacy House is now a hotel for a major national chain was built by John Scudamore in the 1500s. It has played host to many famous historical figures in its time.
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
of Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies on the River Wye
River Wye
The River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK and for parts of its length forms part of the border between England and Wales. It is important for nature conservation and recreation.-Description:...
, approximately 16 miles (25.7 km) east of the border with Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, 24 miles (38.6 km) southwest of Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
, and 23 miles (37 km) northwest of Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
. With a population of 55,800 people, it is the largest settlement in the county.
The name "Hereford" is said to come from the Anglo Saxon
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
"here", an army or formation of soldiers, and the "ford", a place for crossing a river. If this is the origin it suggests that Hereford was a place where a body of armed men forded or crossed the Wye
River Wye
The River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK and for parts of its length forms part of the border between England and Wales. It is important for nature conservation and recreation.-Description:...
. The Welsh name for Hereford is Henffordd, meaning "old road", and probably refers to the Roman Road and Roman settlement at nearby Stretton Sugwas
Stretton Sugwas
Stretton Sugwas is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England, about four miles north-west of Hereford. The parish also includes the village of Swainshill. The Stretton in the name comes from the Roman road which passes east-west through the village.-External links:...
.
An early town charter from 1189 granted by Richard I of England
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
describes it as "Hereford in Wales". Hereford has been recognised as a city since time immemorial
Time immemorial
Time immemorial is a phrase meaning time extending beyond the reach of memory, record, or tradition, indefinitely ancient, "ancient beyond memory or record"...
, with the status being reconfirmed as recently as October 2000.
It is now known chiefly as a trading centre for a wider agricultural and rural area. Products from Hereford include: cider
Cider
Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
, beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
, leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
goods, nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
alloys, poultry, chemicals and cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, including the famous Hereford breed
Hereford (cattle)
Hereford cattle are a beef cattle breed, widely used both in intemperate areas and temperate areas, mainly for meat production.Originally from Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom, more than five million pedigree Hereford Cattle now exist in over 50 countries...
.
History
Bishop of Hereford
The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury.The see is in the City of Hereford where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Ethelbert which was founded as a cathedral in 676.The Bishop's residence is...
, some time between AD 676 and 688, after which the settlement continued to grow due to its proximity to the border between Mercia
Mercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, becoming the Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
capital of West Mercia
Mercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
by the beginning of the 8th century.
Hostilities between the Anglo-Saxons and the Welsh
Britons (historical)
The Britons were the Celtic people culturally dominating Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. They spoke the Insular Celtic language known as British or Brythonic...
came to a head with the Battle of Hereford
Battle of Hereford
The Battle of Hereford was fought at Hereford, England in 760. The conflict followed decades of hostility between the Welsh Kingdoms of Brycheiniog, Gwent and Powys by Æthelbald of Mercia and Coenred of Wessex, and involved the armies of Mercia and the Welsh...
in 760, in which the Britons freed themselves from the influence of the English. Hereford was again targeted by the Welsh during their conflict with the Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
King Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
in AD1056 when, supported by Viking allies, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn
Gruffydd ap Llywelyn
Gruffydd ap Llywelyn was the ruler of all Wales from 1055 until his death, the only Welsh monarch able to make this boast...
, King of Gwynedd and Powys, marched on the town and put it to the torch before returning home in triumph.
The present Hereford Cathedral
Hereford Cathedral
The current Hereford Cathedral, located at Hereford in England, dates from 1079. Its most famous treasure is Mappa Mundi, a mediæval map of the world dating from the 13th century. The cathedral is a Grade I listed building.-Origins:...
dates from the 12th century. Former Bishops of Hereford
Bishop of Hereford
The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury.The see is in the City of Hereford where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Ethelbert which was founded as a cathedral in 676.The Bishop's residence is...
include Saint Thomas de Cantilupe
Thomas Cantilupe
Thomas de Cantilupe was an English saint and prelate.-Early years:...
and Lord High Treasurer of England Thomas Charlton.
The city gave its name to two suburbs of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
: Maisons-Alfort
Maisons-Alfort
Maisons-Alfort is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Maisons-Alfort is famous as the location of the National Veterinary School of Alfort, the most renowned veterinary medical school in France...
(population 54,600) and Alfortville
Alfortville
Alfortville is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-History:The commune of Alfortville was created on 1 April 1885 by detaching its territory from the commune of Maisons-Alfort.-Transport:...
(population 36,232), due to a manor built there by Peter of Aigueblanche
Peter of Aigueblanche
Peter of Aigueblanche was a medieval Bishop of Hereford. A nobleman from Savoy, he came to England as part of the party accompanying King Henry III's bride Eleanor of Provence. He entered the royal service, becoming bishop in 1241...
, Bishop of Hereford
Bishop of Hereford
The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury.The see is in the City of Hereford where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Ethelbert which was founded as a cathedral in 676.The Bishop's residence is...
, in the middle of the 13th century.
Hereford, a base for successive holders of the title Earl of Hereford
Earl of Hereford
The title of Earl of Hereford was created six times in the Peerage of England. See also Duke of Hereford, Viscount Hereford. Dates indicate the years the person held the title for.-Earls of Hereford, First Creation :*Swegen Godwinson...
, was once the site of a castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
, Hereford Castle
Hereford Castle
Hereford Castle was a castle in the cathedral city of Hereford in Herefordshire, England.- Pre Norman Castle :It stood on a site to the south and east of the modern city overlooking the River Wye...
, which rivalled that of Windsor
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
in size and scale. This was a base for repelling Welsh attacks and a secure stronghold for English kings such as King Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
when on campaign in the Welsh Marches
Welsh Marches
The Welsh Marches is a term which, in modern usage, denotes an imprecisely defined area along and around the border between England and Wales in the United Kingdom. The precise meaning of the term has varied at different periods...
against Owain Glyndŵr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
. The castle was dismantled in the 18th century and landscaped into Castle Green.
After the Battle of Mortimer's Cross
Battle of Mortimer's Cross
The Battle of Mortimer's Cross was fought on 2 February 1461 near Wigmore, Herefordshire . It was part of the Wars of the Roses....
in 1461, during the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
, the defeated Lancastrian leader Owen Tudor
Owen Tudor
Sir Owen Meredith Tudor was a Welsh soldier and courtier, descended from a daughter of the Welsh prince Rhys ap Gruffudd, "Lord Rhys". However, Owen Tudor is particularly remembered for his role in founding England's Tudor dynasty – including his relationship with, and probable secret marriage to,...
(grandfather of the future Henry VII of England
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
) was taken to Hereford by Sir Roger Vaughan and executed in High Town. A plaque now marks the spot of the execution. Vaughan was later himself executed, under a flag of truce, by Owen's son Jasper.
During the civil war
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
the city changed hands several times. On 30 September 1642 Parliamentarians
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
led by Sir Robert Harley and Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford
Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford
Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford , known as the Lord Grey of Groby from 1614 to 1628, was an English nobleman and military leader. He was the eldest son of Sir John Grey and Elizabeth Nevill...
occupied the city without opposition. In December they withdrew to Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
because of the presence in the area of a Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
army under Lord Herbert
Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Cherbury
Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury was an Anglo-Welsh soldier, diplomat, historian, poet and religious philosopher of the Kingdom of England.-Early life:...
. The city was again occupied briefly from 23 April to 18 May 1643 by Parliamentarians commanded by Sir William Waller
William Waller
Sir William Waller was an English soldier during the English Civil War. He received his education at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, and served in the Venetian army and in the Thirty Years' War...
but it was in 1645 that the city saw most action. On 31 July 1645 a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
army of 14,000 under Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven
Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven
Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven was a Scottish soldier in Dutch, Swedish and Scottish service. Born illegitimate and raised as a foster child, he subsequently advanced to the rank of a Dutch captain, a Swedish Field Marshal, and in Scotland became lord general in command of the Covenanters,...
besieged
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
the city but met stiff resistance from its garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
and inhabitants. They withdrew on 1 September when they received news that a force led by King Charles
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
was approaching. The city was finally taken for Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
on 18 December 1645 by Colonel Birch
John Birch (soldier)
Colonel John Birch was a soldier in the English civil war and later Member of parliament for Leominster and Weobley, Herefordshire....
and Colonel Morgan
Sir Thomas Morgan, 1st Baronet
Major-General Sir Thomas Morgan, 1st Baronet was a Welsh soldier during the English Civil War, and Commander-in-Chief in Scotland during the Restoration....
. King Charles showed his gratitude to the city of Hereford on 16 September 1645 by augmenting the city's coat of arms with the three lions of Richard I of England
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
, ten Scottish Saltires signifying the ten defeated Scottish regiments, a very rare lion crest on top of the coat of arms signifying "defender of the faith" and the even rarer gold-barred peer's helm, found only on the arms of one other municipal authority: those of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
.
Nell Gwynne, actress and mistress of King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, is said to have been born in Hereford in 1650 (although other towns and cities, notably Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, also claim her as their own); Gwynn Street is named after her. Another famous actor born in Hereford is David Garrick
David Garrick
David Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
(1717–1779).
The Bishop's Palace next to the Cathedral was built in 1204 and continually used to the present day. Hereford Cathedral School is also one of the oldest schools in England.
Governance
The main local governmentLocal government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
body covering Hereford is Herefordshire Council
Herefordshire Council
Herefordshire Council is the local government authority for the county of Herefordshire in England. It is a unitary authority.It is a relatively new council, formed on 1 April 1998 following the split of Hereford and Worcester back into two separate counties.It is currently run by Conservatives. It...
. Hereford has a "City Council" but this is actually a parish council
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
with city status
City status in the United Kingdom
City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarch to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city". Nonetheless, this appellation carries its own prestige and, consequently, competitions...
, and has only limited powers.
Historically Hereford has been the county town
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
of Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
. In 1974 Herefordshire was merged with Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
to become part of the county of Hereford and Worcester
Hereford and Worcester
Hereford and Worcester was an English county created on 1 April 1974, by the Local Government Act 1972 from the area of the former administrative county of Herefordshire, most of Worcestershire and the county borough of Worcester.It bordered Shropshire, Staffordshire and the West Midlands to the...
, and Hereford became a district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
of the new county. Hereford had formed a historic borough and was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
Municipal Corporations Act 1835
The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 – sometimes known as the Municipal Reform Act, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in the incorporated boroughs of England and Wales...
. On 1 April 1998 the County of Hereford and Worcester was abolished, and Herefordshire and Worcestershire were re-established as separate counties, although with slightly altered borders.
However the new Herefordshire was a unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
without any districts, and so Hereford lost its district status (although, confusingly, the authority's full legal name is the County of Herefordshire District Council). Charter Trustees
Charter Trustees
In England and Wales, charter trustees are set up to maintain the continuity of a town charter or city charter after a district with the status of a borough or city has been abolished, until such time as a parish council is established...
were appointed to preserve mayoral traditions until a civil parish council could be set up, which happened in 2000. Hereford is one of only seven civil parishes in England which have city status.
The current member
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
of the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for Hereford and South Herefordshire is Jesse Norman
Jesse Norman
Alexander Jesse Norman a British Conservative politician who is the Member of Parliament for Hereford and South Herefordshire. He was selected at an open primary in December 2006. He was a director at Barclays before leaving the City in 1997 to research and teach at University College...
.
Climate
As with all of the UK, Hereford experiences a maritime climateOceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
, with limited seasonal temperature ranges, and generally moderate rainfall throughout the year. The nearest Met Office
Met Office
The Met Office , is the United Kingdom's national weather service, and a trading fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
weather station for which 30-year averages are available is Preston Wynne
Preston Wynne
Preston Wynne is a small village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England located north east of Hereford, and south east of Leominster. It is the site of a medieval chapel and several ancient ring ditches....
weather station, about 5 miles (8 km) north east of the city centre. Since 2001 a weather station at Credenhill
Credenhill
Credenhill is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England,Near Credenhill is the site of the former Royal Air Force station RAF Hereford, which is now the headquarters of 22 Special Air Service Regiment.-Notable residents:...
, under 4 miles (6 km) to the west, has provided data.
Since 2001, extremes at Hereford Credenhill have ranged from 33.6 °C (92.5 °F) during July 2006, to as low as -15.8 °C during December 2010
Roads
There have been plans for many years for a north–south bypassBypass (road)
A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
and currently the plan is for a nine-mile (14 km) dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
; however, HM Government as yet has refused to grant permission or supply funds. Until then the A49 Trunk Road
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
, A465, and A438 continue to run through the city centre.
Rail
Hereford is served by a 4-platform railway stationHereford railway station
Hereford railway station serves the city of Hereford, England. Managed by Arriva Trains Wales, it lies on the Welsh Marches Line between Leominster and Abergavenny and is the western terminus of the Cotswold Line.The station has four platforms...
on the Welsh Marches Line
Welsh Marches Line
The Welsh Marches Line , known historically as the North and West Route, is the railway line running from Newport in south-east Wales to Shrewsbury in the West Midlands region of England by way of Abergavenny, Hereford and Craven Arms, and thence to Crewe via Whitchurch...
which opened in 1854. There was also another station in Hereford which is now closed, this was Hereford Barton. Services regularly connect to Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and settlements in south Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
Air
There is no airport in or near Hereford. The nearest are at Gloucester, Birmingham and Cardiff.Military Associations
RAF HerefordRAF Hereford
RAF Hereford was a non-flying station of the Royal Air Force. It was the home of a wide variety of training schools from 1940 until it closed for RAF training in 1999. It was also known as RAF Credenhill, as it is situated in Credenhill, north-west of Hereford...
was a non-flying station of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
located nearby to Hereford. It was the home of a wide variety of training schools from 1940 until it closed for RAF training in 1999.
The city was the home of the British Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
(SAS) for many years, although the Regiment relocated to the nearby RAF Hereford site at Credenhill
Credenhill
Credenhill is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England,Near Credenhill is the site of the former Royal Air Force station RAF Hereford, which is now the headquarters of 22 Special Air Service Regiment.-Notable residents:...
in the late 1999.
Economy
- The Herefordshire CouncilHerefordshire CouncilHerefordshire Council is the local government authority for the county of Herefordshire in England. It is a unitary authority.It is a relatively new council, formed on 1 April 1998 following the split of Hereford and Worcester back into two separate counties.It is currently run by Conservatives. It...
- NHS Herefordshire
- Herefordshire HousingHerefordshire HousingHerefordshire Housing is a social housing trust responsible for the former council housing of the Herefordshire Council local authority. The organisation is based in 3 locations in Hereford City.-History:...
In 2005 Hereford was granted Fairtrade City status.
Major employers in the city include:
- BulmersH. P. BulmerH.P. Bulmer is a brewing company founded in 1887 in Hereford, England. The founder was Percy Bulmer, the twenty-year-old son of the local rector at Credenhill...
- CiderCiderCider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
and alcoholic beverages producer. Brands include Woodpecker CiderWoodpecker CiderWoodpecker Cider is an alcoholic drink originally made in 1894 by Percy Bulmer in Herefordshire, today it is still brewed by Bulmers .Woodpecker is noted for having a lower percentage of alcohol than most other ciders, as well as its sweet taste. It is usually available in pubs and bars and is...
, StrongbowStrongbowThe term Strongbow may refer to:*Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, a Norman earl also known by the nickname "Strongbow"*Strongbow Cider*Beleg Cúthalion , a character in JRR Tolkien's Quenta Silmarillion...
and Bulmers Cider - Special Metals Wiggin Ltd - Manufacturers of nickelNickelNickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
alloys - CargillCargillCargill, Incorporated is a privately held, multinational corporation based in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Founded in 1865, it is now the largest privately held corporation in the United States in terms of revenue. If it were a public company, it would rank, as of 2011, number 13 on the Fortune 500,...
Meats Europe (formerly Sun Valley) - Manufacturers and suppliers of food products for retailers and foodservice operators - Painter Brothers - Manufacturers of galvanized steel towers including The SkylonSkylon (tower)The Skylon was a futuristic-looking, slender, vertical, cigar-shaped steel tensegrity structure located by the Thames in London, that apparently floated above the ground, built in 1951 for the Festival of Britain....
Other major companies based in Herefordshire include:
- Spinning Dog Brewery - Brewers of traditional beers in Hereford City
- Wye Valley BreweryWye Valley BreweryWye Valley Brewery is a brewery in the village of Stoke Lacy, Herefordshire, England, in the Wye Valley. Founded in 1985 by Peter Amor, it has become "one of Britain's leading independent breweries"...
- Producers of such beers as Butty Bach and Hereford Pale Ale (HPA) and other real ales. - Weston's CiderWeston's CiderH. Weston & Sons Limited is a cider producer based in Much Marcle, Herefordshire, England. The company has been making cider in the same place since 1878 and sells more than 150 ciders and perrys, including both organic and low alcohol varieties.'Stowford Press' is Westons Cider's most popular...
- Award-winning cider and perry producer based just outside Hereford - M and M DirectM and m directM and M Direct is a clothing store in the United Kingdom. It sells its products over the Internet and by mail order. Its catalogue is distributed quarterly...
- Major sportswear and fashion retailer based just north of Hereford
Herefordshire is a centre for cider
Cider
Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
production as it supports many acres of orchards, so many breweries and associated organisations exist here, along with other heavy and light industries. Within the city, many are based at the Rotherwas Industrial Estate.
Hereford also supports at least one of each of the major supermarket chains, with more on the way!
Regeneration
Hereford City has, for much of the 20th Century remained structurally stagnant with no major investment. Since the council became independent from Worcester in 1998, much has changed in that regard.Many of the schools in Hereford have been rebuilt and improved, so exam results have improved even in the disadvantaged areas of the city. The Herefordshire College of Technology
Herefordshire College of Technology
Herefordshire College of Technology is a college of further education in Hereford, Herefordshire, England.The majority of students, mainly adults, follow courses in health, public services and care, preparation for life and work, and business administration...
has also been rebuilt to a 21st century standard.
Hereford benefitted from the PFI
PFI
PFI may stand for:* Pagan Federation International* Pellet Fuels Institute, a trade association that serves the wood pellet fuel industry* Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology* Pharmaceutical Formulation Intermediates...
reconstruction schemes for NHS hospitals, with the former County Hospital site having £60 million spent on a brand new, one-site hospital to replace the former 3 hospitals: the General, the Eye Hospital, and the County Hospital. The new Hereford County Hospital was the single largest investment in Herefordshire at that point.
Current and Future Projects
A controversial major regeneration project is planned in Hereford city centre, known as the Edgar Street GridEdgar Street Grid
The Edgar Street Grid is a major regeneration project taking place in Hereford city centre. Stanhope has recently been named as the main contractor. Costing almost £1 billion, it will be the biggest redevelopment project in the 1,000 year plus history of Hereford, and is intended to restore the...
, managed by Hereford Futures. This covers an area of around 100 acre (0.404686 km²) just north of the old city walls. Work is expected to start in late 2011, and should take around 15 years to complete the whole project. The regeneration includes the rebuilding of the canal basin at the end of the disused Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal
Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal
The Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal is a canal in the west of England, which ran from Hereford, the county town of Herefordshire to Gloucester the county town of Gloucestershire, where it linked to the River Severn...
.
The £80 million phase 1 will include a supermarket, multiplex cinema, shops, resturaunts, and other facilities
The Butter Market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
is due for refurbishment within the next 2 years
A proposed bypass
Bypass
Bypass may refer to:* Bypass , in effects units, a switch that allows sound* Bypass , in computing, circumventing security features in hacking, or taking a different approach to an issue in troubleshooting* Bypass * Bypass surgery...
has been drawn to circulate the city, which suffers from rush hour traffic, with potential routes either to the east or west of the city. Both routes would connect with the Rotherwas Access Road which was recently completed, connecting the Rotherwas Industrial Estate to the A49
A49 road
The A49 is a major road in western England, which traverses the Welsh Marches region. It runs north from Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire via Hereford, Leominster, Ludlow, Shrewsbury and Whitchurch, then continues through central Cheshire to Warrington and Wigan before terminating at its junction with...
. Rotherwas itself has recently been awarded an Enterprise Zone status by the government which is expected to boost the economy and bring in thousands of new jobs.
Hereford is due to receive half of the 20,600 new homes expected to be built in the county by 2026 as part of the Regional Spatial Strategy
Regional Spatial Strategy
Regional spatial strategies provided regional level planning frameworks for the regions of England outside London. They were introduced in 2004...
.
Sport
Hereford is home of Hereford United Football ClubHereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
, best known for beating Newcastle
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
in January 1972, when they were still a non-league side and Newcastle were in the top division of English football. They had a spell in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
from 1972 to 1997 reaching the second tier
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
of English football in 1976, and were relegated to non-League status in 1997 before returning to beat Halifax Town A.F.C.
Halifax Town A.F.C.
Halifax Town Association Football Club were an English football team who most recently played in the Conference National, although prior to that they participated in the Football League for over eighty years...
3–2 in the Nationwide Conference
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
play-off final in 2005-06
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
to book a return to the Football League. They were again promoted, this time automatically, during the 2007-08
2007-08 in English football
The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...
season, projecting them to this level of football for the first time since the late 1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
.
As part of the regeneration of Hereford City Centre, the football club are renovating their ground.
Football within the county is administered by the Herefordshire Football Association
Hereford Rugby Club is also a popular local team. The club has just announced a major £6 million move to a new home.
The city is also home to Hereford Racecourse
Hereford Racecourse
Hereford Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Hereford, Herefordshire.The course is almost square in shape with a circuit of about a mile-and-a-half. Opened in 1771 the course was greatly modernised in the 1960s, with also in 1966 a photo-finish camera being...
, a traditional National Hunt course to the north of the city centre which hosts around twenty meetings a year. Within the racecourse is a municipal Golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
course owned by HALO Leisure, who plan major improvements. Many other golf courses surround the City at Belmont, Burghill and Brockington.
Public Leisure
Hereford's public leisure facilities are managed by a not-for-profit trust called HALO Leisure, which runs the Hereford Leisure CentreLeisure centre
A leisure centre in the UK and Canada is a purpose built building or site, usually owned and operated by the city, borough council or municipal district council, where people go to keep fit or relax through using the facilities.- Typical Facilities :...
(that includes huge sports halls, gymnasium
Gymnasium
Gymnasium may refer to:*Gymnasium , educational and sporting institution*Gymnasium , type of secondary school that prepares students for higher education**Gymnasium **Gymnasium...
, squash courts, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
course, and an outdoor athletics
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
facility), and the Hereford Leisure Pool (which includes a gymnasium, full size swimming pool, leisure pool, diving pool, and learners pool).
Clubs and Societies
The Hereford Rowing Club (along with the Kayak Club) uses the River WyeRiver Wye
The River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK and for parts of its length forms part of the border between England and Wales. It is important for nature conservation and recreation.-Description:...
; it is a popular club with a strong junior group. The stretch of river is also used for other water sports. The Wye is the third largest river in Britain.
Hereford has a thriving nine pin skittle
Skittles (sport)
Skittles is an old European lawn game, a variety of bowling, from which ten-pin bowling, duckpin bowling, and candlepin bowling in the United States, and five-pin bowling in Canada are descended. In the United Kingdom, the game remains a popular pub game in England and Wales, though it tends to be...
league, formed on 24 October 1902, and today consisting of five divisions.
Hereford has other well attended set of clubs and societies including the Liberal Club
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
, Railway Club, Farmers Club, Welsh Club, Military Club, and the Whitecross Squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
& Lawn Tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
Club.
University
Herefordshire is one of only three English counties not to have a university. However, before 1977 Hereford was home to Hereford College of EducationHereford College of Education
Hereford College of Education was a teacher training college in the English city of Hereford. The college was established in 1902 and was the only higher education institution in the county of Herefordshire throughout its existence. It provided in-service training for teachers, particularly in the...
, a higher education institution which offered teacher training qualifications.
Colleges
Hereford is home to five colleges, including:- Hereford College of Arts - a publicly funded art school located on Folly Lane, with a Higher EducationHigher educationHigher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
centre on Whitecross Road, and a Media Centre on Bath Street. The University of GloucestershireUniversity of GloucestershireThe University of Gloucestershire is a university primarily based in Gloucestershire, England, spread over four campuses, three in Cheltenham and one in Gloucester...
and universities in Wales co-operate to provide degree qualifications.
- Herefordshire College of TechnologyHerefordshire College of TechnologyHerefordshire College of Technology is a college of further education in Hereford, Herefordshire, England.The majority of students, mainly adults, follow courses in health, public services and care, preparation for life and work, and business administration...
or HCT - the only main higher education facility in the county, and the largest in terms of property ownership. In late 2005 HCT secured £28.4 million from the Learning and Skills CouncilLearning and Skills CouncilThe Learning and Skills Council was a non-departmental public body jointly sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Children, Schools and Families in England...
to fund a new Learning Village, which would secure Further Education for the long term in a county that has no university. Herefordshire Council announced preliminary work would begin in early 2006, though it was not until late November that the first phase began.
The National School of Blacksmithing
National School of Blacksmithing
The National School of Blacksmithing is part of Herefordshire College of Technology, a college of further education . It is located at the Centre for Rural Crafts in Holme Lacy, approximately 6 miles from the city of Hereford, Herefordshire, England.The school was founded in 1946...
is the oldest established Blacksmithing college in the UK, also the largest facility for training smiths in Europe. This is also part of HCT.
- Hereford Sixth Form CollegeHereford Sixth Form CollegeHereford Sixth Form College is a co-educational state funded sixth form college in Hereford, England.It offers some 40 subjects at A-Level and 10 at GCSE. It is on the A465 in Aylestone Hill, in the east of Hereford, opposite Wye Valley Nuffield Hospital and next to Hereford College of Arts and...
- The Sixth Form college for the county.
- The Royal National College for the Blind - One of the top colleges in Europe for blind and visually impaired students, and one of only two in Britain. The college occupies the former Hereford College of Education campus.
- Holme Lacy College - An agricultural college that was part of the Pershore Group of Colleges (now Warwickshire CollegeWarwickshire CollegeWarwickshire College is a large further and higher education college in England. It provides National Curriculum courses and vocational education in a broad range of subjects to students aged 16 and over...
), but currently belongs to Herefordshire College of Technology (HCT).
Schools
Hereford's many Secondary Schools include:- The Steiner Academy Hereford - Which is the first Rudolf SteinerRudolf SteinerRudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist. He gained initial recognition as a literary critic and cultural philosopher...
school in England to become an Academy. It is a fast developing and ever changing school, as unique as they come.
- Aylestone Business and Enterprise CollegeAylestone Business and Enterprise CollegeAylestone Business and Enterprise College is a co-educational high school in Herefordshire, England, founded in 1976.-Admissions:The curriculum includes business and enterprise skills, English, mathematics, Science, humanities, and modern languages...
- A co-educational comprehensive schoolComprehensive schoolA comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
for pupils aged between 11 and 16, created in 1976 by merging two former grammar schools, the Hereford High School for Boys and the Hereford High School for Girls. Specializes in Business and EnterpriseBusiness and Enterprise CollegeBusiness and Enterprise Colleges were introduced in 2002 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields...
.
- The Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat SchoolBishop of Hereford's Bluecoat SchoolThe Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School is a mixed comprehensive secondary school in the Tupsley district of Hereford, England. It is a voluntary aided school, which takes children from the age of 11 through to the age of 16. It is a Church of England school and is administered by the Hereford...
- A co-educational voluntary aidedVoluntary aided schoolA voluntary aided school is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust owns the school buildings, contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school...
comprehensive school for pupils aged between 11 and 16, formed in 1973 from two former church secondary schools, the Bluecoat foundation, dating back to 1710 and the Bishop’s School, a secondary modern schoolSecondary modern schoolA secondary modern school is a type of secondary school that existed in most of the United Kingdom from 1944 until the early 1970s, under the Tripartite System, and was designed for the majority of pupils - those who do not achieve scores in the top 25% of the eleven plus examination...
founded in 1958. It is now a Technology CollegeTechnology CollegeTechnology College is a term used in the United Kingdom for a secondary specialist school that focuses on design and technology, mathematics and science. These were the first type of specialist schools, beginning in 1994. In 2008 there were 598 Technology Colleges in England, of which 12 also...
with a second specialism in LanguagesLanguage CollegeLanguage Colleges were introduced in 1995 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, modern foreign languages...
.
- The Hereford Academy - A high school for pupils aged between 11 and 16. It was known as Haywood High School in the late seventies until 2006, when it was re-named as Wyebridge Sports College. As of 1, September 2009, It was re-named The 'Hereford Academy'. It has been, like Whitecross High School, re-classified as a 'Sports College'. The Academy's new building opened in September 2011, and the demolition of the old school site, making way for new playing fields to be laid out, will be completed by Spring 2012.
- Hereford Cathedral SchoolHereford Cathedral SchoolHereford Cathedral School is an independent, co-educational day school, with around 520 pupils aged between the ages of 11 and 18. It has four houses, named Langford , Stuart , Somerset and Cornwall Hereford Cathedral School is an independent, co-educational day school, with around 520 pupils aged...
- A co-educational independent schoolIndependent schoolAn independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
and sixth form, and a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' ConferenceHeadmasters' and Headmistresses' ConferenceThe Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference is an association of the headmasters or headmistressess of 243 leading day and boarding independent schools in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and the Republic of Ireland...
. The earliest existing records date from 1384 though it is likely that a school was associated with the cathedral from its foundation in the late 7th century. HCS, together with HCJS (see below) educates the choristers for Hereford Cathedral Choir.
- Hereford Cathedral Junior SchoolHereford Cathedral Junior SchoolHereford Cathedral Junior School is an independent, co-educational day school for children aged from two to eleven years. The Junior School is part of the Hereford Cathedral Foundation, which dates back to 676, with written records dating back to 1378...
- A co-educational independent schoolIndependent schoolAn independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
. Hereford Cathedral Junior School is, with Hereford Cathedral School, part of the ancient Hereford Cathedral Foundation dating back to 676. The Junior School was founded as an independent school in 1898.
- St. Marys RC High School - A Roman Catholic Comprehensive School for boys and girls aged 11–16. The school primarily serves the Catholic Communities of Herefordshire and is situated in a very attractive rural location close to the River Lugg, a few miles to the east of the City of Hereford in the village of Lugwardine.
- Whitecross High School & Sports College - A specialistSpecialist schoolThe specialist schools programme was a UK government initiative which encouraged secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust was responsible for the delivery of the programme...
Sports CollegeSports CollegeSports Colleges were introduced in 1997 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, PE, sports and dance. Schools that successfully apply to the Specialist Schools Trust and become Sports...
, which moved to a brand new PFIPrivate Finance InitiativeThe private finance initiative is a way of creating "public–private partnerships" by funding public infrastructure projects with private capital...
building in June 2006. The college for pupils aged between 11 and 16 aims to use the new facility to provide the best high school education for its pupils in the topic of Sports & Fitness.
Primary Schools in the city include:
- Broadlands
- Holmer
- Hunderton
- Lord Scudamore
- St Francis Xavier
- St Thomas Cantilupe
- St Paul's
- Trinity
Health & Social Care
Herefordshire leads the UK in the way it brings health and local government together. In early 2008, Herefordshire CouncilHerefordshire Council
Herefordshire Council is the local government authority for the county of Herefordshire in England. It is a unitary authority.It is a relatively new council, formed on 1 April 1998 following the split of Hereford and Worcester back into two separate counties.It is currently run by Conservatives. It...
and NHS Herefordshire became the first local authority and Primary Care Trust to form a new kind of partnership. A single chief executive leads both organisations and there is also a joint management team and several joined up teams and services, which work as one organisation to plan, purchase, design and deliver care, which reduces duplication and expenditure.
The major hospital in Hereford is the Hereford County Hospital. Ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
Services are provided by the West Midlands Ambulance Service
West Midlands Ambulance Service
The West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust is the second-largest ambulance service in the UK. It is the authority responsible for providing NHS ambulance services in Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire.It is one of 12 Ambulance Trusts...
NHS Trust.
A private national firm operates a hospital in Hereford, and the city is well populated with council-funded, private and charity based nursing, residential and other elderly care homes & facilities.
Agriculture
Farming has played a major part in the history of the county of Herefordshire, and for many years the City of Hereford was the epicentre, playing host to the Cattle MarketMarket
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
; a major market site for many years.
Sadly with the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak the market suffered and trade reduced. Established by Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
, the market must be provided, and so a new Bill was introduced in 2003 to move the site to the outskirts of the city. The inner city site would then be available for redevelopment, a process that has now begun.
The new Hereford Cattle Market opened its doors in August 2011 on a new site just outside the city.
Music
The annual Three Choirs FestivalThree Choirs Festival
The Three Choirs Festival is a music festival held each August alternately at the cathedrals of the Three Counties and originally featuring their three choirs, which remain central to the week-long programme...
, originating in the 18th century and one of the oldest music festivals in Europe, is held in Hereford every third year, the other venues being Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
and Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
.
Composer Sir Edward Elgar
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
lived at Plas Gwyn in Hereford between 1904 and 1911, writing some of his most famous works during that time. He is commemorated with a statue on the Cathedral Close
Cathedral Close
A cathedral close is an architectural term referring to the series of buildings that serve as appendages to a cathedral. These may include buildings housing diocesan offices, schools, free-standing chapels associated with the cathedral, and the houses of the bishop and other clergy associated with...
. One of his Enigma Variations was inspired by a bulldog named Dan falling into the River Wye at Hereford, and the dog is similarly honoured with a wooden statue beside the river.
Hereford is home to the Hereford Police Male Voice Choir who competed on the BBC TV show "Last Choir Standing", and the Railway Choir.
Art
H.Art, or Herefordshire Art Week, is an annual county-wide exhibition held in September, displaying the work of local artists. Many places usually closed to the public are opened during this week, such as the Bishop's Palace at the Cathedral.There are numerous little galleries and places to find artworks in Hereford.
Literature
The troops of the fictional commandoCommando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
squad Rainbow
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six is a tactical shooter computer game and the first in the Rainbow Six series. It was developed and published by Red Storm Entertainment for the PC in 1998. It was later ported to Mac OS, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Dreamcast and Game Boy Color. An expansion pack, Tom Clancy's...
were based at RAF Hereford, as detailed in the novel Rainbow Six
Rainbow Six (novel)
Rainbow Six is a techno-thriller novel written by Tom Clancy. It focuses on John Clark, Ding Chavez, and a fictional multi-national counterterrorist unit codenamed Rainbow, rather than Jack Ryan and national politics...
.
Media
The local radio stations are Wyvern FMWyvern FM
Wyvern is a radio station broadcasting to Herefordshire and Worcestershire in England. Wyvern is predominantly music-based, playing pop from the 1980s through to the present day...
which broadcasts on 97.6FM, Sunshine Radio
Sunshine Radio
Sunshine Radio may refer to:* Sunshine 855, a radio station station covering South Shropshire, North Herefordshire and North Worcestershire* Sunshine Radio , a radio station based in Hereford...
on 106.2 FM and 954 kHz Am, and BBC Hereford and Worcester
BBC Hereford and Worcester
BBC Hereford and Worcester is the BBC Local Radio service for the English counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire. It broadcasts from its studios in both Worcester and Hereford on 104 , 104.4 104.6 and 94.7 FM; as well as 738 and 1584 MW on AM...
which broadcasts on 94.7FM.
Hereford is briefly mentioned, though mispronounced, in Ronin
Ronin (film)
Ronin is a 1998 action-thriller film directed by John Frankenheimer and written by J.D. Zeik and David Mamet. It stars Robert De Niro and Jean Reno as two of several former special forces and intelligence agents who team up to steal a mysterious, heavily guarded suitcase while navigating a maze of...
as a ploy by Sam (Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
) to expose Spence (Sean Bean
Sean Bean
Shaun Mark "Sean" Bean is an English film and stage actor. Bean is best known for playing Boromir in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and, previously, British Colonel Richard Sharpe in the ITV television series Sharpe...
) as a liar.
The Hereford Times
Hereford Times
The Hereford Times is a weekly tabloid newspaper published every Thursday in Hereford, England. Its offices are based in Holmer Road. The editor is Fiona Phillips...
is the major weekly newspaper, with the 'Hereford Journal' and 'Hereford Admag' also in circulation. The Council produces a regular magazine called "Herefordshire Matters".
Local TV content is currently provided by BBC Midlands Today and ITV Central News. Hereford has been selected as a viable location for a new local TV station by the UK Government.
Entertainment
The city's main theatre and cultural venue is the Courtyard Centre for the ArtsCourtyard, Hereford
The Courtyard Centre for the Arts is a theatre and arts venue in Hereford, England, located on Edgar Street just outside the city centre. The building was constructed between 1997 and 1998 on the site of another theatre; The New Hereford Theatre, a converted swimming baths which had become outdated...
which was opened in 1998, replacing the New Hereford Theatre.
There is also a single screen Odeon cinema
Cinema
Cinema may refer to:* Film, motion pictures or movies* Filmmaking, the process of making a film* Movie theater, a building in which films are shown* Cinema or Bommalattam, a Tamil film...
in Commercial Road, although the nearest multiplex facility is some distance away in Worcester. This is set to change when the new city centre development is complete, with a new multiplex being built by 2015.
TGS Bowling, home to a Ten Pin Bowling alley and Adventure Golf course is located near the train station.
There is also a dedicated Skatepark
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
on Holmer Road.
Famous People
The original lineup of The PretendersThe Pretenders
The Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...
, with the exception of lead singer Chrissie Hynde
Chrissie Hynde
Christine Ellen "Chrissie" Hynde is an US musician best known as the leader of the rock/new wave band the Pretenders. She is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and has been the only constant member of the band throughout its history.-Early life and career:Hynde is the daughter of a part-time...
, were from Hereford, as were the rock band Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople were a British rock band with strong R&B roots, popular in the glam rock era of the early to mid 1970s. They are popularly known for the song "All the Young Dudes", written for them by David Bowie and appearing on their 1972 album of the same name.-The early years:Mott The Hoople...
.
Frank Oz
Frank Oz
Frank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
, puppeteer for The Muppets
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
was born in Hereford and lived there for the first five years of his life.
The actress Beryl Reid
Beryl Reid
Beryl Elizabeth Reid, OBE was a British actress of stage and screen.-Early life:Born in Hereford, England in 1919, Reid was the daughter of Scottish parents and grew up in Manchester where she attended Withington and Levenshulme High Schools.-Career:Reid applied for and was accepted in a revue in...
and the singer Ellie Goulding
Ellie Goulding
Elena Jane "Ellie" Goulding is an English singer-songwriter. In 2010 she became only the second artist to both top the BBC's annual Sound of... poll, and win the Critics' Choice Award at the BRIT Awards in the same year, following Adele's win of both in 2008...
were born in Lyonshall but now lives in Hereford, as were footballers Aaron Wildig
Aaron Wildig
Aaron Keith Wildig is an English professional footballer, currently playing for Football League Championship side Cardiff City.-Cardiff City:...
and Connor Wickham
Connor Wickham
Connor Neil Ralph Wickham is an English footballer who plays for Sunderland as a striker.He played youth football at Reading before being released and moving to Ipswich Town in 2006 where he continued in the youth structure. He made his full professional debut for the club in April 2009...
.
Sarah Siddons
Sarah Siddons
Sarah Siddons was a Welsh actress, the best-known tragedienne of the 18th century. She was the elder sister of John Philip Kemble, Charles Kemble, Stephen Kemble, Ann Hatton and Elizabeth Whitlock, and the aunt of Fanny Kemble. She was most famous for her portrayal of the Shakespearean character,...
, John Kemble
John Kemble
John Kemble may refer to:*John Kemble , Roman Catholic martyr*John Philip Kemble, English actor and manager*John H. Kemble, American maritime historian...
, Nell Gwynne, and David Garrick
David Garrick
David Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
are all historical figures popularly associated with Hereford.
Tourism and Attractions
The Old House, HerefordThe Old House, Hereford
The Old House is a historic and distinctive black and white half-timbered house in High Town, Hereford, England, built in 1621. It is now a museum.- History :...
is an historic black and white house in the centre of High Town in Hereford City. It is now a museum about life in the Jacobean
Jacobean
Jacobean indicates the period of English history that coincides with the reign of James I of England :*Jacobean era*Jacobean architecture*Jacobean literature*Jacobean English...
era of the 1600s when it was built.
The Hereford Museum and Art Gallery
Hereford Museum and Art Gallery
The Hereford Museum and Art Gallery is a local museum in the cathedral city of Hereford, Herefordshire, England.The museum is housed in a Victorian Gothic building...
, housed in a Victorian Gothic building and opened in 1874, presents artefacts, fine art, and decorative art associated with the local area.
The Hereford Cider Museum is located in the City, with a shop and a fully interactive guide to how to produce the drink.
Hereford Cathedral
Hereford Cathedral
The current Hereford Cathedral, located at Hereford in England, dates from 1079. Its most famous treasure is Mappa Mundi, a mediæval map of the world dating from the 13th century. The cathedral is a Grade I listed building.-Origins:...
dates from 1079 and contains the Mappa Mundi
Hereford Mappa Mundi
The Hereford Mappa Mundi is a mappa mundi, of a form deriving from the T and O pattern, dating to ca. 1300. It is currently on display in Hereford Cathedral in Hereford, England...
, a medieval map of the world dating from the 13th century which was restored in the late 20th century. It also contains the world famous Chained Library
Chained library
A chained library is a library where the books are attached to their bookcase by a chain, which is sufficiently long to allow the books to be taken from their shelves and read, but not removed from the library itself...
.
Holme Lacy House is now a hotel for a major national chain was built by John Scudamore in the 1500s. It has played host to many famous historical figures in its time.
See also
- List of Hereford MPsHereford (UK Parliament constituency)Hereford was, until 2010, a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since 1918, it had elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system....
- Railways in HerefordRailways in HerefordHereford has seen a history of expansion and decline in its railway history.-Hereford Railway:Incorporated in 1826.This was a tramroad which linked with other earlier tramroads to form a continuous line between Hereford and Abergavenny...
- HerefordshireHerefordshireHerefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
- Hereford United F.C.Hereford United F.C.Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
- Hereford CathedralHereford CathedralThe current Hereford Cathedral, located at Hereford in England, dates from 1079. Its most famous treasure is Mappa Mundi, a mediæval map of the world dating from the 13th century. The cathedral is a Grade I listed building.-Origins:...
- Hereford (cattle)Hereford (cattle)Hereford cattle are a beef cattle breed, widely used both in intemperate areas and temperate areas, mainly for meat production.Originally from Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom, more than five million pedigree Hereford Cattle now exist in over 50 countries...
- Hereford and WorcesterHereford and WorcesterHereford and Worcester was an English county created on 1 April 1974, by the Local Government Act 1972 from the area of the former administrative county of Herefordshire, most of Worcestershire and the county borough of Worcester.It bordered Shropshire, Staffordshire and the West Midlands to the...
External links
- Herefordshire Council
- Where Is Hereford Local information about hereford, UK.
- Your online guide to Hereford Local information about the city of Hereford
- The Hereford Times Local paid for weekly newspaper for Hereford and surrounding areas
- Hereford City Council
- Hereford Futures
- Herefordshire Housing
- Critique of Hereford in the Telegraph