Hereford (city)

Hereford (city), cathedral city and administrative capital of Herefordshire, western England. Hereford lies on the River Wye, north-west of Gloucester, in the centre of a prosperous agricultural district. There are many apple orchards in the vicinity and Hereford is known as a cider-making centre, producing over 50 per cent of all British cider. The local Hereford cattle, with their deep red coats and white faces, are one of the world's major breeds of beef cattle. Hereford is the main employment and service centre for the area. It is an important agricultural market town, and food- and drink-processing are major industries.

There has been a cathedral at Hereford since the city was founded. The present Hereford Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Ethelbert is predominantly Norman, dating from the 12th century. A purpose-built exhibition building, which was opened in 1996, houses the cathedral's famous Mappa Mundi (c. 1290) and the world's largest chained library; the 1,444 volumes all have a chain attached to secure them to lecterns, a protective measure reflecting their cost and rarity at the time they were made. Other notable buildings include the 15th-century All Saints Church, the 17th-century Coningsby Hospital, the Preaching Cross (1370), and the City Museum of Roman artefacts. Hereford has a castle, which is now derelict but was the scene of fierce battles during the English Civil War.

Hereford is an ancient city, founded in about ad 700. Early fortifications to protect the city against the Welsh were replaced by stone walls in the 11th century. Part of the walls still stand by the 15th-century Wye Bridge. Hereford was a centre of the wool trade until the late 15th century and is the seat of two historic schools, the Cathedral Grammar School (founded 1384) and the Blue Coat School (founded 1710). Population 50,539 (1994 estimate).