Hereford Cathedral

Hereford Cathedral is without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most beautiful cathedrals that I have ever seen on my travels. I had the pleasure of visiting this example of architectural mastery, and I was not disappointed. Not only is the exterior extremely easy on the eye, but the interior is spellbinding. In terms of amenities, there is a café, a cathedral shop, the Mappa Mundi Museum, the SAS memorial, and the Chained Library. The café and shop sell goods for great prices, the SAS memorial is completely free to visit, and the Mappa Mundi & Chained Library can be accessed for under ten quid. Visiting Hereford Cathedral is a must

Awesome cathedral to visit if you are in Hereford. Super old as you would expect from an English cathedral and loads to see, as well as handy informational placards here and there to help the visitor. Also home of the mappa mundi which is a small cost of about £7 per person if my memory serves, but worth it, seeing something so ancient that was such a big part of our history on this earth.

A beautiful cathedral with the unique Mappa Mundi displayed in the exhibition area. Really nice gift shop too and a little cafe. Definitely a must see when in Hereford

What an amazing Cathedral and it is free. So many beautiful stained glass windows, lots of different architecture, very helpful staff with lots of information to help you appreciate the building. The cafe had a good selection of sandwiches, cakes etc, if the weather is nice you can sit outside and also enjoy the flowers. The Mappa Mundi is in the exhibition room and chained library, there is a cost to go in here and unfortunately we ran out of time to visit it.

We were recommended this by a friend to visit as a must see attraction in Hereford. The Cathedral alone is an amazing experience to discover all the historical information and architecture. The Mapps Mundi and Chained Library is a unique experience with excellent staff who happily explain all aspects of these unique artifacts. The Cathedral is free to enter but you have to pay a reasonable fee for the Mappa Mundi and Chained Library. There is also a cafe and toilets if needed and the whole area is ideal for those that have mobility issues or are wheelchair users.

It certainly as the wow factor. If you an appreciation of masonry or intricate wood carving, this would be worth a visit. Beautiful stained glass. Full of history. Area set aside for parents with children. Lovely cafe which also has seating in a pleasant garden area along with a shop. Pleasant helpful staff. Well behave dogs are also allowed in the cathedral.

A warm welcome to a warm cathedral with free entry which is a big plus these days. Dogs welcome too. We enjoyed our stay and contributed well in excess of the modest £5 suggestion. The linked Mappa Mundi and chain library exhibition is a must visit and is subject to a separate charge. There is a small café too and outside seating in warmer weather. Highly recommend place to visit.

Wonderful visit to the Cathedral and then in to see the Mappa Mundi and the Chained Library. The Cathedral is free to go in but you do need to pay a small charge for the Mappa Mundi and Chained Library. Worth every penny to see the earliest surviving medieval map of the world. The Chained Library contains many early books and some of the very early printed books among which is a Caxton book.

This cathedral is absolutely incredible. The craftsmanship involved and the countless years it took to construct are impressive. Entry is free. You can schedule a tour if you're interested. If you're in Hereford, be sure to add this to your list of must-see places.

I have visited quite a lot of cathedrals in England. This was a pleasant one (although the one in Wells is still one of my favs). This is worthy of a visit if you are in this city

Although the Cathedral at Hereford sits on an ancient Christian site, it has been rebuilt many times during its 1,300-odd year history, most recently in the early 20th century. But this small, attractive Cathedral has had a more colourful history than most, and contains some priceless historical artifacts, notably its mediaeval chained library and the famous Mappi Mundi. Hereford is thought to have been the centre of a diocese as early as the 6th century, but it is clear that it was refounded in 676AD by the Saxon Bishop Putta, erstwhile Bishop of Rochester. In 792, the cathedral also became home to the remains of King Ethelbert (Æthelberht) of East Anglia, beheaded by Offa, King of Mercia. The reasons behind the beheading are unknown the unfortunate Ethelbert was to have married Offa's daughter. Whatever the cause, miracles were said to have occurred at his tomb, and Ethelbert was canonised: the cathedral still retains its double dedication, to St Mary the Virgin and St Ethelbert the King. Around 830AD, the church was rebuilt in stone, and stood until ransacked by the Welsh in 1056. The arrival of the Normans signalled a major rebuilding programme, begun under Robert of Lorraine in 1076 and completed in 1145. Much of this work remains, particularly in the Choir and the Transepts, and the finely decorated nave arcade. The retention of the 11th-century ground plan is the reason for Hereford's relatively small size. A retro-choir and Lady Chapel were added around 1220, and the same century also saw the rebuilding of the north transept, and the clerestory and vault of the Choir. The 14th century saw the essential completion of the church, with the additional of its fine decorated gothic central tower, a western tower, a number of chantries, a fine cloister and the north porch. In 1786 the western tower collapsed, taking the West front and part of the nave with it. Rebuilt not entirely successfully - by James Wyatt, the 1800s saw further restoration, much of it under George Gilbert Scott, and in 1908 a new West front was completed to replace Wyatt's work. The cathedral we see now is therefore essentially a Norman building with later additions. Its interior has some remarkable furnishings and fittings, including mediaeval glass, the fine 14th-century tomb of Sir Richard Pembridge in full armour, the tomb of St Thomas of Hereford (Bishop Thomas de Cantilupe, 1218-1282), the small but beautiful 15th-century Audley Chantry, and the priceless mediaeval chained library, which contains books and manuscripts from the 13th century onwards. Chief among its glories is the Mappa Mundi, a map of the world showing Jerusalem at its centre, and dating from the 13th century. The cathedral has the inevitable shop, and a modern café, situated in the cloister. The cathedral is famed for its music, a choir having been established here in the 13th century. Along with Gloucester and Worcester, it also hosts the famous Three Choirs Festival, every three years (the next occasion being 2009). Dating back to 1727, this is the oldest music festival in Europe, and possibly the world. Details can be found at: http://www.3choirs.org .

Beautiful inside, lovely history. I was able to get the Free Tower Tour on a heritage weekend. The view from the top of the cathedral is stunning. See it on youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/user/LaEstrellaDeMar

The inside of the cathedral is gorgeous, and the gift shop is excellent with a good range of products. There is even a café, and although the indoor seating is limited there is more outside. But to climb the tower isn't free, and see the Mappa Mundi costs £6 per person!! Gasp.

This is a beautiful Cathedral in very good condition. The Cathedral was built in the 11th Century, although over the years it has been destroyed and rebuilt. Housed at the Cathedral is the Mappa Mundi. It is a historical record that recorded how thirteenth-century scholars interpreted the world in spiritual as well as geographical terms. Well worth seeing. The Cathedral is free to visit although donations can be made. There is a charge for the Mappa Mundi which is £4.50 per adult. There are concessionary fees. One place I would recommend is the Cloister Coffee Shop. It is cheap and the home made cakes are to die for.

Great five pound tour of the bellfry and rooftop. Guide was friendly and not rushed. Very impressive! Costs 4,000 pounds per day to run the cathedral! The interior of this cathedral is amazing and there are free lunch organ concerts. Nice gift shop and cafe. Once a year local artist show.

Hereford Cathedral is a truly magical place that will stay with you for years to come. Not only does it hold many historical artifacts like most churches/cathedrals, it also makes you feel very humble and at peace with things. It seems like you step into it and it automatically makes you feel warm. The staff are friendly and very helpful they also are very knowledgeable and always on hand to answer of your questions if you have any. I think the place is suitable for young and old alike, and there is a beautiful green outside for people to sit on, on a good day. I come here a lot as I have family here, and I come here every time, there is something that attracts me to this place although I have yet to be on one of the guided tours up the spire!

Fantastic place to visit. Great surroundings and lots of things to explore inside! I have had great times here and would advice anyone to see this place! Must visit !

A magnificant cathedral & definitely worth a visit. My chikldren enjoyed going around the Cathedral as youngsters. When the tower is open it is worth going up as the views from the top over the beautiful Herefordshire countryside are spectacular.

This Cathedral is absolutely stunningly beautiful inside , I was very pleasantly surprised after popping in one day with an hour to spare to be taken aback with its inner beauty! from the beautiful ceilings to the little nooks and crannies I found that an house whizzed by with me only seeing a tiny piece of it! I most definitely will be back over the coming days to see what other delights are hidden inside this little gem , this is a must see most definitely!!!

a very impotant part of hereford's history and very intresting place to visit.