Hereford

Hereford is a little town in the beautiful West Midlands not far from Wales. Founded in 700 AD, it was the Saxon capital. Located in the heart of agricultural Britain and home to five colleges, it has something for young and old alike. You can visit ancient castles, historic houses or old churches. Or, go to the many pubs and restaurants downtown. You'll want to wear comfortable shoes, as Hereford is a town best seen on foot.

In the middle of downtown Hereford is the 11th centuary Cathedral just above the River Wye. The building contains some of the finest examples of Norman architecture and includes a Romanesque Nave, and the beautiful Shrine of St. Thomas of Hereford. The church contains the Mappa Mundi exhibition and the world's largest Chained Library. The Mappa Mundi is the world's largest and elaborate, complete pre-fifteenth centuary world map in existence. The map was created in 1300 and was used for naval navigation. Superimposed onto the continents are drawings of the marvels of the natural world including 15 biblical events, 33 plants, animals and strange creatures. It is one of the few maps of the ancient world left in existence, and it is certainly one of the largest. The Mappa Mundi is drawn on a single sheet of calf skin and measures 1.58 x 1.33 meters. At the center of the map is the town of Jerusalem.

Also housed inside the Hereford Cathedral is the famous Chained Library. In ancient days, the best way to keep books from being stolen was to chain them down, and the Chained Library in Hereford is the the largest of its kind left in existence, and has all of its chains, rods and locks intact. It contains some of the oldest books in the world, including some from the 8th century. Admission prices to the Mappa Mundi exhibition and the Chained Library are £4.50 for adults and £3.50 for children.

At night, you can kick back and visit one of the many pubs and restaurants Hereford has to offer. Be sure to try some of the many ciders of the area as cider-making is a strong tradition of the area. The world's largest cider mill is Bulmers, and is located close to the city centre. While it is not possible to tour the cider factory, you'll be sure to find many of the Bulmer ciders in pubs around town.

If all else fails or you're not sure what to do, take a walk in some the beautiful Herfordshire countryside. Pack a picnic lunch and some cider and sit in some of the many apple orchards you'll find around town and drink in the beauty and peace of the hills.

www.flickr.com

See a Map of Hereford