Places to see: Hereford Cathedral

Hereford Cathedral

A place of worship has existed on the Hereford Cathedral site since at least the 8th century, although construction on the present building only began in 1079. Substantial parts of the building you see today, date from both the Norman and the Gothic periods - The Cathedral is now a Grade I listed building.

Today the Cathedral is a mixture of ancient and modern - I hope you enjoy my photographs - it really is a building of striking contrasts from every angle - inside and out.

The cathedral is dedicated to two saints, St Mary the Virgin and St Ethelbert the King (who was beheaded by Offa, King of Mercia in the year 794). His execution, or murder, is said to have taken place at Sutton, four miles from Hereford, with Ethelbert's body brought to the site of the modern cathedral by 'a pious monk'; where he was buried. At Ethelbert's tomb - miracles were said to have occurred, and in the next century, Milfrid, a Mercian nobleman, was so moved by the tales of these miracles, that he had a little stone church built dedicated to the sainted king.

The present building contains fabulous examples of architecture, stained glass and art from numerous periods - which can be further explored on tours with knowledgeable guides. You can also climb the 218 steps for some great views of the city and countryside. There are also many opportunities for visitors to experience the music of the cathedral with concerts and recitals taking place during the year.

It is said to have been the centre of a diocese as early as the 670s, when it was was refounded by Putta, who settled here when driven from Rochester by Æthelred of Mercia. This stone building stood for about 200 years, and then, in the reign of Edward the Confessor, it was altered. The new church only had a short life, as it was plundered and burnt in 1056 by a combined force of Welsh and Irish.

The Quire houses the fabulously carved 14th century choir stalls, the bishop's throne, the great Father Willis Organ, the 13th century King Stephen's chair and High Altar.

The silver gilt corona was made in 1992 by Simon Beer - it surmounts the principle altar.

There are many points of interest around the interior, from this 12th century font, paintings on the walls to elaborate noble tombs.

On both sides of the Cathedral, you will also find small chapels; such as the tiny (but immaculately carved) Stanbury Chapel which was built to remember John Stanbury, who was the Bishop of Hereford 1453 - 1474.

One of the highlights has got to be the Shrine of St Thomas of Hereford, which has attracted pilgrims since the end of the 13th century. The colourful stone and marble tomb is one of the best preserved medieval shrines in England.

Follow the life story of Thomas de Cantilupe who later became Bishop of Hereford - where he performed various miracles.

There is a crypt containing the 15th century statue of St John the Baptist and an altar commemorating those who died in the First World War.

When you have explored the main part of the Cathedral, and perhaps stopped for some refreshments at the cafe you will come to another of the Cathedral's treasures......................

A day at the cathedral would not be complete without visiting the Mappa Mundi & Chained Library Exhibition which draws visitors from across the world (it costs £6 per person to enter). The Hereford Mappa Mundi is the largest medieval world map to survive and is listed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

The Hereford Mappa Mundi is a 14th-century map of the world. It is one of the most remarkable monuments of its kind, being the largest but one, of all the old maps - drawn on a single sheet of vellum.

The world is represented as round, surrounded by the ocean. At the top of the map (the east) is a representation of Paradise, with its river, tree and the eating of the forbidden fruit (leading to the expulsion of Adam and Eve). Above is a representation of the Day of Judgment, with the Virgin Mary interceding for the faithful, who are seen rising from their graves and being led within the walls of heaven.

There are numerous figures of towns, animals, birds, and fish, with grotesque, mythical creatures; the four great cities, Jerusalem, Babylon, Rome, and Troy, are made very prominent. In Britain rivers are marked and most of the cathedrals are mentioned. It is an absolutely fascinating work of art - that I found mesmerising and wanted to explore for quite a long time.

The British Isles are at the bottom left hand corner of the world - as shown below.

It is the work of an ecclesiastic, who is supposedly represented in the right-hand corner on horseback, together with his page boy and greyhounds. He called himself Richard de Haldingham and Lafford in Lincolnshire, but his real name was Richard de la Battayle or de Bello. He held a prebendal stall in Lincoln Cathedral, and was promoted to a stall in Hereford in 1305. During the troubled times of Cromwell, the map was laid beneath the floor of Edmund Audley's Chantry, beside the Lady Chapel, where it remained in secret for some years. In 1855 it was cleaned and repaired at the British Museum.

In the 1980s, a financial crisis in the diocese, caused the Dean to consider the selling the Mappa Mundi; but after much controversy, large donations from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Paul Getty and members of the public, kept the map in Hereford. It also allowed the construction of a new library to house the map and the chained libraries from the Cathedral and All Saints' Church. The Cathedral now has the largest library of chained books in the world.

Hereford is also fortunate to possess one of the surviving 1217 Magna Cartas, which is one of the finest of the eight oldest that survive. It is sometimes put on display alongside the Hereford Mappa Mundi in the cathedral's chained library.

The Chained Library holds over 1,400 rare books (56 that were printed before the year 1500) , and 229 medieval manuscripts.

In 2015, landscaping and restoration efforts began at the cathedral, financed by the Heritage Lottery Fund. These efforts involved reburying thousands of corpses, some from 12th century to the 14th century stone-lined graves, from the cathedral burial plot.

Visitors to the cathedral can enjoy refreshments in the Cathedral Cafe (the 15th century Bishop's Cloister) or enjoy them in the unique historic Chapter House garden before visiting the Cathedral Shop for souvenirs or gifts.

Hereford Cathedral is free to enter but charges for activities such as tours.

The cathedral is normally open to visitors 10 am - 3 pm, (12 noon - 3pm Sundays).

For more info head to www.herefordcathedral.org