The history of Hereford can be traced to the early 7th century AD when Saxon settlers fortified the site against the marauding Welsh. Situated adjacent to a ford over the River Wye, the name is said to derive from the Old English ,"ford used by the army". Following the Conquest, the Normans extended the city to the north, beyond the Saxon ramparts, and surrounded it by a fortified perimeter wall. The city remained a military stronghold until the 17th century. Hereford was valiantly loyal to the Crown during the English Civil War ( AD 1642-49) but afterwards lost its strategic significance. John Taylor's map of Hereford in 1757 (oldmap12.jpg 100 Kb) shows clearly the redundant city walls before their subsequent demolition.
In spite of the ravages of time, fire and war, many interesting buildings have survived to delight us today. The city posesses one of the highest concentrations of almshouses in the country, many dating from the medieval period. Buildings displaying the rich tradition of wood-carving of the region can be found in examples such as the Old House, c.1621, All Saints Church and the Booth Hall, with its late medieval alternate tie and hammer beam roof, c.1392. Fine examples of mediaeval stone carving are to be found in many local churches, particularly at Kilpeck Church, where 12th century Norman craftsmen produced a distinctive style of carving known as the "Herefordshire School."
Hereford Cathedral houses a number of important artifacts including the Mappa Mundi, the medieval Chained Library, a collection of rare manuscripts, early printed books and religious relics. A new library building to house the treasures has been built recently and was opened by HM The Queen on the 6th May 1996. The patron saint of Hereford is St Ethelbert (or Ethelbert) whose murder in 794 AD contributed to the birth of England as a nation state. The cult of St Ethelbert flourished during the 12th century, making Hereford second only to Canterbury in its importance as a place of pilgrimage. Every three years the Cathedral is host to the The Three Choirs Festival, the oldest such event in Europe.
Over the years, Hereford has been home to many historical characters who have made contributions to science, politics and the arts. Alfred Watkins, the pioneer photographer, businessman and inventor of the Ley Line hypothesis, lived his entire life in Hereford. Elgar, considered England's greatest native-born composer since Henry Purcell, spent his most creative years here. The famous thespians David Garrick, Sarah Siddons, The Kembles and Nell Gwynne, all spent their formative years in Hereford. In the face of such a plethora of talent, it is hardly suprising that Herefordians are bemused by all the fuss Stratford-upon-Avon makes over its single playwright.
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Local Government
In 1974 the former counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire were amalgamated to form Hereford & Worcester County Council. With an area of 1,516 square miles (3,927 square km), it was divided into nine districts; Bromsgrove, Leominster, Malvern Hills, Redditch, South Herefordshire, Wychavon, Wyre Forest and the cities of Hereford and Worcester (the county seat). It extended from the Welsh borderland in the west to the edges of the industrial Midlands in the east. (Ref: Encyclopedia Britannica)
The merger was implemented in order to obtain economies of scale in the delivery and co-ordination of social services, health care, education, strategic planning, roads and libraries. The move was strongly contested in both former counties but was particularly resented in Herefordshire. The structure largely ignored the formidable physical and psychological barrier of the Malvern Hills which form Herefordshire's natural eastern flank and which divided the county in two.
The Herefordshire Council
From the 1st April 1998 a new unitary authority for Herefordshire and a county council for Worcestershire replaced the former body. Elections to create a shadow council were held concurrently with the General Election on 1st May, 1997. The result determined that the new body will be controlled initially by a Liberal Democrat group, formed from 33 of the 60 elected members. This shadow council existed alongside Hereford & Worcester County Council until the formal hand-over occured. The new Herefordshire Council incorporates the former district councils of South Herefordshire, Leominster and Hereford City. Herefordshire Unitary Authority comprises 137 Parish Councils, which include Bromyard Town, Kington Town, Ledbury Town, Leominster Town, Ross-On-Wye, plus the City of Hereford Charter Trustees. Its website can be found at http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk
Hereford City Council
The new arrangements left Hereford temporarily without its own civic voice for the first time in over 600 years. However, the City of Hereford Charter Trustees were created to care for the City Charters, Plate and Silver and to carry out the Civic/Ceremonial and the Mayoralty functions; All assets that were previously held by Hereford City Council, with the exception of the City Charters, Silver, Plate and the Mayoral car, were transferred to the Unitary Authority at 1st April 1998.
On 1st April 2000, the City of Hereford Charter Trustees body was given Parish Status and with it, the right to style itself Hereford City Council. Further information about Hereford City Council can be found on its web site at http://www.herefordcitycouncil.gov.uk.
Member of Parliament
Voters also chose a Liberal Democrat, Mr Paul Keetch, to serve in Parliament for the constituency of Hereford. You can write to Mr Keetch at paulkeetch@cix.co.uk
Police Force
The policing of the region is the responsibility of
West Mercia Constabulary, which recently became the first U.K. police force to open it's own Web site.
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Hereford United F.C.
For many years Hereford United was the only Football League club in Hereford and Worcester. The club's home turf at Edgar Street, has a capacity of 12,000. In 1972, the club came to national prominence following a brave attempt to reach Wembley in the FA Cup, later gaining promotion briefly to the Second Division. More recently, the team's fortunes have waned and, following a crucial match against Brighton, Hereford lost its place in the Football League. The start of the 1997 season saw the club begin to make something of life in the GM Vauxhall Conference League.
Web Fanzines
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References & Acknowledgments
The details listed have been drawn from a number of published sources:-
- Hereford City Council Tourist Information Centre
- Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Photo by kind permission of Hereford City Council
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, Media Services can take no responsiblity for any errors or omissions.
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