Hereford
I’ve just done a search on these blogs for ‘Hereford’ – my hometown area – and there were only three rather tenuous references to it. So I thought I’d better do something about that, and do a post on the nicest area in England.
For starters, no-one ever seems to know where it is! It’s not in Wales! Let’s get that straight. The city was founded because it was a good strategic point to keep the Welsh out! So for those who don’t know where it is, here’s a map:
There you go – no excuses now! I’ve already said Hereford is a city – and this is why – we have a cathedral. Incidentally, when I was searching for a picture, I came across the fact that ‘cathedral’ was originally just an adjective – the noun is ‘cathedra’; cathedral has just assumed the character of a noun. It’s ‘cathedral church’ shortened. Wowzers.
Anyhow, for anyone who’s still not bored enough to stop reading, here it is:
For as long as I can remember though, there’s been a little shed round the side of the cathedral where there’s a team of stonemasons, who are replacing the stones which have become eroded; the sandstone being easily worn by pollution and acidic rain, and consequently there’s permanently some scaffolding around it somewhere. They’ve now, it seems, replaced the entire east end! Eventually they’ll have replaced the whole thing, and it’ll be a 20th century cathedral, not an 11th century one!! It makes me laugh because I link it with the joke in Only Fools and Horses where Trigger gets an award for having had the same road brush for 30 years, and goes on to say its had 11 new handles and 17 new heads!
The cathedral also houses the Mappa Mundi – a 13th century map of the world. I’m not sure if it’s the oldest map of the world, but its held in high regard. They have Jerusalem in the centre of it, as was the thinking of the time. If I remember correctly, Britain is somewhere near the bottom left – its the bit that, to be fair, does look vaguely like Britain and Ireland. It’s got lots of crazy drawings of the beasts mariners reckoned they’d seen on their travels, like strange three headed beasts and things. Those crazy medieval people. And in the top right corner, I’ve never really been sure what that thing that looks like a big red pair of trousers is. For the dim-witted and slow – the Mappa Mundi is that thing below:
Herefordshire is also known for its black and white villages, and I’m fortunate to live in one, Weobley. Below is a picture of some of the houses in Weobley – mine is similar but, unusually for houses of time, another floor taller. However, it has, started to lean over time – so much that my friends from here were horrified when I told them that the top of the house leans about 3 feet over where the base of the house is. The walls are wattle and daub, or, as termed by one of my housemates, ‘cow shit and grass’. This is technically true though, so I can’t argue.
Isn't it pretty! Anyhow, that’s Herefordshire sort of in a nutshell. I’d be surprised if anyone has actually read to the end of this, but if you have, then here’s a pretty picture as a reward – a famous (for Hereford!) shot over the Wye and the Old Bridge.
Guy Jeffery
15 Jun 2005 00:10
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14 comments by 6 or more people
[Skip to the latest comment]Very nice town. Isn't that the Red Sea on the old map, where the red colour is? Just out of curiosity.
15 Jun 2005, 09:29
u r crazy for living in a house that is leaning, it could fall over at any moment! however, i am glad u r finding resourceful things to do with your time instead of revising! its almost over now! lets go to top b on monday! yay!
15 Jun 2005, 10:13
Catherine Bray
I may have miss-read it but there seems to be no reference to cider…I'm very dissapointed in you Guy.
15 Jun 2005, 13:30
I never realised Hereford was so pretty. I have a tea towel with the Mappa Mundi on, excellent.
15 Jun 2005, 17:22
Guy Jeffery
I'm sorry about the lack of cider references!! I did think of mentioning, but didn't really have anything to say, other than we like to get drunk on apples!
15 Jun 2005, 20:58
That Mappa Mundi is rubbish; I have a cheapo road map which is far better – I don't understand what all the fuss is about. I reckon it's those cheap-skates in Hereford who make their own maps to save money and live in houses made of cow shit and grass 'cause they're too cheap to buy a proper house. I don't think you should live in your house anymore!
I will of course have to do a competing entry for Newcastle-Gateshead. But one thing does spring to mind; our lovely Cathedral (Cathedral Church of St Nicholas) is on Mosley Street described by Gladstone as 'our finest modern street' and the first in the world to be lit with electric lighting. Nowadays Radio 4 voted Grey Street as the finest street in Britain. And Grey – who most of us owe our right to vote to – was from Northumberland and is honoured in the center of Newcastle with Grey's Monument which is also the name of the nearby Metro station which is I think I'm right in saying the only underground train system in the UK outside of London.
I should probably stop there…ooo Earl Grey tea comes from Newcastle and crips come from Gateshead.
17 Jun 2005, 13:59
Just for clarity; Northumberland as it was then. Technically I should say Northumbria now.
17 Jun 2005, 14:02
…and the crisps were the first flavoured ones and the flavour was vinegar for some reason.
17 Jun 2005, 14:04
Guy Jeffery
But everyone knows where Newcastle/Gateshead is!!! And it the post was only there to point out that Hereford existed, and looked nice – I've just done a search on the blogs for Newcastle and got 78 hits. I don't doubt that far more 'important' people have come from the Newcastle area, and that far more innovations and inventions have come from the area, but that's not the post was about. As for the finest street, well Gladstone probably never came to Hereford to have a look anyway! However, what I've seen of Newcastle is nice too!
17 Jun 2005, 17:36
James Miles
Thanks to this entry I am TOTALLY visiting Hereford :)
19 Jul 2005, 11:37
Oliver Hambrey
Hey! I was born in Hereford General Hospital and lived there for nearly 2 years before my parents moved across the hills to Great Malvern. My brother is a huge Hereford United fan. Unfortunately they keep missing out on getting back into the football league because they can't seem to win Conference Playoff semi-finals. Yeah cider has to be what most people associate Herefordshire with. Home of Westons Cider. If anyone gets a chance to visit the county you should definitely check out their factory in Much Marcle. It's just off the A449 between Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye. In fact check out their website . You can go on a tour of the place and you get free samples of all sorts of ciders at the end.
24 Jul 2005, 18:55
Guy Jeffery
Oh, the Bulls need a whole post to themselves – I'll write one sometime! Surely its third time lucky – we'll finish top this time and get out of the tinpot league we're in right now. Some good signings – the terrior like tackling of the Grimbsy legend Stacy Coldicott and big Guy Ipoua up front, banging 'em in, should take us up! Hereford for the league!
05 Aug 2005, 16:51
Naomi Howell
Hey Guy – I live in Weobley too! I know what you mean about it being quiet – big contrast from Cov. You're totally right about nobody knowing where Hereford is – I spent the whole fresher's week explaining to people that it was 'near the Welsh border…'!
You went to HCS didn't you? I think I was in the year below you, in Chris Cullen's et al's year. It's good to see more people from HCS at Warwick – I was the only one from my year! Anyway, hope you're enjoying uni!
22 Aug 2005, 21:20
Bob Churchill
Hi, you don't know me, but I'm a Warwick graduate myself. I live in Worcester and Worcester is a sort of big version of Gloucester with more shops. Also we have a very similar "cathedra" except ours is bigger than yours, so nur nur. And it's so much better that it's on the back of the twenty pound note. Worcester rocks. Bye.
19 Jul 2006, 12:26
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