Hereford Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hereford Cathedral |
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| Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin and Saint Ethelbert the King |
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Cathedral from the north-west
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| Location | Hereford, Herefordshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Tradition | Broad church |
| Website | hereford cathedral.org |
| Architecture | |
| Previous cathedrals | 1 |
| Style | Gothic (Early English) |
| Years built | 1079-c.1250 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 342 ft (104.2m) |
| Nave length | 158 ft (48.2m) |
| Choir length | 75 ft (22.9m) |
| Nave width | 73 ft (22.3m) |
| Width across transepts | 256 ft (78m) |
| Height | 165 ft (50.3m) |
| Nave height | 64 ft (19.5m) |
| Choir height | 62 ft (19m) |
| Number of towers | 1 |
| Tower height | 165 ft (50.3m) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Hereford (since 680) |
| Province | Canterbury |
Hereford Cathedral is a very old and important church in Hereford, England. It is the main church for the Church of England in the area.
People have worshipped on this spot since the 700s or even earlier. The building you see today was started in 1079. Many parts of it are from the Norman and Gothic times. It is a special historic building, known as a Grade I listed building.
The cathedral has the world's largest library of books that are chained to their shelves. Its most famous treasure is the Hereford Mappa Mundi. This is a medieval map of the world made around the year 1300. The map is so important that it's on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
Contents
History of Hereford Cathedral
Early Beginnings
The cathedral is named after two saints: St Mary the Virgin and St Ethelbert the King. King Ethelbert was killed in the year 794 by Offa, King of Mercia. Historians don't know exactly why Offa did this, but stories say Ethelbert's body was brought to the cathedral's site.
Miracles were said to happen at Ethelbert's tomb. Around 830, a nobleman named Milfrid was so impressed that he rebuilt the small church there in stone. He dedicated it to the saintly king.
Hereford became a place for a bishopric (an area managed by a bishop) around the 670s. The first stone cathedral built by Milfrid lasted about 200 years. It was later attacked and burned in 1056 by Welsh and Irish forces. Seven church officials were killed trying to protect it.
Norman Building Period
Hereford Cathedral was in ruins until Robert of Lorraine became bishop in 1079. He started rebuilding it. His work was continued by Bishop Reynelm and finished by Bishop Robert de Betun around 1131 to 1148.
Parts of this original Norman church are still standing today. These include the main hall (nave) and parts of the choir. About 50 years after it was finished, Bishop William de Vere added a special area behind the choir called a retro-choir and a lady chapel.
Changes in the 1200s
Between 1226 and 1246, the Lady Chapel was rebuilt in the Early English style. It even had a crypt (an underground room) beneath it. Around the mid-1200s, the upper walls and ceiling of the choir were rebuilt. This was because the central tower had settled and caused damage.
Bishop Peter of Aigueblanche (1240–68) started rebuilding the north transept (the arm of the cross-shaped church). This work was finished later by Bishop Swinfield.
Peter of Aigueblanche
Peter of Aigueblanche, also known as Aquablanca, was an important bishop of Hereford. He spent a lot of money on the cathedral. He was known for helping his family get important jobs, which is called nepotism. He was once captured inside the cathedral by a group of barons who took money he had collected.
Thomas de Cantilupe
Thomas de Cantilupe was another important bishop. He worked hard to manage his area and protect the church's rights. Once, he made a powerful lord walk barefoot through the cathedral as punishment. He also won back lands that had been taken from the church.
Cantilupe died in 1282. His bones were brought back to Hereford Cathedral and placed in a special shrine. Many people came to visit his shrine, believing miracles happened there. In 1320, 40 years after his death, he was made a saint.
Work was done on the cathedral to welcome the many visitors coming to see his shrine. The north porch was built, which includes interesting carvings. It is also thought that the Hereford Mappa Mundi was created around this time.
Completing the Cathedral (1300s to 1500s)
In the early 1300s, the central tower was rebuilt. It has special "ball-flower" decorations. Around the same time, the chapter house (a meeting room for the clergy) was built. Later, bishops added more parts, like a tower at the western end and special chapels called chantries.
Bishops Richard Mayew and Charles Booth made the last additions to the main building between 1504 and 1535. They built the north porch, which is now the main entrance. This means the building of the cathedral took about 440 years!
From the 1500s to 1700s
During the English Civil War (a war between the King and Parliament), Hereford city was captured several times. When the city was taken, soldiers caused a lot of damage to the cathedral.
In the early 1700s, Bishop Philip Bisse worked to support the central tower. He also had a large altarpiece and an oak screen installed. His brother, Thomas Bisse, started a "Music Meeting" in 1724. This meeting later became the famous Three Choirs Festival, which still happens today with cathedrals in Worcester and Gloucester.
The Western Tower Falls (1786)
A big disaster happened on Easter Monday in 1786. The western tower of the cathedral fell down. This destroyed the entire west front and part of the main hall (nave). James Wyatt was hired to fix the damage. He not only repaired it but also made changes that some people didn't like.
Restoration in the 1800s
Major restoration work began in 1841. The old masonry that Bishop Bisse had used was removed from the central tower. The lantern (the part of the tower that lets light in) was made stronger. A lot of work was done on the nave and the outside of the Lady Chapel.
When the first architect died, George Gilbert Scott took over. He worked on restoring the choir until 1863. On June 30, 1863, the cathedral was officially reopened with special services. The west front was restored again between 1902 and 1908.
James Wyatt's west front was replaced with a very fancy new one. This was to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. There's a beautiful stained glass window with her figure, paid for by the women of the Hereford area.
Modern Changes (1900s and 2000s)
A new library building was built in the early 1990s. Queen Elizabeth II opened it in 1996. In 1967, a large iron choir screen that was designed by Scott was removed. It was later restored and is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
In 2010 and 2011, work was done to create a new Cathedral Green with paths and seating. In 2015, more restoration work began. This involved carefully reburying thousands of old bodies found in the cathedral's burial ground. Some of these graves dated back to the 1100s. It was unusual to find a person with leprosy buried near a cathedral, as people with this condition were often kept separate.
Inside the Cathedral
Dimensions
The cathedral is very large! The outside length is about 342 feet (104.2 meters). The inside length is 326 feet (99.4 meters). The main hall (nave) is 158 feet (48.2 meters) long, and the choir is 75 feet (22.9 meters) long. The central tower is 140.5 feet (42.8 meters) high, or 165 feet (50.3 meters) with its spires.
The nave is the main part of the church where people sit. It has beautiful decorations on its Norman architecture columns and arches. In the south aisle of the nave, there are two tombs from the 1300s with statues of church leaders. There is also the tomb of Sir Richard Pembridge, which shows what armor looked like in the time of King Edward III.
At the northern entrance, there is a porch and a decorated doorway. Inside, you can see a modern screen, a tall central lantern (the part of the tower that lets in light), and a carved altar screen (reredos). The Lady Chapel has tall, narrow windows and a vaulted roof.
The Norman font (where baptisms happen) is on the south side of the nave. It's a round bowl big enough for children to be fully dipped in.
Great Transept and Choir
The north transept (the northern arm of the cross shape) was rebuilt by Bishop Aquablanca. It has interesting patterns on its walls and uniquely shaped arches and windows. The north window has stained glass that remembers Archdeacon Lane-Freer. In this transept, you can find the tomb of Thomas de Cantilupe. It's made of Purbeck marble and has 14 figures of Knights Templar in armor.
The south transept is thought to be the oldest part of the cathedral. It shows some original Norman work.
The choir, where the church services are led, has many beautiful and interesting things. The reredos (altar screen) shows scenes from Jesus's life. Behind it, there's a carving of Christ with angels and the four Evangelists. You can also see a small statue of King Ethelbert here. The Bishop's throne and the choir stalls (seats for the choir) are from the 1300s and have been restored.
Misericords
The choir stalls have forty special carvings called misericords from the 1300s. These carvings are found on the underside of the seats. When the seats are folded up, the misericords provide a small ledge to lean on during long services. They show a mix of mythical creatures, funny figures, and scenes from everyday life.
Lady Chapel
The Lady Chapel is a large, beautiful room built over the crypt. It has five tall, narrow windows at the east end. These windows are filled with stained glass that remembers Dean Merewether, who is buried in the crypt below.
In the Lady Chapel, there are tombs of Joanna de Kilpec and Humphrey de Bohun. Joanna was a generous supporter of the cathedral in the 1300s. On the south side of the Lady Chapel, there is a special chapel built by Bishop Edmund Audley in the late 1400s.
Crypt and Library
The crypt is an underground room beneath the Lady Chapel. It's special because it's Gothic in style, not Norman. It was once used to store bones, which is why it was called Golgotha.
The library is famous for its old books, many of which are chained to their shelves. This was done to protect them from being stolen. Some books have beautiful illustrations in gold and color. Two very valuable books are a unique copy of a 13th-century church book and the Hereford Gospels, which is over a thousand years old. Another treasure is an old wooden box called a reliquary, covered with copper plates showing the murder of St. Thomas of Canterbury.
The Mappa Mundi
One of the cathedral's most famous treasures is the Hereford Mappa Mundi. This map of the world was made in the late 1200s. It was created by a church official named Richard de la Battayle. During a time of trouble in the 1600s, the map was hidden under the floor of a chapel to keep it safe.
In 1855, it was cleaned and repaired. It's one of the largest and most amazing old maps in the world, drawn on a single sheet of animal skin (vellum). The map shows the world as round, surrounded by the ocean. At the top (the east), it shows Paradise and the story of Adam and Eve. Above that, there's a picture of the Day of Judgment. The map also shows many towns, animals, birds, and strange creatures. Important cities like Jerusalem, Babylon, Rome, and Troy are shown clearly. Many cathedrals in Britain are also on the map.
In the 1980s, the cathedral faced money problems, and there was talk of selling the Mappa Mundi. But thanks to large donations from groups like the National Heritage Memorial Fund and many people, the map stayed in Hereford. A new library was built to house the map and the chained books. This new center opened in 1996.
Magna Carta
Hereford Cathedral is also lucky to have one of only four copies of the 1217 Magna Carta that still exist. It's one of the best-preserved old copies. Sometimes, it is displayed next to the Hereford Mappa Mundi in the chained library.
The Organ and Bells
The cathedral has a large organ built in 1892. It's considered one of the best organs made by its builder, "Father" Henry Willis. Many famous organists have played here, including John Bull and George Robertson Sinclair. The current organist is Geraint Bowen.
The cathedral tower holds 10 bells, about 140 feet (42.7 meters) high. The largest bell weighs 1.7 tonnes. The oldest bell in the cathedral is from the 1200s. These bells are sometimes called the "Grand Old Lady" because they are a very special set of bells.
Other Buildings
Near the cathedral are the remains of the Chapter House, which was damaged during the English Civil War. The Bishop's Palace, the Deanery, homes for the church officials, and the cathedral school are all close by. The college, where the vicars choral (choir members) live, is a pretty square building.
Gallery
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View from the north-east
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View from south-west
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South transept
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Ceiling bosses in the nave
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Lady Chapel Altar
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Stained glass windows
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A corbel from the restored West Front of Hereford Cathedral
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14th century grisaille glass
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Images for kids
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Cathedral from the north-west
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A plan of the cathedral published in 1836
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Wenceslas Hollar's drawing of the cathedral in the 1600s.
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View of the Ruins of the West Tower of Hereford Cathedral, an old picture from 1788.
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South West View of Wyatt's reconstruction with Cloisters (engraving)
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Hereford Cathedral (some scaffolding is on one of the spires on the tower)
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The nave, with Norman columns, viewed towards the choir
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The choir
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The Lady Chapel
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Crypt underneath the Lady Chapel
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The Hereford Mappa Mundi, the 14th-century map of the world
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Tomb of St Thomas de Cantilupe
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Hereford para niños
