Hereford Cathedral: Everything you need to know
Every day throughout Advent, we'll be introducing a different cathedral from around the UK and occasionally beyond.
Denomination: Anglican
Built: 1079
About the cathedral:
Hereford is one of the oldest cathedrals in England and has a diocese that covers Herefordshire, south Shropshire and the fringes of Worcestershire, Powys and Monmouthshire. Small but perfectly formed, it is particularly famous for housing the Mappa Mundi, a 13th-century map of the world, and a Chained Library of books dating back to the eighth century. Outside the cathedral is a statue of Elgar resting against his bicycle and admiring the building’s magnificent architecture.
Did you know?
George Robertson Sinclair, who was organist of Hereford Cathedral from 1889 to 1917, is the subject of the ‘GRS’ variation in Elgar’s Enigma Variations – in the music, Sinclair’s bulldog, Dan, is portrayed splashing in and out of the River Wye. Today, Sinclair is commemorated by a plaque inside the cathedral, and there is a statue of Dan by the river.
