- Also called:
- Hereford
Herefordshire
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Where is Herefordshire located?
Herefordshire is a unitary authority and historic county located in the Welsh borderland of west-central England. The city of Hereford, situated on the River Wye, serves as its administrative center. The county is characterized by a lowland plain and is bordered by the Forest of Dean plateau to the southeast and the Black Mountains to the west along the Welsh border.
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What is a unitary authority in England?
In England, a unitary authority is an administrative unit that is not divided into districts, boroughs, or cities. It constitutes a single tier of local government and is responsible for all administrative functions of both administrative counties and districts within counties. There are currently 56 administrative units called unitary authorities in England, and some cities are designated as unitary authorities.
Herefordshire is a unitary authority and historic county in west-central England. The city of Hereford is the administrative center.
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What are some major towns or cities in Herefordshire?
Herefordshire is a unitary authority and historic county in west-central England along the Welsh border. Hereford, a city on the River Wye, serves as its administrative center. Other major towns include Leominster, situated on the River Lugg, and Ross-on-Wye, known for its market town atmosphere and views of the Wye Valley. These towns contribute to Herefordshire's economy, which is based on agriculture, livestock, and related manufacturing and processing activities.
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What is Herefordshire known for?
Herefordshire, a unitary authority and historic county in west-central England, is known for its rich agriculture, including pear and apple orchards that support a local cider industry. The county's hops production is second in England only to Kent. The world-famous Hereford breed of cattle originated here, and the Ryelands breed of sheep is also well-known in the Ross-on-Wye area. The city of Hereford serves as the administrative center. The area has several notable prehistoric sites, including Sutton Walls and Croft Ambrey.
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How does local government work in Herefordshire?
Herefordshire is a unitary authority and historic county in the Welsh borderland of west-central England. The city of Hereford is the administrative center of the unitary authority. Herefordshire originated as a shire in the time of the English king Athelstan (reigned 925–939).
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What are some important historical or cultural sites in Herefordshire?
Herefordshire is a unitary authority and historic county in west-central England, known for its rich agricultural history and borderland location. Important historical sites include prehistoric locations like Sutton Walls and Croft Ambrey. Sections of Offa's Dyke, an earthwork from the 8th century, are still visible. Norman fortresses can be found at Wilton, Goodrich and Pembridge. Hereford Cathedral showcases architectural styles from Norman to Perpendicular, and Kilpeck’s Church of St. Mary and St. David exemplifies Romanesque architecture.
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Herefordshire, unitary authority and historic county that covers a roughly circular area in the Welsh borderland of west-central England. The city of Hereford, in the centre of the unitary authority, is the administrative centre.
The historic county includes three small areas outside the unitary authority. One, just south of Ludlow, is in the South Shropshire region of the administrative county of Shropshire. The others are in the Malvern Hills district of the administrative county of Worcestershire: one is the area between Leigh Sinton and Acton Green, and the other is the parish of Stoke Bliss. Conversely, the unitary authority includes three small areas that are part of the historic county of Worcestershire: the parishes of Edvin Loach and Acton Beauchamp and an area including West Malvern and Mathon.
The unitary authority and county centre on a lowland plain drained by the River Wye and its tributaries. The plain borders scarplands of Silurian shale and limestone in the northwest and the Woolhope Dome and Malvern foothills in the east. The core of the Malvern Hills, with an elevation above 1,300 feet (400 metres), comprises Precambrian gneisses and volcanic rocks. Those hills form the boundary with Worcestershire. The Forest of Dean plateau lies to the southeast. In the west, along the Welsh border, lie the sandstone Black Mountains, which exceed 2,200 feet (670 metres) in elevation.
Herefordshire has several notable prehistoric sites, including Sutton Walls, Croft Ambrey, Herefordshire Beacon, and Leintwardine. During the 7th century the West Saxons crossed the River Severn and occupied Herefordshire, which lay between Wales and the kingdom of Mercia. In the 8th century King Offa extended the Mercian frontier to the River Wye in Herefordshire, which he secured with the earthwork known as Offa’s Dyke, still visible at Moorhampton and near Kington. Herefordshire probably originated as a shire in the time of the English king Athelstan (reigned 925–939). The county was the scene of constant border warfare with the Welsh under Gruffudd ap Llewelyn, prince of Gwynedd. Harold Godwinson (later Harold II of England), whose earldom included this county, restored order in 1063. Richard’s Castle in the north and Ewyas Harold in the southwest were the first Norman fortresses erected on English soil, and Wigmore, Clifford, Weobley, Hereford, and Kilpeck were all Norman strongholds.
John Wycliffe’s reformist religious teachings were influential in Herefordshire, and Lollardry was widespread at the end of the 14th century and the beginning of the 15th. During the Wars of the Roses, the county supported the Yorkist cause, led by Edward, earl of March, afterward Edward IV. During the English Civil Wars of the mid-17th century, the county was Royalist, and the city of Hereford, the centre of activity, changed hands several times.
Ruined 12th-century Norman fortresses stand at Wilton, Goodrich, and Pembridge. Kilpeck’s Church of St. Mary and St. David exemplifies the Herefordshire school of Romanesque architecture, and the Cistercian abbey church at Abbey Dore is in Early English style. Hereford Cathedral has examples of a variety of architectural styles, from Norman to Perpendicular. Among country houses, Treago (13th century) is a notable example of a fortified mansion.
Herefordshire has always been a rich agricultural area, and agriculture remains a major activity there. The county is more heavily wooded than most of England. Pear and apple orchards produce fruit, some of it for the local cider industry. Herefordshire’s hops production is second in England only to that of the county of Kent. The Hereford breed of cattle is world famous, and the Ryelands breed of sheep, also well known, originated in the Ross-on-Wye area. The manufacture of agricultural machinery, fruit canning and processing, cider production, and milk processing are carried on in Hereford and other market towns. Hereford also produces furniture and is a service centre. Area 842 square miles (2,182 square km). Pop. (2001) 174,871; (2011) 183,477.
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