Two hours in Hereford
A quick visit en route to Hay-on-Wye
Photos and report by Mike Slocombe, May 2006


Waiting to catch the train at Paddington. Sadly, the railway line to Hay was ripped up in the 1960s, so our journey was going to involve one change of train and then a bus trip.




We caught the Swansea-bound train from Paddington and changed at Newport for Hereford.


The grand Hereford (Barrs Court) railway station was built for the Hereford, Ross & Gloucester Railway and the Shrewsbury & Hereford Railway companies in February 1856.


Capuchin Yard off Church Street, Hereford.


The origins of the cathedral are a bit vague, but one story goes that the first building was paid for by King Gerren Llyngesoc of Dumnonia (Devon & Cornwall) in AD 542.

The town at the time was going under its Welsh name of Caerfawydd, with the first 'Bishop of Hereford' not arriving until the 670s, by which time the Welsh had been pushed westwards.
Cathedral history


A view of Church Street, Hereford with the shop of Rumsey Fine Art Dealers closest to the camera.


The half-timbered 'Old House' stands in St. Peters St and dates from 1621.


Gazing up towards the spires of Hereford Cathedral is this statue in tribute to the English classical composer, Sir Edward Elgar.

Ol' Elgar was a bit of a mad-for-it cyclist and pedalled a lot around the country lanes of Worcester and Hereford on his Sunbeam 'Royal' bike.