Things to Do in Hereford, United Kingdom: Walking Guide

Things to do in Hereford include exploring a medieval border city through its historic buildings, museums, churches and public art. The city’s most distinctive sights range from the 1621 Black and White House to the former factory of the Museum of Cider, while its museums and cultural venues add more layers to a visit. Neywo offers a free audio guide for Hereford with 20 narrated places.

What to See in Hereford

Hereford Castle

Hereford Castle was one of the earliest castles in England, with origins reaching back to a time before 1052. Its early history was turbulent: the castle was probably destroyed when the Welsh sacked Hereford in 1055, although it seems to have been replaced within the following decade.

The castle later became involved in the civil war that began when Stephen sought to usurp Queen Matilda. It was besieged three times, and each time the garrison surrendered. Control of Hereford Castle changed hands repeatedly.

Black and White House Museum

In High Town, The Old House is one of Hereford’s most distinctive black-and-white half-timbered buildings. Built in 1621, it is a Grade I listed historic house museum whose collections offer a glimpse into Jacobean life.

The building’s half-timbered construction and contrasting exterior make it especially striking among the surrounding buildings. After being restored in the nineteenth century, it became a museum of Jacobean life in 1929. In 2017, it was renamed the Black and White House Museum and became part of Herefordshire Council’s Museum Service.

Hereford Cathedral

Hereford Cathedral remains one of the city’s defining landmarks. Its history reaches back more than a millennium, and its architecture brings together Norman, Romanesque and Gothic elements.

The cathedral is also home to the Mappa Mundi, a rare 13th-century map showing how medieval Europeans understood the world. Its ancient library and religious heritage add further depth to the visit.

Herefordshire Regimental Museum

The Herefordshire Regimental Museum, also known as the Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum, is located in Hereford, in the county of Herefordshire. It offers another perspective on the city’s local history.

Herefordshire Museum Resource Centre

The Herefordshire Museum Resource Centre is a local authority museum in the West Midlands of the United Kingdom. It is also known as the Museum Resource and Learning Centre.

Museum of Cider

The Museum of Cider tells the story of cider making inside the former factory at Pomona Place. The site is the birthplace of Bulmer’s Cider, and its historic industrial setting connects the collections with a place where cider was once made and stored.

The building’s history reaches back to 1888, when Henry Percival Bulmer and his brother Fred began developing a cider-making site on the outskirts of Hereford. They first built a small structure for making and storing cider, followed by extensive cellars excavated the following year. The site later expanded to include a factory and offices, with a grand new frontage added in the 1920s.

The museum was established because its founders feared that much of the story of cider making might otherwise be lost. It was founded by Bertram Bulmer, Norman Weston and John Hudson, director of the Long Ashton Research Station, and was established as a trust in the 1970s. Today, it is operated by the Hereford Cider Museum Trust, a registered charity.

Waterworks Museum - Hereford

The Waterworks Museum is a local attraction in Hereford. It adds an industrial and practical dimension to the city’s museum landscape and can be explored at your own pace.

Courtyard Centre for the Arts

Just outside the city centre on Edgar Street, the Courtyard Centre for the Arts is a theatre and arts venue for performances, film and community creativity. Its programme includes its own shows, a pantomime, productions by a youth theatre and a community company, as well as national touring productions.

The present building was constructed between 1997 and 1998 on the site of an earlier theatre. That venue had been created from converted swimming baths but eventually became outdated, leading to the development of the current arts centre.

Hereford’s Churches

Several churches add quieter stops to an exploration of Hereford:

• Church of St Peter, a church in Hereford and one of the places encountered around the city.
• Church of All Saints, a church in Hereford, in the United Kingdom.
• Church of St Nicholas, a church building in Hereford.
• Church of St James, another local church forming part of the city.
• Church of St Martin, in Hereford, in the county of Herefordshire.
• Church of St Paul, in Tupsley, Hereford, in Herefordshire.
• Church of St Mary Magdalene, in Huntington, Hereford, in Herefordshire.

Together, these places of worship reveal the city beyond its principal museums and landmarks.

h.Apple

h.Apple is a piece of public art in Hereford. Its presence creates an artistic point of interest among the surrounding streets and adds a contemporary detail to the city’s historic setting.

Explore Hereford at Your Own Pace with Neywo

For a Hereford self-guided walking tour, Neywo combines stories with the places along the route. The app has one walking tour, Black and White Hereford: Castle Green to the Cider Works, covering 3.47 km in 98 minutes with 9 narrated stops. It includes Hereford Castle, The Old House, Hereford, Church of St Peter, Church of All Saints, St Francis Xavier Church, Hereford, Church of St Nicholas, Eignbrook United Reformed Church, the Museum of Cider and the Courtyard Centre for the Arts.

There is also one bus route, The Zipper: Hereford’s city loop, covering 5.4 km in 23 minutes with 5 stops. Its narrated places include Church of St Peter, St Francis Xavier Church, Hereford, Church of St Nicholas, Eignbrook United Reformed Church and the Courtyard Centre for the Arts.

Download Neywo to explore Hereford with a free audio guide. Each story plays as you reach the place, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Narration is available in 11 languages. If you are exploring more of England, you can also discover destinations elsewhere in the United Kingdom.