Trip to Herefordshire - Part 3: Wander round Hereford

 

B's friend had recommended a walk from Hereford Cathedral and along the River Wye giving us directions of the walks and car parks.  The journey should only have taken 35 minutes via the A49 but by Queenswood Arboretum it was closed off and no diversion signs! Had to cut across country using an ancient map as sat nav was left in the caravan!!!  It took ages although we did pass through a village called Marden which has a legend about a mermaid attached to the church. Hopefully, one day I will make a trip there as B refused to stop due to lack of time.

Finally made it to Hereford which I haven't visited since D and I went to see the Mappa Mundi and, although we couldn't find the recommended car parks, we did manage to get a bay at the side of the road in the City Centre where parking was limited to two hours but that was long enough. Hereford has many childhood memories for me as my paternal grandfather was born and lived there as a child and we often used to visit his family.

Sorry photos aren't brilliant B was not happy at me constantly stopping! So I had to snap and shoot!

The town hall in Owen Street built 1902 - 4 by Harry Cheers of Twickenham.

There were lots of little independent shops.

St Peter's Church - partly 12th century although restored in the 19th century.

County War Memorial by C W Barnard 1922. Nine metres high and similar in style to the Eleanor Crosses.

Home of James Laurence. Lord Mayor of Hereford 1627.

Hereford Cathedral - the Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Ethelbert.  Mainly early 12th century but with later additions.  Built mainly of Caper stone from nearby Fawnhope and Old Red Sandstone. The cathedral is open for private prayer but not to tourists until around 17th May I think.

The Bishop's Palace which contains a 12th century hall - one of the oldest in Britain. It was faced with brick in the 18th century.

Finally, we reached the River Wye with its views of the Cathedral.

We walked for about three quarters of an hour along the river.

Then back into the City Centre.

Back at the cathedral a stone masons' workshop.

Statue of Elgar - I couldn't get a photo without people.  Talking of people it was a bit of a shock to be amongst so many again having hardly been out since last March - at least not to busy places.

The home of Henry Graves Bull MD (1818-1885) a naturalist.

Harley Close and the home of Alfred Watkins (1855-1935). Pioneer photographer, Archaeologist and Inventor, Ley line theorist. He lived here between 1925 and 1935.  I was really pleased to find this house having re-read "The Old Straight Track" fairly recently.

We left the caravan around lunchtime on Friday and drove up  onto Bromyard Downs to see if it was worth visiting to walk in the future. It was!

I hope everyone is staying safe and well.

In other news back at home I have seen Holly Blue, Orange Tip and Speckled Wood in the garden. All new for the year and the blue tit nest now has at least three eggs.

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ|330 bridge camera.

Trip to Herefordshire - Part 2: St Leonard's Church, Hatfield

 

On Thursday morning a Company turned up to clean the caravan exterior and to be honest I felt a bit on show so decided to go and have a look again at nearby St Leonard's churchyard in Hatfield.

I parked opposite the church where there are spaces.  Lots of wild flowers on the grass verge - Ground Ivy and Lesser Celandine.

St Leonard's Church, Hatfield (sorry not the best of photos but it was taken into the sun - there is a better picture later of the south side of the church).

St Leonard's has a 11th century nave (possibly pre-Conquest). It is partly built of tufa and was extended west in the 14th century when it is likely the chancel was rebuilt.  The church was restored in 1878 and 1903.

Primroses galore in the churchyard and also daffodils.

The North doorway is Early Norman with a lintel of  3 large stones.  The tympanum is "opus reticulatum" - square stones set diagonally.  There is some herringbone masonry near this door but I managed to forget to take a photo!

The South wall was rebuilt in 1723 after it collapsed!  The Bell Turret may be medieval but the present weatherboarding dates from 1903.

The open timber porch is partly 14th century.

The church was open and I was very tempted to go inside but to be honest I am still hesitant of going in buildings and in the end couldn't be bothered going back to the car to get a mask. I will hopefully go in one day.

When I got back the cleaners had gone!  To be honest I was a bit surprised that they had only waxed the metal work as I assumed they would clean the roof and windows!!

Timothy ventured forth to relax in the picnic chair and watch the birds!

In the afternoon we went into Hereford for a brief walk round the city centre, exterior of the cathedral and a walk along the River Wye but I will leave that for the final post.

I hope everyone is staying safe and well.

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330