Photogenic Landscapes and Historic Sites in Herefordshire



Hereford Cathedral
Queenswood Country Park
Goodrich Castle

Herefordshire contains a mix of fields, woods, rivers, valleys and small hills, typical of much of southern England, and includes half of two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the northern section of the Wye Valley (shared with Gloucestershire) and the western half of the Malvern Hills (shared with Worcestershire). Also within the county are a small component of the Black Mountains, which extend into neighboring Powys, where they form part of Brecon Beacons National Park. Herefordshire has no especially wild and rugged landscapes, but plenty of relatively easy trails, the best of which are in the two designated areas. Major towns and cities include Hereford, Leominster, Ross-on-Wye and Ledbury.

There are no ruined abbeys in Herefordshire, no Roman remains, and only one significant prehistoric site (Arthur's Stone, a burial chamber), but the county does have a grand cathedral, a selection of old churches, and several interesting castles, in varying states of completeness.



Ancient Sites



Arthur's Stone
Arthur's Stone
Stone-lined burial chamber from the Neolithic period, on a flat-topped ridge between the River Wye and River Dore

Rating: ★★★★★

Castles



Clifford Castle - fragmentary, overgrown ruins of a 12th century castle, on a hill above the River Wye; in private ownership

Goodrich Castle
Goodrich Castle
Secluded, well preserved Norman castle with a rural location overlooking the River Wye, built on a block of reddish sandstone

Rating: ★★★★

Hampton Court Castle - castellated mansion built in the 15th century, surrounded by extensive gardens; complete, fully furnished, and open to the public between April and October

Kilpeck Castle
Kilpeck Castle
Minor but picturesque Norman ruin on a large motte ringed by a grassy moat, with grand views of the Welsh Marches

Rating: ★★★★

Kinnersley Castle - late 16th century castle incorporating traces of an earlier fortification; open to the public on just a few days each year

Longtown Castle
Longtown Castle
Circular keep above substantial bailey walls, on a hill near the River Monnow, facing the east side of the Black Mountains

Rating: ★★★★★
Snodhill Castle
Snodhill Castle
Fragmentary ruins of an early Norman stone castle, recently cleared of undergrowth and stablised

Rating: ★★★★★
Wigmore Castle
Wigmore Castle
Overgrown but extensive and atmospheric ruins of a 13th century castle, on several levels

Rating: ★★★★
Wilton Castle - partly restored ruins of a 12th century castle and a Tudor manor house

Cathedrals

, and other major churches

Dore Abbey
Dore Abbey
Parish church with medieval, cathedral-like architecture. Founded in 1147 as a Cistercian monastery, and occupying just part of the original structure; ruins of other sections adjoin the current church

Rating: ★★★★★
Hereford Cathedral
Hereford Cathedral
Large and beautiful building dating from the late 11th century, constructed mostly in the decorated Gothic style

Rating: ★★★★★
Kilpeck Church
Kilpeck Church
Small Norman church in a quiet village, containing an unusually fine and varied collection of stone carvings

Rating: ★★★★★
Madley Church
Madley Church
Unusually large parish church from the 13th century, containing medieval stained glass, ancient wall paintings and a vaulted crypt

Rating: ★★★★★

Landscapes



Black Hill and Olchon Valley
Black Hill and Olchon Valley
Easternmost summit of the Black Mountains, tapering to a narrow, rock-lined ridge, overlooking a secluded valley

Rating: ★★★★★
Symonds Yat
Symonds Yat
Steep, wooded, rocky slopes above the River Wye, crossed by various paths, one to the viewpoint of Symonds Yat Rock

Rating: ★★★★★

Nature Reserves



Bodenham Lake
Bodenham Lake
Shallow, tree-lined lake alongside the River Lugg, formed by flooding of gravel pits in the 1980s; a bird sanctuary

Rating: ★★★★
King Arthur's Cave
King Arthur's Cave
Narrow strip of ancient woodland at the foot of limestone cliffs which contain several short caves

Rating: ★★★★★
Lugg Meadow
Lugg Meadow
Communal pasture (lammas meadows) beside the River Lugg, flooded in winter, and supporting several rare plant species

Rating: ★★★★
Pentaloe Glen and Convallaria Area
Pentaloe Glen and Convallaria Area
Moist woodland beside a stream, and a patch of spring-fed fen vegetation; part of the Haugh Woods

Rating: ★★★★
Quebb Corner Meadow
Quebb Corner Meadow
Small, tree-lined field of neutral grassland, with a marshy area at one corner

Rating: ★★★★
Queenswood Country Park & Arboretum
Queenswood Country Park & Arboretum
Semi-natural oak woodland, surrounding an arboretum containing over 1,200 specimen trees from all over the world

Rating: ★★★★★
Rudge End Quarry
Rudge End Quarry
Long-abandoned quarry, on the south side of a limestone hill; several rare plant species

Rating: ★★★★
The Sturts
The Sturts
Three groups of fields within the floodplain of the River Wye, separated by streams and ditches

Rating: ★★★★
Upper Welson Marsh
Upper Welson Marsh
Small, hidden area of marsh and fen, ringed by trees, at the foot of a ridge near the Wye Valley

Rating: ★★★★
White Rocks
White Rocks
Twelve acres of ancient woodland, scrub, and wet and dry grassland, above the valley of the River Wye

Rating: ★★★★

Ruined Churches



Edvin Loach Old Church
Edvin Loach Old Church
Minor but interesting ruins of an 11th century church, on the site of a small Norman castle; adjoins a replacement, Victorian church

Rating: ★★★★★


Map of Featured Herefordshire Locations