Hereford Cathedral is dedicated to the martyred King Ethelbert; a cathedral has stood on this site since Saxon times, and today is home to a community which has worshipped and worked together here continuously for well over 1,300 years. It is a place where the mission of the church to proclaim Christ’s love is central and visitors and pilgrims are especially welcome.

Today’s building contains some of the finest examples of architectural excellence from Norman times up to the present day, including the Romanesque nave, the beautifully restored Shrine of St Thomas of Hereford in the north transept, the ancient south transept and the award-winning twentieth-century New Library Building. New commissions also include the gilded and painted shrine of St Ethelbert and four stunning stained glass windows dedicated to the life and writings of seventeenth-century cleric and poet Thomas Traherne.

The award-winning Mappa Mundi and Chained Library Exhibition is open all year round (apart from a prolonged period in January each year when it is closed for cleaning) and is famous for housing both the spectacular medieval map of the world and the cathedral's unique Chained Library. Here the stories of these national treasures are told through models, original artefacts and special exhibitions.

The cathedral's shop, cafe and exhibition open from 10 am to 5 pm; last orders in the cafe are taken at 4.45 pm and last admission to the exhibition is at 4.30 pm.

Accessibility

The main body of Hereford Cathedral and the Mappa Mundi and Chained Library Exhibition is wheelchair accessible. A non-gendered accessible toilet is located in the Chapter House Garden; this can be reached externally via the car park, or via the Café or St John’s door.

The cathedal also has an Access Map to help visitors plan their visit. For more information, read Hereford Cathedral's accessibility statement. 

Acessibility Statement