Originally a Saxon town from about the 7th century grew up around a ford . In 676AD it was made the seat of its first Bishop. Bishop Putta and by 700 AD it had grown into a town.
760AD battle of Hereford between English and Welsh.

St Ethelbert patron St of Hereford died 794AD and was buried there.
By 10th Century Hereford was considered a Burh (a Burh is a fortified settlement created by Alfred the Great).

Hereford had a mint.
A Danish attack in 914AD was repulsed.
1050 AD a castle was built.

1055 AD Hereford was burned by the Welsh and Offa’s cathedral was also burnt.
Harold Godwin was the Second Earl of Hereford at the time of the Norman conquest prior to his death at the battle of Hastings.

The Earldom of Hereford was granted to William FitzOsborn by William the Conqueror after the Norman invasion.

After the Norman conquest many French were invited to the Welsh Marches by William and Hereford became their base.

The Domesday book records that a tax had to be paid by Hereford to the crown of £60 per year.

Hereford Cathedral begun around 1079 by Bishop Reinhelm and was rededicated in 1140.
In 1138 King Stephen attended the Cathedral and signed three charters giving privileges to the bishop.

In 1100 AD a stone bridge was built across the Wye.
New palace constructed by William de Vere in 1180.
In 1189 Hereford was given its first charter by Richard I.
1121 Hereford gained its first fair which was in June. In 1227 Hereford was given a second fair which was in October. ( In the middle ages a fair only happened once a year for a few days).

Wool was the main industry of Hereford in the middle ages as indeed were leather, hats and arrow spacers.
First quay in Hereford in 1256.
1282 Bishop Cantilupe died and buried in Hereford, in 1320 he was canonised (declared a saint).

Hospital of St John founded in 12th century.
Hospital of St Ethelbert founded in 13th century.
First mayor of Hereford 1383.
Cathedral Grammar school founded in 1384.
Coningsby Hospital built 1614
The Old House built 1621
Almshouses built 1630
The plague struck in 1566, 1580, 1604, 1610.

In December 1645 the Parliamentarians took Hereford by trickery from the Royalists.
A number of troops dressed as labourers and gained entry through Bysters Gate they took control of the Gate and let more troops in Hereford was taken very quickly.

In 17th century brewing and cider making became important.
In 1757 Hereford had a population of 5,500 approx
1710 a bluecoat school opened.
Hereford Hospital built 1783.

All gates around Hereford were demolished by the end of the century as they impeded traffic Wyebridge and Friarsgate in 1782 St Owensgate 1786 Eign gate 1787 Bystersgate and Widemarshgate in 1798.
In 1786 the west tower of the Cathedral collapsed and was rebuilt.
1801 the population was 6,828 (this is the time of the first census)

1836 gas street lighting.
A Canal from Hereford to Gloucester was dug in 1845 it closed in 1880
1849 a fire brigade was in force.
Railways arrived in 1854 (the last major town in Britain to be connected by rail)
1856 a waterworks was built.
The Buttermarket was built in 1860
New churches St Pauls at Tupsley and St James in Green Street 1865
Museum and Library 1873
Victoria suspension bridge 1897
1899 Hereford had electricity.
By end of century population was 21,000 approx.

Town Hall built in 1904.
College of Education opened in 1904
First Cinema in Hereford 1911
County Hospital opened in 1940
Hereford Technical College opened in 1949
Inner ring road completed 1968.
Hereford Cider Museum opened 1981
Mappa Mundi and chained Library museum opened 1996
Courtyard Arts Centre opened 1998.
Current population approx 50,000

With the best of intention all of the above information is true, correct and given in good faith, however, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions contained within the above.

Equally we recommend that should you need or want to find out more you should conduct more detaled independant research.