Herefordshire Through Time
Herefordshire Through Time
Hereford was a town that belonged to the King during the time of the Domesday survey. William the Conqueror put William fitz Osbern, one of his closest companions, in charge of Hereford just after the Conquest. As Earl of Hereford, fitz Osbern also controlled much of the border area between Chepstow in the south and Ludlow in the north.
In the same way that the Earl was powerful in temporal (civil) and military matters, the Bishop of Hereford, an important lord, was in charge of religious matters as well as being the landlord to several manors and many tenants. Whilst some medieval bishops were very spiritual men, others were more actively involved in political matters. A good example of a politically-minded bishop was Giles de Braose, second son of William de Braose, an important Marcher Lord known as "the terror of the Marches". Giles de Braose was Bishop of Hereford from 1200-1215. During King John's dispute with the Barons which led to the Magna Carta in 1215, Bishop Giles actively took the part of the Barons. (John Duncumb, Collections Towards the History and Antiquities of the County of Hereford, Vol. I, p. 1, 1804 (1996 edition, Merton Priory Press))
Hereford Cathedral has a medieval copy of the Magna Carta, which is currently on display at the Cathedral.
Religion played an important part in people's lives during the Middle Ages. It is therefore not surprising that the focal point for both religious and intellectual life in Hereford was the Cathedral.
By 1300 the reputation of Hereford as a town of note had grown to such an extent that it was included on the famous Mappa Mundi. This map (now on display at Hereford Cathedral) was possibly used as a teaching tool at the medieval cathedral school. A map of the known world, created around 1300 by Richard of Haldingham, it is the largest and most perfectly preserved medieval round map in the world. This highly detailed map shows not only the three then-known continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, but also many European towns. It has Jerusalem at its centre, and includes religious images, biblical scenes and the sorts of beings and creatures medieval people imagined lived in far-away places (cannibals, for example). The map was brought to Herefordshire from Lincolnshire by Richard de Bello not long after its creation and is still here today. Hereford and the River Wye were added slightly later and show that the map maker moved to Hereford along with the map and added to it there. (Harvey 1996)
Commerce and culture can thrive only in a safe environment, and it was the rebuilding of Hereford Castle which made the existence of the town possible. William fitz Osbern not only enlarged the castle in Hereford, he also took a large site north of the original Saxon wall and developed a new part of town. In this way, Hereford is a combination of both organic and planned town. Already Edward the Confessor had encouraged Normans to settle in Hereford. All Saints Church was built for them and a new market area laid out. Settlers from Normandy were encouraged to come to Hereford with the promise of affordable burgage plots and exemption from most of the customary dues the English townspeople owed. The street where most of the Normans lived was called Frenschemanne Lane, which is now Bewell Street.
[Original author: Toria Forsyth-Moser, 2002]