Herefordshire's Past

This section provides an introduction to the prehistory, history and archaeology of Herefordshire. It is divided into periods, each containing a general introduction together with information on a variety of topics related to that period. As well as providing information specific to the county, where appropriate Herefordshire's relationship to England and Wales (and sometimes Britain as a whole) is also discussed. A number of essays by guest authors with expertise in specific areas are included; these are indicated in the contents menus with the label "Guest Author Essay".

Many of the pages were originally written for use in schools. The Education pages of our Resources section provides links to these and makes suggestions for their use in class and on field trips.

The archaeological and historical periods covered are:

The Post-Medieval Period: Following a general overview, topics covered include Herefordshire Life (Tudor education and apprenticeship, poverty); the English Civil War (background, Herefordshire's involvement, the effects on the county); Architecture (the range of local building types and their construction); Agriculture and Industry (cider and perry, hops, livestock; iron-making, milling, lime-making, tanning, brewing); Transport (railways, canals, turnpike roads, droving, packhorses); Public Health (19th century medical improvements, hospitals, asylums); Institutions (Hereford library, prisons, workhouses, Non-conformist chapels including a gazetteer of the county's chapels); Crime and Punishment (changing attitudes, methods of punishment); and Slavery (connections with Herefordshire).

The Medieval Period: Overview of Medieval Herefordshire; The Norman Conquest; Countryside and Landscape; Towns; Villages; The Domesday Survey; Castles (including a gazetteer of the county's many castles); Hereford Cathedral; Churches; Monasteries; the Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaller; the Barons' War; the Wars of the Roses; and the Black Death.

The Anglo-Saxon Period: General overview; New Beginnings (transition from Roman Britain); Life; Saxon Herefordshire; Hereford's Saxon Origins; Saints; Churches; the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle; Charters; the Vikings; the End of the Anglo-Saxons; Herefordshire Sites; and a Timeline.

The Roman Period: Overview of Roman Herefordshire; the Roman Invasion of Britain; Administration and Towns; Food and Diet; the Roman Army; Timeline; Roman Herefordshire; and Roman Sites.

The Prehistoric Period: Iron Age Herefordshire overview; Bronze Age Herefordshire overview; Neolithic Herefordshire overview; Mesolithic Herefordshire overview; and Palaeolithic Herefordshire overview.

There is also an article on Herefordshire's Changing Population over time.

To read these pages, click on the links above or select a period from the menu on the left-hand side of the page.