Hereford

The journey to Hereford was a very picturesque. After crossing the incredibly long bridge across the Bristol Channel & the River Severn we decided to take an inland route via the Wye River Valley. The Wye River Valley is very beautiful with many farms and small villages, such as Tintern. We had heard Hereford was a lovely area and we were not disappointed.

The River Wye looking across at Hereford Cathedral. 

Hereford is located in the Wye Valley and is known for its many well preserved Tudor homes and buildings. The actual city of Hereford is quite beautiful and has a magnificent Cathedral and other Tudor style pubs and public buildings.

One of the many Tudor building in central Hereford.

 

We visited the National Trust property ‘The Weir’ - this is an informal 1920’s riverside garden that has sweeping views along the River Wye and Herefordshire countryside. The NT has managed to create a habitat for a wide range of wildlife. There are ruins in the garden of an old Roman well and we believe there was once a Roman Villa on the site. The garden was lovely and the trees are just starting to show their autumn colours. The NT also looks after a small walled garden on the site. Most of the produce in this garden had been harvested but there were still fruit on trees and some lovely autumn flowers. While we were here we were told about another NT property that was open nearby. The name of this property was Cwmmau Farmhouse and it is only open a few days each year.

A small garden at 'The Weir' showing a Japanese Maple with its autumn colour.

Along the River Wye at 'The Weir'.

A typical country scene in Herefordshire.

Cwmmau Farmhouse was incredible; it is an early 17th-century Tudor (black and white) farmhouse with a stone-tiled roof and rustic out-buildings. Cwmmau Farmhouse was originally built as a hunting lodge. It has had an interesting history with several owners over the years. Fortunately it does retain many original features, including stone-tiled roofs and rustic old barns. It was bequeathed it to the National Trust in 1965, with a wish that it be preserved for the nation as an example of a typical Welsh farmhouse building (even though the farm is actually across the border in Herefordshire).

Cwmmau Farmhouse showing an unusual chimney.  This would have been built to impress friends of the original owner when the farmhouse was a hunting lodge in the 1600's. 

Part of Cwmmau Farmhouse showing the rustic old barns.

We were fortunate enough to do a tour of the property with a National Trust Guide. He was very informative and we learnt a lot about the history of the property. Most of the furniture and paintings etc. have been bought in, but are all in keeping with the history of the time. We were taken up into the attic where we were shown the original huge oak timber beams. Some timber has been replaced but most of it is original.

The NT rents this property as a holiday-let and for most of the year it is usually closed to the general public.

We are getting good value from our National Trust membership. They have some amazing properties to see- not all buildings some are gardens and some are beach areas such as bluffs.