What's On

Team ESL is excited to be representing Herefordshire as THE destination for Group Travel at this year’s British Tourism & Travel Show at Birmingham’s NEC. With a substantial stand to showcase ESL Members that are group travel locations in Herefordshire, Eat Sleep Live Herefordshire will be accompanied by some of the county’s premier group experiences. Meet Chase Distillery for behind-the-scenes tours of how this unique British single estate potato vodka and gin is made, unveil the newly refurbished Green Dragon Hotel in Hereford and marvel at Hereford Cathedral with its world renouned treasures like the Mappa Mundi, Chained Library and 6 acres of RHS ward-winning gardens, plus new features such as the Ascension window and bespoke themed ‘behind the doors’ tours. Treasures & Charters Hereford City Council and the Hereford City BID will also present the City’s landmarks and events, and welcome you to the new Tourist Information Centre in the beautiful Town Hall building where there is also a new Civic Museum and Heritage Suite housing Hereford’s ancient collection of silverware and original charters. Cars and Cocktails   Chase Distillery will be treating visitors at the Herefordshire stand to some fabulous cocktail sampling and will have offers and incentives […]

The Courtyard’s capital expansion project Transform The Yard has been officially handed over from construction company C J Bayliss. The project includes a redesign of The Courtyard’s front of house area, making the Box Office more accessible and part of a new retail space. The shop will eventually sell locally-made arts and crafts. The Café Bar area and first floor dining space have been significantly extended and an outside terrace created. The most notable change is a large two-storey multi-purpose room. This versatile space will be used as an additional performance space, as well as for conferences, meetings, workshops and more. The Courtyard received initial funding for the expansion works from Arts Council England in 2018. Since, they have also secured funding from Garfield Weston Foundation, Foyle Foundation, Bernard Sunley Foundation, Brailsford Trust, Sylvia Waddilove Foundation and The Eveson Charitable  Trust, as well as vital public support, to ensure the project was a success. Transform The Yard was delivered by Hereford construction company C J Bayliss and project managed by Bruce Freeman, a member of The Courtyard’s board and Chair of the Development Committee. Ian Archer, Chief Executive & Artistic Director at The Courtyard, said: “In a year with very […]

Across Herefordshire and South Shropshire, churches are finding creative ways to connect with their villages and towns to celebrate the birth of Jesus this Christmas. “We want people to know that even with restrictions and social distancing measures; we offer a message of comfort and joy in this season,” said the Revd Guy Wilkinson from St Mary’s Almeley when he shared plans to celebrate Advent and Christmas this year. We have planned and prepared a series of fun activities to encourage people to join in from home and to do as part of their daily exercise around the village.” This year for Advent, the church team have built an extra-large Advent wreath, with a purple candle being “switched on” each Sunday throughout Advent, and the final traditional white candle being switched on, on Christmas Day. He added: “We’ve had to think differently about how we mark each of the Christian celebrations this year, but Advent and Christmas are the most popular.  People appreciate Advent traditions as part of their build-up to Christmas and we want them to know we are always here for them.” Tessa Wilkinson, a member of St Mary’s church in Almeley and the creator behind the advent […]

We are delighted to learn that The Courtyard Hereford has received a lifeline grant from the Government’s £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund. The Courtyard Hereford has been awarded £535,000 as part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure they have a sustainable future, the Culture Secretary has announced today. The Courtyard is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support. £257 million of investment has been announced today as part of the very first round of the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England. Further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are due to be announced over the coming weeks This additional funding will help protect The Courtyard’s future until at least spring 2021, when it is hoped social distancing will be eased. Following its closure in March 2020, 94% of its self-generated income was lost through ticket sales, events and Café Bar income, as well as facing thousands of refunds. The community venue recently announced that it had to postpone its Christmas pantomime, which sees on average 25,000 people attend annually. The pantomime is […]

#ShopHERE With uncertainty about how we might spend Christmas still hovering, we do know that we’ll still want to find gorgeous gifts for friends and family, wherever they are. To support our local independent Herefordshire businesses and encourage you to #ShopHERE we’ve put together some Christmas shopping guides full of glittering ideas and inspiration for the festive season. Over 20 Great County Gift Ideas   Top Herefordshire Festive Feasting    Gourmet Gifts from Herefordshire We will be continually adding to our guides as we near the big day. So do pop back and see if there is anything that you’ve missed. __________________________________________________________________________________ Perfect Pressies for Festive Bliss From letterbox gifts to extravagant investments that remain special forever   The gift to distil their own Gin! Silver Circle Distillery, Pleasant View Barn, Catbrook NP16 6UL Imagine giving the gift to the spirit connoisseur to enable them to ‘Make their own gin’! Sessions are held in the tasting room at Silver Circle’s distillery in Catbrook, Monmouthshire. During each 2.5 hour session there will be the opportunity to drink gin & tonics whilst crafting their own unique taste as they learn the art of Gin Making! The resulting bottle of gin will be theirs […]

#EatHERE We’re all unsure about our Christmas plans this year, but if we’re given the opportunity to celebrate in the Top Herefordshire Festive Feasting Spots with family, friends and work colleagues take a look at the delicious destinations below. To support our local independent Herefordshire businesses, when you’re social media-ing use the tags #EatHERE and #DrinkHERE together with #Herefordshire and we’ll help you share the love (so tag us in too with #eatsleepliveherefordshire) All of the businesses featured are hoping to be open for the festive season and are taking bookings now. Look out too for their special takeaway services throughout the lockdown period. ********************************************************** Check out our other local festive blogs …     Gourmet Gifts from Herefordshire    Over 20 Great County Gift Ideas  We will be continually adding to our guides as we near the big day. So do pop back and see if there is anything that you’ve missed. **Each business listed will have their own Covid measures and opening hours in place, so please check with them directly. __________________________________________________________________________________ Festive Feasting The Angel Hotel, Abergavenny NP7 5EN The Angel Hotel is a luxurious, 4 Silver Star hotel, located in the centre of Abergavenny. Situated between 7 hills […]

The Dean of Hereford has announced that he will be retiring in 2021. After holding the position for almost two decades, the Very Revd Michael Tavinor will step down in January. Michael was installed as Dean of Hereford in May 2002. Before this he was Vicar of Tewkesbury Abbey 1990-2002, and previous to that, Precentor at Ely Cathedral 1985-90.  Michael served his title at St Peter, Ealing, in the diocese of London 1982-85. During his time in Hereford, Michael has overseen many changes within the cathedral including several large conservation projects. He has also shared his passion for walking and pilgrimage with the cathedral community and celebrated St Ethelbert and St Thomas Cantilupe with the publication of several books. The Very Revd Michael Tavinor said: “It will be hard to leave Hereford after all these years but the time now seems right. I’m well into my nineteenth year as Dean and am now sixty-seven, so am sure it is high time I handed on to another priest, who will lead the cathedral into a new chapter of its life and ministry. I had expected to finish at the end of the Thomas Cantilupe celebrations, in October this year, but because […]

With the Autumn now approaching you may be wondering where to take the family for a great day out. So to help, here’s our pick of ‘Five Fun Family Activities’ in Herefordshire that will leave you wanting more. Here’s to the memories and fun, we hope you enjoy them. The Viking Games, Middle Cefn, The Stables, Hereford HR2 0JH If you’re a lover of all things Nordic. Enjoyed watching The Last Kingdom. Were glued to the Vikings series or the ever funny Norsemen on Netflix. You’re going to love The Viking Games. It’s a brilliant opportunity to get the family together for a fantastic day out. In the gorgeous surroundings of Herefordshire’s Golden Valley try your hand at traditional Nordic games that have been adapted for some twenty-first century fun. Who will be the victor at Axe Throwing, Archery, Bullrings, Kubb, Molkky or Stige? Who will be crowned the true Viking warrior? It’s a fantastic day out that everyone will enjoy. www.thevikinggames.co.uk Wye Valley Falconry If you and your family enjoy being outdoors then you’ll love spending time with Wye Valley Falconry deep in the beautiful Herefordshire countryside. Rated by TripAdvisor as the No.1 outdoor attraction in Herefordshire, Wye Valley […]

On 1st August 2020 Ross-on-Wye Walkers are Welcome (WaW) are launching their Summer of Self-Guided Walking. It is a great sadness that this year’s very popular annual Walking Festival had to be cancelled.  However, visitors and locals can still explore this beautiful and peaceful area – but in safety and with their own family, friends or …. “bubble”.  From 1st August the Walking in Ross website, www.walkinginross.co.uk , will be offering a collection of walks for all abilities and differing lengths in and around locality.  These can be easily downloaded to a pc, tablet or phone; and will link with mapping apps to make them easy to follow. Ross-on-Wye was the birthplace of British Tourism 250 years ago, with acclaimed visitors such as William Wordsworth and JMW Turner; and it is still very dependent economically on visitor spend.  The WaW group are keen to encourage day and staying visitors to return. The Summer of Self-Guided Walking collection has a really interesting set of routes – some which local people may be well familiar with; some that may be new and offer a different perspective.  They range from under 4 miles fully accessible (which can be easily shortened and varied); to […]

Herefordshire tourism project awarded £444,000 of Marches LEP funding A major campaign to help Herefordshire’s tourism and visitor economy recover from the devastating impact of the coronavirus lockdown and February’s flooding has been awarded £440,000 by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership. The money will help launch a co-ordinated drive to promote the county as a fantastic, safe destination for day trips and also staycations if the lockdown restrictions ease sufficiently. It is part of a £1.6million package of funding agreed by the Marches LEP across Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin to support businesses hardest hit by the Covid-19 crisis and earlier flooding. Herefordshire Business Board and Herefordshire Council are behind the plan to promote the county’s huge range of tourism attractions, retail and leisure opportunities to both local and national markets. Their plan includes developing a new destination website supported by a smartphone app and local and national marketing and PR campaigns to attract day trippers and families and couples seeking staycations as soon as it is safe to do so. Mandy Thorn MBE DL, chair of the Marches LEP, said the partnership was delighted to support the initiative. “The tourism and visitor economy has been particularly hard hit […]

We can’t quite believe it’s almost Father’s Day already. So if you’re looking for the perfect present for your favourite icon or role model read on. We’ve put together some fabulous father’s day gift ideas to inspire you. Best of all you don’t even need to leave home. FOR THE ACTION MAN If your Dad is the active, competitive type and loves being outdoors why not consider purchasing some vouchers for exciting activities that he’ll just love. From paintballing to lazerclayz, archery to clay pigeon shooting. Herefordshire has some great pursuits that all the family can get involved in. OAKER WOOD LEISURE Oaker Wood Leisure near Leominster will be opening its gates from the start of July so why not book in advance now, or purchase a voucher for a Quad Trekking or High Ropes Adrenalin Adventure for your dad and the rest of the family. Find out more here. BATTLELANDS & LAZERCLAYZ This amazing family run activity centre located in the gorgeous Golden Valley has a range of activities that your Dad will love. From paintballing, laserclayz, splatmaster and shooting, he’ll be in his element. Look out too for ‘The Vikings’ a new activity being launched this July. This […]

The Netherwood Estate, home to Michelin Star restaurant, Pensons, on the Herefordshire/Worcestershire border, launches a capsule collection of seasonal hand-picked dried herbs, florals, infusions and blends available to order. This new range will complement the existing produce from the Estate including Rapeseed Oil, Apple Juice and Honey. The Covid-19 pandemic forced the temporary closure of Pensons restaurant on 20th March. However, the Kitchen Gardens continue to flourish and are brimming withseasonal produce ready for harvest. This presented a new idea to diversify the business to capture and bring the taste of the gardens to home cooks – making good use of produce that was originally destined for Pensons where Head Chef, Chris Simpson, would create ingredient-led seasonal dishes for guests to enjoy. This new initiative presents a different vision of Estate to Plate, taking culinary inspiration from what is growing in the gardens. The garden-fresh flavour is captured at source using small batches of concentrated hand-picked and carefully dried herbs and edible flowers. Although not certified as organic, the range is grown on the Estate without the use of any sprays or ‘nasties’ and is cultivated entirely naturally. Building on the Pensons ethos of sourcing food as locally, seasonally and […]

Hereford Cathedral will be opening the gates to its beautiful gardens on Friday 27 March for visitors to explore for free  Each summer hundreds of people take part in the guided tours which run on Wednesdays and Saturdays but, prior to this, the team of volunteer gardeners open the gardens to showcase the spring blooms. This year’s event will take place on Friday 27 March from 10 am – 3 pm. Visitors are welcome to come and freely explore the Canon’s Garden (located behind the Cloister alongside the River Wye), Cloister Garden and Chapter House Garden and meet the volunteer team who maintain the gardens throughout the year. The gardens are easily accessible and through the winter months, work has been undertaken to widen the pathways within the Canon’s Garden to improve wheelchair accessibility. Peter Challenger, Visits and Volunteers Administrator, said: “The Spring Opening is wonderful opportunity to come and visit these tranquil gardens at your leisure and ask any questions you may have about the work which goes into maintaining them. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful team of volunteer gardeners who work all year round to ensure that the gardens of the cathedral are a beautiful […]

It’s that wonderful time of year where spring is almost upon us, the snowdrops are out in force and we take a moment to celebrate the fabulous women in our life on Mother’s Day. So if you’re looking for a special gift, a gorgeous afternoon tea treat or the perfect day out. Here’s our Mother’s Day guide to give you some magnificent Mother’s day ideas and inspiration. SPECIAL GIFTS TO TREASURE Mike Gell Jewellery shop is situated in Hereford’s historic town centre on East Street, showcasing over seventy designer-makers. Focusing on supporting British makers who excel in high quality design and craftsmanship. With a vast array of styles to choose from and four jewellers onsite, it’s the perfect place to acquire a beautiful piece that will be treasured forever. John McKellar has the most beautiful collection of designer, handmade platinum, silver and gold jewellery. Individual pieces that will make a statement and show how much you love your Mum. Located on Church Street in Hereford their lovely staff are knowledgeable and take pleasure in finding you that perfect piece. Andrew Lamputt Silversmith & Jeweller specialises in beautiful antique and modern jewellery, with a wonderful collection of gorgeous and unique pieces for you […]

Garway Hill is one of our favourite spots not just for its beautiful location but also for its Folklore. A common saying is “There’ll be nine witches from the bottom of Orcop to the end of Garway Hill as long as water flows.” The Witches of Garway Hill are etched in Herefordshire folklore and were seen as wise women to be revered. Death and the Veil of Grief Now with that in mind the tale we tell you takes us back to the Middle Ages. There was a man said to be a member of the Mynors family whose wife had passed away. Her death hit him deeply and he mourned her loss for a number of years. His friends were concerned for his welfare as he he didn’t seem able to move forward with his life. Not sure how to help him they suggested that he visit one of the old ladies on Garway Hill. Perhaps there was a way that the misery he was experiencing could be lifted. A Shocking Revelation Although the man was both sceptical and apprehensive he climbed the hill and met with one of the woman. As he explained to her about the loss […]

From 18 – 22 February 2020, Eastnor Pottery, near Ledbury, Herefordshire is delighted to announce details of its fun and creative themed sessions for families in the approaching February half term. TWIT TWOO is the theme and potters of all ages and abilities get to fashion an owl from soft clay. The creative fun doesn’t stop there either. As soon as they have finished modelling their fowl, participants paint their owls with coloured underglazes and slips. The birds will need to dry thoroughly before they are fired and glazed. This whole process takes about a month and participants will be contacted once their pottery has emerged from the kiln. If they are unable to collect their pottery masterpieces, P+P can be arranged at £5 per owl. “Clay is such a brilliant medium for families to work with” commented Jon the Potter. “We’ve done loads of intergenerational workshops in the past where 70 yr old participants have got creative alongside their grandchildren and sometimes, great grandchildren! Twit Twoo is designed for children as young as 4years – there is no upper age limit” he continued. 1.5 hr sessions commence at 10am, 11.30am and 2pm and places cost £20. Telephone and email booking […]

Did you know that by 1730 Herefordshire had the largest turnpike system in Britain? An act of parliament was passed which allowed local groups (turnpike trusts) to take over the maintenance of roads in the county. In return the trusts were allowed to install turnpikes and tollgates and charge people for using the routes. At this time 118 miles of road was controlled by the Hereford Trust. However the turnpike revolt was coming. Historic Milestones We often revel at finding some of the historic milestones dotted around our beautiful county’s lanes. However in 1766 they were deemed compulsory on all turnpike roads and a very common sight indeed. Turnpike trusts were then required to mark every mile along a route so that accurate timing of journeys and prices could be estimated. Many of our Herefordshire towns were surrounded with toll gates and for non tax payers routes to market were blocked. So as you can imagine the tolls were not popular. In fact the turnpike laws were hated and reviled by locals and visitors alike as they were fiercely enforced with very few exceptions. The poor resented them just as much as the farmers whose trading was significantly disrupted. So […]

As we delve deep into the history and folklore of Herefordshire ready to bring you a snippet or two, some interesting things often catch our eye. Recently we were intrigued to read about ‘Murder Stones’ and wondered if there were any in our beautiful county. We’ve read a few murder stone messages and we can see why they may have caused alarm for the locals. Murder stones are historic markers which were most popular during the 1820’s and appeared mainly in the countryside. They were usually placed at or nearby the scene of a murder. Used as a visual reminder of a crime which had shocked a community or had caused outrage. Often the perpetrators of the murders were found. However some stones record unsolved killings too. Some murder stone messages could be quite unnerving for the locals. The murder stones were usually erected by prominent local people, landowners or justices. Most served to commemorate the life of the victim or to warn others of the consequences of committing such crimes. They also acted as stark warnings, particularly to women to take more care. One of the more famous murder stones is that to the Unknown Sailor. An unidentified man […]

It’s Musicals Season at The Courtyard Cinema in Hereford. Everything’s coming up roses at The Courtyard this season as its film programme includes four iconic musicals to be screened as part of British Film Institute’s (BFI) Musicals! The Greatest Show On Screen season. Screenings from The Courtyard, which are presented in partnership with the BFI Film Audience Network, include a singalong version of Doris Day classic, Calamity Jane (U) (Wed 29 Jan, 5pm) where audiences can also enjoy a free Barn Dance session from 4pm, a showing of Ken Russell’s 1975 British independent rock musical Tommy (15) (Thu 30 Jan, 5pm) and a Valentine’s Day screening of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (PG)(Fri 14 Feb, 5.30pm) a romantic drama musical that is sung in French with English subtitles. Tommy (15) and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (PG) are both being re-released by the BFI as part of the Musicals season. In addition to the three Courtyard screenings, The Courtyard Cinema will be hosting a special singalong screening of all time classic The Sound of Music (U) in the iconic Hereford Cathedral building. Audiences are welcome to bring cushions and blankets to cosy up with and fancy dress is encouraged, with prizes for […]

18TH BORDERLINES FILM FESTIVAL Herefordshire, Shropshire, Malvern, and the Welsh Marches Borderlines Film Festival Comes of Age Borderlines Film Festival is back for its eighteenth consecutive year in 2020. Now one of the largest, best-attended film festivals nationally, it will take place over 17 days from Friday 28 February to Sunday 15 March in 30 locations across three counties of the Welsh Marches: Herefordshire, Shropshire, Powys, as well as Malvern in Worcestershire. Borderlines ranges over 2,000 square miles of rural Britain, bringing films and related events to venues of different size and character, from multi-disciplinary arts centres, theatres and assembly rooms, to village halls, community cinemas, a church, a pub and a cluster of pop-ups. In this sparsely-populated area of the country, the Festival attracted a record 21,678 attendances for its 2019 edition. A total of 280 screenings, more than ever before, are planned for 2020. 80 features and around 30 shorts will make up the programme. These films will be supplemented by guest speakers, exhibitions and additional moving image events. The Independent Cinema Office programmes Borderlines and secures a generous proportion of film titles screening at the Festival prior to their UK release. These previews comprise approximately 30% of […]

As the festive season gets into full swing, Eastnor Castle, near Ledbury, will be opening its doors for a very special evening of Christmas magic, just a week before the big day! On the evening of Wednesday 18th December, James Hervey-Bathurst, the owner of Eastnor Castle, will be welcoming visitors from 6pm until 8.30pm to sample the delights of Christmas at Eastnor. The castle doors will swing open for three scheduled tours, each led by James himself and will take in the beautifully decorated Great Hall including a 20-foot tree featuring decorations handed down through generations. The historic bedrooms and the atmospheric, candle-lit dining room will give people a glimpse into Christmas from a bygone era. The tour will include a glass of wine and a mince pie as well as Christmas carols by members of the Ledbury Choral Society. The event is to raise funds for the Eastnor Church Tower Appeal in which James is heavily involved. Up to £120,000 needs to be raised for a project to repair the ancient and beautiful church and to improve its facilities to allow wider use. The Church is a grade 1-listed Place of Worship and on the Historic England Buildings at […]

Family workshops in the buildup to Christmas Evergreen 5 November – 21 December 2019 Eastnor Pottery, near Ledbury, Herefordshire is delighted to announce details of its fun and creative themed workshops for families in the buildup to Christmas 2019.  Evergreen! is the inspirational title and participants will learn how to create a hollow Christmas using soft clay under the expert tutelage of professional potters. The fun doesn’t just stop with the hand making. Participants also get to decorate their freshly created masterpieces, there and then with a seasonal palate of paints and under-glazes. All this for just £20 per person. If hand modelling isn’t your thing then there is plenty of opportunity to try the potter’s wheel instead starting at just £30 per person. The creations will need to dry out before they can be fired and glazed. This process takes about a month and the Pottery will contact participants as soon as they are out of the kiln and ready for collection. Don’t worry if you can’t make it back to Eastnor to collect your ceramic arty-fact, P+P can be arranged at £5 per item. Sessions need to be booked in advance and the Pottery is open Tuesday – Saturday. […]

We all love some local festive foodie treats to wow our visitors, put in Christmas stockings or to fill our hampers. Herefordshire is brimming over with amazing artisan food and drinks producers that have some stunning products that will tantalise your taste buds and make your Christmas extra special. CELEBRATION DRINKS AND GIFTS Swan Brewery, Leominster If you love your ales and you like to share then Swan Brewery of Leominster have a fantastic range of beers for you to choose from. From crisp light ales to delicious dark delights, party beer, casks or gift packs. Brewed by Jimmy Swan, a brewer of over 25 years’ experience, Swan Brewery will really get your festive celebrations off to a great start. Open every Friday 9 – 4, so do stop by and stock up with your favourite ales. www.swanbrewery.co.uk Chase Distillery, Preston Wynne Chase Distillery have some of the most fantastic vodkas and gins for you to enjoy this festive season, not to mention some wonderful gifts too. A Herefordshire family owned, British Field to Bottle distillery, creating fine spirits from their farm in Herefordshire. Their superb products are in now in demand across the world. So if you like a […]

THE HISTORY OF SIN EATERS Did you know that in the County of Hereford since the early 1600’s an old custom took place at family funerals? Grieving family members of the recently departed would call upon a sin-eater to rid their deceased loved one of their sins. So being a sin-eater was a rather odd profession but a very common one across the UK right up until the mid nineteenth century. Because it was not for everyone the role was usually reserved for the poor. Through a sin-eater ritual it was believed that the deceased would enter into heaven without any of the sins that they had accumulated throughout their lifetime. So what did a sin eater do? The belief was that if a piece of bread or pastry was placed on the chest or the face of the deceased, it would absorb all of their sins. So friends and family would gather around the deceased, drink beer, sing and mourn their passing. The body would then be brought out of the house along with the loaf of bread or pastry, a tankard of beer and a sixpence. All of which were passed across the body to the sin-eater to devour the […]

If someone had told you that Hereford had once been troubled by the living dead who brought a plague which had ravaged the population would you believe them? What about vampires in Hereford? No? Well maybe you should. Back in the middle ages when the bishop was none other than Gilbert Foliot and Herefordians were suspicious of the Welsh, (mainly because they had burnt down the cathedral in by gone years) there were some very strange occurrences indeed! It was difficult being a Welsh man in Herefordshire Heuno a welsh man living in Hereford wasn’t particularly popular on account of being Welsh but less so because he was a tanner and given the amount of urine needed for the trade. Therefore his poor personal hygiene made him a pariah. Heuno tended to be active during the night time hours as towns folk would leave him a cup of vinegar and a full bucket outside their door which he then collected in exchange for a penny. Due to his strange appearance, Heuno had very prominent teeth, think Freddie Mercury and then some, he looked quite predatory and people were very scared of him. After many years of service Heuno died, most […]

The festive season is almost upon us and some of our favourite Herefordshire restaurants have unleashed their fantastic Christmas foodie menus. Here’s our 10 Terrific Places for a Festive Feast around the county that will have you celebrating Christmas in style with your family and friends. Prepare yourself for some amazing food, entertainment and fun and relish eating out in Herefordshire. Who doesn’t enjoy a festive feast? The Riverside Inn, Aymestrey If you fancy being really decadent this Christmas how about dining at the glorious Riverside Inn located deep in Mortimer Country in north Herefordshire. Recently awarded UK’s Best Restaurant at the UK Slow Food Awards this fantastic foodie paradise best known for its creative menus and use of local produce will blow you away. The Riverside Inn, Aymestrey, Herefordshire HR6 9ST T: 01568 708440 E: enquiries@riversideaymestrey.co.uk W: www.riversideaymestrey.co.uk Pensons Recently the recipient of a Michelin Star, the wonderful Pensons Restaurant with acclaimed Chef Lee Westcott and his talented team at the helm are offering you the best in fine dining this festive season. Located on the Herefordshire /Worcestershire borders on the Netherwood Estate, the showcase of fantastic seasonal produce from the farm itself and local area creates dishes that […]

This autumn, Ludlow Farm (former Ludlow Food Centre) plays host to a unique pop-up art gallery. ‘The Artists’ Gallery’ will be housed in the ex ‘Isla Bikes’ showroom and will open on Saturday the 5th of October until the end of December. As the name suggests the gallery will be managed and run by the artists themselves, giving buyers the exciting opportunity to meet and buy directly from the makers.  The concept of the gallery was the brainchild of local wildlife artist Shelly Perkins, who sought to find a group of fellow creatives to join her in this exclusive opportunity to exhibit at this artisan retail site.  The group now comprises a range of artists and crafts people working to the highest level in their chosen field, representing mediums including wood turning, print making, painting, sculpture and ceramics. Priscilla Hann has been working as a bronze sculptor for nearly 50 years, her intricate pieces capture the essence of her subjects which range from race horses to dung beetles. Danielle Flowers handcrafts contemporary turned home décor and accessories, utilizing native timber sustainably felled from the Shropshire landscape. Megan Evans creates ‘rubbish’ art (literally!) by collecting litter from the natural landscape and […]

Our journey into folklore this week takes us back to 1809 to the bustling town of Leominster. Alive with gossip, where ‘bad speech’ was frowned upon and dealt with in very harsh ways. The tale of Jenny Pipes is a much loved local story involving one of England’s last surviving ducking stools, now located at The Priory in Leominster. What was a ‘common scold’? You may or may not have heard the term ‘common scold’. In the 19th century it referred to a public nuisance, an angry and troublesome person who breached the peace by arguing and quarrelling with their neighbours. In common law a ‘common scold’ was usually dealt with by way of a fine. If you were unlucky and depending on how the magistrate was feeling that day your punishment could be so much worse than this. How did Jenny Pipes fall foul of the law? Jenny Pipes (also known as Jane Corran) a young woman living in a poor community in Leominster, fell foul of this law. Unhappy with her lot and her husband John she made some very public derogatory comments about him and was reported to the local magistrates. As you can imagine dealing with […]

This week we head way back in time, as far back as the year of our Lord 794. Our story tells of the young King Ethelbert patron saint of Hereford Cathedral. King Ethelbert wasn’t your usual King, hot headed and ready for battle with his enemies. Seemingly he was young, studious, keen on books and education. To some he was perfect, young, pliable and apparently easily manipulated. Certainly he was inexperienced and a vulnerability to the Kingdom. The Alliance with King Offa’s Daughter Those around him decided it would be a good idea to encourage the young King to marry and produce an heir and King Ethelbert looked favourably on this idea. His thoughts drifting back to a recent feast where he had been mesmerised and entranced by a beautiful young woman. This woman was Elfrida none other than the daughter of Offa of the Mercians. He therefore asked his advisers to begin talks to arrange their union. They were as you can imagine wary of the alliance and discouraged it, Offa was known to be dangerous and unpredictable. Furthermore they did not want their King travelling into territories where he would be unprotected. Certainly no amount of cajoling would […]

The tale of King Herla is one of the most fantastical medieval legends. Telling of a faerie encounter that ends on the banks of the river Wye in good old Herefordshire. King Herla one of Britain’s earliest Kings was in his court when a small man rode in and claimed that he too was a king, a king of many other kings. In his friendly manner he proposed that the Kings visit each other stating, “I will attend your wedding and a year later you will attend mine.” And so it was when King Herla married, the small king attended accompanied by his servants and a large entourage. A wonderful wedding took place and about a year later, the small king returned with an invitation for King Herla to his wedding. A Faerie Celebration King Herla arrived at the small king’s kingdom and followed others through a crevice in the cliff face. Nervously winding his way through pitch black tunnels into the mountain, he was relieved to spy a magical light and the most wonderful wedding taking place. King Herla and his men feasted and celebrated for three days and were given lavish gifts, horses, hawks, hounds and hunting gear. […]

Have you ever strolled down High Town and noticed a very cute 17th century Black and White Building nearby to New Look that looks untouched and possibly out of place with all the other newer buildings? Some may recognise it as the old Apothecary and others as the the house that strolled into High Town. An Amazing Feat of Engineering This superb historic little house had been part of Marchants Grocers and in 1965 was moved on rollers into High Town to allow a new Littlewoods store to be built and was then returned to the existing row of shops. It was quite a spectacle at the time and drew large crowds who were keen to see this incredible feat of engineering in action. Some had thought that it wasn’t possible and that the little house would not be able to stay up, but it was all so well planned by civil engineer John Pryke, all went perfectly. Don’t Disturb the Ghosts! This move didn’t seem to upset the ghost reputed to haunt the building either. The ghost believed to be that of an apothecary who accidentally killed one of his apprentices by mixing him the wrong medicine who then […]

The skies cleared, the sun shone and the breeze blew just enough to create the perfect weather for our wonderful Hereford Experience Day on 15 August, where we brought together tourism businesses to see the City sights of Hereford that they might often overlook. As part of our series of Member Experience Days, the aim is to remind tourism providers of what is in their local area so that they can themselves inspire visitors to visit Herefordshire and enjoy all it has to offer once they are here. Meeting the Mayor and the Civic Treasures of the Town Hall Attended predominantly by Accommodation providers, and open to Members and Non-Members of ESL, the day began with tea and biscuits with the Mayor of the City of Hereford, Kath Hey, in the Mayor’s Parlour.  We learned about her plans and projects for the mayoral year ahead along with her chosen charities Phoenix Bereavement and the CLD Trust, both supporting children’s issues. Ably assisted by the Mayor’s Officer John Marshall, we were then given a most fascinating tour and talk around the historic treasures of the Mayor’s Parlour, which all derive from Hereford’s history as the second oldest City in the UK […]

Hereford Cathedral have unveiled their programme of events and services which celebrate the 700th anniversary of the canonisation of St Thomas Cantilupe. St Thomas Cantilupe was Bishop of Hereford from 1275 until his death in 1282. His shrine is located in the North Transept of Hereford Cathedral and is still an important pilgrimage destination. He also served as Chancellor of Oxford University and was involved in high-level politics as the Lord Chancellor of England. The celebration year, which runs from October 2019 to October 2020, starts on Saturday 12 October at 3.30 pm with a Service of Faith and Reconciliation. Rowan Williams, the Right Revd. Lord Williams of Oystermouth and 104th Archbishop of Canterbury will join the Bishop of Hereford in a service which celebrates the good relationship between the two cities today. Throughout the celebration year there will also be a programme of lectures given by Lord Patten of Barnes (Tuesday 8 October 2019), Dr Jan Graffius (Thursday 24 October 2019), The Very Revd. Michael Tavinor (Thursday 26 March 2020) and Ian Bass (Friday 2 October 2020) which discuss the life and times of St Thomas Cantilupe. Alongside these lectures, a series of special exhibitions exploring of sainthood and […]