4 Best Sights in Hereford, Stratford-upon-Avon and the Heart of England

Built of local red sandstone, Hereford Cathedral is a treasure trove of historical artifacts, including Mappa Mundi, the largest surviving medieval map, and Britain's largest chained library (a sort of medieval security system), which has its locks and chains intact. The cathedral retains a large central tower, and while much of the interior was restored in the 19th century, 11th-century Norman features remain, including intricate stone carvings. There are exquisite contemporary stained-glass windows in the Audley Chapel and a 12th-century chair that is one of the country's oldest pieces of furniture and was reputedly used by King Stephen (1092–1154).

The Mappa Mundi is the biggest attraction, though. Drawn in about 1300, it’s a fascinating glimpse of how the medieval mind viewed the world: Jerusalem is shown dead center, the Garden of Eden at the edge, Europe and Africa are the wrong way round—and, of course, there are no Americas. Besides land masses, the map details 500 individual drawings, including cities, Biblical stories, mythical creatures, and images of how people in different corners of the globe were thought to look. The map is outside the Chained Library, which contains some 1,500 books, among them an 8th-century copy of the Four Gospels. Chained libraries, in which books were attached to cupboards, are rare: they date from medieval times when books were as precious as gold. The cathedral also holds a copy of the 1217 revision of Magna Carta. Tours of the cathedral (without the library and Mappa Mundi, which require an extra fee, though volunteers can answer your questions) run daily (except Sundays). Garden tours run in summer and tower tours on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The half-timber Old House, crisscrossed with black beams and whitewashed walls, is a fine example of domestic Jacobean architecture. Built in 1621, the house started out as a private home and spent years as a butcher’s shop and then a bank, but it has been preserved as a museum since 1929. It’s kept in the style it would have been in the early 17th century. Across the three floors, you can explore a kitchen, dining hall, parlor, and bedrooms complete with four-poster beds. Look for the rare wall paintings and the unusual dog’s door between the nursery and master bedroom.

Located within Hereford's Town Hall, this heritage museum holds many of the city’s historic artifacts, including the first Royal Charter given to Hereford in 1189 by Richard the Lionheart, which validated its city status and assured its position as one of England's most important cities at the time. Visitors can also see items from the Mayor's Parlour, such as the sword of Owen Tudor, great-grandfather of Henry VIII, who met his grisly end in Hereford during the Wars of the Roses. Though you can visit independently, you can also visit as part of a wider guided walk through the city with the brilliant Guild of Mayors Guides ( herefordguidedwalks.org.uk), a great way to understand of Hereford's intriguing past.

A farm’s cider house (the alcoholic kind) and a cooper’s workshop have been re-created at the museum, where you can tour ancient cellars with huge oak vats and celebrate the drink for which the region is renowned. Cider brandy is made here, and the museum sells its own brand, along with other cider items.