Mappa Mundi and Chained Library at Hereford Cathedral, Hereford, Herefordshire. Paid entry

Details

Accessibility

"The Mappa Mundi & Chained Library Exhibition is fully wheelchair accessible, and rest seats are provided throughout

The exhibition, which houses the Mappa Mundi and Chained Library, is designed to be fully accessible and offers a wide range of resources.

There is a charge to enter the exhibition, but companions are entitled to free access. We also provide complimentary tickets for visitors if they have to leave suddenly, for example if a member of your group is overwhelmed. You can read our full Accessible Ticketing policy; it is designed to help visitors, regardless of impairment, access and enjoy the exhibition.

There is an interactive tactile and braille interpretation of the Mappa Mundi, with an audio description of key parts of the map. There is also a large tactile map of the Mappa Mundi, as well as braille guides available to borrow. Although there is not currently a separate audio guide, there is an audio commentary on the video which gives an introduction to the Mappa Mundi.

https://www.herefordcathedral.org/accessibility

The main body of Hereford Cathedral is wheelchair accessible. To help visitors plan their visit, our Access Map marks all the level, ramped, and stepped access points. The main North Porch entrance is level, as are the entrances from Chapter House Gardens and the Lady Arbour. There is a shallow ramp at the St John’s door entrance, which is the entrance nearest the car park. Please note that the floor can be a little uneven in places, due to the age of the building. There is also a small step down into the Stanbury Chapel (less than 4cm)."

Brief description

https://www.themappamundi.co.uk/mappa-mundi/

2022: "The Mappa Mundi & Chained Library Exhibition is open Monday - Saturday, 10 am - 5pm (last admission 4.30 pm)

Explore Hereford's famous medieval map and discover how scholars interpreted the world over 700 years ago, displayed alongside 229 illuminated manuscripts and over 1,200 early printed books. 

Although there is no longer a legal requirement to wear face coverings or maintain social distancing, we encourage our visitors to be mindful of other people who may be more vulnerable, and take appropriate precautions as necessary to respect their needs.  Hand sanitizer and face masks are available within the Cathedral if required.

The exhibition is closed on Sundays, Good Friday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

The Mappa Mundi has its own interactive website, which can be explored here.

For information on visiting Mappa Mundi and Chained Library click here.

A film about Mappa Mundi which includes close-up images and an explanation of some of its imagery by Sarah Arrowsmith, former Head of Schools and Family Learning, is published on the History West Midlands website. You can view the film here.

Hereford Cathedral Library and Archives holds the papers of Professor Valerie Flint concerning her uncompleted book The Hereford Map Pilgrimage: Politics and Power in Thirteenth-Century England, which can be downloaded here.

For information on visiting the Mappa Mundi & Chained Library click here.

The Hereford Mappa Mundi is unique in Britain’s heritage; an outstanding treasure of the medieval world, it records how 13th-century scholars interpreted the world in spiritual as well as geographical terms.

The map bears the name of its author, ‘Richard of Haldingham or Lafford’ (Holdingham and Sleaford in Lincolnshire). Recent research suggests a date of about 1300 for the creation of the map.

Mappa Mundi is drawn on a single sheet of vellum (calf skin) measuring 64 × 52 inches (1.58 × 1.33 metres), tapering towards the top with a rounded apex. The geographical material of the map is contained within a circle 52 inches in diameter and reflects the thinking of the medieval Church with Jerusalem at the centre of the world.

Superimposed on to the continents are drawings of the history of humankind and the marvels of the natural world. These 500 or so drawings include of around 420 cities and towns, 15 Biblical events, 33 plants, animals, birds and strange creatures, 32 images of the peoples of the world and 8 pictures from classical mythology.

Christopher de Hamel, a leading authority on medieval manuscripts, has said of the Mappa Mundi, ‘… it is without parallel the most important and most celebrated medieval map in any form, the most remarkable illustrated English manuscript of any kind, and certainly the greatest extant thirteenth-century pictorial manuscript.’

An exclusive range of Mappa Mundi posters, postcards, publications and gifts can be purchased from the cathedral shop."

Digital images of the Mappa Mundi (the complete map or any part of it) are available from the cathedral shop for private study and research or for publication. The basic price for one image is £24 + VAT. Additional reproduction fees may apply in the case of images required for publication."

Address

Hereford Cathedral,

5 College Cloisters,

Cathedral Close,

Hereford,

HR1 2NG

Email

office@herefordcathedral.org

Phone

01432 374200

Website

https://www.themappamundi.co.uk/mappa-mundi/

https://www.herefordcathedral.org/mappa-mundi-and-chained-library-exhibition

https://www.herefordcathedral.org/

Opening Times

Always check with the venue directly for up-to-date information including opening times and admission charges as they may be subject to change

"2022:  "The Mappa Mundi & Chained Library Exhibition is open Monday - Saturday, 10 am - 5pm (last admission 4.30 pm). The exhibition is closed on Sundays, Good Friday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Large family: 2 adults and up to 3 children £14

Medium family: 1 adult and 2 or 3 children £10

Small family: 1 adult and 1 child £8

Advanced booking is not required unless you are coming in a large group"

Transport

Entrance is immediately to the south of the West front of Hereford Cathedral, which "lies in the centre of the city of Hereford, which was first granted a royal charter by King Richard I in 1189. The beautiful River Wye runs through the city, which has a population of nearly 60,000 and is easily accessible by road and rail.

By rail

Hereford is well connected by rail to Birmingham (journey time approximately 1 hour 30 minutes), Cardiff (1 hr), London Paddington (3 hrs) and Oxford (2 hrs 30 mins). For information about train times and prices please contact National Rail Enquiries on 08457 484950 or visit their website.

By bus

Please visit the Herefordshire Council website or Stagecoach website for connecting bus services.

By bike

If you are cycling to visit us there are four cycle racks which are in the car park near the entrance to the Cloisters.  Alternatively there is a large number of racks outside the city library which is at the West End of the Cathedral in Broad Street. You may also be interested in reading about the Cathedral Cycle Route.

By road

The principal roads to Hereford are the A49 from Ludlow and Shrewsbury to the north and Gloucester and Ross-on-Wye to the south, the A465 from South Wales and the A4103 from Worcester to the east. The nearest motorway connection is Junction 4 on the M50 (14 miles), which connects to the M5.

Car parking

There is no parking available within the Cathedral Close or its immediate vicinity, although there are a number of short- and long-stay car parks in the city. Please click here to download a PDF map of the parking available, or visit Herefordshire Council’s website.

Map

To see a map of our location, please click here." (Updated: 27 October, 2021)"

Amenities

Cafe  https://www.herefordcathedral.org/cafe

Shop https://www.herefordcathedral.org/shop