Hereford Castle

Hereford Castle was a Norman fortification built with a stone keep and defensive walls positioned strategically along the River Wye to the east of the cathedral. Today the site is an open green space where grassy banks and scattered stone remains mark where the fortress once stood.

Norman lord Ralph de Mantes built the original motte and bailey structure around 1046, establishing it as one of England's earliest castles. The fortress evolved over centuries with successive renovations and reinforcements before gradually losing military importance.

The site served as a burial ground for both monastic communities and townspeople, making it a spiritual center for the medieval city. Walking across the green today, you are treading over the resting place of thousands of people from centuries past.

The site is now a public park that is freely accessible and easy to explore while strolling through the city center. An 1809 Nelson Monument stands prominently on the grounds, serving as a useful landmark to orient yourself within the grassy space.

By the 16th century, this fortress had grown to rival Windsor Castle in size and strength, according to accounts from the antiquarian John Leland. This former grandeur makes the modest ruins of today all the more striking.