Museums & Galleries · Herefordshire
Mappa Mundi and Chained Library
📍 HR4 9BL
Photo: Richard Ash (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
- View the Hereford Mappa Mundi, a medieval world map
- See the map made from a single sheet of vellum
- Explore the world's largest surviving chained library
- See around 1,500 books including 227 medieval manuscripts
- Admire the award-winning New Library Building and cathedral architecture
At Hereford Cathedral you can see the famous Mappa Mundi, a medieval map of the world made around 1300 on a single sheet of vellum, showing how Christian Europe understood geography and history at the time. Alongside it is the Chained Library, the largest surviving chained library in the world, holding around 1,500 books including 227 medieval manuscripts still used by scholars today. The setting also takes in the cathedral's Romanesque Nave, restored shrine and striking New Library Building. It suits anyone curious about history, books or medieval art. Hereford station is just 0.6 miles away, and with 19 bookable places to stay within 5 miles, it's an easy addition to a short stay in Hereford.
Practical details
- Best for
- Scholars and visitors interested in medieval history and maps
From the attraction's own website on 11 Oct 2026 — check before you travel.
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Create a free account to claimPlaces to stay near Mappa Mundi and Chained Library
Make a proper break of it — these stays are all within 25 miles.
0.1 mi
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0.4 mi
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0.7 mi
🎪 What's on near Mappa Mundi and Chained Library
Events from
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Fri 13 Nov · 20:00
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Fri 13 Nov · 12:00
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Thu 17 Dec · 18:00
Bingo Lingo - Deck The Balls
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Fri 18 Dec · 19:00
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Tickets on Skiddle ↗
🗓️ Make a break of it
Turn a visit to Mappa Mundi and Chained Library into a proper getaway — ready-made plans, and the drive worked out with fuel, EV charging and the best stops.
🚆 Or come by train
- Hereford 0.6 miles
- Leominster 11.9 miles
- Ledbury 12.4 miles
Straight-line distances · live departures on each station page