Hereford cattle, breed of beef cattle originated in Herefordshire, England, and thought to be descended from the primitive cattle of the country. They are medium-to-large, deep-bodied, thick-fleshed animals with white faces and white markings. Probably first brought to the United States in 1817 by Henry Clay, they are now the predominating breed on the Western ranges. A polled (hornless) Hereford strain developed in the United States by selective breeding is now very popular. Herefords are also widely raised in Australia and South America.

Hereford and Worcester, former county, W central England, created under the Local Government Act of 1972 (effective 1974). It was composed of the county borough of Worcester and most of the former counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire, but in 1998 the two counties were again established as separate entities.

Hereford, town (1991 pop. 48,277), Herefordshire, W central England. Hereford is a cattle-market town, from which the cattle breed takes its name. Industries include food processing, brewing, and light manufacturing. At its cathedral, which probably dates from the 11th cent., the Festival of the Three Choirs is held every third year. (In the other years it is held at Gloucester or Worcester.) The nearby White Cross commemorates the termination of the great plague in the mid-14th cent. A grammar school was founded there in the 14th cent. Hereford was the birthplace of Nell Gwyn, mistress of Charles II, and the stage actor David Garrick.

Hereford, city (1990 pop. 14,745), seat of Deaf Smith co., N Tex., in the Panhandle; inc. 1906. Livestock is raised in Hereford, and cattle feeding is an important industry, along with meatpacking and sugar refining. Vegetables, sugar beets, sunflowers, and grains are grown on irrigated farms in the semiarid plains.

Davies of Hereford, John, 1565?-1618, English poet. He settled in London about 1600 after spending several years as a writing master at Oxford. His main efforts were religious and philosophical treatises written in verse, the best of which were Mirum in Modum (1602) and Micro-cosmos (1603). He also wrote The Scourge of Folly (1610?), a book of epigrams, some complimentary but most satirical, on contemporary poets.

Bohun, Humphrey VIII de, 4th earl of Hereford and 3d earl of Essex, 1276-1322, English nobleman; son of Humphrey VII de Bohun. One of the lords ordainers who attempted to curb the powers of Edward II in 1310, he took part in the execution (1312) of the hated Piers Gaveston. He fought for Edward at Bannockburn (1314), was captured by the Scots, and was exchanged. He was killed at Boroughbridge fighting on the baronial side against the king and the Despensers.

Bohun, Humphrey VII de, 3d earl of Hereford and 2d earl of Essex, d. 1298, English nobleman. He was constable of England and with Roger Bigod, earl of Norfolk, led the baronial opposition to Edward I that forced the king to sign the important confirmation of the charters (1297).

Bohun, Humphrey V de, 2d earl of Hereford and 1st earl of Essex, d. 1275, English nobleman; son of Henry de Bohun, 1st earl of Hereford. A member of the household of Henry III, he inherited the earldom of Essex from a maternal uncle and in 1242 went with the king on his French campaign. In 1258 he joined the baronial opposition to Henry and was one of 24 men who drew up the Provisions of Oxford. In the Barons' War, however, he returned (1263) to the side of the king and was captured (1264) by Simon de Montfort at Lewes.

Bohun, Henry de, 1st earl of Hereford, 1176-1220, English nobleman. Although King John granted him the marcher lordship of Hereford in 1199, Henry was one of the barons who forced the king to accept the Magna Carta in 1215 and one of those appointed to oversee its observance. He fought against the king in the ensuing civil war. He died on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Popular breed of beef cattle, the product of generations of breeding in the English county of Herefordshire. The characteristic colour, red with a white face and white markings, has been fixed for only a comparatively short time. The outstanding characteristics are uniformity of colour, early maturity, and ability to thrive under adverse conditions. Introduced into the U.S. in 1817, it has become the predominant breed in the range areas of North America from Canada to Mexico.

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