Museum of Cider

Lore & Background

The museum originated from a realization in the 1970s that the heritage of cider making was at risk of being lost. The Trust began by researching cider history, building an archive of pomology, photographs, and artefacts, and conducting oral histories and a survey of Herefordshire cider mills. A temporary 'pop-up' museum was set up in a shop next to the Butter Market in Hereford before the Trust rented the old Bulmer offices in 1978. The building was later acquired by the Trust, and after extensive renovation, the museum opened in 1981, portraying the worldwide history of cider making.

The building itself dates to 1888, when Henry Percival Bulmer began making cider, joined by his brother Fred. They purchased land on the outskirts of Hereford to build a 'shack' for making and storing cider. Extensive cellars were excavated in 1889, and the building was extended to include factory and offices, with a grand frontage added in the 1920s. The front aspect visitors see from Pomona Place is actually the rear of the original building; the Beam Press Gallery was added in the 1980s using bricks and timber from the old Godwins Cider Factory in Hereford.

The museum is operated by the Hereford Cider Museum Trust, a registered charity independent of the Bulmer Heritage Centre. It raises money from admissions, events, the shop, tearoom, grants, and meeting rooms. The museum was the first place in Britain in 200 years to obtain a licence from HMRC for distilling cider into brandy; production ceased in 2012 but inspired a commercial licence application in Somerset.

Reader's Guide

The Museum of Cider holds significance as a dedicated repository for the material culture and history of cider making, particularly in England and the West Country. Its collections range from modern marketing materials to 17th-century books, and include a 300-year-old French Beam Press, a rare collection of English lead crystal cider glasses dating from 1730, and watercolours depicting apple and pear varieties. The museum's original exhibition design follows the process from orchard to farmhouse mill to the history and science of cider making from the 16th century onward, with the 19th-century Boardroom and Champagne Cider Cellars illustrating the transition from cottage industry to industrial process.

A major addition to the collection came in 2003 when Bulmer's was taken over by Scottish and Newcastle, bringing a rare collection of 18th-century cider glasses to the museum. The museum also organizes an annual programme of events including talks, art exhibitions, the International Cider and Perry Competition (running since the early 1980s), and the Cidermaking Festival. The competition is well-respected in the cider-making community, with 210 entries in 2018. The museum's legacy includes its pioneering role in obtaining a licence for distilling cider into brandy, which inspired commercial production elsewhere.