HERFORD

herford, a town in the prussian province of westphalia, situated at the confluence of the werre and aa, on the minden & cologne railway, 9 m. n.e. of bielefeld, and at the junction of the railway to detmold and altenbeken. pop. (1885) 15,902; (1905) 24,821. it possesses six evangelical churches, notably the munsterkirche, a romanesque building with a gothic apse of the 15th century; the marienkirche, in the gothic style; and the johanniskirche, with a steeple 280 ft. high. the other principal buildings are the roman catholic church, the synagogue, the gymnasium founded in 1540, the agricultural school and the theatre. there is a statue of frederick william of brandenburg. the industries include cotton and flax-spinning, and the manufacture of linen cloth, carpets, furniture, machinery, sugar, tobacco and leather. herford owes its origin to a benedictine nunnery which is said to have been founded in 832, and was confirmed by the emperor louis the pious in 839. from the emperor frederick i. the abbess obtained princely rank and a seat in the imperial diet. among the abbesses was the celebrated elizabeth (1618-1680), eldest daughter of the elector palatine frederick