Worcestershire, west-midland county of England, bounded N. by Shropshire and Staffordshire, E. by Warwickshire, S. by Gloucestershire, and W. by Herefordshire; greatest length (not including the detached parts), NW. and SE., 36 miles; greatest breadth, NE. and SW., 45 miles; area, 472,453 acres, population 380,283. Worcestershire lies almost entirely in the basin of the Severn, which receives the Stour, Teme, and Avon. The surface is a broad undulating plain, broken in the NE. by hills of moderate height, and in the SW. by the Malvern Hills, which reach an altitude of 1395 ft. The soil, chiefly clay and loam, is very fertile. Wheat is extensively grown, and there are numerous hop-gardens and orchards. Large quantities of cider and perry are made. There are several extensive and beautiful valleys (notably that of the Severn), with rich pastures, and great numbers of cattle and sheep are fattened. The strata consist for the most part of new red sandstone, lias, and oolite; other formations are visible in the Malvern Hills and some other districts. Coal and iron are found in the Dudley district, and the mfr. of iron and steel and of hardware is extensive. Carpets and rugs are made at Kidderminster, glass at Dudley and Stourbridge, gloves and porcelain at Worcester, and needles and fish-hooks at Redditch and Feckenham. Immense quantities of salt are obtained from the brine springs at Droitwich. The Birmingham and Worcester and other canals connect the Severn basin with those of the Trent and Mersey. The county contains 5 hundreds, 243 parishes, the parliamentary and municipal boroughs of Kidderminster and Worcester, part of the parliamentary and municipal borough of Dudley, and themunicipal boroughs of Bewdley, Droitwich, and Evesham. It is almost entirely in the diocese of Worcester.
– John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887)
Note: Parts of Worcestershire, including Dudley, formed the West Midlands in1974.
Almonry, The
Abbey Gate
Evesham WR11 4BG
01386 446944
This 14th century building was once home to the Almoner of the Benedictine Abbey that was founded at Evesham in the 8th century. Today, the Almonry, two churches, bell tower and cloister arch are all that remain of what was reportedly the third largest abbey in England. The Almonry houses a collection that spans the prehistoric to the 20th century.
Ashmolean Museum Broadway, The
Tudor House, High Street
Broadway WR12 7DP
The Ashmolean has worked in close partnership with Worcestershire County Council, other local organisations, and the Keil family, to transform a historic building in the Cotswold village of Broadway, Worcestershire, into this new independent museum.
Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings
Stoke Heath
Bromsgrove B60 4JR
01527 831886
Avoncroft Museum of Historic buildings is an award-winning museum spanning 700 years of Midlands’ heritage set in a stunning rural location over 19 acres. Our collection includes a windmill, a Tudor town house and a fully furnished prefab. The museum was England’s first ever open-air museum and is no home to 30 exhibits of architectural and historic significance that have been rescued from destruction or demolition and rebuilt at Avoncroft.
Bewdley Museum
Load Street
Bewdley DY12 2AE
0845 603 5699
www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/museum
Objects associated with local crafts – pewter and brass, rope making, charcoal burning and woodland crafts. Social history objects,clothing and domestic implements.
Bordesley Abbey Visitor Centre & Forge Mill Needle Museum
Needle Mill Lane, Riverside
Redditch B98 8HY
01527 62509
www.forgemill.org.uk/index.htm
The Bordesley Abbey Visitor Centre, which is set in an original reconstructed 16th century barn, shows many of the finds that have been excavated over the years, and consists of a purpose built heritage centre with outer courtyard. The exhibits show what archaeologists have discovered about the life of the Cistercian monks of Bordesley – from how they worshiped, to the clothes they wore, and the illnesses they suffered.
Commandery, The
Sidbury
Worcester WR1 2HU
01905 361821
Originally built as a monastic hospital, The Commandery boasts over a thousand years of history. A Royalist Headquarters at the Battle of Worcester in 1651, this stunning complex of buildings with its magnificent timber framed Great Hall, medieval wall paintings, period rooms, peaceful gardens and a unique atmosphere, ensures your visit is one not to forget.
Croome – National Trust
NT Estate Office, The Builders’ Yard, High Green
Severn Stoke WR8 9JS
01905 371006
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/croome
Magnificent landscape park being restored to its former glory: ‘Capability’ Brown’s first complete landscape park. Lakeside garden with islands, bridges and grotto Wonderful Robert Adam park buildings, like the Temple Greenhouse and the Owl Seat Miles of walks through lakeland gardens, shrubbery and open parkland.
Droitwich Spa Heritage Centre
St Richard’s House, Victoria Square
Droitwich Spa WR9 8DS
01905 774 312
The Droitwich Spa Heritage and Information Centre is housed on the former Brine Baths site, which was first established in the 1880s.
Elgar Birthplace Museum
Crown East Lane
Lower Broadheath WR2 6RH
01905 333224
The Elgar Birthplace Museum gives a fascinating insight in to the life and music, family and friends, development and inspirations of Sir Edward Elgar, one of England’s greatest composers. Visit the country cottage where he was born on 2nd June 1857 and the newly redeveloped Elgar Centre and Jubilee Family Garden.
Fleece Inn, The – National Trust
Bretforton
Nr Evesham WR11 5JE
01386 831173
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/fleece-inn
The black-and-white half-timbered house, which originally sheltered a farmer and his stock under the same roof, is largely unaltered since first becoming a licensed house in 1848.
Forge Mill Needle Museum & Bordesley Abbey Visitor Centre
Needle Mill Lane, Riverside
Redditch B98 8HY
01527 62509
The Forge Mill Needle Museum is an industrial museum of the Redditch needle making and fishing tackle industries, housed in the original mill buildings. It features water-powered working machinery in a unique needle scouring mill. The Bordesley Abbey Visitor Centre, which is set in an original reconstructed 16th century barn, shows many of the finds that have been excavated over the years, and consists of a purpose built heritage centre with outer courtyard. The exhibits show what archaeologists have discovered about the life of the Cistercian monks of Bordesley.
George Marshall Medical Museum
Charles Hastings Education Centre, Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Charles Hastings Way
Worcester WR5 1DD
01905 760 738
The museum illustrates the history of medicine, nursing and the associated health care professions, with particular reference to Worcester and the surrounding area. It contains 500 items of equipment including a reconstructed 19th-century operating theatre, apothecary’s shop and death masks believed to be of hanged criminals.
Gordon Russell Design Museum
15 Russell Square
Broadway WR12 7AP
01386 854695
The Gordon Russell Museum is housed in the Grade-II-listed workshop used by Russell and his furniture company in Broadway, Worcestershire between 1920 and 2000. It charts the work, lives and success of the company throughout the 20th century and displays a unique collection of furniture, decorative art and archival material.
Hanbury Hall & Gardens – National Trust
School Road, Hanbury
Droitwich Spa WR9 7EA
01527 821214
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hanbury-hall
Built in 1701 by Thomas Vernon, a lawyer and whig MP for Worcester, Hanbury Hall is a beautiful country house. Inside, a mix of interiors await to be discovered, from the restored Hercules rooms and recreated Gothic corridor, to the recently re-decorated smoking room and stunning staircase wall-paintings by Sir James Thornhill.
Harvington Mill
Harvington
Nr Kidderminster DY10 4LR
01562 777846
Harvington Mill is a beautiful example of a mill that would have once been an important part of the local industry in this area. No longer is it a commercial enterprise or needed by the people of the community, but that does not downplay its historical significance.
Hive, The
Sawmill Walk, The Butts
Worcester WR1 3PB
01905 822 866
The Hive has been 10 years in the making and came about due to the vision and commitment of two key partners; the University of Worcester and Worcestershire County Council. It is Europe’s first joint university and public library. The Hive is home to a huge range of print and online resources, including Worcester City Archive and records of the Diocese of Worcester.
Infirmary, The
University Of Worcester, City Campus, Castle Street, Worcester, WR1 3AS, United Kingdom
Worcester WR1 3AS
01905 542373
www.facebook.com/TheInfirmaryWorcester
An interactive exhibition at the University of Worcester’s City Campus combining history, science, art and technology to explore the medical stories of one of England’s oldest infirmaries.
Collections: Displays incorporate the collections of the George Marshall Medical Museum, also in Worcester, and include medical, surgical and nursing equipment, archives, photographs, uniforms and other associated paraphernalia of the last 250 years.
Kidderminster Railway Museum
Station Approach, Comberton Hill
Kidderminster DY10 1QX
01562 825316
www.krm.org.uk
The Kidderminster Railway Museum houses a vast range of railway artefacts, most of which date back to the days of steam travel. From pen nibs to clocks, from signs to signalling equipment, from photographs to timetables and rolling stock, there is a vast amount to see. The collections are housed in a warehouse built by the Great Western Railway in 1878.
Lace Guild Museum, The
The Hollies, 53 Audnam
Stourbridge DY8 4AE
01384 390739
The Lace Guild’s collection contains over 16,000 objects — lace of all kinds, bobbins, shuttles, netting needles, threads and much more — all recorded on a database. See the website for details of open days and exhibitions.
Malvern Museum
The Abbey Gateway, Abbey Road
Great Malvern WR14 3ES
01684 567 811
www.malvernmuseum.co.uk
We are a small, friendly museum, located in the centre of Great Malvern within 5 minutes walk of Malvern Priory and the Tourist information Centre. Dinosaurs, Victorian scenes, a Water Cure patient and an observation bee hive are just some of the experiences our visitors enjoy.
Museum of Carpet
Stour Vale Mill, Green Street
Kidderminster DY10 1AZ
01562 69028
A new museum looking at the world famous carpet industry of Kidderminster along side stories of wealth, poverty and ingenuity of the people who created the carpets. Come and visit us for a fantastic experience, lots for the family and a wonderful gift shop to browse.
Museum of Royal Worcester
Severn Street
Worcester WR1 2ND
01905 21247
www.museumofroyalworcester.org
The Worcester Porcelain Museum houses the world’s largest collection of Worcester Porcelain. The ceramic collections, archives and records of factory production, form the primary resource for the study of Worcester porcelain and its history.
Museum of the Worcestershire Yeomanry Cavalry
City Museum and Art Gallery, Foregate Street
Worcester WR1 1DT
01905 25371
The museum of the Worcestershire Yeomanry is housed within the City Art Gallery and Museum. The collections are the property of the Worcestershire Yeomanry Museum Trust, which maintains close links with the successor regiment, the Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry, but are managed by Worcester City Museums.
Pershore Abbey
Church Street
Pershore WR10 1DT
Pershore Abbey was an Anglo-Saxon abbey and is now an Anglican parish church.
Salt Museum
c/o 128 Worcester Road
Droitwich Spa WR9 8AW
The Droitwich Spa Heritage and Information Centre is housed on the former Brine Baths site, which was first established in the 1880s. The permanent exhibition shows the fascinating story of the town from pre-Roman times to modern day. Excavations in the town have revealed much about early Droitwich and its salt industry; many of these remains are in excellent condition. The salt industry is traced, using displays and many old photographs, through Roman, Saxon and medieval periods and finally the Victorian era.
Severn Valley Railway
The Railway Station
Bewdley DY12 1BG
01299 403816
www.svr.co.uk
The SVR is a full-size standard-gauge railway line running regular steam-hauled passenger trains for the benefit of visitors and enthusiasts alike between Kidderminster in Worcestershire and Bridgnorth in Shropshire, a distance of 16 miles. The Severn Valley Railway was in the transport business as a through route for 101 years, from 1862 until 1963.
Stourport Basins
Severn side
Stourport-on-Severn DY13 9EP
01299 822827
stourporttown.co.uk/?page_id=179
Stourport on Severn is an inland port, where exotic goods from the great seaports of Bristol and Gloucester were transferred and exchanged with manufactured goods and materials from Birmingham and the Black Country. Stourport on Severn developed where the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal joined the River Severn. Historic Georgian buildings and numerous bridges, locks and canal basins give a fascinating insight into the life of an 18th century inland port.
Tenbury Museum
Goff’s School, Cross Street
Tenbury Wells WR15 8EF
07722 820983
Tenbury and District Museum is housed in the old Goff’s School building. In this single room we have numerous exhibits illustrating the local history and way of life.
Tenbury Wells Pump Rooms
Teme Street
Tenbury Wells WR15 8BA
www.teme-valley.co.uk/pumprooms2.htm
Tenbury Wells had the ‘Wells’ added to its name last century to help promote the mineral water wells that had been found in the town from 1840 onwards. The mineral waters brought about the building in 1862 of the now restored Tenbury Spa.
Transport Museum, Wythall, The
Chapel Lane
Wythall B47 6JX
01564 826 471
The museum has three halls which accommodate one of the most significant collections of preserved buses in the country. It has the largest collection of preserved Midland Red buses and can probably make the same claim for Birmingham City Transport.
Tudor House
Friar Street
Worcester WR1 2NA
Tudor House has had a varied life in the five centuries since it was built. It has been used as a work place for weavers, clothiers, tailors, bakers, painters, brewers and was used as lodgings, the Cross Keys Inn, a tearoom, a WW2 air raid wardens’ post, a school clinic and a museum.
Witley Court & Gardens – English Heritage
Worcester Road
Great Witley WR6 6JT
01299 896636
The vast and rambling remains of this palatial 19th century mansion, surrounded by magnificent landscaped gardens & containing huge stone fountains, provide a great day out in Worcestershire. The largest fountain, representing Perseus and Andromeda – now restored – was described as making the ‘noise of an express train’ when fired.
Worcester Cathedral
Chapter Office, 8 College Yard
Worcester WR1 2LA
01905 732900
www.worcestercathedral.co.uk
Worcester Cathedral is a magnificent sight as it rises majestically above the River Severn. Worcester has been the seat of a bishopric since the 7th century, and the cathedral was served by monks until the Reformation.
Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum
Foregate Street
Worcester WR1 1DT
01905 25371
www.museumsworcestershire.org.uk
Housed in a beautiful Victorian building in the heart of Worcester, the City Art Gallery & Museum runs a lively programme of exhibitions, activities and events for all the family. The gallery presents a changing programme of contemporary art and craft exhibitions.
Worcestershire Archaeology Service
Woodbury, University College Worcester, Henwick Grove
Worcester WR2 6AJ
01905 855455
www.worcestershire.gov.uk/archaeology
Worcestershire Archaeological Service provides planning and land management advice, maintains the principal database of archaeological discoveries in the county and has an active field section that undertakes the majority of field projects in the county. The service maintains and develops the reference collection of ceramics for the county. Part of this database has now been put on line at www.worcestershireceramics.org. A reference library is open to the public by appointment.
Worcestershire County Museum
Hartlebury Castle, Hartlebury
Kidderminster DY11 7XZ
01299 250416
Worcestershire County Museum is housed in historic Hartlebury Castle, home to the Bishops of Worcester for 1000 years.
Worcestershire Regiment Museum
Foregate Street
Worcester WR1 1DT
01905 25371
On display are artefacts from the regiment, its predecessors the Worcestershire Regiment and the 29th and 36th of Foot along with the Militia and Volunteer Units of Worcestershire.