A riverside cathedral, the site of the final battle of the Civil War and the home of the famous sauce: Worcester is a gentle city on the Severn.
Worcester is a historic cathedral city on the banks of the River Severn, in the heart of England. It was here, in 1651, that the final battle of the English Civil War was fought, earning Worcester the title of the Faithful City for its loyalty to the king. It was also famous for its gloves, its porcelain and its sauce.
The composer Sir Edward Elgar was born just outside the city, and the landscape of Worcestershire and the Malvern Hills inspired much of his music. This guide covers six things to see and do in and around Worcester.
1. Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral stands on the eastern bank of the River Severn, and its tower is reflected in the water. There has been a church on the site since the seventh century. The present building was begun in 1084.
The cathedral holds the tomb of King John, who sealed Magna Carta in 1215. He asked to be buried here, and his tomb carries the oldest royal effigy in England. It is one of the cathedral’s great treasures.
The Norman crypt, built in the eleventh century, is one of the finest in England, a forest of stone columns. Prince Arthur, the elder brother of Henry VIII, who died young, is buried in a beautiful chantry chapel. Had he lived, his brother would never have become king.
You can climb the tower, more than two hundred steps up, for views across the city and the river to the Malvern Hills. The cathedral is free to visit, with donations welcome. Its choir sings Evensong, and it is one of the venues of the Three Choirs Festival, one of the oldest music festivals in the world.
2. The Museum of Royal Worcester
Worcester has been famous for porcelain since 1751, when the Worcester porcelain factory was founded. Royal Worcester became one of the most famous porcelain makers in the world, supplying royal families and grand houses. Its fine china was painted with flowers, fruit and birds.
The Museum of Royal Worcester, on the site of the old factory near the cathedral, has the world’s largest collection of Worcester porcelain. It shows more than two and a half centuries of work, from the earliest pieces to the twentieth century. The displays are beautiful.
The museum tells the story of the factory and the skilled painters and gilders who worked there. Some pieces are extraordinarily detailed. You can see how tastes and styles changed over the years.
The museum is a short walk from the cathedral. Allow an hour or two. It is a treat for anyone interested in art and design.
3. The Commandery and the Civil War
The Commandery, a timber framed building near the cathedral, was the headquarters of King Charles II’s army during the Battle of Worcester in 1651. It was the final battle of the English Civil War. Charles was defeated by Oliver Cromwell and had to flee.
The museum tells the story of the battle and the Civil War, with interactive displays and rooms from different periods of the building’s history. Parts of the building date back to the Middle Ages, when it was a hospital. It is a fascinating place.
After the battle, Charles II escaped and went on the run for six weeks, famously hiding in an oak tree and in priest holes, before escaping to France. He returned as king in 1660. The story is one of the great adventures of English history.
Fort Royal Park, nearby, was the site of a Royalist fort during the battle, and it has views over the city. The Commandery is beside the canal. Allow a couple of hours.
4. New Road and the riverside
New Road, the home of Worcestershire County Cricket Club, has one of the most beautiful views of any cricket ground in the world, with the cathedral rising beyond the boundary. Watching a match here on a summer’s day is a classic English experience. The ground is beside the River Severn.
Because it is so close to the river, New Road often floods in winter, and there are famous photographs of the ground under water. The club has a long history, and it has produced many England players.
The riverside path runs along the Severn through the city, and it is lovely for a walk. Boat trips run along the river in summer. Swans gather by the bridge.
Worcester Racecourse, at Pitchcroft, is also beside the river. Race meetings are held through the summer. It is one of the most attractive racecourses in England.
5. The old city and Worcestershire sauce
Worcester’s old streets, around Friar Street and New Street, are lined with timber framed buildings. Greyfriars’ House, a medieval merchant’s house looked after by the National Trust, has lovely rooms and a walled garden. The Tudor House Museum tells the story of the city.
The Guildhall, on the High Street, is a grand Queen Anne building with a richly decorated front. Its assembly room is one of the finest in England. It is free to visit.
Worcestershire sauce, the famous tangy sauce used around the world, was first made in Worcester by the chemists John Lea and William Perrins, and first sold in 1837. It is still made in the city. The factory is not open to visitors, but you can buy the sauce everywhere.
Worcester was once famous for making gloves, and the city had many glove factories. The city centre has a good mix of shops, cafés and restaurants. The Crowngate shopping centre is in the heart of the city.
6. The Malvern Hills and Elgar
The Malvern Hills, about twenty minutes south west of Worcester, are a ridge of ancient hills rising dramatically from the plain. From the top of the Worcestershire Beacon, the highest point, you can see across many counties. It is one of the best walks in the Midlands.
The hills are famous for their pure spring water, and the spa town of Great Malvern grew up around the springs in the Victorian age. Great Malvern Priory has beautiful medieval stained glass. The town has elegant streets and a theatre.
Sir Edward Elgar loved the Malvern Hills, and he walked and cycled across them. His birthplace, a small cottage at Lower Broadheath, just outside Worcester, is now a museum about his life and music. He is buried near the hills.
Witley Court, a spectacular ruined mansion about ten miles north west of Worcester, has a huge fountain that is fired on a schedule. Croome, a park looked after by the National Trust, was the first landscape designed by Capability Brown. A car makes it easy to explore the countryside.
Getting there and getting around
Worcester has two central stations, Foregate Street and Shrub Hill, with trains to Birmingham, London Paddington, Hereford and the Malverns. Worcestershire Parkway, just outside the city, has trains to London, Bristol and the North. London is around two and a quarter hours away by train.
Birmingham Airport is about forty five minutes by road. The M5 runs just east of the city. A car booked ahead is the easiest way to travel between Worcester and the airport, and to explore the Malvern Hills and the countryside.
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