The whole area is glorious walking country, with endless places to discover and explore. British Camp, on Herefordshire Beacon, two miles west of Little Malvern, is one of the most important Roman settlements in Britain, and a little way south is Midsummer Hill, site of another ancient settlement.
Coldwall
On the west side of the Malverns, Colwall lies just across the border in Herefordshire. Its chief claim to fame is the enormous lump of limestone thatstands at its centre.
How it got there no one knows, but the Devil and a local giant are among the suspects. Less mysterious are the attractions of the Picton Garden, which contains a National Collection of Michaelmas daisies that flower
in September/October. The 14th-century poet William Langland, author of Piers Plowman, lived at Colwall.
Malvern Hills. It stands next to Little Malvern Priory, whose hall, the only part that survived the Dissolution, is now incorporated into the Court. Of the priory church, only the chancel tower and south transept remain. The Court was once a Catholic safe house, with a chapel reached by a secret staircase. The Court and gardens are open Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from mid-April to mid-July. Just to the north at Malvern Wells, where the first medicinal wells were discovered, stands St Peter’s Church, dating from 1836 and notable for some original stained glass and a William Morris window of 1885. The showground at Malvern Wells hosts major spring and autumn garden shows as well as antiques and crafts shows
around the malvern
The whole area is glorious walking country, with endless places to discover and explore. British Camp, on Herefordshire Beacon, two miles west of Little Malvern, is one of the most important Roman settlements in Britain, and a little way south is Midsummer Hill, site of another ancient settlement
Coldwall
On the west side of the Malverns, Colwall lies just across the border in Herefordshire. Its chief claim to fame is the enormous lump of limestone thatstands at its centre. How it got there no one knows, but the Devil and a local giant are among the suspects. Less mysterious are the attractions of the Picton Garden, which contains a National Collection of Michaelmas daisies that flower
in September/October. The 14th-century poet William Langland, author of Piers Plowman, lived at Colwall. BIRTSMORTON 7 miles S of Great Malvern off the B4208 In the Church of St Peter and St Paul are monuments to the Nanfan family, owners of the nearby Birtsmorton Court. Other notable residents of this magnificent building (not open to the public) include William Huskisson, a former colonial secretary, who in 1830 became the first person to be killed in a railway accident
HANLEY CASTLE 6 miles SE of Great Malvern on the B4209 The village takes its name from the castle, which was originally a hunting lodge for King John, and which disappeared, except for its moat, many centuries ago. There’s still plenty to see in this attractive little spot, including picturesque cottages, a 15th-century inn (The Three Kings), a 16th-century grammar school and the Church of St Mary, built in stone and brick.
upton on severn
An unspoilt town that gained prominence as one of the few bridging points on the Severn. The first records indicate that it was a Roman station, and it is mentioned in the Domesday Book. It became an important medieval port, and its strategic position led to its playing a role in the Civil War. In 1651, Charles sent a force to Upton to destroy the bridge, but after a long and bloody struggle the King’s troops were routed and Cromwell regained the town. A Dutch gabled building used for stabling
during the conflict still stands. The medieval church, one of the most distinctive buildings in the whole county, is affectionately known as The Pepperpot, because of its handsome tower with its copper-covered cupola, the only surviving part of the church.
This former place of worship is now a heritage centre, relating the Civil War battles and the town’s history. The Church of St Peter and St Paul, built in 1879, has an interesting talking point in a large metal abstract hanging above the altar. The Tudor House, which contains a museum of Upton past and present, is open daily on summer afternoons.
The White Lion Hotel, in the High Street, has a history going back to 1510 and was the setting for some scenes in Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones. The commercial trade has largely left the Severn, replaced by a steady stream of summertime pleasure craft.