Worcester

Categories: Worcester | Towns on the River Severn | Cities in England | English county towns | Local government in Worcestershire

The city of Worcester (pronounced /ˈwʊstə/) is the county town of Worcestershire in England; the river Severn runs through the middle, with the city's large Worcester Cathedral overlooking the river.

History

The site of Worcester was first used by the Roman Empire in the 1st century, linking Gloucester to Wroxeter. In AD 407 the village was thought to have been abandoned, only to be resurrected as a settlement in the mid 7th century by the Saxons, giving it the name of "Weogoran cester".

The town was almost destroyed in 1041 after a rebellion against the punitive taxation of Harthacanute. The town was attacked several times in the civil war (in 1139, 1150 and 1151) between King Stephen and Empress Matilda, daughter of Henry I.

By late medieval times the population had grown to around 10,000 as the manufacture of cloth started to become a large local industry. The town was designated a county corporate, giving it autonomy from local government.

Worcester was the site of the Battle of Worcester (September 3, 1651), in which Charles II's attempt to retake the country from Cromwell and the Parliamentarians was decisively defeated, in the fields a little to the west and south of the city, near the village of Powick. After being defeated, Charles returned to his headquarters in what is now known as King Charles house in the Cornmarket, before fleeing in disguise to Boscobel House in Shropshire and his eventual escape to France.
Worcester was one of the cities loyal to the King in that war, for which it was given the epithet "The Faithful City".

During the 18th century Worcester's trade languished compared to more modern towns of the West Midlands. The Worcester and Birmingham Canal opened in 1815 allowing Worcester goods to be transported to a larger conurbation.

Industry and commerce

Industry is now quite varied; in the 19th and early twentieth century, Worcester was a major centre for glove manufacture, but this has declined greatly. Still located in the city are the Worcester porcelain factory (near the cathedral), and, somewhat out of the centre, the factory that makes Worcester's most famous product, Worcestershire sauce. Worcester is the home of what is claimed to be the oldest daily newspaper in the world, Berrow's Worcester Journal, which traces its descent from a newsheet that started publication in 1690.

Public schools

Worcester is also the seat of the famous public schools the Royal Grammar School Worcester founded ante 1291, and the Worcester Cathedral School which was founded in 1541 under King Henry VIII as The King's School, Worcester.

State schools

Sixth Forms

• Worcester Sixth Form
• Worcester Technology College

High Schools

• Bishops Perowne Performing Arts College (Church of England)
• Blessed Edwards (Catholic)
• Christopher Whiteheads
• Elgar Technology College
• Nunnery Wood Science College

Primary Schools

• Cherry Orchard
• Nunnery Wood Primary School
• Pitmaston School
• Northwick Manor
• Red Hill
• Stanley Road

Famous citizens

Probably Worcester's most famous citizen was composer Sir Edward Elgar, whose father ran a music shop at the end of the High Street; a statue of Elgar stands near the original location of that shop. His birthplace is a short way outside of Worcester in the village of Broadheath.

Sir Charles Hastings, founder of the British Medical Association lived in Worcester for most of his life - the newly built Worcestershire Royal Hospital stands in a road named in his honour.

Poet and author Reverend Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy, famously known as "Woodbine Willy", was for some time the Vicar of St. Pauls Church in the City. He rose to fame during World War I when he became an army chaplain, his sermons and poetry helping boost morale to the troops. He acquired his nickname from his habit of handing out "Woodbine" cigarettes to the men in the trenches.

Sir Thomas Brock, a sculptor most famous for the Imperial Victoria Memorial in London was born here.

Writer Fay Weldon was born here.

Hannah Snell, famous for impersonating a man and being enlisted in the Royal Marines in the 18th Century was born and raised here.

Matilda Alice Powles, better known as Vesta Tilley, a leading male impersonator and music hall artiste was born in Worcester.

Civil engineer Edward Leader Williams, designer of the Manchester Ship Canal, was born and raised in Worcester, residing at Diglis House (now the Diglis Hotel) with his brother, noted landscape artist Benjamin Williams Leader.

Culture and arts

Festivals and shows

Every three years, Worcester becomes home to the Three Choirs Festival, which dates back to the 18th Century and is credited with being the oldest music festival in Europe. The location of the festival rotates each year between the Cathedral Cities of Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester. Famous for its championing of English music, especially that of Elgar, Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst, Worcester is next scheduled to host the festival in August 2008.

The Worcester Festival is a relatively new venture established in 2003. Held in late August, the festival consists of a variety of music, theatre, cinema and workshops, as well as the already established Beer Festival, which now runs under the Worcester Festival name.

The Christmas Fayre is a major source of tourism every December.

Theatre

Famous 18th century actress Sarah Siddons made her acting debut here. Her sister, the novelist Ann Julia Kemble Hatton otherwise known as Ann of Swansea was born in the city.

Miscellaneous

Home of the Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

Home of Conference North side Worcester City FC (link to official site below) who play at St George's Lane (soccer).

Home to Worcester Warriors Rugby Football Club (WRFC), a Premier League rugby union team.

The University of Worcester (formerly the University College Worcester) was first established in 1947 as an Emergency Teacher Training College, and its subsequent development as a training college under the aegis of the University of Birmingham Department of Education. It was given university status in September 2005.

The Member of Parliament for the Worcester constituency is Michael Foster.

External links

• Worcester News (local newspaper)
• Worlds Oldest Newspaper
• http://www.localhistories.org/worcester.html
• Worcester Museums
• Worcester City Soccer Club
• Three Choirs Festval
• Worcester Festival
• Worcester Rugby Football Club

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