NORTH WORCESTERSHIRE
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edditch’s neighbouring market town of Bromsgrove was previously a world centre for the nail-making trade. A key family attraction today is Avoncroft Museum of historic buildings. Established in 1962, Avoncroft was England’s first open air museum and is now home to 25 historic structures - ranging from a medieval merchant’s house to a windmill and a post-World War Two prefab - all of which have been rescued and rebuilt on its 19 acre site. The museum runs special events throughout the year including historical re-enactments, medieval jousting, and blacksmithing skills, demonstrated at the museum’s forge. Right: Avoncroft Museum Below left: Hanbury Hall Below right: Forge Mill Needle Museum
Traditional crafts including glass blowing, pottery and stained glass production, can also be viewed a few miles down the road at Hanbury’s Jinney Ring, a base for 12 craft workshops set in landscaped gardens with duck ponds and sweeping views across to the Malvern Hills.
Rare wall-paintings are also on display at Harvington Hall, but the Elizabethan moated manor house is best known for containing the best series of secret hiding places in the country. Dating from the late 16th century, the hides were used to shelter Catholic priests at a time when it was high treason for them to practise in England. Home to the Bishops of Worcester for more than 1,000 years, Hartlebury Castle is another historic property with strong religious links.
Nearby Hanbury Hall - or Lower Loxley for those who follow The Archers - is a William and Marystyle country house, garden and park which dates from 1701 and is now run by the National Trust. There’s a mix of grand interior styles to discover and magnificent staircase wall-paintings.
The north wing of the castle now houses the Worcestershire Museum which explores the county’s past and includes a nationally-important collection of colourful gypsy caravans. Further four-wheeled collections can be found at the Transport Museum in Wythall where visitors can see one of the country’s most extensive ranges of buses and battery electric vehicles as well as a miniature steam railway.
36 Visit Worcestershire spring/summer 2013
The museum is open from Good Friday to the end of October and includes a number of special events which include classic bus rides. Wherever you go in North Worcestershire, a brush with history is never far away - even for those enjoying outdoor attractions such as the ancient Wyre Forest, near Bewdley, which features a Go Ape high wire adventure, Bodenham Arboretum or Arley Arboretum, which dates back to the first half of the nineteenth century and is considered to be one of the country’s finest tree collections.
For further information please visit...
www.visitnorthworcestershire.com or contact the area’s Tourist Information Centres
Bewdley - Tel: 08457 607 7819 Redditch - Tel: 01527 60806