Worcestershire

Towns & Villages

GREAT MALVERN

Sheltering beneath the peaceful Malvern Hills, the famous Victorian spa town of Great Malvern has been a fashionable holiday spot ever since the arrival of the railways. Settlements on and around the Malverns date back into prehistory but Benedictine monks first established a community here with the building of a priory. Today the building houses an important collection of 15th century stained glass, wall tiles and 13th century misericords.
 

View of Great Malvern Taken from the Hills - Photo: Bob Embleton CCL

View of Great Malvern from Priory Church - Photo: Bob Embleton CCL

Queen Victoria herself sought out the curative spa waters of the Malvern Hills but the town is equally well-known for its association with the composer Edward Elgar, who drew inspiration from the region. It is the base for hand-made Morgan sports cars as well as the home of the English Symphony Orchestra. Within easy reach is the summit of Worcestershire Beacon and the neighbouring Herefordshire Beacon. On the summit of the latter is the Iron Age hillfort known as British Camp.