City of Worcester
Worcester
Skyline of Worcester from Worcester Cathedral
City of Worcester shown within Worcestershire
Area	12. Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican Cathedral in Worcester, England situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. Worcestershire (ˈwʊstəʃə abbreviated Worcs) is a county located in the West Midlands region of central England. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. 8 sq mi (33. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 28 km²)
Population	93,400 (Ranked 243rd)
- Density	2806 / km²
OS grid reference	SO849548
- London	113. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology The figures are mid-year estimates for 2007 from the Office for National Statistics. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. 4 miles (182 km)
Shire county	Worcestershire
Region	West Midlands
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WORCESTER
Postcode district	WR
Dialling code	01905
Police	West Mercia
Fire	Hereford and Worcester
Ambulance	West Midlands
European Parliament	West Midlands
UK Parliament	Worcester
Website: http://www.worcester.gov.uk/
List of places: UK • England • Worcestershire

Coordinates: 52°11′28″N 2°13′20″W / 52.19123, -2.22231

Worcester (pronounced /ˈwʊstə/)listen (help·info) is a city and county town of Worcestershire, in the West Midlands of England. Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London Worcestershire (ˈwʊstəʃə abbreviated Worcs) is a county located in the West Midlands region of central England. The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one The West Midlands is an official Region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The, also known as the Worcester postcode area, is a group of postal districts around Broadway, Droitwich, Evesham, Malvern, The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. West Mercia Constabulary is the Home Office Police force responsible for policing the counties of Shropshire (including Telford and Wrekin) The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and The Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service is the Statutory fire and rescue service covering Herefordshire and Worcestershire in the The West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust (WMAS is the second-largest ambulance service in the UK West Midlands is a Constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 7 MEPs using the D'Hondt method of Party-list proportional This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election Worcester is a Borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates List of places --> List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places This is a list of cities, Towns and Villages in the ceremonial county of Worcestershire, England. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A county town is the 'capital' of a County in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. Worcestershire (ˈwʊstəʃə abbreviated Worcs) is a county located in the West Midlands region of central England. The West Midlands is an official Region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Worcester is situated some 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Birmingham and 29 miles (47 km) north of Gloucester, and has an estimated population of 94,300 people. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Gloucester (ˈɡlɒstɚ) is a city, district and County town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. The River Severn runs through the middle of the city, overlooked by the 12th century Anglican Worcester Cathedral. For other rivers named "Severn" see Severn River. The River Severn ( Welsh: Afon Hafren, Latin Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican Cathedral in Worcester, England situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn.

History

Occupation of the site of Worcester can be dated back to neolithic times, a village surrounded by defensive ramparts having been founded on the eastern bank of the River Severn here in around 400 BC. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos The position, which commanded a ford on the river, was in the 1st century used by the Romans to establish what may at first have been a fort on the military route from Glevum (Gloucester) to Viroconium (Wroxeter) but which soon developed — as the frontier of the empire was pushed westwards — into an industrial town with its own pottery kilns and iron-smelting plants. A ford is a place in a Watercourse (most commonly a stream or River) that is shallow enough to be crossed by wading on Horseback or in a wheeled The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Glevum (or more formally Colonia Nervia Glevensium, or occasionaly Glouvia) was a Roman fort in Roman Britain. Viroconium Cornoviorum, or simply Viroconium, was a Roman town one corner of which is now occupied by the small Village of Wroxeter in the Kilns are thermally insulated chambers or Ovens in which controlled temperature regimes are produced Chemical reduction, or smelting, is a form of Extractive metallurgy.

A map of Worcester in 1806.

Roman Worcester (which may have been the Vertis mentioned in the 7th century Ravenna Cosmography) was a thriving trading and manufacturing centre for some three hundred years, though by the time of the Roman withdrawal from Britain in 407 it had dwindled considerably in size and is not recorded again until the mid-7th century when documents mention the Anglo-Saxon settlement. The Ravenna Cosmography was compiled by an anonymous cleric in Ravenna around AD 700 For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south The fact that Worcester was chosen at this time—in preference to both the much larger Gloucester and the royal centre of Winchcombe—to be the Episcopal See of a new diocese covering the area suggests that there was a well established, and powerful, British Christian community living on the site when it fell into English hands. Gloucester (ˈɡlɒstɚ) is a city, district and County town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Winchcombe is a Cotswold Town in the Local Authority District of Tewkesbury, in Gloucestershire, England. An episcopal see is the ecclesiastical domain of authority of a Bishop. In many rites of the Roman Catholic Church and in Anglican churches, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit administered by a Bishop. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth

The town was almost destroyed in 1041 after a rebellion against the punitive taxation of Harthacanute. Harthacanute ( Canute the Hardy, sometimes Hardicanute, Hardecanute, Hörthaknútr; Danish: Hardeknud) (1018 – 8 June The town was attacked several times (in 1139, 1150 and 1151) during "The Anarchy", i. The Anarchy or The Nineteen Year Winter refers to a period of English history during the reign ( 1135 &ndash 1154) of the Norman King e. civil war between King Stephen and Empress Matilda, daughter of Henry I. Stephen often referred to in history as Stephen of Blois (c 1096 &ndash 25 October, 1154) was the last Norman King of England Matilda of England (sometimes Maud or Maude; 7 February 1102 &ndash 10 September 1167 was the daughter and dispossessed Heir of Henry I of England Henry I (c 1068/1069 – 1 December 1135) was the fourth son of William I the Conqueror, the first King of England after the Norman This is the background to the well-researched historical novel The Virgin in the Ice, part of Ellis Peters' "Cadfael" series, which begins with the words:

"It was early in November of 1139 that the tide of civil war, lately so sluggish and inactive, rose suddenly to wash over the city of Worcester, wash away half of its lifestock, property and women, and send all those of its inhabitants who could get away in time scurrying for their lives northwards away from the marauders". Edith Mary Pargeter, BEM ( September 28, 1913 in Horsehay, Shropshire, England &ndash October 14, 1995 Cadfael (ˈkædvaɪl approximately "CAD-vile" is the fictional detective in a series of murder mysteries by the late Edith Pargeter writing MARAUDER is or was a United States Government research project (These are mentioned as having arrived from Gloucester, leaving a long lasting legacy of bitterness between the two cities. Gloucester (ˈɡlɒstɚ) is a city, district and County town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. )

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. A county corporate or corporate county was a form of Local government in England, Ireland and Wales.

Worcester was the site of the Battle of Worcester (September 3, 1651), when Charles II's attempt to regain the crown by force was decisively defeated, in the fields a little to the west and south of the city, near the village of Powick. The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 at Worcester England and was the final battle of the English Civil War. Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Charles II (Charles Stuart 29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685 was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Powick is a Worcestershire village two miles south of the city of Worcester and four miles north of Great Malvern, close to the River Teme. 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. Boscobel House ( on the Shropshire / Staffordshire border near Wolverhampton and Albrighton England, was built around 1632, when Shropshire (ˈʃrɒpʃɪə/ /-ʃə alternatively known as Salop or abbreviated in print only Shrops, is a county in the This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Worcester was one of the cities loyal to the King in that war, for which it was given the epithet "The Faithful City".

The Royal Worcester Porcelain Company factory was founded by Dr John Wall in 1750, although it no longer produces goods. Royal Worcester manufactures Bone china and in particular Porcelain. A handful of decorators are still employed at the factory and the Museum is still open.

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. The Worcester and Birmingham Canal is a Canal linking Birmingham and Worcester in England.

The British Medical Association (BMA) is reputed to have been founded in the Board Room of the old Worcester Royal Infirmary building in Castle Street around 1860. History The BMA founded in 1832 by Charles Hastings was originally known as the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association (PMSA the first meeting of which was held in the boardroom This building has now been closed and (as of 2006) will be redeveloped as the University of Worcester city campus. The University of Worcester is a University in Worcester in the United Kingdom.

In the 1950s and 1960s large areas of the medieval centre of Worcester were demolished and rebuilt as a result of decisions by town planners. There is still a significant area of medieval Worcester remaining, but it is a small fraction of what was present before the redevelopments.

The current city boundaries date from 1974, when the Local Government Act 1972 transferred the parishes of Warndon and St. Peter the Great County into the city. The Local Government Act 1972 (1972 c 70 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in England and Wales Warndon is a suburb in the east of Worcester, Worcestershire, England. St Peter the Great is a suburb of Worcester, Worcestershire, England, and a Civil parish in its own right

Governance

In the 2007 election the City Council went from Conservative control to No Overall Control,^[1] however, the Conservative Party have the most seats overall with 17 out of 35 seats. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Within the context of Local councils of the United Kingdom the term No Overall Control (abbreviated to NOC refers to a situation in which no single party achieves The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Worcester has one member of Parliament, Michael Foster of the Labour Party, who represents the Worcester constituency. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Michael John Foster (born March 14, 1963) is a British Politician. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the Worcester is a Borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Geography

The city is split into many suburbs including Astwood, Arboretum, Barbourne, Battenhall, Bevere, Blackpole, Blanquettes Estate, Brickfields, Broadheath, Cherry Orchard, Claines, Copperfields, Diglis, Dines Green, Fort Royal, Henwick, Henwick Park, Merrimans Hill, Perdiswell, St Peter the Great, St John's, Tolladine, Trotshill, Red Hill, Rainbow Hill, Lower Wick, Shrub Hill/Tallow Hill, Spetchley Estate, Ronkswood, Northwick, Warndon Villages, Warndon, Woodgreen. Claines is a small village just to the north of Worcester, England, on the left bank of the River Severn. St Peter the Great is a suburb of Worcester, Worcestershire, England, and a Civil parish in its own right Ronkswood is a suburb of Worcester, Worcestershire, England. It is around 1 mile east of the city centre centred on Newtown Road Henwick, Lower Wick and St John's are on the opposite site of the River Severn from the city centre.

Demography

Worcester has a population of around 93000. There are are large number of ethnic minorities which include (non-exclusively) people of Welsh, Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, Italian and Polish origin. This has led to Worcester containing a diverse range of religious groups. As well as both Catholic and Church of England centres, there is also a Baptist Church, a large centre for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), an Islamic mosque, and a number of smaller interest groups regarding Eastern Religions such as Buddhism and the Hare Krishnas. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known TalkMormon#Latter Day Saint vs Latter-day Saint --> Mormon For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The Hare Krishna Mantra, also referred to reverentially as the Maha Mantra ("Great Mantra" is a sixteen-word Vaishnava mantra made well ^[2]

Economy

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. The late-Victorian period saw the growth of ironfounders, like Heenan & Froude, Hardy & Padmore and McKenzie & Holland and the inter-war years saw the rapid growth of engineering, producing machine tools James Archdale, H. W. Ward, castings for the motor industry Worcester Windshields and Casements, mining machinery MECO and open-top cans Williamsons. Meco (real name Domenico Monardo, born 29 November 1939 is an Italian-American Record producer and Musician, as well as the name of a band or Still located in the city are the Royal Worcester porcelain factory (near the cathedral), and, somewhat out of the centre, the factory that makes Worcester's most famous product, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce. Royal Worcester manufactures Bone china and in particular Porcelain. Lea & Perrins is a United Kingdom food company originating in Worcester with a subsidiary in the United States which manufactures Lea & Perrins in New Jersey Worcestershire sauce (ˈwʊstəˌʃɪə wooster-sheer is a widely used fermented liquid Condiment first made at 68 Broad Street Worcester by two The engineering industry is still represented by Joy Mining Machinery, of the United States, which has its UK manufacturing headquarters in the St. Johns area, and by Carnaud Metalbox, part of Crown Holdings, also of the United States, which has its seaming systems division located in the Perry Wood district. Joy Mining Machinery is a manufacturer of surface and underground Mining Machinery based in Warrendale Pennsylvania, American. St John's is a large suburb of Worcester, west of the city centre and the River Severn. Crown Holdings Incorporated ( (formerly Crown Cork & Seal Company) founded in 1892 by William Painter is a Fortune 500 company based in Philadelphia The foundry heritage of the city is represented by Morganite Crucible^[3] at Norton which produces graphitic shaped products and cements for use in the modern industry. The Kays^[4] mail order business was founded in Worcester in the 1880's and operated from numerous premises in the city^[5] until 2007. Worcester is the home of what is claimed to be the oldest newspaper in the world, Berrow's Worcester Journal, which traces its descent from a newssheet that started publication in 1690. Berrow's Worcester Journal claims to be the oldest continually published newspaper in the World and is owned by Newsquest, the second largest Publisher of regional The city is also a major retail centre with several covered shopping centres that has most major chains represented. Worcester Bosch Group is in Warndon Villages. Another of Worcester's long standing companies is Froude Hofmann,^[6] originally named Heenan & Froude. This engineering company has occupied several sites around Worcester including buildings close to Shrub Hill railway station and Worcester City Football Club. Worcester Shrub Hill railway station is one of two railway stations serving the city of Worcester in Worcestershire, England. Worcester City Football Club is an English football club from Worcester, England. They are currently located on Blackpole Trading Estate East.

Like many other town and cities Worcester has the traditional ‘High Street’, though in Worcester’s case that is the actual street name of the main shopping thoroughfare. High Street, or the High Street, is a Metonym for the generic name (and frequently the official name of the primary Business street High Street is home to the major stores. Part of the High Street was revamped in 2005 amid much controversy, many of the issues focussing on the felling of long standing trees, the duration of the works (caused by the weather and an archaeological find) and the removal of flagstones outside the City’s 18th Century Guildhall. However, the revamped area has been mostly praised for its appearance, openness and brightness compared to the previous look. The other main thoroughfares are The Shambles and Broad Street, while the The Cross (and its immediate surrounding area) is seen as the city’s financial centre with the majority of Worcester’s main bank branches located here.

There are three main shopping centres, those being CrownGate, Cathedral Plaza and Reindeer Court. CrownGate is the largest and is split in to two centres. Both centres incorporate and in some cases back on to major stores. CrownGate also includes an outdoor market which was previously located in Cornmarket, and as such often referred to at The Corn Market despite its current location. Cathedral Plaza is the next largest and was called the Lychgate Shopping Centre prior to its revamp and current, and somewhat, controversial name.

Landmarks

Worcester Cathedral at night

There are three main parks in Worcester, these being Cripplegate Park, Gheluvelt Park and Fort Royal Park, the latter being on one of the battles sites of the English Civil War. Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican Cathedral in Worcester, England situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists.

Gheluvelt Park was opened as a memorial to commemorate the Worcestershire Regiment's 2nd Battalion after their part in the Battle of Gheluvelt, during World War I. The Worcestershire Regiment was an Infantry Regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 29th (Worcestershire The First Battle of Ypres, also called the Battle of Flanders, was the last major battle of the first year of World War I (1914 World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All

There are also two large woodlands in the city, those being Perry Wood, at 12 hectares, and Nunnery Wood, covering 21 hectares. Perry Wood is often said to be the place where Oliver Cromwell met and made a pact with the devil. Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 Old Style &ndash 3 September 1658 Old Style) was an English military and political leader best known Nunnery Wood is an integral part of the adjacent and popular Worcester Woods Country Park, itself next door to County Hall on the east side of the city.

Probably the most famous landmark in Worcester is its imposing Worcester cathedral. Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican Cathedral in Worcester, England situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. The current building, formally named The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, was begun in 1084 while its crypt dates from the 10th Century. The chapter house is the only circular one in the country while the cathedral also has the distinction of having the tomb of King John. John (24 December 1167 &ndash 19 October 1216 reigned as a King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death

Transport

Worcester Shrub Hill station

Worcester almost sits on the M5 motorway and is served by junctions 6 and 7. Worcester Shrub Hill railway station is one of two railway stations serving the city of Worcester in Worcestershire, England. This article is about the M5 motorway in England See M5 for other roads numbered "M5" This makes the city easily accessible to most parts of the country, including London which is only 120 miles/2 & half hours away (via the M5, M42 and M40). For other uses of the term M42, please see M42. The M42 motorway is a major road in England. The M40 Motorway is a motorway in the English Transport network that connects London to Birmingham.

Several A roads pass through the city. The A449 road runs south-west to Malvern and north to Kidderminster. The A449 is a major road in the United Kingdom. It runs north from junction 24 of the M4 motorway at Newport in South Wales to Stafford The A44 runs south-east to Evesham and west to Leominster and provides the main city centre road bridge. The A44 is a major road in the United Kingdom that runs from Oxford in southern England to Aberystwyth in west Wales. The A38 trunk road runs south to Tewkesbury and Gloucester and north-north-east to Droitwich and Birmingham. The A38 is a major Trunk road in England. Though formally known as the Exeter - Leeds Trunk Road it actually runs from Bodmin in Cornwall The A4103 goes west-south-west to Hereford. The A4103 is a major road in England, which runs west-south-west through rural surroundings from Worcester to just east of Hereford where it joins The A422 heads east to Alcester, branching from the A44 a mile east of the M5. The A422 is an "A" road for east-west journeys in south central England, connecting the county towns of Bedford and Worcester by way of The city is encompassed by a partial ring road (A4440) which is formed, rather inconsistently, by single and dual carriageways. The A4440 provides a second road bridge across the Severn (Carrington Bridge) just west of the A4440-A38 junction. This is lists some of the crossings of the River Severn in Great Britain, in order from source to mouth

The city is served by 2 stations, Worcester Foregate Street and Worcester Shrub Hill. Worcester Foregate Street railway station is situated in the centre of the city of Worcester, in Worcestershire, England. Worcester Shrub Hill railway station is one of two railway stations serving the city of Worcester in Worcestershire, England. Although featuring 2 tracks Foregate Street actually consists of 2 single working tracks, one of which forms part of the Birmingham-Malvern-Hereford line while the other is the end of the Cotswold Line, which Shrub Hill also serves. Route Towns and villages served by stations on the line are listed below from east to west Both stations frequently serve Birmingham and nearby towns/cities. London is also served frequently by both stations via the Cotswold Line and, infrequently, via the Birmingham-Bristol/Gloucester-Swindon/Bristol-London lines. Train services to/from London are operated by First Great Western. First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup, which operates

Although connected to an Inter City mainline only 2 miles away, in this case the Birmingham-Bristol 'Cross Country' line, Worcester is not served by the Inter City CrossCountry service. CrossCountry is a Train operating company, the brand name of XC Trains Limited owned by Arriva, that has operated Great Britain ’s Cross Country rail franchise This makes Worcestershire the only county in England where 'Cross Country' services pass through but do not stop in during normal scheduled timetables. However, a proposed new station, Worcester Parkway would end this. Worcester Parkway railway station may refer to Worcester (Norton Parkway railway station Worcester (North Parkway railway station Being the bigger of the 2 stations, and due to its location, Shrub Hill is often used as a stabling point and a through route for freight trains.

The main operator of bus services in and around the city is First's First Midland Red Buses which prior to mergers and acquisitions was once Midland Red West, itself one of the 5 companies that was formed from the split of the massive Midland Red operation prior to deregulation. FirstGroup plc ( is a Scottish Transport company operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Canada, USA Midland Red was the fleet and trading name used by the Birmingham & Midland Motor Omnibus Company (BMMO formed in 1904 for its Bus operating activities which served A handful of other smaller operators provide services in Worcester, most notably Astons and Bromyard Omnibus Company. The terminus/interchange for many bus services in Worcester is CrownGate Bus Station located in the City centre.

First also operate the Worcester Express service on behalf of Worcestershire County Council. The W1 service is a frequent and direct limited stop service between the Worcester North Park & Ride site and CrownGate Bus Station, while the W2/W3 routes operate a circular service via Worcester North Park & Ride and CrownGate Bus Station. The Worcester Express service will be operated by the county council direct from 2008.

Education

Worcester is home to the University of Worcester (UW), which was awarded university status in 2005 by HM Privy Council. The University of Worcester is a University in Worcester in the United Kingdom. From 1997 to 2005 it was known as University College Worcester (UCW) and prior to 1997 it was known as Worcester College of Higher Education. The University is also home to the independent Worcester Students Union institution. The University of Worcester is a University in Worcester in the United Kingdom. The city is also home to two colleges, Worcester Sixth Form College and Worcester College of Technology. Worcester Sixth Form College on Spetchley Road in Swinesherd Worcester (close to the M5) was founded on the site of the Worcester Grammar School for Girls Worcester College of Technology is a Further Education College situated in the city of Worcester in the United Kingdom. The High schools located in the city are Bishop Perowne CofE College, Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College, Christopher Whitehead Language College, Elgar Technology College, Nunnery Wood High School and New College Worcester which caters for blind and partially sighted students from the ages of 11 to 18. Bishop Perowne CE College is a school in Worcester, Worcestershire, England. Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College is a school in Worcester, Worcestershire, England. Christopher Whitehead Language College is a school in Worcester, Worcestershire, England. Elgar Technology College is a school in Worcester, Worcestershire, England. Nunnery Wood High School is a school in Worcester, Worcestershire, England. New College Worcester (or NCW; formerly RNIB New College) is a secondary school in the historic British city of Worcester. . Worcester is also the seat of three public schools, The Royal Grammar School and Alice Ottley School have recently merged to form the Royal Grammar School Worcester and Alice Ottley School, Worcester aka RGSAO. See Royal Grammar School for the other schools with the name RGS RGS Worcester is the oldest and largest school in the region boasting the largest array of facilities The King's School, Worcester was re-founded in 1541 under King Henry VIII and lays claim to having roots in the 8th Century ecclesiastical school based around the site of the present cathedral. The King's School Worcester (KSW is an independent British school refounded by Henry VIII in 1541 Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of Saint Mary's Convent School, now the only all-girls school in the city, is the third private schools in the city. Saint Mary's Convent School is an all-female secondary school in Worcestershire.

Sport

Entrance to the Worcester King George's Field

• Home of the Worcestershire County Cricket Club whose home ground is New Road. A King George's Field is a public open space in the United Kingdom dedicated to the memory of King George V ( 3 June 1865 &ndash 20 January Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English domestic Cricket structure representing the historic county
• Home of Blue Square Conference South side Worcester City F.C. who play at St George's Lane. Conference South (currently billed as Blue Square South for sponsorship reasons is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking Worcester City Football Club is an English football club from Worcester, England. St George's Lane is a football stadium in Worcester, England.
• Home to Worcester Rugby Football Club (WRFC), a Guinness Premiership Rugby Union team who play at Sixways Stadium. The Worcester Rugby Football Club are an English Rugby union club Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short Sixways Stadium is a Stadium in Worcester, England. It is currently used mostly for Rugby union matches and is the home stadium of Worcester
• Home of Worcester St Johns Cycling Club
• Home to Worcester Wolves, a professional basketball team in the British Basketball League. The Worcester Wolves is a Basketball team from the city of Worcester, which plays in the British Basketball League. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m
• Worcester has Pitchcroft, a horse racing course. This article is about the sport For other uses see Horserace (drinking game or Horse race (politics.
• Worcester has King George's Field in memorial to King George V.

Notable people

Edward Elgar, the most notable person to come out of Worcester.

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 Worcester in the village of Broadheath. Broadheath could be Broadheath Greater Manchester (a suburb in the Trafford borough Broadheath Worcestershire (a parish

Hannah Snell, famous for impersonating a man and being enlisted in the Royal Marines in the 18th century was born and raised here. Hannah Snell (1723–1792 was an Englishwoman who took a man's role to become a soldier. The Royal Marines ( RM) are the marine corps and amphibious Infantry of the United Kingdom and along with the Royal Navy

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. Sir Charles Hastings (1794 - 1866 was a medical surgeon and a founder of the British Medical Association, the BMA, originally Provincial Medical and Surgical Association History The BMA founded in 1832 by Charles Hastings was originally known as the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association (PMSA the first meeting of which was held in the boardroom

Philip Henry Gosse, naturalist, was born in the city in 1810. Philip Henry Gosse ( April 6, 1810 &ndash August 23, 1888) was an English naturalist and popularizer of natural science

Sir Thomas Brock, a sculptor most famous for the Imperial Victoria Memorial in London was born here in 1847. Sir Thomas Brock KCB RA ( March 1, 1847 - August 22, 1922) was an English sculptor. The Victoria Memorial is a sculpture in London, placed at the centre of Queen's Gardens in front of Buckingham Palace.

Civil engineer Edward Leader Williams, designer of the Manchester Ship Canal, was born and raised in Worcester, residing at Diglis House (now the Diglis House Hotel) with his brother, noted landscape artist Benjamin Williams Leader. A civil engineer is a person who practices Civil engineering, one of the many engineering professions Sir Edward Leader Williams ( 28 April 1828 &ndash 1 January 1910) was an English Civil engineer, chiefly remembered The Manchester Ship Canal is a wide long river navigation in North West England, opened on 21 May 1894 The definition of an artist is wide-ranging and covers a broad spectrum of Activities to do with creating Art, practicing the Arts and/or demonstrating Benjamin Williams Leader (1831-1923 was an he was a person who liked pizzaa notable civil engineer William Morris, Lord Nuffield, automobile manufacturer, spent the first three years of his life in the city. William Richard Morris 1st Viscount Nuffield GBE CH ( 10 October 1877 &ndash 22 August 1963) was the founder of the

Poet and author Reverend Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy, famously known as "Woodbine Willy", was for some time the Vicar of St. Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy, MC ( June 27, 1883 - March 8 1929) was an Anglican Priest and Poet 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. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All He acquired his nickname from his habit of handing out "Woodbine" cigarettes to the men in the trenches.

Writers Mrs. Henry Wood and Fay Weldon were born here. Mrs Ellen Wood (née Price) ( January 17, 1814 – February 10, 1887) was an English Novelist, better known Fay Weldon CBE (born 22 September 1931 is a British Novelist, Short story writer Playwright, and Essayist whose work

Worcester is home to electronic music producer and Aphex Twin collaborator Mike Paradinas and his record label Planet Mu. Electronic music is music that employs Electronic musical instruments and Electronic Music technology in its production Mike Paradinas (born 1971 who works primarily under the name µ -Ziq (pronounced "music" in addition to a large number of aliases is a British In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Planet µ is an Electronic music Record label run by Mike Paradinas (also known as µ-Ziq

Cyclist Ernest Payne was born in Worcester and rode for the local Worcester St Johns Cycling Club. Ernest "Ernie" Payne ( 23 December, 1884 in Worcester, England – 10 September 1961) was a British He won a gold medal in the team pursuit at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom.

Worcester is also the home town of aviatrix Sheila Scott. Sheila Scott ( April 27, 1927 – October 20, 1988) was an English Aviatrix.

See also People from Worcester.

Culture

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 Three Choirs Festival is a music festival held each August alternately at the cathedrals of the Three Counties, ( Hereford, Gloucester and Worcester The location of the festival rotates each year between the Cathedral Cities of the Three Counties - Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester. The Three Counties of England are traditionally the three agrarian counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Gloucester (ˈɡlɒstɚ) is a city, district and County town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Hereford ( ˈhɛrɨfəd is a city, Civil parish and County town of Herefordshire, England. 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. Ralph (reɪf Vaughan Williams OM (12 October 1872 &ndash 26 August 1958 was an English Composer of symphonies, Chamber music Gustav Theodore Holst (21 September 1874 – 25 May 1934was an English Composer and was a music teacher for nearly 20 years

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. A Beer Festival is an organised event during which a variety of Beers (and often other alcoholic drinks are available for tasting and purchase

The Victorian-themed Christmas Fayre is a major source of tourism every December. Elton John came to the Worcestershire Cricket Ground, New Road on Saturday 9 June 2006. Sir Elton Hercules John CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947 is an English pop / rock Singer, Composer Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

The 8th CAMRA Worcester Beer and Cider festival took place for three days from the 17 August 2006^[7] and was held as usual on Pitchcroft Race Course. The Campaign for Real Ale ( CAMRA) is an independent voluntary, Consumer organisation based in St Albans, England, whose main aim Events 986 - A Byzantine army was destroyed in the pass of Trajan's Gate by the Bulgarians under the Comitopuli Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. On entry there is a choice between a (free) half or pint glass, with this year's having orange writing.

Famous 18th century actress Sarah Siddons made her acting debut here at the Theatre Royal in Angel Street. Sarah Siddons ( 5 July 1755 &ndash 8 June 1831) was a British actress, the best-known Tragedienne of the Her sister, the novelist Ann Julia Kemble Hatton,^[8] otherwise known as Ann of Swansea, was born in the city. Matilda Alice Powles, better known as Vesta Tilley, a leading male impersonator and music hall artiste was born in Worcester. Matilda Alice Powles ( May 13, 1864 &ndash September 16, 1952) was an English male impersonator.

In present-day Worcester the Swan Theatre^[9] stages a mixture of professional touring and local amateur productions. The Countess of Huntingdon's Hall^[10] is a historic church now used as venue for an eclectic range of musical performances, while the Marrs Bar^[11] is a venue for gigs and stand-up comedy. Worcester also boasts two multi-screen cinemas (a six screen Vue Cinema complex located on Friar Street and an Odeon Cinema^[12], boasting seven screens, at the heart of the city on Forgate Street).

In the northern suburbs of the city is the Art Deco Northwick Cinema. Art Deco was a popular international design movement from 1925 until 1939 affecting the decorative arts such as Architecture, Interior design, and Industrial Built in 1938 it contains one of the only two remaining interiors in Britain designed by John Alexander (the original perspective drawings are still held by RIBA). John Alexander may refer to John Alexander (painter (died c1733 Scottish historical painter and engraver John Alexander (minister The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA is a Professional body for Architects in the United Kingdom. It was a Bingo Hall from 1966 to 1982 and then empty until 1991; it was then run as a music venue until 1996, and was empty again until Autumn 2006 when it became an antiques and lifestyle centre, owned by Grey's Interiors, who were previously located in The Tything.

There are also a number of Arts organisations in Worcester, one of which is C&T. ^[13] Based at the University and also Bishop Perowne Performing Arts College is C&T [formerly Collar & TIE]. C&T is an educational theatre company that specialises in theatre for young people tackling topical issues through a unique blend of drama and new media technologies.

See also

• List of Bishops of Worcester

References

External links

• Worcester City Council
• LocalHistories.org - Brief History of Worcester
• Worcester at the Open Directory Project

Local Media

• Worcester Standard - The Local Worcester Newspaper