WORCESTERSHIRE

IS an inland county, included in the British Principality of the Cornavii, comprized
by the Romans, after their arrival, in their Province of Flavia Cæsarienfis, which
reached from the Thames to the Humber. During the Saxon Heptarchy it belonged
to the kingdom of Mercia, which began in 582, and ended 827, under 18 kings: at
that period it was subduced by Egbert, whose successor Alfred, in his division of England,
gave this distinct the name of Worcestershire; which now belongs to the Oxford
Circuit, the Province of Canterbury, and the Bishopric of Worcester; being
bounded on the North by Shropshire, and Shropshire; South by Gloucestershire;
East by Warwickshire, and West by Herefordshire; containing 671 square miles, or
800,000 square acres, being 36 miles long, 28 broad, and 130 in circumference;
divided into 7 hundreds and 2 limits; having 108,000 inhabitants, 20,634 houses,
152 parishes, 55 vicarages, 500 villages, 1 city (Worcester) and 11 market towns,
viz. Evesham, Droitwich, Bewdley, Bromsgrove, Kidderminster, Upton, Perishore,
Stourbridge,

WORCESTERSHIRE.

Stourbridge, Dudley, Shipton, and Tenbury. It sends 9 members to Parliament, pays nine parts of the land-tax, and sends 560 men to the national militia. Its chief rivers are the Severn, Salwarp, Avon, Teem, Stour, Stoure, Corve, Baw, and Tame. The most remarkable places are two Holy Wells, being medicinal springs on Malvern Hills, Malvern, Aberley, Woodberg, Bredon, and Clent Hills; Vale of Evesham, Malvern Chace, Feckingham, and half of Wire Forests, and several woods. It produces pasture, corn, cattle, sheep, wood, cyder, perry, fine salt, fruits, river fifth, and saffron. The county is of a triangular form, has a sweet and temperate air, and fertile soil, interspersed with hills, and well cloathed with woods.

THE Roman, Saxon, Danish or British encampments, are at Dorn, near the borders of Gloucestershire; at Kemfey, near Worcester; and Owen Glendower's, upon Woodbury Hill, near Tenbury; one on Bredon Hill is supposed to be Roman, and one on Malvern Hills of British or Roman origin.

THERE are but few traces of the Roman military ways in this county; yet Worcester is generally allowed to have been the Bravinium of the Romans, mentioned in the 12th journey of Antoninus, 24 miles from Magnia, now Kenchester in Herefordshire, and 27 from Uniconium, now Wrottesley in Staffordshire. Upon the ridge-way between Worcester and Aulcester, there is a raised way, allowed by some to have been a Roman road; and there is a paved way from Kenchester leading to a passage of the Lug, and so on to Ledbury, pointing towards Worcester, and another which leads by Upton to Gloucester.

ANTIQUITIES in this COUNTY worthy Notice.

Abbot's Tower, at Evesham.

Bordfley Abbey, at Broomsgrove.

Crookbury or Crookbarrow Hill, the largest Barrow in England.

Dudley Priory and Castle.

Edgar's Tower at Worcester.

Elmly Castle.

Evesham Abbey.

Hagley Castle.

Hertlebury Castle.

Malvern Abbey, and Camp and Trench on Malvern Hills.

Perishore Church.

Weeley Castle, near Hales Owen.

Worcester Cathedral and Commandery.

WORCESTERSHIRE,

Stourbridge, Dudley, Shipton, and Tenbury. It sends 9 members to Parliament, pays nine parts of the land-tax, and sends 560 men to the national militia. Its chief rivers are the Severn, Salwarp, Avon, Teem, Stour, Stoure, Corve, Baw, and Tame. The most remarkable places are two Holy Wells, being medicinal springs on Malvern Hills, Malvern, Aberley, Woodberg, Bredon, and Clent Hills; Vale of Aveflam, Malvern Chace, Feckingham, and half of Wire Forests, and several woods. It produces pasture, corn, cattle, sheep, wood, cyder, perry, fine salt, fruits, river fifth, and saffron. The county is one of a triangular form, has a sweet and temperate air, and fertile foil, interspersed with hills, and well cloathed with woods.

THERE are but few traces of the Roman military ways in this county; yet Worcester is generally allowed to have been the Brinium of the Romans, mentioned in the 12th journey of Antoninus, 24 miles from Magna, now Kenchefter in Herefordshire, and 27 from Uniconium, now Wrottefley in Staffordshire. Upon the ridge-way between Worcester and Aulcefter, there is a raised way, allowed by some to have been a Roman road; and there is a paved way from Kenchefter leading to a paflage of the Lug, and so on to Ledbury, pointing towards Worcester, and another which leads by Upton to Gloucester.

Abbot's Tower, at Aveflam.
Bordfley Abbey, at Broomsgrove.
Crookbury or Crookbarrow Hill, the
largest Barrow in England.
Dudley Priory and Castle.
Edgar's Tower at Worcester.
Elmly Castle.
Aveflam Abbey.

Hagley Castle.
Hertlebury Castle.
Malvern Abbey, and Camp and Trench
on Malvern Hills.
Perfhore Church.
Weeley Castle, near Hales Owen.
Worcester Cathedral and Commandery.

Yale Center for British Art, 2011