Villages
EXPLORE THE BRIDGNORTH DISTRICT |
The scattered settlements throughout the district have, for the most part, evolved from ancient foundations, showing a wide variety of architectural styles. Churches feature prominently at the heart of many villages, and St Peter’s in picture-postcard Worfield boasts an impressive spire, some delightful alabaster monuments and a beautifully peaceful churchyard. Across the road, the heavily timbered Lower Hall is set on the banks of the little River Worfe. The extensive gardens are occasionally open to the public. The single street of Georgian and black and white cottages is lined with flower beds and the annual summer Flower Festival is a popular event.
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Nearby, Claverley’s hilly High Street has three good pubs and another interesting church. All Saints has a unique set of Norman wall paintings reminiscent of the Bayeaux Tapestry, depicting mounted knights in chain mail fighting a battle. Lots of interesting monuments, carved capital heads, Norman font: outside, a fine lych gate and more extensive timbering in the adjacent Old Vicarage, a 15th century masterpiece. Claverley’s Flower Festival is another seasonal delight.
Tiny Badger is a charming hamlet that looks like it came out of a picture book. Set around the village pond, with the church of St. Giles nearby, it’s everyone’s vision of an English village. The novelist P G Wodehouse lived not far from here, and thinly disguised references to the area appear in the Blandings stories. There are pleasant walks through the little valley called Badger Dingle.
Ditton Priors, situated on the slopes of Brown Clee, has a fine airy feel to it. An ideal centre for walking, it has a good inn and another church spire. St John the Baptist is predominantly 13th century, with some perpendicular windows and a trussed roof.
Abdon, nearby, has pretty little St Margaret’s, with a bellcote, and is a short steep walk away from three ancient hill forts of Abdon Burf, Clee Burf and Nordy Bank.