Spa Walkers Health Walk 6 Vines Park. A History & Heritage Walk

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1 Spa Walkers Health Walk 6 Vines Park. A History & Heritage Walk Starts at Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre. 49 minutes 2.5miles 4.1km Easy ID: Developed by: Mike Skan A walk on pavements and towpaths ideal for murky winter days when wet conditions make other walks unadvisable because of MUD. We pass many of Droitwich Spa's historical landmarks. 100 m 500 ft AND 2014 Microsoft Corporation Terms of Use Scale = 1 : 14K Main Route Alternative Route Point of Interest Waypoint Distance: 4.08km Ascent: 24m Descent: 24m

2 52 Route Profile Height (m) *move mouse over graph to see points on route The Ramblers is Britain s walking charity. We work to safeguard the footpaths, countryside and other places where we all go walking. We encourage people to walk for their health and wellbeing. To become a member visit

3 Starts at Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre GR SO Ends at Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre.GR SO Route instructions Turn left out of Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre. Stay on the road and cross the canal Bridge. Follow the path to the subway and go under the road. Turn left. Just after the Light controlled crossing follow the path to the right into Ombersley Road. Pass under the railway and continue up the hill After Stalls Farm Road cross to the right and continue into Ombersley St West past St Nicholas Church. Alternative route which is slightly shorter Turn left past St Nicholas church down past the railway station and through industrial area arriving at Priory House, past The Old Cock Inn and into the High Street. Turn left through Gurneys Lane and past the old brine pump, past Waitrose and cross the Saltway over to Vines Park. Return back along canal to the Leisure Centre. Pass Upwych Pit and Statue of St Richard. From St Nicholas Church go straight ahead along Ombersley Street West. Go under the underpass and head towards the historic black and white building that is The Raven Hotel, currently closed and awaiting refurbishment.. On arriving in Victoria Square apart from The Raven there is St Richards House and Droitwich Public Library. Turn left down St Andrews Street On arriving at St Andrews Church turn right into the High street. Shortly turn right up Tower Hill. This could easily be missed as it looks like an alley. The brine pumping station is on your right. Tower Hill follows round to the left and emerges on the main road by Portofinos Italian Restaurant. Turn left and walk down to cross the High Street. Continue to walk down Queen Street Cross the Salt Way Just before Chapel Bridge turn left and enter Vines Park. Walk past the Notice Board for the Droitwich Spa Diamond Jubilee walk and cross the canal at the next footbridge Walk through the park with the canal on your left. Cross the next road and pass under two bridges Walk back to the Leisure Centre with the Canal on your left.

4 Note Upwych Pit and a statue of St Richard in Vines Park Take care crossing the road by The Railway Inn Additional 'Point of Interest' information St Nicholas' Church is the most recent of the Anglican Church buildings in Droitwich. Although the name has been used for other church buildings before the current one, the present day church is a Victorian building, and often one of the first that a visitor to Droitwich sees, since it is opposite the main entrance to the railway station. The Raven Hotel stands on the site that was known as the Manor of Wyche. St. Richard, the town s patron saint was born here.the present building was erected in the reign of Elizabeth I and is a timberframed structure.it is said that King Charles I is reputed to have lodged here for three days on his way to storming the city of Leicester in The majority of the inhabitants of Droitwich Spa during the Civil War were supporters of the King and suffered severely after Oliver Cromwell s victory over the King. St Richards House is Droitwich Spa TIC and salt museum and once fronted The Brine Baths. Droitwich Public Library stands on the site of Salters Hall which John Corbett opened in 1881, as a place of recreation for the salt workers and townspeople. Corbett was known as the Salt King owning workings at Stoke Prior. When the demand for salt began to fall it was Corbett who made Droitwich into a spa resort town.salters Hall held up to 1,500 people and the ground floor became a popular venue for dances, concerts, lectures and other social activities. There was a balcony, library and reading room above.although John Corbett promised, in his opening speech, that the hall would become the property of the town, on his death this was not the case and it became the property of the Corbett Trustees.The Trustees sold it to Mr. Charles Henry Everton in the early 1930 s. He demolished the hall in 1933 and built the Salters Super Cinema in its place.after the interest in cinema waned in the 1960 s the hall went through a period of neglect and was threatened by demolition. It was then that the plan for a public lending library was drawn up and accepted by the town council.the building still retains the gallery and the proscenium arch of its cinema days. St Andrews Church Due to subsidence the church tower became dangerous and had to be dismantled in The subsidence was caused by the extraction of the brine for the salt workings.entering the church you will see the bells stored one inside the other in the north aisle. The main part of the church dates from 1290, but there are some earlier parts including carvings on the capitals of the arches, which support the tower. It is said St. Richard was christened here, although not in the current font which is dated some four centuries later. The High Street You will see that buildings on the south side of the street are leaning at peculiar angles, again caused by brine extraction. At one time the High Street was level even within living memory. The Old Town Hall is opposite St. Andrew s Church. It was built in 1825 and superseded a building called the Exchequer.The council chamber was upstairs and the ground floor, which was open behind the pillars, was used for a weekly market, which spilled into the square, which was the medieval centre of the town.

5 Priory House was built in the middle of the 17th century, except for a wing which dates back to about 1500 AD.There is also a Queen Anne chimney with ornamental brickwork.this would have been a wealthy salt merchant s house. Gurneys Lane This is the site of the last brine pumping station operating between 1850 and 1921.The brine was heated in large pans and when the liquid evaporated the remaining salt crystals were packed into boxes for transport.an enormous amount of fuel was needed in the evaporation process producing a large amount of pollution from all the salt works.at first wood was used for burning depleting the surrounding woodland. Coal became the main fuel in 16th century. The Old Cock Inn has a long history as it was first licensed for the sale of alcohol in the reign of Queen Anne in Then it sold cider, ale and perry made from crushed and fermented pears. A powerful brew called Lambswool made from roasted apple pulp mixed with ale was also popular.the church window on the first floor came from the medieval Church of St. Nicholas, which was also in Friar Street on the corner of Winnetts Lane. It was damaged by fire in 1291 and in the Civil War and was cleared from the site in the 19th century.the carved head with a frog emerging from its mouth is reputed to represent Judge Jeffreys who is said to have held one of his assizes here after the Duke of Monmouth s rebellion in Those found guilty of supporting the rebellion were either sentenced to death or transported to the West Indies. Acknowledgements Developed by: Mike Skan Spa Walkers is part of Walking for Health. A national organisation formed to improve the health and wellbeing of the population. We have been leading Health Walks in Droitwich since Spa Walkers leave Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre every Wednesday morning at whatever the weather. Contact us at spawalkers@hotmail.co.uk

6 Spa Walkers outside The Old Cock Inn Droitwich Spa Photo taken by: Jan Skan Priory House Droitwich Spa Photo taken by: Jan Skan

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