Malvern Wells
Encyclopedia
Malvern Wells is a village and civil parish in the Malvern Hills District
of Worcestershire
, England
. The parish of Malvern Wells, once known as South Malvern, was formed in 1894 from parts of the civil parishes of Hanley Castle
, Welland
, and the former parish of Great Malvern
, and owes its development to Malvern's 19th century boom years as a spa town
.
south of Great Malvern (the town centre of Malvern
) and takes its name from the Malvern water
issuing from springs on the hills, principally from the Holy Well
and the Eye Well. Its northern end also includes the Wyche Cutting, the historic salt route pass through the hills forming the border between the counties of Herefordshire
on the western side of the Malvern Hills at the village of Upper Colwall
and the Worcestershire side in the east. The actual cutting through the granite hill face is at a height of 856 feet above sea level
.
sold at the Great Exhibition of 1851.
, was built by a local builder, William Porter, to a design by Troyte Griffith - a friend of Edward Elgar
who is depicted in the "Enigma Variations". The church was consecrated on 19 November 1903. There is evidence to suggest that Elgar composed part of the "Enigma Variations" in the church, but his offer of the original manuscript of his oratorio "The Apostles", as a gift to the church, was refused by the Anglican church authorities because Elgar was a Roman Catholic and the oratorio was heavily based in that tradition. Next to the church is the Wyche School; "Land of Hope and Glory
", set to Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1, was first performed here in the presence of Elgar. In later life Elgar came to dislike the nationalistic overtones which became associated with the setting.
Primary education in the parish is provided by Malvern Wells Church of England School and the Wyche Church of England School that feed the two Malvern secondary schools of The Chase
in Barnards Green
, and Dyson Perrins in Malvern Link
.
, composer. Elgar and his wife leased a house which they named 'Craig Lea', an anagram of the family's initials, at 86 Wells Road Road, Malvern Wells., which they named 'Forli'.
Malvern Hills (district)
Malvern Hills is a local government district in Worcestershire, England. Its council is based in the town of Malvern, and its area covers most of the western half of the county that borders Herefordshire. It was originally formed in 1974 and was subject to a significant boundary reform in 1998...
of Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The parish of Malvern Wells, once known as South Malvern, was formed in 1894 from parts of the civil parishes of Hanley Castle
Hanley Castle
Hanley Castle is a village in Worcestershire, England, between the towns of Malvern and Upton upon Severn and a short distance from the River Severn. It lies in the administrative area of Malvern Hills District, and is part of the informal region known as The Malverns...
, Welland
Welland, Worcestershire
Welland is a village and a civil parish in the administrative District of Malvern Hills in the county of Worcestershire, England. It is about from the town of Malvern and 15 miles from the city of Worcester...
, and the former parish of Great Malvern
Great Malvern
Great Malvern is an area of Malvern, Worcestershire, England. It is the historical centre of the town, and the location of the headquarters buildings of the of Malvern Town Council, the governing body of the Malvern civil parish, and Malvern Hills District council of the county of...
, and owes its development to Malvern's 19th century boom years as a spa town
Spa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
.
Location
It lies on the eastern slopes of the Malvern HillsMalvern Hills
The Malvern Hills are a range of hills in the English counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and a small area of northern Gloucestershire, dominating the surrounding countryside and the towns and villages of the district of Malvern...
south of Great Malvern (the town centre of Malvern
Malvern, Worcestershire
Malvern is a town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, governed by Malvern Town Council. As of the 2001 census it has a population of 28,749, and includes the historical settlement and commercial centre of Great Malvern on the steep eastern flank of the Malvern Hills, and the former...
) and takes its name from the Malvern water
Malvern Water
Malvern water is a natural spring water from the Malvern Hills on the border of the counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire in England. The Hills consist of very hard granite and limestone rock. Fissures in the rock retain rain water, which slowly permeates through, escaping at the springs...
issuing from springs on the hills, principally from the Holy Well
Holy Well, Malvern
The Holy Well is set on the slopes of the Malvern Hills above Malvern Wells. The well is believed to be the oldest bottling plant in the word.-History:The Holy Well was granted to John Hornyold Esq in 1558.In 1743 Dr John Wall analysed the spring water...
and the Eye Well. Its northern end also includes the Wyche Cutting, the historic salt route pass through the hills forming the border between the counties of Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
on the western side of the Malvern Hills at the village of Upper Colwall
Colwall
Colwall is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England on the border with Worcestershire, nestling into the side of the Malvern Hills. Areas of the village are known as Colwall Stone, Upper Colwall and Colwall Green along over a mile of the B4218 road...
and the Worcestershire side in the east. The actual cutting through the granite hill face is at a height of 856 feet above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
.
Wells
In 1558 Queen Elizabeth I granted the land to John Hornyold, lord of the manor, under the premise that any pilgrim or traveller should be able to draw rest and refreshment from the Holy Well, a covenant which still stands today. The first record of spring water being bottled in the UK is from 1622, at Holy Well. Holy Well was later used by the Schweppes Company as the source for bottled Malvern WaterMalvern Water (bottled water)
Malvern Water is a brand of bottled drinking water obtained from a spring in the range of Malvern Hills that marks the border between the counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire in England...
sold at the Great Exhibition of 1851.
Amenities
All Saints, the parish churchParish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
, was built by a local builder, William Porter, to a design by Troyte Griffith - a friend of Edward Elgar
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
who is depicted in the "Enigma Variations". The church was consecrated on 19 November 1903. There is evidence to suggest that Elgar composed part of the "Enigma Variations" in the church, but his offer of the original manuscript of his oratorio "The Apostles", as a gift to the church, was refused by the Anglican church authorities because Elgar was a Roman Catholic and the oratorio was heavily based in that tradition. Next to the church is the Wyche School; "Land of Hope and Glory
Land of Hope and Glory
"Land of Hope and Glory" is a British patriotic song, with music by Edward Elgar and lyrics by A. C. Benson, written in 1902.- Composition :...
", set to Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1, was first performed here in the presence of Elgar. In later life Elgar came to dislike the nationalistic overtones which became associated with the setting.
Primary education in the parish is provided by Malvern Wells Church of England School and the Wyche Church of England School that feed the two Malvern secondary schools of The Chase
The Chase (school)
The Chase School, also referred to as The Chase Technology College and The Chase High School, is a secondary school in Malvern, Worcestershire, England. It was opened by Lord Cobham on 26 March 1955 as a Secondary Modern...
in Barnards Green
Barnards Green
Barnard's Green is one of the main population areas of Malvern, Worcestershire, England, situated approximately downhill from Great Malvern, the town's traditional centre...
, and Dyson Perrins in Malvern Link
Malvern Link
Malvern Link is an area of Malvern, Worcestershire, England to the north and east of Great Malvern. The centres of Malvern Link and Great Malvern are separated by Malvern Link Common, an area of open land that is statutorily protected by the Malvern Hills Conservators...
.
Notable residents
Edward ElgarEdward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
, composer. Elgar and his wife leased a house which they named 'Craig Lea', an anagram of the family's initials, at 86 Wells Road Road, Malvern Wells., which they named 'Forli'.
External links
- Malvern Wells Parish Council
- All Saints Church
- Historical information
- Malvern Gazette Local Malvern weekly newspaper