Tenbury Wells is a small
market townMarket town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
and
civil parishIn England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and in some places the lowest tier of local government, below districts and counties. A civil parish can alternatively be known as a town, village, neighbourhood or community by resolution of its parish council; and in a limited number of...
in
WorcestershireWorcestershire or ; abbreviated Worcs) is a historic and administrative county located in the West Midlands region of central England. In 1974 it was merged with the county of Herefordshire to form the single administrative county of Hereford and Worcester; which was divided in 1998,...
,
EnglandEngland 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 and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, with a population of 3,316 (2001 census). It is the north-western extremity of the
Malvern Hills DistrictMalvern 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....
administrative area.
Tenbury Wells lies on the south bank of the
River TemeThe River Teme is a river in the United Kingdom that rises in Mid Wales, south of Newtown in Powys, and flows through Ludlow in Shropshire, then to the north of Tenbury Wells on the Shropshire/Worcestershire border there, on its way to join the River Severn south of Worcester...
, which forms the border between
ShropshireShropshire , alternatively known as Salop or abbreviated, in print only, Shrops, is a county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Wales to the west. Shropshire is one of England's most rural and sparsely populated counties with a population density of 91/km²...
and
WorcestershireWorcestershire or ; abbreviated Worcs) is a historic and administrative county located in the West Midlands region of central England. In 1974 it was merged with the county of Herefordshire to form the single administrative county of Hereford and Worcester; which was divided in 1998,...
. It is in the north-west of the Malvern Hills District. The settlement
Burford- Location :The parish is situated to the north of the River Teme, on the other side of the Teme is the Worcestershire town of Tenbury Wells. To the west, the A456 road bridges the Ledwyche Brook, leading to the Herefordshire village of Little Hereford...
in Shropshire lies on the north bank of the river.
From 1894 to 1974, it was a
rural districtRural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England...
, comprising itself and other villages such as
Stoke BlissStoke Bliss is a village, and together with the villages of Kyre and Bockleton, a civil parish in the Malvern Hills District in the county of Worcestershire, England.-External links:* *...
,
EasthamEastham is a village and civil parish in the Malvern Hills District in the county of Worcestershire, England....
and
RochfordRochford is a village and civil parish in the Malvern Hills District near Tenbury Wells in the county of Worcestershire, England....
.
Tenbury Wells is a small
market townMarket town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
and
civil parishIn England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and in some places the lowest tier of local government, below districts and counties. A civil parish can alternatively be known as a town, village, neighbourhood or community by resolution of its parish council; and in a limited number of...
in
WorcestershireWorcestershire or ; abbreviated Worcs) is a historic and administrative county located in the West Midlands region of central England. In 1974 it was merged with the county of Herefordshire to form the single administrative county of Hereford and Worcester; which was divided in 1998,...
,
EnglandEngland 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 and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, with a population of 3,316 (2001 census). It is the north-western extremity of the
Malvern Hills DistrictMalvern 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....
administrative area.
Geography
Tenbury Wells lies on the south bank of the
River TemeThe River Teme is a river in the United Kingdom that rises in Mid Wales, south of Newtown in Powys, and flows through Ludlow in Shropshire, then to the north of Tenbury Wells on the Shropshire/Worcestershire border there, on its way to join the River Severn south of Worcester...
, which forms the border between
ShropshireShropshire , alternatively known as Salop or abbreviated, in print only, Shrops, is a county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Wales to the west. Shropshire is one of England's most rural and sparsely populated counties with a population density of 91/km²...
and
WorcestershireWorcestershire or ; abbreviated Worcs) is a historic and administrative county located in the West Midlands region of central England. In 1974 it was merged with the county of Herefordshire to form the single administrative county of Hereford and Worcester; which was divided in 1998,...
. It is in the north-west of the Malvern Hills District. The settlement
Burford- Location :The parish is situated to the north of the River Teme, on the other side of the Teme is the Worcestershire town of Tenbury Wells. To the west, the A456 road bridges the Ledwyche Brook, leading to the Herefordshire village of Little Hereford...
in Shropshire lies on the north bank of the river.
History
From 1894 to 1974, it was a
rural districtRural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England...
, comprising itself and other villages such as
Stoke BlissStoke Bliss is a village, and together with the villages of Kyre and Bockleton, a civil parish in the Malvern Hills District in the county of Worcestershire, England.-External links:* *...
,
EasthamEastham is a village and civil parish in the Malvern Hills District in the county of Worcestershire, England....
and
RochfordRochford is a village and civil parish in the Malvern Hills District near Tenbury Wells in the county of Worcestershire, England....
. From 1974 Tenbury was in the borough of
LeominsterLeominster is a market town in Herefordshire, England, located approximately north of Hereford and south of Ludlow, at . It is the second largest town in the county with a population of approximately 11,000 people , and is located at the confluence of the River Lugg and its tributary the River...
until it became part
Malvern HillsMalvern 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....
District when Leominster District Council was taken over by
Herefordshire CouncilHerefordshire Council is the local government authority for the county of Herefordshire in England. It is a unitary authority.It is a relatively new council, formed on 1 April 1998 following the split of Hereford and Worcester into two separate counties....
in April 1998.
The history of Tenbury Wells is thought to extend as far back as the
Iron AgeIn archaeology, the Iron Age is the prehistoric period in any area during which cutting tools and weapons were mainly made of iron or steel. The adoption of this material coincided with other changes in society, including differing agricultural practices, religious beliefs and artistic styles.The...
. The town is often thought of as the home to the Castle Tump, but this is now in
Burford- Location :The parish is situated to the north of the River Teme, on the other side of the Teme is the Worcestershire town of Tenbury Wells. To the west, the A456 road bridges the Ledwyche Brook, leading to the Herefordshire village of Little Hereford...
,
ShropshireShropshire , alternatively known as Salop or abbreviated, in print only, Shrops, is a county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Wales to the west. Shropshire is one of England's most rural and sparsely populated counties with a population density of 91/km²...
due to boundary changes. Though the Tump, believed to be the remains of an early
NormanThe term Norman architecture is used to categorise styles of Romanesque architecture developed by the Normans in the various lands under their dominion or influence in the 11th and 12th centuries. In particular the term is traditionally used for English Romanesque architecture...
motte and bailey
castleA castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. The term has a history of scholarly debate surrounding its exact meaning, but it is usually regarded as being distinct from the general terms fort or fortress, in that it describes a residence of a monarch or...
, is easily seen from the main road (
A456The A456 is a main road in England running between Birmingham and Woofferton, Shropshire, south of Ludlow.-History:Much of the road is almost certainly medieval in origin...
) there are no visible remains of the castle, which may have been constructed to defend and control the original
River TemeThe River Teme is a river in the United Kingdom that rises in Mid Wales, south of Newtown in Powys, and flows through Ludlow in Shropshire, then to the north of Tenbury Wells on the Shropshire/Worcestershire border there, on its way to join the River Severn south of Worcester...
crossing.. It has also been described as "... the remains of an 11th century Norman Castle."
Originally named "Temettebury", the town was granted a Royal Charter to hold a market in 1249. Over time, the name changed to "Tenbury", and then added the "Wells" following the discovery of mineral springs and wells in the town in the 1840s. The name of the Railway station, which was on the now-defunct Tenbury & Bewdley Railway, was changed in 1912, in an attempt to publicise the
mineral waterMineral water is water containing minerals or other dissolved substances that alter its taste or give it therapeutic value. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the water. Mineral water can often be effervescent. Mineral water can be prepared or can...
being produced from the
wellsA water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
around the town.
For over 100 years Tenbury was well known for its winter auctions of
hollyHolly is a genus of approximately 600 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family.-Description and ecology:...
and
mistletoeMistletoe is the common name for a group of hemi-parasitic plants in the order Santalales that grow attached to and within the branches of a tree or shrub...
(and other Christmas products), but these moved out of the town in 2007. It is also known for its "Chinese-gothic" Pump Room buildings, built in 1862, which reopened in 2001, following a major restoration
Photo. They are now owned by Tenbury Town Council, having been transferred from Malvern Hills District Council in September 2008.
Architecture
One notable architectural feature in the town is the unique (often described as Chinese-Gothic) Pump Rooms, designed by James Cranston in the 1860s, to house baths where the
mineral waterMineral water is water containing minerals or other dissolved substances that alter its taste or give it therapeutic value. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the water. Mineral water can often be effervescent. Mineral water can be prepared or can...
was available. One of the baths is on show at
Tenbury MuseumTenbury Museum is a museum in the market town of Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire. It holds a collection of local and social history objects, plus copies of the Tenbury Advertiser newspaper dating back to 1871....
as is the drinking fountain from the Pump Rooms.
Other notable structures in Tenbury include the
parish churchA parish church, in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
with a
NormanThe term Norman architecture is used to categorise styles of Romanesque architecture developed by the Normans in the various lands under their dominion or influence in the 11th and 12th centuries. In particular the term is traditionally used for English Romanesque architecture...
tower, and a number of monuments.
The part-Mediaeval
bridgeA bridge is a structure built to span a valley, road, body of water, or other physical obstacle, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle. Designs of bridges vary depending on the function of the bridge and the nature of the terrain where the bridge is constructed.-History:The first...
over the River Teme, linking Tenbury to Burford
Photo,
ShropshireShropshire , alternatively known as Salop or abbreviated, in print only, Shrops, is a county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Wales to the west. Shropshire is one of England's most rural and sparsely populated counties with a population density of 91/km²...
was rebuilt by
Thomas TelfordThomas Telford was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.-Early career:...
following flood damage in 1795.
The
Victorian eraThe Victorian era of the United Kingdom was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from June 1837 until her death on the 22nd of January 1901. The reign was a long period of prosperity for the British people, as profits gained from the overseas British Empire, as well as from industrial improvements...
WorkhouseUnder the Poor Law systems of England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland a workhouse was a place where people who were unable to support themselves could go to live and work. The Oxford English Dictionary's earliest reference to a workhouse dates to 1652 in Exeter. There is, however, some written...
, designed by
George Wilkinson]George Wilkinson was a British architect who practiced largely in Ireland. He was the elder brother of William Wilkinson , who practiced in Oxford....
, has recently been sold to a private investor having formerly been used as the local Council Buildings. The Workhouse's
infirmaryA hospital is an institution for health care providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment, and often but not always providing for longer-term patient stays....
survives, but the unique
Victorian eraThe Victorian era of the United Kingdom was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from June 1837 until her death on the 22nd of January 1901. The reign was a long period of prosperity for the British people, as profits gained from the overseas British Empire, as well as from industrial improvements...
corrugated iron isolation hospital was demolished on October 24, 2006.<
Teme Valley Times Festive Special 2006 p2
Local interest
Markets are held on Tuesday mornings, Friday mornings and most Saturday mornings, in and around the town's Round Market building, which was designed by James Cranston in the 1850s.
Photo
Tenbury was also known as 'the town in the orchard' due to the large numbers of fruit
orchardAn orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive purpose...
s of
appleThe apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family Rosaceae. It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits...
trees and also pears,
quinceThe Quince , or Cydonia oblonga, is the sole member of the genus Cydonia and native to warm-temperate southwest Asia in the Caucasus region...
and
plumA plum or gage is a stone fruit tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus. The subgenus is distinguished from other subgenera in the shoots having a terminal bud and the side buds solitary , the flowers being grouped 1-5 together on short stems, and the fruit having a groove running down one side,...
trees, in the immediate vicinity of the town
Photo. This heritage is revisited every October during the Tenbury
ApplefestApplefest is a yearly village-wide food, entertainment and crafts fair, taking place in several towns in Canada, the United States and England.-Brighton, Ontario:...
.
Tenbury in Poetry
Orchards gay with blossom,
Beauty, there to see,
Hollows where breeze is tender,
Moorlands where wind breaks free;
Sowing, Lambing, and Harvest,
Overlooked by Giant Clee,
Hop Kilns, Farmsteads, and TENBURY,
This is happiness is for me.
This requires a citation and some note as to its relevance: at the moment it just comes across as irrelevant doggerel.
Power Station
A proposal by
OxfordshireOxfordshire is a county in the South East England region, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire....
businessman C J Day to build a
biomassBiomass, a renewable energy source, is biological material derived from living, or recently living organisms, such as wood, waste, and alcohol fuels. Biomass is commonly plant matter grown to generate electricity or produce heat. For example, forest residues , yard clippings and wood chips may be...
power stationA power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric power....
on a business park has caused controversy, because the residents of Tenbury are concerned about the disruption to local businesses during its construction. The proposal continues to attract protests, and in July 2007 a petition against the plans had been signed by more than 2,300 people.
In July 2009 it was announced that the £965,000 grant offered to the power station project had been withdrawn. http://www.harriettbaldwin.com/search/article.php?id=337
Local Flooding
For several centuries Tenbury has been subject to regular flooded on many occasions , most recently on 26 June, 17 July and 20 to 22 July 2007 and on 5 September 2008 The first
floodThe 2007 United Kingdom floods were a series of destructive floods that occurred in various areas across the country during the summer of 2007...
was caused by the River Teme and the Kyre Brook bursting their banks
Photo. The second was caused by a combination of 15mm (0.59in) of rain falling in an hour and the town's drainage system (much of which was blocked) failing to cope, creating
flash floodA flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas - washes, rivers and streams. It is caused by heavy rain associated with a thunderstorm, hurricane, or tropical storm. Flash floods can also occur after the collapse of an ice dam, or a human structure, such as a dam, for example, the...
ing. The third flood again involved the River Teme and the Kyre Brook bursting their banks
Photo.
The 2008 flood damage was caused by a combination of the drainage not having been upgraded since the 2007 floods and the wall on Market Street (which should hold back the Kyre Brook) not having been rebuilt following the 2007 floods.
A petition has been started seeking funding for flood defences for the town.
Notable past residents
- Harold "Barehands" Bates, Royal Navy
The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
officer.
- Henry Hill Hickman
Henry Hill Hickman was born to tenant farmers at Lady Halton, . He was the seventh of thirteen children....
, pioneer of anaesthesia.
- Anthony Parkin, author, journalist, broadcaster and farmer See Times obituary
- Frederick Ouseley
Sir Frederick Arthur Gore Ouseley was an English composer, organist, and musicologist.He was born in London, the son of Sir Gore Ouseley, and manifested an extraordinary precocity in music, composing an opera at the age of eight years. In 1844, having succeeded to the baronetcy, he entered at...
, composer, organist, and musical scholar.
- Peter Slade, (b.1912 d.2004) youngest "uncle" on BBC Radio Children's Hour
Children's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
and the first British dramatherapist. He opened his first arts centre in Tenbury Wells in 1940. See Guardian obituary
- Tom Matthews (politician)
Tom Matthews was an English local councillor, five times mayor, and councillor of the former district of Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, England. A local politician since 1947, in 1983 he was awarded the MBE for services to local government...
long-serving councillor, Mayor and chairman of former Leominster District Council (taken over by Herefordshire CouncilHerefordshire Council is the local government authority for the county of Herefordshire in England. It is a unitary authority.It is a relatively new council, formed on 1 April 1998 following the split of Hereford and Worcester into two separate counties....
).
External links