With a glorious cathedral, riverside setting and fantastic local produce, this underrated town doesn’t get the attention it deserves
“What’s Worcester famous for?” asks our guide on a walking tour as we stand in a lacklustre shopping street. “Pottery,” says one of us assuredly. “The cathedral?” says another. “Erm? Apples?” I suggest. “Worcestershire sauce!” says our guide, barely concealing his disappointment. In 1837 John Wheeley Lea and William Perrins developed the pungent brew in their chemist. It is now a branch of a chain of pasty shops with no mention of its distinguished history.
As well as the sauce, and, yes, Royal Worcester pottery and the splendid cathedral where King John of Magna Carta fame is buried, Worcester is also renowned as the home of composer Edward Elgar and the site of the final battle of the English Civil War. It also has one of the most beautiful settings of any city, on the banks of the River Severn. Add to that some fine Tudor and Georgian architecture – but no tourist hordes – and you have a real gem that deserves a visit.
The centre is compact. Museums, cathedral and the two prettiest streets are all close together. But it is the Severn that is surely Worcester’s greatest star. Britain’s longest river – 220 miles – passes through many towns but just two cities: Worcester and Gloucester. In Gloucester, where the river is still tidal, it is more or less ignored but in Worcester, the river, also known as Sabrina, a name from mythology, seems justly venerated: the cathedral proud on its banks, a swannery, a fine arched bridge, riverside parks and walkways, new footbridges.
On summer Sundays, there is a rowing boat ferry across the river between the cathedral and Riverside Park, with its cattle-grazed meadows beyond and Worcester’s famous cricket ground nearby. On August 13, Worcester Show – a traditional fete showcasing giant marrows and tasty chutneys – takes place on the city’s riverside racecourse, assuming it is not flooded.