Worcestershire | England, Map, History, & Facts

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Industrial revolution" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/the-rise-of-the-machines-pros-and-cons-of-the-industrial-revolution" >The Rise of the Machines: Pros and Cons of the Industrial Revolution</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <button class="drawerToggle btn position-sticky border btn-xs btn-white btn-circle rounded-sm d-none d-lg-flex " type="button" aria-label="Toggle Drawer"> <em class="material-icons font-18 text-blue" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="h-100 ml-0 pr-lg-0 "> <div class="h-100 grid gx-0 gx-lg-20"> <div class="h-100 col-sm"> <div class="h-100 infinite-pagination-container d-flex flex-column position-relative"> <div class="position-absolute top-0 h-100 w-100"> <div class="toc-sticky-header d-none d-lg-none bg-gray-50 px-10 px-sm-30 position-sticky w-100 "> <div 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160px;" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/116072-050-28D4F927/Great-Malvern-Priory-Eng-Worcestershire.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/685555/112056"> <picture> <source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/116072-050-28D4F927/Great-Malvern-Priory-Eng-Worcestershire.jpg?w=300"> <img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/116072-050-28D4F927/Great-Malvern-Priory-Eng-Worcestershire.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop" alt="Great Malvern Priory" loading="eager" /> </picture> <button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"> <em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em> </button> </a> </div> <figcaption class="card-body"> <div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"> <span> <a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/116072-050-28D4F927/Great-Malvern-Priory-Eng-Worcestershire.jpg" data-href="/media/1/685555/112056">Great Malvern Priory</a> <span><span>Great Malvern Priory in Great Malvern, Worcestershire, England.</span></span> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <span class="link-blue">(more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </figcaption> </figure> </div><div class="topic-header"> <div class="d-flex align-items-top justify-content-between"> <div class="d-flex flex-column"> <div> <div> <h1>Worcestershire</h1></div> </div> <div class="topic-identifier font-16 font-md-20">county, England, United Kingdom</div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-flex flex-row"> <div class="mr-10 mb-15"> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> 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They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-21T00:00:00CST" >Nov 21, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Worcestershire-county-England/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8rl8xmml4zo" rel="nofollow">SEND children in Worcestershire can move to mainstream schools</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 20, 2024, 12:44 AM ET (BBC) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/nov/13/two-worcestershire-women-jailed-for-role-in-global-monkey-torture-network" rel="nofollow">Two Worcestershire women jailed for role in global monkey torture network</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 14, 2024, 1:53 AM ET (The Guardian) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2dl5kx1xw0o" rel="nofollow">£6m flood defences on track to protect Bewdley</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 6, 2024, 3:06 AM ET (BBC) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdrd0peg3d3o" rel="nofollow">Polluting companies fined after fish die in Worcestershire brook</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Oct. 29, 2024, 5:45 AM ET (BBC) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93qqp0qy7ko" rel="nofollow">Three-week-old baby dies in Worcestershire crash</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Oct. 26, 2024, 2:11 PM ET (BBC) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref709247"></span>Worcestershire</strong>, administrative and historic <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/county" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">county</a> of west-central <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/England" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">England</a>. It is located in the western portion of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Midlands" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Midlands</a> region southwest of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/West-Midlands" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">West Midlands</a> metropolitan county. The city of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Worcester-England" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Worcester</a> is the county seat.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="285871" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/11/244511-050-7564F144/Locator-map-Worcestershire.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/685555/285871"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/11/244511-050-7564F144/Locator-map-Worcestershire.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/11/244511-050-7564F144/Locator-map-Worcestershire.jpg?w=300" alt="Worcestershire, England" data-width="2000" data-height="2000" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/11/244511-050-7564F144/Locator-map-Worcestershire.jpg" data-href="/media/1/685555/285871">Worcestershire, England</a><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">The administrative county of Worcestershire <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="comprises" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comprises" data-type="MW">comprises</a> six districts: <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Bromsgrove-England" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Bromsgrove</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Malvern-Hills-district-England" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Malvern Hills</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Wychavon" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Wychavon</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Wyre-Forest" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Wyre Forest</a>, the borough of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Redditch-England" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Redditch</a>, and the city of Worcester. The administrative county covers an area smaller than and somewhat different from the historic county and includes several small areas belonging to other historic counties. The area around the villages of Hinton and Childwickham and the parishes of Kemerton and Ashton-under-Hill are part of the historic county of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Gloucestershire" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Gloucestershire</a>. A small area between Leigh Sinton and Acton Green and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/parish-religion" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">parish</a> of Stoke Bliss are part of the historic county of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Herefordshire" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Herefordshire</a>. Upper Arley lies in the historic county of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Staffordshire" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Staffordshire</a>, and a small area south of Upper Arley belongs to the historic county of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Shropshire-county-England" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Shropshire</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="154788" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/148508-050-7FCF3ABC/buildings-Tudor-Worcester-Worcestershire-England.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/685555/154788"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/148508-050-7FCF3ABC/buildings-Tudor-Worcester-Worcestershire-England.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/148508-050-7FCF3ABC/buildings-Tudor-Worcester-Worcestershire-England.jpg?w=300" alt="Worcester" data-width="1600" data-height="1115" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/148508-050-7FCF3ABC/buildings-Tudor-Worcester-Worcestershire-England.jpg" data-href="/media/1/685555/154788">Worcester</a><span>Tudor buildings in Worcester, Worcestershire, England.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">The historic county of Worcestershire <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="encompasses" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encompasses" data-type="MW">encompasses</a> the remainder of the administrative county as well as the following parishes outside the administrative county: In the administrative county of Gloucestershire, it includes Daylesford, Evenlode, Aston Magna, Blockley, Paxford, Cutsdean, and small areas between Chipping Camden and Honeybourne in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Cotswold-district-England" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Cotswold</a> district; Teddington and Chaceley in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Tewkesbury-district-England" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Tewkesbury</a> borough; and Staunton and Redmarley D’Abitot in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Forest-of-Dean-district-England-United-Kingdom" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Forest of Dean</a> district. In the northeastern part of the unitary authority of Herefordshire, it includes Edvin Loach, Acton Beauchamp, and Mathon. In <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Stratford-on-Avon" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Stratford-on-Avon</a> district of the administrative county of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Warwickshire" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Warwickshire</a>, it includes the parish of Oldberrow and an area along the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/River-Stour" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">River Stour</a> extending from north of Alderminster to south of Shipston-on-Stour. The historic county of Worcestershire also encompasses a substantial part of the metropolitan county of West Midlands, including portions of the metropolitan boroughs of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Birmingham-England" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Birmingham</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Dudley-metropolitan-borough-England" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Dudley</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sandwell" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sandwell</a>.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/another-great-british-vocabulary-quiz-innit" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/20/254320-131-65DA7509/English-language-school-promotion.jpg" alt="English language school promotion illustration. Silhouette of a man advertises or sells shouts in a megaphone and emerging from the flag of the United Kingdom (Union Jack)." class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">Another Great British Vocabulary Quiz, Innit?</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">A fertile lowland plain at the centre of the county is drained by the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/River-Severn" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Rivers Severn</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/River-Avon-central-England" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Avon</a> (Upper Avon) and their tributaries, the Rivers Stour and Teme. To the west lie the Malvern Hills, which <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="exceed" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/exceed" data-type="EB">exceed</a> elevations of 1,300 feet (400 metres) and form the boundary with Herefordshire; they consist of Precambrian gneisses and volcanic rocks. In the south the Avon valley, known as the Vale of Evesham, contains young Lias clays, which provide excellent soil for orchards and market gardening. The Jurassic escarpment of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Cotswolds" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Cotswolds</a> uplands rises sharply in the southeast. Silurian, Cambrian, and Precambrian rocks make up the Lickey Hills, which rise to an elevation of 956 feet (291 metres) and cross the northeastern part of the county.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="150776" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/146304-050-468308A4/Path-Wyre-Forest-National-Nature-Reserve-Bewdley.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/685555/150776"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/146304-050-468308A4/Path-Wyre-Forest-National-Nature-Reserve-Bewdley.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/146304-050-468308A4/Path-Wyre-Forest-National-Nature-Reserve-Bewdley.jpg?w=300" alt="Wyre Forest National Nature Reserve" data-width="1024" data-height="768" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/146304-050-468308A4/Path-Wyre-Forest-National-Nature-Reserve-Bewdley.jpg" data-href="/media/1/685555/150776">Wyre Forest National Nature Reserve</a><span>Path in the Wyre Forest National Nature Reserve, near Bewdley, Worcestershire, England.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">The historic county of Worcestershire was heavily wooded in early times and consequently is not rich in prehistoric remains. There are, however, great <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Iron-Age" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Iron Age</a> earthworks on the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Great-Malvern" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Malvern</a> and the Bredon Hills that have been dated to the 2nd–1st centuries <span class="text-smallcaps">bce</span>. A few traces of the area’s Roman occupation have been found in Worcester city. The earliest Anglo-Saxon settlers of the area were the <span id="ref227241"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hwicce" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Hwicce</a> tribe in the 6th century <span class="text-smallcaps">ce</span>. By 679 the Hwiccean kingdom had formed a separate diocese with its seat at Worcester, which became not only an <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="ecclesiastical" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ecclesiastical" data-type="MW">ecclesiastical</a> centre but also the chief point of trade and military communications between England and Wales. The region was subsequently part of the kingdom of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mercia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mercia</a> and was temporarily conquered by the Danes in the 9th century. The shire (county) itself originated as an administrative area after the Anglo-Saxons had recovered Mercia from the Danes.</p><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The monastic movement played an important part in Worcestershire’s history during the Middle Ages. No fewer than 13 monastic foundations existed in the county between the 8th and 13th centuries. The monks of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Evesham" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Evesham</a> and Pershore began the cultivation of the flowers, fruits, and vegetables in the Vale of Evesham. At the time of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Domesday-Book" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Domesday Book</a> (1086), the church owned more than half of the land in Worcestershire, and this <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="inhibited" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhibited" data-type="MW">inhibited</a> the rise of a local <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="aristocracy" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aristocracy" data-type="MW">aristocracy</a>. Still, the ruins of the 13th-century Dudley Castle bear witness to the military interests of the county’s Norman nobility. Worcestershire is studded with old churches, abbeys, and priories, including the remains of Benedictine abbeys at Evesham and Pershore and a perfectly preserved priory church at Malvern. The impressive cathedral at Worcester was completed in the 14th century. The historic county also has many fine half-timbered country houses dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, such as the moated Birtsmorton Court.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Two <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="decisive" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/decisive" data-type="EB">decisive</a> battles in English history were fought in Worcestershire. At Evesham in 1265 <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Simon-de-Montfort-earl-of-Leicester" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Simon de Montfort</a> was slain by the forces of Edward (later <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edward-I-king-of-England" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Edward I</a>), and at Worcester in 1651 a Parliamentary army led by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Oliver-Cromwell" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Oliver Cromwell</a> resoundingly defeated the Scottish forces of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-II-king-of-Great-Britain-and-Ireland" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Charles II</a> and thus brought to an end the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/English-Civil-Wars" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">English Civil Wars</a>.</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=black-friday-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="181940" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/50/149250-050-9F3B7288/Barge-lock-Worcestershire-Canal-Staffordshire-St-Mary.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/685555/181940"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/50/149250-050-9F3B7288/Barge-lock-Worcestershire-Canal-Staffordshire-St-Mary.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/50/149250-050-9F3B7288/Barge-lock-Worcestershire-Canal-Staffordshire-St-Mary.jpg?w=300" alt="Worcestershire Canal" data-width="1600" data-height="900" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/50/149250-050-9F3B7288/Barge-lock-Worcestershire-Canal-Staffordshire-St-Mary.jpg" data-href="/media/1/685555/181940">Worcestershire Canal</a><span>Barge in a lock on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal at Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">From the late Middle Ages until the 17th century, the city of Worcester and much of southern Worcestershire thrived on the production of wool and woolen cloth, and coal and iron were mined in the north as early as the 13th century. With the construction of canals in the 18th century and railways in the 19th century, the northern <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="fringes" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/fringes" data-type="EB">fringes</a> of the historic county became part of the growing metropolis of Birmingham and the heavily industrialized <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Black-Country" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Black Country</a>, famed for its <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/coal-mining" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">coal mining</a> and metal production. The popular condiment known as <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Worcestershire-sauce" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Worcestershire sauce</a> was developed by two Worcester chemists about 1835 and is now world famous.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Today agriculture is a major activity in the administrative county. Fruits and vegetables are intensively <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="cultivated" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cultivated" data-type="MW">cultivated</a> in the southeast, including the Vale of Evesham. In other rural areas, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/dairying" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">dairy farming</a> predominates, and Worcestershire is also an important producer of hops. Heavy industry is important in Worcester and Bromsgrove, and there are machinery and metal industries in Redditch and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Kidderminster" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Kidderminster</a> (also famous for carpets). Stoke Prior, near <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Droitwich" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Droitwich</a>, has important salt and chemical industries. The manufacture of agricultural machinery, fruit canning and processing, cider production, and milk processing occur in Worcester and several market towns. Area administrative county, 672 square miles (1,741 square km). Pop. (2001) administrative county, 542,107; (2011) administrative county, 566,169.</p><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature"><a href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</a></span> <span class="md-signature">This article was most recently revised and updated by <a href="/editor/Amy-Tikkanen/6393">Amy Tikkanen</a>.</span><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":685555,"pageLength":994,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"D","adLeg":"D","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Worcestershire | England, Map, History, & Facts | Britannica