Standing on the banks of the River Severn is the attractive town of Bewdsly in Worcestershire. This exquisite city is also situated on the edge of the Wyre Forest, and was once a major inland port.
This importance is reflected in the number of beautiful 18th century buildings that abound. The distinguished civil engineer Thomas Telford also built a bridge over the River Severn at Bewdsly in 1798. He was the engineer responsible for the construction of the Severn Suspension Bridge. The River Severn Bridge was built to replace a medieval bridge built in 1483, which was washed away by the floods of 1795. However, there is some debate about the ability of this bridge to continue to carry heavy traffic.
This town is typically Georgian, although there are many other interesting buildings present as well. Both Jacobean and Tudor half-timbered houses still stand and were erected long before Georgian times. Wyre Court is one of these buildings, as is Recorder’s House.
The church which still serves as the parish church for Bewdsley, is also of Georgian design. While the town’s original church dates back to Norman times and stands a mile away in the grounds of Ribbesford House. This particular church is notable for a surviving Norman tympanum, 14th-century wooden arcade arches, and a Victorian window designed by master craftsmen Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris.
Tickenhill Palace (or Manor) stands on the hill overlooking Bewdsly. This was once a Tudor palace, although now a Georgian façade adorns what remains of the Tudor remains. The palace was the site where in 1499; Prince Arthur’s marriage by proxy took place with Catherine of Aragon. In later years he lived in the palace María I, daughter of Catalina de Aragón. The parks surrounding this historic site were established in the 14th century.
The former butcher’s market below the town hall now houses the Bewdsley Craft Museum. They host events that promote appreciation of local historic crafts, including coracle making. A coracle was a small round boat used by fishermen.