Within the English industrial Midlands Kidderminster is a town located in the Severn Valley around 20 miles southwest of Birmingham.
Weaving was a way to live in the region across the United States for many years, however during the 18th century, Kidderminster began to become a specialist in carpet-making and was a renowned trade for the. The old carpet factories, like the magnificent Stour Vale Mill, give the town a lot of appeal today. Kidderminster has plenty to do in its outskirts.
The park is highly rated near the town’s edge in addition to the forest in Wyre Forest. Wyre Forest and historic homes such as Harvington Hall, which is packed with hiding spots that were used by 16th-century Catholic priests.
Let’s take a look at the most enjoyable activities to enjoy within Kidderminster:
1. Museum of Carpet
In 2012, Kidderminster inaugurated a museum dedicated to its old carpet-making industry.
The site is Stour Vale Mill, built in 1855. It became the first carpet mill powered by steam located in UK. Carpet was made in the building up to 2003 when it was the time that Woodward Grosvenor brand merged with Brinton, a different great Kidderminster producer, Brinton, and production was relocated to a different location.
There are exhibitions exploring the history of carpet making in the local area for 300 years and highlighting the most important industry figures and revealing the typical day would be like inside a mill for carpets. The most interesting part is that you can observe hand and power-loom demonstrations from experienced Woodward Grosvenor weavers.
Hand-on demonstrations are held daily between 10:00 and 13:00. The power weaving looms go into action from midday on Tuesday through Thursday and on Saturdays.
2. Harvington Hall
The moated Elizabethan manor property is owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham.
Harvington Hall was built in 1580. Then, after proprietor Mary Pakington converted to Catholicism it became a place of refuge for the persecuted Catholic clergy. There are more hidden places (priest hole) on Harvington Hall than at any other residence in England.
There are seven priest holes total, including four which are integrated into the staircase. The Marble Room is a fake fireplace, with a passageway leading to two attics hidden.
The majority of these hideouts were designed by Jesuit Nicholas Owen, who was executed through the torture method in 1606 and made a saint in the Vatican by Pope Paul VI in 1970. The hall is the subject of an exhibit on the history of the hall at the Malt House Visitors Centre where you can wander around the garden with the knot formal, the wildflower garden , and next to the moat that is swarming with carp.
3. West Midland Safari Park
A record-breaking animal attraction is located covering 200 acres on the west part of town.
In 1973, the West Midland Safari Park was the first within the UK to include all the African Big Five game animals (cape buffalo and elephants, leopards, rhinoceros and lion). The park is now home to the biggest number of cheetahs as well as the white-colored lion, hippos,, and meerkats in any safari park in the world and has the largest lemur enclosure that is walk-through.
There’s a large drive-through area that is home to rhinos, zebras Asian water buffaloes, African leopards, African elephants, and many more.
It is also complemented by various walk-through nature habitats, as well as an Adventure theme park that includes rides, including the 30-meter Venom Tower Drop.
Land of the Living Dinosaurs is the biggest animatronic dino-themed attraction in the nation and you’ll be able to meet stunningly rendered full-size models creatures such as a stegosaurus and a triceratops, velociraptor and the t-rex.
4. Severn Valley Railway
Kidderminster Town Railway Station is the southern end of a historic railway line that runs through the picturesque Severn Valley for 16 miles from Bridgnorth in Shropshire.
This line was built by an early forerunner that was later to become the Great Western Railway in the early 1860s , and it was operational until 1970, at which point work began to protect the line for future generations.
Kidderminster Town station may seen as old, but it was actually constructed entirely from scratch in the year 1984 in the late Victorian style.
From there, you’ll be able to begin the 70-minute journey of a steam locomotive that stops at five stations. One of them is the market town with a rich history of Bewdley We’ll talk about it in the next paragraph. There’s also a range of interactive exhibits as well as full-size locomotives in the Visitor Centre located near Highley Station. Highley.
Visit the website to find out more about thematic trips (Halloween or Christmas) as well as dining experiences, and the possibility of “tasting trains” when you are able to sample champagne and gin while on the trip.
5. Hartlebury Castle
In the southern part to the south of Kidderminster, Hartlebury Castle was the seat of the Bishops of Worcester from the beginning of the 13th century and until 2007. The manor house that was originally fortified was demolished towards the end of the Civil War, but the one that was left was returned to the bishop after King George III was reinstated.
There are Medieval elements hidden within Baroque as well as Gothic Revival building from the 17th and 18th century .Since the last bishop left out, areas of the church that were never visited by the public have been made accessible to the public.
One of the highlights is the elegant Long Gallery, built at the end of the 17th century. It’s it is now furnished with entertaining portraits that talk to you.Hurd Library Hurd Library meanwhile is from 1782. It has a stunning stucco ceiling Ionic marble columns , and bookcases that are grained.
A large portion of the books come from the personal libraries of the poet William Warburton and poet Alexander Pope.
6. Worcestershire County Museum
In the quarters for servants in Hartlebury Castle there’s a museum that charts the history of Worcestershire from prehistory until the 1900s.
The most notable feature is the collection of historical rooms, which include rooms that include a Victorian classroom, a sitting area as well as a nursery, laundry, and the scullery.
“Footsteps through Life” goes deep into The Worcestershire of Victorian society, focusing on subjects like marriage, birth food, religion, food and medicine “Childhood Treasures” is an exhibit of old doll houses toys, teddy bears and soldiers from Victorian times. For a more distant past “On Ancient Tracks” has an impressive collection of Roman coins as well as Anglo-Saxon jewellery.
In addition, the Travel and Transport gallery has an extremely rare collection of British-Romani caravans that show how the layout of these elaborate vardos (wagons) evolved.
7. Bewdley Museum
It is situated in an array of gardens and old structures This museum traces the story of the turbulent history of Bewdley, a Severn Valley town of Bewdley.
Learn about Bewdley’s traditional crafts through the assistance of expert local craftspeople such as pewter and pottery makers.
There’s a sawmill and rope factory and a brass foundry, which dates back over 250 years, and operating from 1964. The principal building is an 18th century slaughterhouse. There’s an exhibit that traces the role of Bewdley as a major centre of trade on the river , while in addition, a profile of some prominent locals, such as Stanley Baldwin who was briefly prime minister during the period between World War II and.
Other sites comprise other attractions include Town Jails dating to 1802 and a stunning walled garden along with an air raid refuge dating back to in the Second World War.
8. Wyre Forest National Nature Reserve
West of Kidderminster is among the largest tracts left of woodland that was once a part of the UK. The Wyre Forest is more than 6,500 acres. It is also home to 1,3500 people. is designated an National Nature Reserve.
This is located on an elevated plateau that is sloping with deep valleys that are surrounded by the form of woodlands and historic orchards, scrub as well as grassy meadows. It’s all habitat for the UK’s biggest collection of pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies, as well as 33 other species of butterflies as well as more than 1,100 varieties of moths.
The woods are inhabited by roe, fallow, and muntjac deer. buzzards, pied flycatchers wood warblers and redstarts are all breeding in the Wyre Forest.
Take long walks or for an adventure in the treetops on Go Ape. Go Ape High Ropes Course that is situated 14 meters over the ground, in solid Douglas firs.
9. Bodenham Arboretum
The park is situated in the middle of town, yet feels further away.
Over 130 acres of land The Bodenham Arboretum is located on the shores of a lake that is encased in a valley that is secluded, and is home to more than 3,000 species plants and trees.
There are North American oaks, acers and alders. Additionally, the woods are dotted with trails that lead you to hidden dells and glades. For kids, there’s an animal farm that includes donkeys goats, sheep, turkeys, and cattle.
There’s something new to observe at any time of the year: snowdrops bluebells, daffodils and primroses bloom in the spring which is followed by azaleas Rhododendrons and a gorgeous laburnum tunnel. Autumn is a spectacular display of golds and reds.
A lot of people visit the arboretum because of the eatery, that offers an daily carvery with Herefordshire lamb, beef and pork.
10. Kidderminster Railway Museum
In the former Great Western Railway warehouse just from platform 2 in Kidderminster Town station there’s a tiny, free museum that is brimming with fascinating railway artefacts from across the nation.
Most of them dates back to the time of steam.
There are posters, signs timetables, timetables, signalling equipment (one of the biggest collections of this kind in the United States) as well as a ticketing platform machine as well as a telephone exchange gas lamps, and the inside of the former booking office in Alvechurch.
There is also the 5-inch gauge models of trucks and locomotives.
Next to the platform is next to it is the Coalyard Miniature Railway, normally operating during the exact same times with the large trains. This is something that younger rail enthusiasts are certain to enjoy.
