Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
other icon, Malvern Water, closed in 2010 (the local spring water has been a royal
favorite for more than 400 years). Hiking the hills is the main pastime here, with an
abundance of refreshing air and country vistas that inspired England's greatest com-
poser, Sir Edward Elgar.
Essentials
GETTING THERE
From London's Paddington Station, First Great Western trains
leave every 2 hours to Worcester (from £33) and Great Malvern (from £27). Trains
run between Worcester and Great Malvern every 15 minutes or so (and take around
15 min.). Tickets are £4.30.
VISITOR INFORMATION
The
Worcester Tourist Information Centre
is
located in the old Guildhall on the High Street (
&
01905/726311;
www.visit
worcester.com). It's open Monday to Saturday 9:30am to 5pm. The
Malvern Tourist
Information Centre,
21 Church St., Great Malvern (
&
01684/892289;
www.
malvernhills.gov.uk), is open daily 10am to 5pm. On Sundays from December to
March, it closes at 4pm.
TOURS
One of the best ways to see Worcester is from the river aboard one of the
45-minute cruise trips (£5) offered by
Worcester River Cruises,
22 Britannia Rd.,
(
&
01905/611060;
www.worcesterrivercruises.co.uk). A cream tea cruise costs
£14. Cruises operate from 10am to midnight daily April to October.
Exploring the Area
The Commandery
MUSEUM Originally the 11th-century Hospital of St. Wul-
stan, the Commandery serves as an absorbing museum today, with hand-held
audioguides leading through six themed areas chronicling the history of Worcester
and the building. Transformed over the years into a sprawling 15th-century, timber-
framed building, the Commandery primarily served as the country home of the Wylde
family. This was also the headquarters of King Charles II during the Battle of Worces-
ter in 1651, the last engagement in the English Civil War. Beginning with the Monas-
tic Hospital in 1480, displays cover the affluent Wylde family, the tumultuous events
of 1651, the 19th century (when the Commandery served as a college for the blind),
and the building's last role, as a printworks after World War II.
109 Sidbury St., Worcester.
&
01905/361821.
www.worcestercitymuseums.org.uk. Admission £5.40
adults; £4.10 seniors, £2.30 children 5-16, free for children 4 and under. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun
1:30-5pm. The Commandery is a 3-min. walk from Worcester Cathedral.
Malvern Museum
MUSEUM This small but enlightening museum is just a
5-minute walk from Malvern Priory and the Tourist Information Centre in Great
Malvern. Seven themed rooms tell the story of the town, from local prehistoric sites
and the Benedictine monastery established in 1085, to Malvern's famous mineral
water and the creation of the Morgan Motor Works in the 1890s.
Abbey Rd., Great Malvern.
&
01684/567811.
www.malvernmuseum.co.uk. Admission £2 adults, 50p
children 5-16, free for children 4 and under. Apr-Oct 10:30am-5pm. Closed Wed.
Morgan Motor Company
FACTORY TOUR Few vehicles have had such
a cult following as Morgan sports cars, now one of only a handful of automobile
brands to be made in the U.K. by an independent manufacturer. All Morgan cars are
assembled by hand and the waiting list is around 1 to 2 years. You can observe Mor-
gan craftsmen at work on guided tours of the factory, which also explain the history
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