Places of interest in Worcestershire

Kidderminster

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WYRE Forest in the north of Worcestershire has three main towns: Kidderminster (approx pop 52,000), Bewdley (10,000) and Stourport-on-Severn (20,000) - and is regarded as the cradle of the modern carpet industry which was founded in the area in the 18th century. Carpet factories are still the main sources of employment in Kidderminster , while the preominantly Georgian town of Bewdley and Stourport rely more on tourism.

Links with the world of carpets are many, including the name of the local newspaper - the Kidderminster Shuttle - which takes its name from a part of a carpet loom. It was in the mid-18th century that carpet manufacture began on a large scale in Britain . As power sources and machinery gradually developed, Kidderminster became the centre of the industry and by 1807 there were 1,000 carpet looms in the town.

In 1783 Brintons - a name synonymous with quality carpets - was founded and is still the major employer in Kidderminster more than 200 years later.

Bewdley is an attractive riverside town which sits on the River Severn - the longest river in England - and its prosperity was founded on river trade in Georgian times.

The river bridge in the centre of town was built by the famous British engineer Thomas Telford and the town is proud of being the birthplace of Stanley Baldwin, the British Prime Minister from 1923-24, 1924-29 and 1935-37.

Stourport originated as a canal port at the junction of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal with the River Severn near the mouth of the River Stour. The canal opened in 1771 and was designed by another famous engineer James Brindley as part of his ambitious scheme to link the growing industrial towns of the Midlands and the North with the ports of Hull , Liverpool , Bristol and London .