Tour and Explore Bredon Village, Worcestershire

By:  Blue Badge Tour Guide - Anne Bartlett
When you pass the M50 motorway travelling south on the M5 towards the county of Gloucestershire, you pass Bredon Hill on the left, and then see the tall slender spire of Bredon church with the backdrop of the Cotswold escarpment behind.

St Giles Church Bredon

Alongside the church you can just make out the end wall of the medieval tithe barn and then you see the River Avon which flows alongside the village and flows under the motorway towards Tewkesbury where it joins the River Severn. It’s a very picturesque and welcoming sight.

I recommend a wander around this historic village to explore the ancient church, the medieval barn and enjoy the view across the river Avon. For anyone who has read local author, John Moore’s novels, Bredon is in fact, the fictional Brensham Village.

A Norman Porch and doorway

Bredon was well developed by the 8th century and a Saxon Monastery was built, however it was apparently sacked and destroyed by the Vikings who came up the river and raided a number of villages around Bredon Hill. The church, which one sees from the motorway, is over 800 years old having been built by the Normans in the late 12th century, there are also later additions to the church and it has a lot of interesting features, the spire was added in the 14th century.

The beautiful Old Rectory dates back to the 15th century and can be seen behind the brick wall of the graveyard alongside the church. The roof of the Rectory is interesting as there are two mounted stone figures on top, one at each end. One is said to be King Charles II and the other is said to be Oliver Cromwell, two bitter enemies, and local tradition states that if ever the two meet, it will be the end of the world.

In the grounds of Manor Farm is a 14th century medieval barn which is huge, and is in the care of the National Trust. It hit the headlines in 1980 after bales of hay caught fire and the building was almost destroyed, however it has been very well restored and for an empty building it is well worth a look. There are steps up to what is called the Reeve’s Chamber, a room which overlooks the barn where records were kept of the tithes owed by the tenant farmers of the Manor. Interestingly there is a square pit in the corner which drops down to below the ground floor level and it is thought that this is where the defaulters were lowered if they couldn’t pay their dues - Punishment was very harsh in those days. There are slits in the walls of the barn for ventilation and also spaces for birds to come and go. There’s plenty of evidence and noise that it is well used by the local pigeons.

A wander down Dock Lane takes you to the riverside. And there’s a recreation ground with seats and benches where you can enjoy the riverside setting and watch the boats chug up and down this lovely river which started near Naseby in Northamptonshire and has travelled nearly 90 miles passing Warwick Castle, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Evesham and Pershore as it passes Bredon Village on its way to the sea.



For guided group coach tours around Worcestershire and The Malverns