Malvern, Worcestershire
|
|
Great_Malvern_-_With_Hill_in_Background.JPG
Great_Malvern_-_Detail_of_Town.JPG
Great_Malvern_Priory_-_Cemetery_View.JPG
Malvern is a town in Worcestershire, England. It includes the smaller areas of Great Malvern, Malvern Link, Malvern Wells, West Malvern and North Malvern.
Malvern is in the area governed by Malvern Hills District Council and lies adjacent to the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The medieval poem Piers Plowman begins on the Malvern hillside. Starting from the Middle Ages, Malvern was the site of a Benedictine monastery which first arose in 1085 from a hermitage endowed by Edward the Confessor, of which, beside Malvern Priory church, part survives as Malvern Museum. This building dates back to about 1470. Malvern is a famous spa, known for its bottled water since 1622. Dr. James Gully made the 'water cure' popular in the early 19th century. Several hotels in Great Malvern date from the hey-day of Malvern as a residential spa.
During World War II, Malvern was the location to which the UK government was partially evacuated in case of need. During this time, it also became the home of Telecommunications Research Establishment, renowned for its role in the history of radar. It has been said that World War II was won on the playing fields of Malvern, home of the cavity magnetron.
The Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, spent some of his exile here, in the Abbey Hotel. The Three Counties Showground near Malvern hosts an annual agricultural show in June, and regular Royal Horticultural Society Gardening Shows. Malvern is home to two famous public schools, Malvern College and Malvern Girls College. Jeremy Paxman, Denholm Elliott, Barbara Cartland and Aleister Crowley went to school here.
Charles Darwin's daughter is buried in the graveyard of Malvern Priory, and Jenny Lind in Great Malvern Cemetery. The final word on Peter Roget is committed to stone in the graveyard of St James, West Malvern. Famous British violinist Nigel Kennedy also lived in (West) Malvern for a while. British composer Edward Elgar taught in Great Malvern and much of his work was influenced by the Malvern Hills. Elgar is buried at St. Wulstan's, Little Malvern. There is an Elgar Trail around Malvern and the surrounding area.
Malvern is the largest town in the parliamentary constituency of West Worcestershire. As of May 2005 it is represented by Sir Michael Spicer.
External links
- Malvern Hills District Council (http://www.malvernhills.gov.uk/)
- Worcestershire County Council (http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/home)
- Malvern Museum (http://www.roscalen.com/museum/index.htm)
- Biking in Malvern (http://www.blerg.net/bikinginmalvern/)