Day 146 - The Great Malverns

Rising up from the Severn River valley are the Malvern Hills, which I like to refer to as the Great Malverns. They appear as isolated features from the rest of the area and that is because they are made up of very dense igneous rock that has been more resistant to erosion than the surrounding rocks. After millions of years, they now stand at a maximum elevation of 425 metres, with the Severn River below it at an elevation of just 16 metres.

The hills run across the boundary of three shires: Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire. They're best known for their natural mineral springs, which provided commercial quantities of mineral water with so-called medical benefits. For over 600 years, the water was thought to improve one's health. It has been reported that Elizabeth I consumed it and that Queen Victoria went nowhere without it. From 1850 to 2010 it was bottled under the Schweppes brand; in the later years, this brand was owned by Coca Cola. They ceased producing it for economic reasons, but a local family-owned business now bottles and sells it.

Outside the Pub where he and Tolkein
hung out.

The town of Great Malvern lies along the eastern slopes of the Malverns and on the trainline to Hereford (see the previous day's blog post). The rail station is a listed building and is an example of the ornate Victorian stations that were built when railroads became the dominant form of transport in the 1800s. 

When we stopped off on our way back to Moreton in Marsh, we decided to see what the town was like. Our route today required us to have a layover of about an hour and 15 minutes in the late afternoon in Great Malvern so we thought a bite to eat was in order as well. It's about a 15-minute walk straight uphill from the station to the town centre. 

The town began as a Benedictine monastery in the 11th century, and in 1290, Edward I granted large amounts of land to someone by the name of Gilbert "the Red" who had married Edward's daughter, Joan. Gilbert was the 7th Earl of Gloucester and 6th Earl of Hereford.

Because of the local mineral water, the town became a spa town. With the introduction of the railroad, it's fame and tourism business grew immensely and it became a celebrity destination including visitors such as Lord Tennyson, Florence Nightingale, Charles Darwin and Charles Dicken's wife, Catherine.

In the early 20th century, theatre was introduced and became part of the tourist draw.  Writers found there way here, and it's well known that C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein would get together in Malvern to discuss their novels.

A view over the Severn Valley at dusk

The entire region is now a Conservation Area and is protected from development. In recent years, grazing animals have been re-introduced to the hillsides and when we walked into town we could look up and see sheep grazing in the most precarious spots! 

Today the town remains a tourist destination principally for those looking to enjoy the hill walking and to take in some theatre. There is also a number of very large private schools that look like they have occupied some of the grandest hotels that may have existed in the town's heyday.

Once we reached the centre of town, we popped into an Italian chain restaurant for a quick bite as we would have to head back down shortly to catch our train. Standing at its entrance we turned to look back at the spectacular view over the Severn valley and the Cotswolds to the east and it is no wonder that Great Malvern was such a desirable location for the Victorians. We enjoyed a quick pizza and San Pellegrino mineral water -- oh shame on us: Italian water in the heart of British mineral water country! 


Ale of the Day: Black Pear Premium Bitter, Malvern Hills Brewery, Malvern, Worcestershire