Alcester: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
English|
GBP 30 - 90 Kings Court Hotel
 Set in attractive gardens, this hotel offers a quiet destination for a short break at a competitive rate.
Originally a Tudor farmhouse in the villag… MoreGBP 75 - 85 Coughton Lodge
 Set within a grade II listed building, in a haven of peace and tranquillity, this recently refurbished bed and breakfast is ideally situated within a … MoreGBP 87 - 689 Barceló Billesley Manor Hotel
 A fine Elizabethan house set in 11 acres of grounds in the heart of Shakespeare's county, Barceló Billelsey Manor Hotel can be found minutes from the… MoreGBP 50 - 99 The Blue Boar
 With comfortable, well-equipped accommodation, traditional charm and attractive original features, the Blue Boar represents the best of an old English… More | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alcester: Guide
For other places named "Alcester" see Alcester (disambiguation).
Alcester (pronounced 'olster' or 'aulster') is an old market town of Roman origin at the junction of the River Alne and River Arrow in Warwickshire, England, and situated approximately eight miles west of Stratford-upon-Avon. The 2001 census recorded a population of 6,214 in the town.
Historical Significance
In Roman times Alcester (Aluana) was a walled town and fort of some importance, being located at a junction between the Ryknild Street Roman road and the ancient Salt way from Droitwich.
The town today includes a number of preserved Tudor style|Tudor and other houses, notably those near the parish church, in Butter Street, and in Malt Mill Lane. The Old Rectory, situated directly in front of the church, is a particularly interesting example of Georgian Architecture. A number of fine Victorian additions have been made at the rear of the house. The clock on St Nicholas Church is in an unusual position on the south-west corner of the 14th century tower, making it visible from the main High Street. The church also houses the tomb of Fulke Greville, grandfather of Fulke Greville 1st Baron Brooke.
Alcester once had a railway station, belonging to the Midland Railway (later part of the LMS), and situated on a lengthy loop line, branching off the Bristol to Birmingham main line at Ashchurch, passing through Evesham, Alcester and Redditch, and rejoining the main line at Barnt Green, near Bromsgrove. The loop was built to address the fact that the main line bypassed most of the towns it might otherwise have served, but it took three separate companies to complete, Alcester being on the Evesham and Redditch Railway prior to absorption by the Midland. In addition, a branch line provided by the Alcester Railway company (later part of the Great Western Railway, ran from Alcester to Bearley, thus giving access to Stratford-upon-Avon. This line however was an early casualty, closing in September 1939. The Midland loop was due to close between Ashchurch and Redditch in June 1963, but poor condition of the track brought about withdrawal of all trains between Evesham and Redditch in October 1962, being replaced by a bus service for the final eight months. Redditch to Barnt Green remains open on the electrified Birmingham suburban network.
Alcester is known for two nearby local stately homes, Coughton Court, north at Coughton, and (south-west), Ragley Hall. Kinwarton, which is just north of Alcester, contains a church of Saxon origin, and a historic dovecote — Kinwarton Dovecote — which is a National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust property.
Alcester is also a significant town on the 100 mile-long Heart of England Way long-distance trail|long-distance walking route.
Education and Schools
There are three Highschools in Alcester; Alcester High School, St Benedicts' and Alcester Grammar.
Alcester has a two-tier education system, when students progress from a Primary School to a Secondary School, like most of the United Kingdom.
References
Cave, Lyndon F., Warwickshire Villages, London, 1976. ISBN 0-7091-5509-3
External links
The Local Alcester Newspaper
This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikipedia article "Alcester". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.