Worcester Part 1: Tudor House

I visit Worcester a fair amount but mainly to visit friends for birthdays, births and on this occasion a christening, so it’s rare that I have the opportunity to play tourist in the city.

This time however I actually had must of a Saturday to visit some of Worcester’s tourist attractions – Tudor House, Worcester Cathedral and the Commandery. (The last two will feature in later posts).

I had been on the Tudor House’s website and noted that it was conveniently next to my hotel – Ye Olde Talbot Inn.

(Actually, everything I visited was a stone’s throw away from this hotel which I’d recommend for its location and a very comfy bed if nothing else. The breakfast was very nice, though I didn’t have time to sample much of it, and though my room was above the bar and it was loud at first, it soon settled down to be quite quiet after around midnight).

All the staff I encountered at the Tudor House – all volunteers – were very friendly and I gained permission from one of them to take photos. Entrance is free but a donation of £1 (which I duly provided) is encouraged.

The Tudor House was built around 1575 and has served as the site of workshops for bakesr and brewers, a tavern owned by Richard Cadbury of chocolate-makers fame as well as a school clinic and a dentists.

It was also used as an Air Raid Wardens post and billeting office.

It’s an interesting building, with each room showing you aspects of the history of the house with plenty of informative signs. These detail not only the uses of the house but the history of Worcester as a whole.

It only took me about 30-40 minutes to go around but I’d say it was worth a quick look if you find yourself in the area, as a lot of effort has clearly gone into preserving it for future generations.