Worcester Heritage Walk

Start your walk at Worcester Bridge from where there are fine views of the river running south through Worcester past the cathedral and north towards the bridge for the original Hereford & Worcester Railway and beyond it the Sabrina Footbridge, a cable stay structure dating from 1992. Worcester Bridge was originally built by John Gwynne in 1781 and reconstructed in 1930 – the parapet displays some interesting plaques. The size of the barges forming the last significant trade on the river (an oil supply from Sharpness to Stourport operating between 1930 and the early ’70s) was limited by these arches.

The Watergate gives access to the cathedral grounds.

The stonework shows high water marks from many years of flooding from 1672 to the highest level in March 1947.

From here it is possible to visit Worcester Cathedral, built between 1084 and 1504 and incorporating every architectural style from Norman to Gothic.

Cross the bridge below the bottom lock and walk up the two 18ft-wide Diglis Barge Locks, which allowed large river craft into the basins and subsequently gave access to smaller boats onto the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.

There is a well-used dry-dock alongside the top lock and opposite is an attractive range of dock buildings.

Turn back and head to Diglis Basins. It is worth spending time exploring this area and its wide variety of river and canal boats, interesting dock buildings and opportunities for refreshments.

When the canal opened in 1815, Pickford’s provided the road transport connection for goods in their horse-drawn wagons. Henry Webb & Co, a chemical manure works, operated here using barge and narrowboat transport. The redevelopment of the basins carried out from 2005 included transforming the main basin into a marina. It is here that Spry, probably the last Severn Trow, was rescued from a watery end and restored to take up to the Ironbridge Gorge Museum’s Blists Hill Victorian Town, where it can still be seen.

The next bridge takes us back to the precanal history of Worcester.

A plaque on the parapet wall marks the Sidbury Gate of the City and the site of the last battle of the Civil War fought on 3rd September 1651.

An artwork with pikes and helmets on the bridge indicates the spot to those passing by boat.

Continuing along the canal and past Blockhouse Lock (the last for a while), you’ll encounter urban surroundings with terraced housing giving way to commercial and industrial property.

Leave the towpath at Bridge 9 (Rainbow Hill) for an impressive view of the railway viaduct, and continue down Westbury Street from where you can see Lowesmoor Basin, an important terminus for the canal company prior to the construction of Diglis Basins, and rejoin the canal.

Most of the original wharves have been filled in but this site is still active with a hire-boat base and moorings.

On the opposite bank of the canal the remains of brick entrances to an early Gas Works retort house can be seen, reminding us of the early industrial nature of the canal.

The two Bilford locks take us away from the City into pleasant rural surroundings. Below Bilford Top lock there is a winding hole allowing boats to turn, possibly indicating a busy section for boats.