The pre-Cambrian, volcanic, crystalline rocks that form the Malvern Hills are the oldest in Europe being over 600 million years old. The area is famed for its dramatic hills and for the pure spring water that flows from them plus a rich cultural heritage of forts, castles and priories stands proudly from this landscape of ancient woodland, rolling pastures and wild, open commons. The Hills, ranging from British Camp to North Hill, have been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The pre-Cambrian, volcanic, crystalline rocks that form the Malvern Hills are the oldest in Europe being over 600 million years old. The area is famed for its dramatic hills and for the pure spring water that flows from them plus a rich cultural heritage of forts, castles and priories stands proudly from this landscape of ancient woodland, rolling pastures and wild, open commons. The Hills, ranging from British Camp to North Hill, have been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Three Counties Showground
The Three Counties Showground was established to promote agriculture, horticulture and food production in the counties of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. Its permanent Showground comprises a 68 acre perimeter site extending to 300 acres of land, including the 100 year old Langdale Wood. Annual activity at the Showground has grown from 3 days in 1958 to more than 200 days in 2009. In addition to organising three major events - Malvern Spring Gardening Show, Three Counties Show and Malvern Autumn Show - the Society hosts a national sheep show, arena concerts, dog shows, fairs and rallies. The Three Counties Show in June, however, is widely regarded as the Society's flagship event, attracting some of the UK's finest pedigree livestock and was visited by up to 100,000 visitors on Show days.
Malvern Theatre
Located in Great Malvern and in the shadow of the Malvern Hills, Malvern Theatres is a major centre for the arts in the West Midlands. The theatre is the home of the famous Malvern Festivals, founded by Bernard Shaw and Barry Jackson.
Malvern Theatres boasts a diverse programme of drama, comedy, music and dance involving the biggest names and comprises three auditoria: the 800-seat Festival Theatre, the Forum Theatre and a 400-seat cinema.
Great Malvern Priory
Work on the the Priory began in 1085. Not long after the time of the Battle of Hastings a monastery was founded in what was then the Malvern Chase. The Priory was built on land which belonged to Westminster Abbey, under the control of the crown at that time. Malvern was in the diocese of Powick but the Priory was subservient to Westminster Abbey and so it had `Priory` status. The Norman church was extended in the years between 1440 and 1500 and the tower seen today is very similar to that of Gloucester Cathedral and was built by the same masons.
During the 1530s King Henry VIII was short of cash and since the monasteries belonged to someone else (the Pope) he decided to plunder them and in 1539 the Malvern monks surrendered their lands and buildings. Destruction began but the Priory was saved by the parishioners of Malvern who petitioned the King and succeeded in buying the Priory for £20. Lack of money continued to be a problem over the next couple of centuries which meant that hardly any repairs or maintenance were carried out. On the plus side there was no money to remove the `Popish` medieval glass so it is still with us. Although the Civil War raged in nearby Worcester, Malvern was still a remote part of the English countryside surrounded by the dense forest of Malvern Chase.
During 1860 restoration and repair of the Priory was financed by wealthy businessmen under the direction of Sir Gilbert Scott. Details in the stained glass windows of the nave, and tiles on ceiling and floor, bear witness to their generosity. The North Porch was rebuilt in 1894 and between 1910 and 1915 a considerable amount of restoration of the stained glass was carried out. This never ending preservation work continues today.