This web site has been produced by the Kidderminster Civic Society with the help of the Local Heritage Initiative. It has been created to share the work of the group with the people of Kidderminster and with anyone else who has an interest in the town and area.

To find out more about the LHI, click on the logo above.

Site build: Red Box Consultants Ltd

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Bus Shelter to be reconstructed

It is hoped that Kidderminster's fine old bus shelter by the town hall will be reconstructed. There had been fears for its future after three separate incidents when it was struck by a bus. The Civic Society understands that its position may be slightly adjusted to reduce the chance of this happening again.

An early picture of the bus shelterfrom 1930s. (Bayliss, Jones & Bayliss Catalogue)

Footnote: The Civic Society is collecting information on surviving pieces of ironwork by Kidderminster companies such as Bradley & Turton and Herbert Bale. If you know of any examples, please contact us by email or telephone Steve Bragginton on 01562 638890.

HKP publishes more Historical Reports

The Historic Kidderminster Project (HKP) has published a further collection of reports on the history of the town's buildings. The project has now completed four years of work. There are now 147 reports, and they are available on this site. To view them click on Historical Reports on the left hand side of this page.

All HKP reports are available as hard copies at Kidderminster Library, Worcester Record Office and the Carpet Museum Archive for public access.

The new reports include a history of Orchard Street, thus completing our survey of the streets laid out by Lord Foley in the 1750s after the demolition of the manor house. Two more pubs are featured, the Horsefair Tavern and the Bridge Inn. There are two fine houses still surviving today, Leswell House and Honeybrook. Our Franche collection is growing, with reports on 4 to 7 Bridgnorth Road, and Coachman's in Honeybrook Lane. From the old town centre are reports on the brass foundry in Church Street, and Attwoods the drapers at 1 & 2 High Street.

The reports are not primarily about the architecture of the buildings. They are more about the social history of the town and the people who lived in the buildings. The reports should be of use to family historians and those researching the origins of their own house.

Anybody can contribute information about a building or write a report for the project. If you wish to do so, please email Kidderminster Civic Society at mail@kidcivicsoc.org.uk

Two Plaques Erected

Two of Kidderminster's finest industrial buildings are now featuring blue plaques, which were erected in July. Slingfield Mill and the Piano Building, both listed buildings, have recently been undergoing major works, and the plaques make a superb finishing touch in both cases.

The plaques were produced as part of the Civic Society's Historic Kidderminster Project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund 2006-2008.

Membership

If you would like to become a member of the Civic Society or would like to read the members' newsletter, please click on About Us.

To contact the Society email address is: mail@kidcivicsoc.org.uk