In proportion to its population Kidderminster has relatively few listed buildings.

This is partly due to the relentless policy of demolition pursued by successive local councils. A substantial number of listed buildings have been pulled down. These included old inns and coaching houses such as the Fox Inn, the Lion Hotel, the Anchor Hotel and the Bell Hotel. Broomfield Hall in Franche Road was also lost. Other casualties included no. 2 Hall Street and the Methodist Chapel at the bottom of Mill Street.

The contempt for the town’s heritage came to a climax in late 1992 with the controversial demolition of the old library buildings even though it was known that they were considered worthy of listing by English Heritage.

There is still a lack of clear political will in favour of conservation in Kidderminster. The successful application by the Civic Society for the listing of the Piano Building was greeted with outrage by some senior councillors. The Civic Society was isolated in the subsequent vitriolic campaign against the decision. There has been a similar attitude to the listing of weavers cottages in the Horsefair. Seven years after the decision to list them, there have been regular mutterings in the press about the money needed to refurbish them.

The Civic Society has played a key role in the protection of Kidderminster’s heritage by successful listing applications. In this way carpet mills have been protected. These are Stour Vale Mills at the top of Green Street, which we hope is soon to house the new Carpet Museum, and the Victoria Carpet Company building lower down the same street. Also preserved is the Morton's factory site between New Road and Green Street. Some of this latter complex has been converted to accommodate the Warehouse Cinema.

More recently the former Jellyman's factory in Puxton Lane has been listed.

The only street in the town centre to retain its old character with elegant 18th century town houses is Church Street, and many of these are listed buildings. Even this has been badly damaged by planning decisions. In the 1960s the ring road cut across the top end of the street isolating St Mary's church from the centre of town. Pevsner described this action as a 'crying-out crime against the town'. It could have been worse. In 1975 the council proposed to pull down most of the west side of the street including its listed buildings because they were 'structurally unsound'. Fortunately, they thought better of it.

One outlying street has many listed buidlings. This is Blakebrook on the west side of town. Here large dignified houses for the wealthy manufacturers were built in the early 19th century.

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Listed Building
22 Blakebrook

Built in the early 18th. century, 22 Blakebrook is one of many listed buildings in this neighbourhood, which is a conservation area.

Medical Hall, Bull Ring, Kidderminster

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