Coordinates: 52°12′54″N 1°52′34″W / 52.215°N 1.876°W
| Alcester | |
 Alcester High Street |
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Alcester
Alcester shown within Warwickshire |
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| Population | 6,214 (2001) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| Parish | Alcester |
| District | Stratford-on-Avon |
| Shire county | Warwickshire |
| Region | West Midlands |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ALCESTER |
| Postcode district | B49-B50 |
| Dialling code | 01789 |
| Police | Warwickshire |
| Fire | Warwickshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | Stratford-on-Avon |
| List of places: UK • England • Warwickshire | |
Alcester (pronounced /ˈɒlstər/ (
listen) or
/ˈɔːlstər/) is an old market town of Roman origin at the junction of the River Alne and River Arrow in Warwickshire, England, and situated
approximately 8 miles (12.9 km)
west of Stratford-upon-Avon. The 2001 census recorded a population of 6,214 in
the town, which also has civil parish status.
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In Roman times Alcester (Alauna) was a walled town and Roman fort of some importance being located at a junction between the Ryknild Street Roman road and the ancient Saltway from Droitwich and the roman road from Stratford upon Avon and the Fosse way.
An important market town, Alcester was the site of a Benedictine monastery founded in the middle of the 12th century by Ralph le Boteler.[1] The monastery was once a thriving one. In 1318 Walter de Beauchamp, who had a seat in the neighbourhood, complained to the abbot of the monastery that some of his monks had removed Beauchamp's possessions from his manor.[2] At the Dissolution, King Henry VIII granted the monastery to the Greville family.
The town today includes a number of preserved Tudor and other houses, notably those near the parish church, in Butter Street and in Malt Mill Lane. The Old Rectory, situated directly in front of the church, is a particularly interesting example of Georgian architecture. A number of fine Victorian additions have been made at the rear of the house. The clock on St Nicholas' church is in an unusual position on the south-west corner of the 14th century tower, making it visible from the main High Street. The church also houses the tomb of Fulke Greville, grandfather of Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke.
Alcester once had a railway station, belonging to the Midland Railway (later part of the LMS), and situated on a lengthy loop line, branching off the Bristol to Birmingham main line at Ashchurch, passing through Evesham, Alcester and Redditch, and rejoining the main line at Barnt Green, near Bromsgrove. The loop was built to address the fact that the main line bypassed most of the towns it might otherwise have served, but it took three separate companies to complete, Alcester being on the Evesham and Redditch Railway prior to absorption by the Midland.
In addition, a branch line provided by the Alcester Railway company (later part of the Great Western Railway), ran from Alcester to Bearley, thus giving access to Stratford-upon-Avon. This line however was an early casualty, closing in September 1939. The Midland loop was due to close between Ashchurch and Redditch in June 1963, but poor condition of the track brought about withdrawal of all trains between Evesham and Redditch in October 1962, being replaced by a bus service for the final eight months. Redditch to Barnt Green remains open on the electrified Birmingham suburban network.
Alcester is known for two nearby local stately homes, Coughton Court, (a National Trust property) north at Coughton, and (south-west), Ragley Hall, the home of the Marquis of Hertford. Kinwarton, which is just north of Alcester, contains a church of Anglo Saxon origin, and a historic dovecote — Kinwarton Dovecote — which is a National Trust property.
Ragley Hall is home to the Jerwood Sculpture Park.
Alcester is also a significant town on the 100 mile-long Heart of England Way long-distance walking route.
Recent developments, made by the council, include 'Roman Alcester', a museum showing locally found artifacts from the 1st to 4th century AD. Admission is free although the museum is only open from Thursdays to Sundays.
Alcester has a high number of Public Houses for the size of the town.
These include -
The Hollybush, The Cross Keys, The Royal Oak, The Lord Nelson, The Three Tuns, The White Lion, The Swan, The Roebuck, The Turks Head, The Dog and Partridge, The Bear, Alcester Rugby Club, The Moat House, Kings Court Hotel.
There are also places around the town that have a bar but do not open generally.
In early June Alcester holds the Court Leet charity street market with a procession and competitions for best stall and best fancy dress.
On the first Monday and Tuesday of October Alcester plays host to an annual Mop Fair where amusement rides, side stalls and food booths line the High Street, Church Street and Henley Court. The mop fair has gradually over a period of years been decreasing in size. This is more likely to be an external influence as the people of Alcester still flock to the streets during the two nights.
The rivers Arrow and Alne, which join on the outskirts of Alcester, occasionally flood and engulf part of the town. Last occurrences were in 1956, 1998 and 21 July 2007. The rivers meet at Oversley Bridge, on the old Stratford road. Flooded pubs included: The Dog & Partridge, The Swan, Royal Oak, Three Tunns, The Bear, The Turks Head, Moat House Inn and The Cross Keys.
Like most places in the United Kingdom, Alcester has a two-stage educational system, with students progressing from a primary to a secondary school. There are three secondary schools in Alcester: Alcester Grammar School (Performing Arts & Science Status), Alcester High School (Technology & Music College), and St Benedict's Catholic High School (Specialising in Maths and Computers).
Alcester Grammar also has a sixth form which takes on around 200 students a year to study A-levels. The School prides itself on high standards which it has achieved consistently over many years.
St. Benedict's has been granted permission to extend the school and to become a sixth form school too. They are currently in the process of building the sixth form area.
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ALCESTER [pronounced Auster], a market-town in the Stratford-on-Avon parliamentary division of Warwickshire, England, 16 m. W.S.W. from Warwick by the Great Western railway, served also by the Birmingham-Evesham branch of the Midland railway. Pop. (1901) 2303. It is pleasantly situated among low wooded hills at the junction of the small stream Alne with the Arrow, a northern tributary of the Avon. The church of St Nicholas, with the exception of the Decorated tower, is a reconstruction of 1734; among several monuments is a fine example of Chantrey's work, to the 2nd marquess of Hertford (d. 1822). There are a picturesque town hall (1641), raised on stone columns, and a free grammar school. The manufacture of needles is less important than formerly, having been absorbed into the centre of the industry at Redditch in the neighbouring county of Worcestershire. There are implement works and cycle works, and brewing is prosecuted.
The name (Alnecestre, Alyncester) signifies "the camp on the Alne." A small Romano-British town or village was situated here, on the road which runs from Derby and Wall, near Lichfield, to join the Fosse Way near Cirencester. Its name is not known. A relief figure in stone, some pavements, potsherds, coins and burials have been found, but nothing to indicate an important station. No written document relating to Alcester exists before the reign of Henry I. No mention occurs in Domesday, but it is given in a list of serjeanties of the reign of Henry III. as having been a royal borough in the time of Henry I., and in 1177 it rendered four marks' aid with the other boroughs of the county. However, there is no evidence of the grant of a royal charter, and the title of borough soon lapsed. In the reign of Henry III. a moiety of the manor was purchased by Sir Walter Beauchamp, who granted a charter to the inhabitants of the town establishing a Tuesday market for corn, cattle, and all kinds of merchandise, and also obtained grants of fairs at the feasts of St Giles (afterwards transferred to the feast of St Faith) and St Barnabas. In 1444 Sir John Beauchamp purchased the remaining moiety of the manor, and was granted an additional fair at the feast of St Dunstan. From this date the Beauchamps were lords of the whole manor until it passed by female descent to the Grevilles in the reign of Henry VIII. In 1140 a Benedictine monastery was founded here by Ralph Boteler of Oversley, and received the name of the Church of Our Lady of the Isle, owing to its insulation by a moat meeting the river Arrow. The monastery was suppressed among the smaller houses in 1536. Traces of the moat and the foundations are still to be seen in Priory Close. The ancient fairs survived to the end of the 19th century. In 1830 the needle-manufacture employed nearly a thousand hands.
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Alcestis >> |
[[ Image:| thumb | right | 200px | Alcester high street ]]
Alcester is a Roman market town in Warwickshire, England. It is about 8 miles west of Stratford-upon-Avon. In 2001, it had a population of 6,214.
The River Alne joins with the River Arrow at Alcester.
   | St Nicholas Church, Alcester - St Nicholas Church, Alcester |
| | A few views of Alcester in old Postcards - Postcards of the Past - Alcester, Warwickshire |
| | Alcester.co.uk - Welcome to Alcester, Warwickshire, England - Alcester |
| | Redditch & Alcester Standard - The Redditch Standard - Redditch News, Redditch Sport, Redditch Entertainment. |
| | Alcester High School Technology College - Alcester High School Technology College |
| | Heart of England Way long distance path web site - Heart of England Way Association : WALKING |
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