Attractions and Places To See around Shelsley Beauchamp - Top 20

Fine church with lovely grounds, made from the local sandstone.

There is so much to look for at this ancient church - I would recommend having look through this page for details and making your own treasure hunt! - https://www.greatenglishchurches.co.uk/html/ribbesford.html#:~:text=Ribbesford%2C%20like%20Pipe%20Aston%20was,is%20now%20the%20north%20aisle.

A large village church with 12th century Norman origins and work from several later periods. The tower is 15th century. The church was restored in 1909 by Sir Charles Nicholson. There is an excellent west window by Tom Denny, 1999. Parish church. Early C12, early C13 and circa 1315, restored 1875, 1884 and 1909. Last restoration by Sir Charles Nicholson. Ashlar, plain tile roof. Nave and chancel continuous, west tower, north vestry of 1875, south porch of 1184. Chancel: three bays, north wall early C13 with two lancets, north vestry; east window: restored Decorated of early C14, three trefoiled lights; south wall: eastern window Decorated with two trefoiled lights, other two larger each with two ogee trefoiled lights, formerly looked into Mortimer chapel (consecrated 1315, demolished), they flank a three-centred-headed priest's door; stepped right angle buttresses to corners. Nave: three bays, all windows restored: decorated each with two trefoiled lights in both walls. Restored early C12 south door with timber porch of 1884; blocked north door more complete and similar in design; doorway projects c150mm from wall face, with decorated semicircular head and consecration cross; wall has five bays defined by a series of early C12 pilasters, top four courses of naves walls are of alternate bands of red and white sandstone. West tower: C15 in three stages divided by moulded string, moulded plinth, embattled parapet with pinnacles of 1909 to diagonal corner buttresses. C15 Perpendicular west window with three cinquefoiled lights; first stage has single trefoiled lights, bell chamber has windows with two cinquefoiled lights under two-centred head. INTERIOR: chancel: double aumbry in north wall, piscina in south wall with priests head to label stop; nave: entrance to rood stairs and above rood left door, stairs were in an external projection, now lost; tower arch of two chamfered orders with moulded abaci at springing. Roofs: similar over nave and chancel, slightly lower pitch to chancel, collar-rafter roof with straight braces from rafter to collar and ashlar pieces, five tie beams in nave, two in chancel, probably early C14. A framed tympanum divides the nave from the chancel roof, probably C17. Fittings: wall paintings in nave of C15 including St Martin on horseback dividing his cloak for the beggar; in chancel wall paintings of late C13 and C15, including C15 canopy design on east wall, and a C15 Annunciation group on the south wall. A few late C15 Malvern tiles in chancel floor; early C20 screen, font, pulpit and organ. Late C15 recumbent effigy of alabaster against north wall of chancel, ridged coffin lid to south with traces of incised cross and pastoral staff. The two eastern windows in the south wall of the nave and central window in north wall are of circa 1915 by Walter E Tower. Source: britishlistedbuildings

Dick Brook is thought to be the first canalised brook in England, engineered by Andrew Yarranton, a local pioneer of the industrial revolution. He did this in the mid-17th century, 100 years before James Brindley embarked on the canal-building revolution. The brook was dredged and locks built to enable boats to carry iron ore from the River Severn up Dick Brook to a blast furnace. 500m along the path, marked by a way-marker post, you reach the site of a former iron forge. There are some building remains and the area is being studied by local historians. As you continue westwards, to the right of the path there are the earthworks of the leat which fed water to turn the wheels at the forge. The furnace site was 100m up the valley to the south of the path as you go towards Glasshampton. Source: Geopark guide

Geological overview Just south of Stourport a magnificent river cliff of fine grained red sandstone is seen. Although mainly homogenous in terms of geology, there are white streaks and thin bands of coarse material running throughout the section. The soft sandstone of Redstone Rock is easily carved and there is evidence of human-made habitation in the cliff face since Stone Age times. The caves that can be seen today were mostly made in the 12th century, when a hermitage was established there, conveniently located for the hermits to be on hand to offer blessings and prayers for passers-by in return for alms. It was said to house up to 500 men, who may have also manned the ferry crossing, which was there due to the presence of a ford until the river was dredged. The caves were later used as domestic dwellings and were inhabited almost continuously until the mid twentieth century. Source: Geopark.org

Holt Fleet Bridge, also known as Holt Bridge, is a cast-iron arch bridge over the River Severn, at Holt in Worcestershire, England. It has a span of 150 feet (46 m); it was designed by Thomas Telford and opened in 1828. It is Grade II listed, and is similar to Telford's Galton Bridge, which is a Grade I listed structure that spans his BCN New Main Line canal at Smethwick. The bridge was built with five cast-iron ribs, with X-braced spandrels, as were several of Telford's bridges. It was strengthened in 1928, when the upper and lower parts of each rib and some of the diagonal struts above them were encased in concrete. The road deck was rebuilt in reinforced concrete and widened at the same time. Semicircular arches at each end, built in red sandstone, allow for the passage of riverbank foot-traffic and floodwater.

What he said ^^^^^^^

St Leonard's Church is a lovely little structure in Ribbesford, Bewdley, well worth stopping here for a water break before resuming your hike from one of the several paths on offer nearby.