RoutesHiking trails & RoutesUnited KingdomEnglandWest Midlands RegionWorcestershireMalvern HillsGuarlford
Great Malvern Priory – Natural Playground and Stream loop from Guarlford
RoutesHiking trails & RoutesUnited KingdomEnglandWest Midlands RegionWorcestershireMalvern HillsGuarlford
Great Malvern Priory – Natural Playground and Stream loop from Guarlford
Moderate
5.0
(1)
8
hikers
Great Malvern Priory – Natural Playground and Stream loop from Guarlford
03:16
12.1km
170m
Hiking
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.
Last updated: May 26, 2026
Waypoints
A
Start point
Bus stop
Get Directions
1
5.36 km
The Abbey Hotel
Highlight • Rest Area
Beautiful hotel staying there for my wedding
Tip by
2
5.60 km
Rose Bank Gardens and Buzzards Sculpture
Highlight • Structure
A house named Rose Bank appears in the 1841 census of Great Malvern. It was the home of Mary Ann Wilmot the widow of Sir Robert Wilmot 2nd Baronet (1753-1834) of Osmaston Hall in Derbyshire. The Wilmot family lived at Rose Bank from about 1840 to 1880. Lieutenant General Eardley Nicholas Wilmot of Rose Bank was named as a magistrate in the 1873 Post Office Directory. In 1826 his sister Mary Ann married General Sir Richard Church at Worthing. The 1871 census confirms she was the wife of General R Church KCH who was then in the service of the King of Greece.
The 1901 and 1911 census recorded Rose Bank occupied by George Silas Guy born about 1837 and his second wife Hannah. George's occupation was recorded as 'managing director of an iron and steel tube manufacturory'. George Guy died in 1912.
Rose Bank House, which had double fronted bowed windows offering panoramic views over Worcestershire, and its large gardens were purchased by local benefactor Charles William Dyson Perrins in 1918 and gifted as an amenity to the town of Great Malvern in Worcestershire, UK.
Rose Bank was used by the Womens Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) during WWII, but, according to reports, the house fell into decay and was demolished in 1959, a year after Dyson's death.
The gardens today
Rose Bank Gardens, situated above Belle Vue Terrace, to the south of the Mount Pleasant Hotel remain an attractive place to walk, rest, and access footpaths onto the hills.
A notable feature is a sculpture of two buzzards in flight, installed in 2012, to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
The 1901 and 1911 census recorded Rose Bank occupied by George Silas Guy born about 1837 and his second wife Hannah. George's occupation was recorded as 'managing director of an iron and steel tube manufacturory'. George Guy died in 1912.
Rose Bank House, which had double fronted bowed windows offering panoramic views over Worcestershire, and its large gardens were purchased by local benefactor Charles William Dyson Perrins in 1918 and gifted as an amenity to the town of Great Malvern in Worcestershire, UK.
Rose Bank was used by the Womens Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) during WWII, but, according to reports, the house fell into decay and was demolished in 1959, a year after Dyson's death.
The gardens today
Rose Bank Gardens, situated above Belle Vue Terrace, to the south of the Mount Pleasant Hotel remain an attractive place to walk, rest, and access footpaths onto the hills.
A notable feature is a sculpture of two buzzards in flight, installed in 2012, to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
Tip by
3
5.73 km
Malvern Museum in the Priory Gatehouse
Highlight • Historical Site
The Malvern Museum in Great Malvern, the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire, England, is located in the Priory Gatehouse, the former gateway to the Great Malvern Priory. The museum was established in 1979 and is owned and managed by the Malvern Museum Society Ltd, a registered charity. The Priory Gatehouse was a gift to the museum in 1980 from the de Vere Group, the owners of the neighbouring Abbey Hotel, and is staffed by volunteers. As such, the building itself is the museum's major exhibit.
Among the museum's exhibits are many local artefacts and archaeological findings dating from the Iron Age hill fort at the British Camp, to recent history. A series of rooms depicts different periods of history and include lifelike displays and information boards. Themes covered include natural history, Malvern Priory, Malvern Forest and Chase, life in Victorian Malvern, Edward Elgar, the Malvern Festival, the history of the local economy including the 19th century hydrotherapy using Malvern water (instrumental in the settlement's rapid growth from a village to a large town), the development of radar by TRE, and Morgan Motor Company cars. The museum is open daily, 10.30 to 17.00, from 25 March to 31 October.
Priory gatehouse
Erroneously referred to as the Abbey Gateway, it was built around 1480 and is the second oldest building in Malvern after the Norman priory church. The gatehouse is the only other remaining building of the 12th century Benedictine monastery that was dismantled in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII of England.
Among the museum's exhibits are many local artefacts and archaeological findings dating from the Iron Age hill fort at the British Camp, to recent history. A series of rooms depicts different periods of history and include lifelike displays and information boards. Themes covered include natural history, Malvern Priory, Malvern Forest and Chase, life in Victorian Malvern, Edward Elgar, the Malvern Festival, the history of the local economy including the 19th century hydrotherapy using Malvern water (instrumental in the settlement's rapid growth from a village to a large town), the development of radar by TRE, and Morgan Motor Company cars. The museum is open daily, 10.30 to 17.00, from 25 March to 31 October.
Priory gatehouse
Erroneously referred to as the Abbey Gateway, it was built around 1480 and is the second oldest building in Malvern after the Norman priory church. The gatehouse is the only other remaining building of the 12th century Benedictine monastery that was dismantled in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII of England.
Tip by
4
5.76 km
Malvhina Spout of Malvern Spring Water
Highlight • Natural Monument
Drinkable fountain, get some of that good ol' Malvern water
Tip by
5
5.83 km
Malvern Standing Cross
Highlight • Religious Site
Of around 12.000 standing crosses bullt across the country in the Medieval period, only 2000 survive. They acted as boundary markers, procession points, and sites for preaching or other community activities.
This is a good example in its original location. The medieval base and column were heavily restored during the Victorian era, when a new cross head was also filled,
-replacing a sun dial which had topped the monument
since the 18th century. Today Malvern's standing cross
remains a focus for shared worship with Christians from
local churches gathering here on Good Friday.
This is a good example in its original location. The medieval base and column were heavily restored during the Victorian era, when a new cross head was also filled,
-replacing a sun dial which had topped the monument
since the 18th century. Today Malvern's standing cross
remains a focus for shared worship with Christians from
local churches gathering here on Good Friday.
Tip by
6
5.84 km
Great Malvern Priory
Highlight • Monument
1085 Norman Beginnings
According to the Worcester Monastic Annals the building work began in 1085.
The Priory was built for thirty monks and was much smaller than it is now. The areas coloured red in the plan on the right are part of the original building, itself part of a larger complex of Monastery buildings. The picture (below right) shows the Roman style pillars and arches.
Not long after the time of the Battle of Hastings St Wulstan, the Bishop of Worcester, encouraged a monk, called Aldwin, in the work of founding a monastery in what was then the Malvern Chase. (A chase was an unenclosed area of land where wild animals are preserved for hunting!)
The Priory was built on land which belonged to Wesminster 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.
Having allegiance to Westminster Abbey, there were altercations between the Priory and the Bishop of Worcester over the years.
It is reported that in 1286 the Archbishop, the King and even the Pope were involved in these disagreements.
The picture (right) shows one bay of a two bay sunken chantry alongside St Anne`s chapel. You can see two coffin lids, one of which records an epitaph to Prior Walcher who died in 1135. He was Malvern's most outstanding scholar and the first man in the western world to record the use of the astrolabe, an early form of sextant marked in degrees.
1440 - 1500
Around this time Henry VII and the Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III donated two of our great windows, that at the west end and the one in the North Transept. You can see a sample of these windows on the Stained Glass page.
The North aisle was also extended and the new shape of the Priory is indicated by the blue colour on the plan (left). Widening of the South aisle was prevented by existing monastery buildings.
Floor and wall tiles plus Monk's stalls were added at this time.
The Norman church was extended in the years between 1440 and 1500. There is an interesting study into the rebuilding of Great Malvern Priory in 15th Century.
1539 and Henry VIII
(I) During the 1530's King Henry VIII was short of cash and since the monasteries belonged to someone else (the Pope) he decided to plunder them. All opposition was brushed aside by Thomas Cromwell and in 1539 the Malvern monks surrendered their lands and buildings. These were leased and sold to various people. The exception was the disused church which belonged to the crown.
(II) Destruction began; one man paid a pound for the Lady chapel and destroyed it. The cloisters and the South transept were pulled down and the lead removed from the roofs.
(III) The Priory church was saved by the parishioners of Malvern. Their own tiny parish church was derelict. It stood where the main Malvern post office is now. The parishioners petitioned the King and succeeded in buying the Priory for £20. It took them two years to raise the money. The parish consisted of only 105 families and after they had bought the church they had no money left to carry out repairs!
It is an interesting fact that we have, in the Priory, a monument to one of the men, John Knotsford, who was responsible for the demolition of the monastic buildings.
John's daughter Anne gave the impressive monument (pictured on right) with herself kneeling at the foot of the tomb.
1540 to 1800
Lack of money continued to be a problem over the next couple of centuries. This meant that hardly any repairs or maintenance were carried out over this period of time. On the plus side there was no money to remove the 'Popish' medieval glass so it is still with the priory.
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.
1860 Restoration and Repair
We are not sure who financed this work but this was the age of the industrial revolution and wealthy businessmen clearly made possible this renewal. Details in the stained glass windows of the nave, and tiles on ceiling and floor, bear witness to their generosity. On the right is a picture of the ceiling put in at this time.
The North Porch was rebuilt in 1894 and between 1910 and 1915 a considerable amount of restoration of the stained glass was carried out.
1939-45 World War II
During World War II the stained glass was removed and stored in zinc lined boxes which aided their preservation. After the war Dr L.A. Hamand, the organist, painstakingly replaced the stained glass windows in their original positions as far as was possible.
1977
In 1977 over £100,000 was raised for urgent repairs to stonework and re-leading of the glass. This never ending preservation work continues today.
According to the Worcester Monastic Annals the building work began in 1085.
The Priory was built for thirty monks and was much smaller than it is now. The areas coloured red in the plan on the right are part of the original building, itself part of a larger complex of Monastery buildings. The picture (below right) shows the Roman style pillars and arches.
Not long after the time of the Battle of Hastings St Wulstan, the Bishop of Worcester, encouraged a monk, called Aldwin, in the work of founding a monastery in what was then the Malvern Chase. (A chase was an unenclosed area of land where wild animals are preserved for hunting!)
The Priory was built on land which belonged to Wesminster 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.
Having allegiance to Westminster Abbey, there were altercations between the Priory and the Bishop of Worcester over the years.
It is reported that in 1286 the Archbishop, the King and even the Pope were involved in these disagreements.
The picture (right) shows one bay of a two bay sunken chantry alongside St Anne`s chapel. You can see two coffin lids, one of which records an epitaph to Prior Walcher who died in 1135. He was Malvern's most outstanding scholar and the first man in the western world to record the use of the astrolabe, an early form of sextant marked in degrees.
1440 - 1500
Around this time Henry VII and the Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III donated two of our great windows, that at the west end and the one in the North Transept. You can see a sample of these windows on the Stained Glass page.
The North aisle was also extended and the new shape of the Priory is indicated by the blue colour on the plan (left). Widening of the South aisle was prevented by existing monastery buildings.
Floor and wall tiles plus Monk's stalls were added at this time.
The Norman church was extended in the years between 1440 and 1500. There is an interesting study into the rebuilding of Great Malvern Priory in 15th Century.
1539 and Henry VIII
(I) During the 1530's King Henry VIII was short of cash and since the monasteries belonged to someone else (the Pope) he decided to plunder them. All opposition was brushed aside by Thomas Cromwell and in 1539 the Malvern monks surrendered their lands and buildings. These were leased and sold to various people. The exception was the disused church which belonged to the crown.
(II) Destruction began; one man paid a pound for the Lady chapel and destroyed it. The cloisters and the South transept were pulled down and the lead removed from the roofs.
(III) The Priory church was saved by the parishioners of Malvern. Their own tiny parish church was derelict. It stood where the main Malvern post office is now. The parishioners petitioned the King and succeeded in buying the Priory for £20. It took them two years to raise the money. The parish consisted of only 105 families and after they had bought the church they had no money left to carry out repairs!
It is an interesting fact that we have, in the Priory, a monument to one of the men, John Knotsford, who was responsible for the demolition of the monastic buildings.
John's daughter Anne gave the impressive monument (pictured on right) with herself kneeling at the foot of the tomb.
1540 to 1800
Lack of money continued to be a problem over the next couple of centuries. This meant that hardly any repairs or maintenance were carried out over this period of time. On the plus side there was no money to remove the 'Popish' medieval glass so it is still with the priory.
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.
1860 Restoration and Repair
We are not sure who financed this work but this was the age of the industrial revolution and wealthy businessmen clearly made possible this renewal. Details in the stained glass windows of the nave, and tiles on ceiling and floor, bear witness to their generosity. On the right is a picture of the ceiling put in at this time.
The North Porch was rebuilt in 1894 and between 1910 and 1915 a considerable amount of restoration of the stained glass was carried out.
1939-45 World War II
During World War II the stained glass was removed and stored in zinc lined boxes which aided their preservation. After the war Dr L.A. Hamand, the organist, painstakingly replaced the stained glass windows in their original positions as far as was possible.
1977
In 1977 over £100,000 was raised for urgent repairs to stonework and re-leading of the glass. This never ending preservation work continues today.
Tip by
7
6.82 km
Bandstand, Priory Park, Great Malvern
Highlight • Structure
A bandstand, dating from the early-C20 of cast iron and timber construction, with a lead-covered roof and standing on a brick plinth. The building is octagonal in plan.
The building has a blue brick plinth of c.1983 with a stone coping to the edges, which appears earlier in date and may be original. Above this are eight, cast-iron columns, which rise to foliate capitals. The spandrels and cornice are of filigree iron. Below is a balustrade, also of cast-iron panels, with gates to the west side above a set of steps. The roof is ridged to the corners and has an ogee shape to its lower body, rising to metal grilles. Above this is metal cresting and the roof sweeps up to a spike and ball finial. There is a wooden ceiling with moulded ribs and a central boss with gilded star. Many of the blue bricks which form the new base have incised initials and names of organisations, presumably of donors who helped to pay for the removal of the building. A brick, dated `1983', is set at the centre of a tread on the staircase on the western side.
An early C-20 bandstand which originally stood in Priory Park, Great Malvern. It was listed in 1979 in Victoria Park, Malvern Link but was removed from that park to its original setting in Priory Park, c.1983.
The Bandstand, Priory Park, Great Malvern is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons that the building is a good example of a decorative, cast iron structure of the early C20. Despite the loss of the original brick plinth the bandstand is still notably intact. The commemorative nature of the present plinth with initialled bricks to mark the donors adds interest.
The building has a blue brick plinth of c.1983 with a stone coping to the edges, which appears earlier in date and may be original. Above this are eight, cast-iron columns, which rise to foliate capitals. The spandrels and cornice are of filigree iron. Below is a balustrade, also of cast-iron panels, with gates to the west side above a set of steps. The roof is ridged to the corners and has an ogee shape to its lower body, rising to metal grilles. Above this is metal cresting and the roof sweeps up to a spike and ball finial. There is a wooden ceiling with moulded ribs and a central boss with gilded star. Many of the blue bricks which form the new base have incised initials and names of organisations, presumably of donors who helped to pay for the removal of the building. A brick, dated `1983', is set at the centre of a tread on the staircase on the western side.
An early C-20 bandstand which originally stood in Priory Park, Great Malvern. It was listed in 1979 in Victoria Park, Malvern Link but was removed from that park to its original setting in Priory Park, c.1983.
The Bandstand, Priory Park, Great Malvern is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons that the building is a good example of a decorative, cast iron structure of the early C20. Despite the loss of the original brick plinth the bandstand is still notably intact. The commemorative nature of the present plinth with initialled bricks to mark the donors adds interest.
Tip by
8
6.88 km
Natural Playground and Stream
Highlight • River
a great little play ground, needs some swings
Tip by
B
12.1 km
End point
Bus stop
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
6.66 km
3.33 km
1.86 km
< 100 m
< 100 m
< 100 m
Surfaces
4.81 km
3.16 km
2.17 km
1.81 km
< 100 m
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Wednesday 8 July
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