HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY GBG COUNTY. No. 48 – WORCESTERSHIRE

An attractive county for the walker, and plenty of gardens and black and white timber, but classic pubs ?

Well, the Fleece at Bretforton and Three Kings at Hanley Castle might be, but it’s 15 years since I visited so I’ll leave it to you to vouch for their enduring qualities.

No doubting Worcester Cathedral’s enduring appeal,

and it’s at the county town we’ll start…

Worcester – Eagle Vaults

There’s certainly better beer in Worcester than this Banks’s house,

but I challenge you to walk past the Eagle, with its peerless exterior and joy within.

“Old Boys, Young Lads and a few Mudgies made for a heady pub mix, all of whom were dancing in their seats to “Into the Groove”, “Respectable” and whatever it was the Scissor Sisters sang about.  Whatever happened to Mel & Kim, as Si would ask in all innocence.“

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Richard’s hat, Stafford Paul’s iconic shirt.

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I don’t know if Paul has made it to Stourport, one of the lesser Midlands pub towns, but a jolly place offering canals, karaoke and candy floss, like an inland Skegness.

Stourport-on-Severn – Black Star

No karaoke in the Black Star,

though there’s live music and that old chapel at the back (above left) offers polite dining in a long, narrow pub built for beer, banter and black pudding pies. 

Some of the best Wye Valley beer I’ve had, but it was the Robinson (not Robinson’s) cider that won out.

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If Brits know Bewdley at all, it’s as that place the Severn river floods at annual intervals.

For a couple of American tourists and myself, it’s the home of The Outlaw, who regaled us with tales of “Bob” (Plant, not Dylan).

Bewdley – (Old) Wagon & Horses)

Dave wrote “We learned a wide array of things from the Outlaw. Tectonic plates shifting under the river; floods of days gone by; innuendoes of biker fests that were likely illegal. Just never the answer to the one question we did ask. He was a gem.”

Fantastic Batham’s (FAR better than in the Great Western), and matching cake.

Ask me tomorrow and I’d have told you the Rising Sun with its electric pumped Mild was better. Do both.

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Lots of great people come from Kidderminster. And James O’Brien.

Kidderminster – Weavers

Ignore the Led Zep fixation,

and your main reason to visit “Carpet City” (or is that a shop ?) is to see the Ian Clarkson memorial at the Kiddy Harriers ground, although the real legend of Aggborough has just left the building.

“I rate Kidderminster one of the very best places for a pub crawl anywhere in the UK.  Cheery, characterful places with high quality beer”. I wrote in 2017. Not sure if that’s still true, with visits since 2017 being to a couple of workaday micros, so why would I choose you a micro ?

Because the Weavers was a joy, no-one taking their quiz seriously. Oh, and they’ve got cobs on the bar.

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Actually, a lot of pubs in Worcestershire have cobs (or are they baps ?) on the bar.

Not sure about the next one, but it did have really cheap, wholesome, pub lunches that was keeping a town pub unusually busy on a weekday lunchtime last year.

Evesham – The Trumpet

Attractive foliage, singular hats,

and, as with Wye Valley, some of the best Hooky anywhere outside Stoke Lyne.

And it’s a scruffy but lovely place to explore, safely out of the way of the Shakespeare and Cotswold tourist trade.

So that’s my five. What’s your sixth ?

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

28 thoughts on “HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY GBG COUNTY. No. 48 – WORCESTERSHIRE”

  2. I’d expect a few recommendations for the Fleece at Bretforton. WhatPub say that they have morris dancers as if it were a good thing too, bless ’em.

    I don’t know though. The Crown And Trumpet in Broadway was nicely pubby for early February when I was last there, so I’ll probably say that.

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    2. Not sure how long ago it was when you last went but the Crown & Trumpet has gone from my ‘Autumn local’ in Broadway during cidermaking to a pub gone ever more food oriented, and if I’m honest the beer has never been great in there. Prefer the terribly upmarket Cotswold Hotel now, if only for the decent Goffs and Hook Norton beers. Shame as the C&T had a lot to recommend it 10 years ago.

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      2. Yes, I enjoyed a few Goff’s in there, Anon. The staff seemed a bit particular about us moving chairs from one table to another to accommodate family – because “diners” I suppose, though the tables weren’t set at that time. Never seen anyone move as fast as they did to restore “order” when we left.

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  3. Last time we visited The Fleece it was so busy we couldn’t even get parked-so we probably won’t try again. Many moons ago we did gain entry – I found the wooden settles hard on the backside. Pauline

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      1. One thing I’d really like to do is go to a folk concert there & stay overnight . It won’t happen . Ps I quite like watching Morris dancing too !

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  4. I agree with Quinno on Twitter that the Plough is the top pub in Worcester. Certainly was on our oddly disappointing Proper Day Out.

    Those chairs in the Trumpet are seriously unpubby – I remember similar when I visited in 2016.

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    1. “Top pub” is entirely subjective, of course, as we find on our own days out. Some would recommend the crafty place in Worcester. Personally I couldn’t walk past that tiling on the Eagle Vaults, whatever the merits of the beer (and my mate Charles got told off for requesting a taster in the Plough !). A decade ago the Paul Pry would have been my pick, got a lovely photo there on election day 2015, but the beer had gone horribly downhill by the time of our visit.

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      1. I’d have to agree with the Plough too, a bit ‘CAMRA’ for sure but it’s actually a proper locals pub and the gaffer is chatty if you like that kind of thing. Proper pubbing can also be achieved across the river in The Bell at St Pauls, a Heritage pub, but don’t let that put you off…

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      3. “Top pub” is entirely subjective, of course,
        It’s “highlight of the day” that starts a lively discussion.

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  5. Worcester has plenty more worthwhile pubs – The Plough, Cardinal’s Hat, Mug House, Bell (St John’s), Camp (Grimley). Over in Malvern, there’s also the Nag’s Head and (relatively new) Weavers.

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    1. Not a fan of the Malvern Weavers, but the Nag’s Head is great. Or was when I visited. Of course, if I recommended a walk up that hill in Great Malvern you’d all complain so a stroll along the canal is more manageable.

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      1. If you’re after a real historical oddity (150 years and counting), the thatched, cider-only “Monkey House” at Defford is worth a look (if you can find it). Drinking is outside or in the “tool shed” if the weather is bad.

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      2. Thanks you for reminding me I’ve not yet made it to the Monkey House; drove past on the way to Evesham when it’s been shut. If I can park my campervan near enough I’ll stay overnight (may be a bad idea, that).

        It would almost certainly be one of the half dozen to give a bit of town/country balance.

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      3. I thought “tool shed” was an acronym for the Gents.
        What a terrible mistake could have been made after a few pints.

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  6. I’ve tried 31 of the approx 90 pubs in Worcester so far. Haven’t been in the Eagle Vaults though. The Royal Exchange is another one with a tiled M&B exterior, again, I’ve not been in.

    Our pubs of choice in Worcester are:
    Mug House
    Plough
    Dragon
    TripelB
    Hop Lords
    Firefly
    Cardinals Hat
    Sociable Beer Company
    Bull Baiters

    And if you really really want a back street locals oddity…

    The Chestnut Inn

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  7. The Monkey, sadly not enough gems like that left. Not been for a few years now but wonder if the onion in the rafters is still there.

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