West Malvern

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West Malvern
Worcestershire
West Malvern - geograph.org.uk - 787326.jpg
West Malvern
Location
Grid reference: SO764465
Location: 52°6’59"N, 2°20’46"W
Data
Population: 1,385
Post town: Malvern
Postcode: WR14
Local Government
Council: Malvern Hills
Parliamentary
constituency:
West Worcestershire

West Malvern is a village of Worcestershire located on the west side of the north part of the Malvern Hills. The village is part of the area often referred to as The Malverns and has become effectively a suburb of Great Malvern, albeit separated from that town by the great ridge of the hills.

Due to its altitude (up to 820 feet above sea level) West Malvern has panoramic views of the rolling Herefordshire countryside to the west. The village has a church (St. James) built in 1840, and a primary school (St. James Church of England Primary). The church is the site of the grave, burial place, sepulchre, tomb or last resting place of Peter Mark Roget — author of Roget's Thesaurus.

The parish had a recorded population of 1,385 in 2011.

Culture

Since 2005 West Malvern has hosted an annual one-day music festival West Fest.[1] In years when West Fest makes a profit the committee distributes grants "to support community action, cultural development, training or to meet special needs."[2] From the profits of West Fest 2008 "a total of £7,150 was distributed" in the Malvern Hills area to 2nd Malvern Link Brownies, the Theatre of Small Convenience, West Malvern Sean Éireann McMahon Academy (Irish dancing), West Malvern Cricket Club, Malvern Mencap, St James Primary School, Leapfrogs Playgroup, and Malvern Access Group.[3] There has also been a regular weekly acoustic music session in the village each Sunday evening since 1996.

On 20–22 August 2010 a visual arts festival was held in the village, in support of the Malvern Hills Community Foundation, in a variety of venues including the Regents Theological College, St James's Church, St James Primary School, and the Brewers Arms pub. Local garages, gazebos, and even garden walls and railings were also used to display artworks. The event, which is intended to become annual, was modelled on a similar arts festival at Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei in Normandy, France.[4][5]

Sights about West Malvern

Hayslad Spout after a well dressing festival

The Malvern Hills area is well known for its Malvern water and there are several springs and wells in West Malvern including Westminster Bank Spout, St James Churchyard Basin, West Malvern Tap, Hayslad, Royal Well, and Ryland's Well and St Thomas' Well.[6]

There were quarries around West Malvern including Dingle[7] and several more.[8]

Railway

The nearest — by distance by road — railway stations are Malvern Link]] (for the northern end of the parish) and Colwall (for the southern end); both are on the same line. The Colwall Tunnels carry the railway under the hills further to the south of West Malvern, at Colwall.

Outside links

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("Wikimedia Commons" has material
about West Malvern)

References