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Load Street Bewdley has many interesting Georgian buildings
©Richard Greenwood
©Richard Greenwood
This is one of the modern type of pay to enter public conveniences, where you have various buttons to press, and the fear that making the wrong choice will result in a minor disaster.
©P L Chadwick
The name Norma Ann Sykes may not mean anything to most people today, but in the 1950's and 60's she was a well-known celebrity, appearing under her stage name of Sabrina (not to be confused with the Italian pop star of the 1980's, who used the same name). The earlier Sabrina had minor parts in lesser-known films, appeared on TV, in adverts and did the usual things that celebrities do. She also made a few records, one or two of which made some progress in the pop charts of those days. However she was particularly known for her striking physical appearance. She was blonde and in the mould of contemporaries like Diana Dors and Jayne Mansfield. You may well be asking what all this has to do with a minor road in Bewdley. The answer is that when this residential road was being developed, the proposal to name it Sabrina Drive, caused a local outcry amongst some of the good citizens of Bewdley. They were under the mistaken impression that the road was being named in honour of this English celebrity, and felt this would be a negative step. However their minds were put at rest, when it was explained that the road was being named after the Roman name for the River Severn which is also Sabrina. Fans of Norma/Sabrina will be pleased to know she is still alive at the present time, and enjoying retirement in California. [[2023106]].
©P L Chadwick
Bewdley is the starting point and end of the North Worcestershire Way and the Worcestershire Way. This has changed, I walked the Worcestershire Way ten years ago and at the time the Worcestershire Way started at Kinver Edge, as did the North Worcestershire Way.
©Philip Halling
A ferry plied across the Severn at Arley for nearly 650 years from 1323 (when it was first mentioned in records) until a bridge was opened in 1972. After the Severn Valley Railway was opened the ferry increased in importance as it was the sole link between the village on the east bank of the river and its station on the west side. From 1947 onwards wartime landing craft took over the service and the ferry no longer conveyed vehicles. A new vessel built by Bathhurst of Tewkesbury came into operation in 1952, which ran on chains and uniquely used only the energy of the river current to propel the vessel. After the bridge was built the old ferry was taken down river to Bewdley to serve as a floating landing stage for river trips until damaged by the floods of 1996. The prow is now preserved as part of this ornamental water feature in Dog Lane.
©James Yardley
Concerning the "Last resting place of the Arley Ferry".
©Liz Stone
Bewdley fire station, Dog Lane, Bewdley, Worcestershire, forms part of the Hereford & Worcester Fire & Rescue Service.
©Kevin Hale
The start of Sabrina Drive, which is a turning off Dowles Road (the B4194). It is a post-World War II residential road. The name derives from the Roman name Sabrina for the local river, which in England we call today the Severn. The name Sabrina was latinised from the Old Welsh name Habren. From the name Habren came the modern Welsh name for the river of Hafryn. The naming of this road gave rise to some local controversy at the time:- [[2023189]].
©P L Chadwick
Some places are keener on them than others, but we've all seen those blue plaques recording that somebody famous once lived in the building. But often the building they lived in has long gone, and frequently the person commemorated is so obscure that you would need to consult a biographical dictionary to find out who they were. On the garden wall of a house in Dog Lane, the owner has put up this unusual plaque recording that "On this spot on October Monday the Thirtieth Nineteen Ninty Five absolutely nothing happened". Wonderful!
©P L Chadwick
©Chris Whippet
On the right can be seen the steps of Bewdley Rowing Club's boathouse and Club House. On the left (out of view) is Severnside North.
©P L Chadwick
On the outside of the church it says "The God House". The church is one of a number of associated ministeries in the Wyre Forest area, which are "Praying for revival across the Wyre Forest District".
©P L Chadwick
A greengrocers, which is a fairly rare but welcome sight these days. On the left is the back entrance to the George Hotel in Load Street.
©P L Chadwick
The fire station:- [[2025509]].
©P L Chadwick

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