Tenbury Wells, referred to as ‘The Town in The Orchard’ by Queen Victoria, is an ancient Market Town in North Worcestershire and just a short car journey from Ludlow.

Explore places to visit in Tenbury Wells – its Town Centre area is a conservation area and has a unique selection of independent shops and businesses where friendly personal service is provided.

The 3 Counties of Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire meet nearby in the grounds of Burford House Gardens.

Stroll along the newly refurbished riverside walk, alongside Temeside House to The Burgage which is a pleasant open space with a children’s play area alongside. Visit some of the excellent places to eat and drink in Tenbury Wells. Further information on places to visit in Tenbury Wells is available from the Visitor Information in Teme Street

Tenbury’s well-stocked and knowledgeable Visitor Information Centre, as well as the Library, can provide existing, new and potential residents and visitors to the Town with information about the range of social clubs that are available for adults and children.

History

Tenbury officially became a Market Town in 1249 when King Henry III granted a Charter to Roger de Clifford to hold a weekly market. The seal and a replica of the charter are on display in Tenbury Museum. Presumably the markets must have been a success, because in 1305, permission, which again had to be sought from the King, was given to build a bridge over the Teme. This is thought to have been at or close to the present location, because at about this time, Teme Street and the burgage plots on either side, were laid out, and it has remained to this day Tenbury’s main street.

The River Teme has always been prone to periodic flooding, sometimes quite severely, and the bridge has been rebuilt several times. During clearing the river to improve the flow in recent years near Newnham Bridge, two enormous timber beams were pulled out and are thought to have been washed down from one of the original bridges. These are on display at Avoncroft Museum. In 1580, a major flood caused the Teme to permanently change course cutting out the loop around Castle Tump. Another in 1770, demolished much of the nave of St Mary’s Church.

In 1839 mineral waters were discovered in a well being dug to find clean drinking water, and after investigation a small bathhouse was built to take advantage of them. Records suggest that both the roads and the accommodation were too poor to attract many visitors. However the coming of the railway transformed travel, and in 1861 the Pump Rooms were built, and the town was renamed Tenbury Wells.