Bewdley

Coordinates: 52°22′31″N 2°18′58″W / 52.37524°N 2.31624°W / 52.37524; -2.31624

Bewdley ( pronunciation) is a town and civil parish in the Wyre Forest District of Worcestershire, England, along the Severn Valley a few miles to the west of Kidderminster. It lies on the River Severn, and at the time of the 2011 census had a population of 9,470.

Town geography

The main part of Bewdley town is situated on the western bank of the River Severn, including the main street — Load Street — whose name derives from lode, an old word for ferry. Load Street is notable for its width: this is because it once also served as the town's market place. Most of Bewdley's shops and amenities are situated along Load Street, at the top of which lies St Anne's Church, built between 1745 and 1748 by Doctor Thomas Woodward of Chipping Campden.

Beyond the church, High Street leads off to the south towards Stourport along the B4194, a road known locally as "the switchback" because of its many undulations. Unlike in many English towns, High Street is so called not because of its importance, but because of its geographical position 'high' above the river. A high, sandy slope locally known as 'Bewdley Beach', on the northern side, is a public space with a 180° panorama. Bewdley has several pubs (some of which are inns), cafés, houses, and restaurants along its facing riversides.

Bewdley, Ontario

Bewdley is a community in the Township of Hamilton, Northumberland County, Ontario, Canada. The community was founded by William Bancks, whose ancestral home was Bewdley in England. It is located on the western end of Rice Lake about 15 kilometres (9 mi) north of Port Hope.

History

The area was used for habitation before this by native settlers. The first land grant was in 1794 to Nellie Grant, the daughter of a colonial administrator. The early local name for Bewdley was Black’s Landing, taken from a tavern in the area. Early on, there were sawmills which drove settlement in the area.

William Bancks came to the area in 1833 and tried to organize the creation of a gentlemen's colony and a sawmill. The town is known for its monument to Joseph M. Scriven, who preached upon the village streets around the 1860s.

Recreation

The tourist and fishing industries have helped the Bewdley of today to be known as an enjoyable vacation spot on Rice Lake.

Economy

The post office on Rice Lake services locals with lock boxes and one rural route.

Bewdley (UK Parliament constituency)

Bewdley was the name of a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1605 until 1950. Until 1885 it was a parliamentary borough in Worcestershire, represented by one Member of Parliament; the name was then transferred to a county constituency from 1885 until 1950. Its MPs included the former Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, who represented the seat from 1908 to 1937, and afterwards took the name of the constituency as part of his title when he was raised to the peerage.

Boundaries

1885-1918: The Municipal Boroughs of Bewdley and Worcester, the Sessional Divisions of Hundred House, Tenbury, and Worcester, and part of the Sessional Divisions of Malvern and Stourport.

1918-1950: The Municipal Borough of Bewdley, the Urban Districts of Malvern and Stourport, the Rural Districts of Hartley, Rock, Tenbury, and Upton-upon-Severn, the Rural District which consisted of the civil parishes of Redmarley D'Abitot and Staunton, and in the Rural District of Tewkesbury the civil parishes of Chaceley and Pendock.