A guide to Kempsey
B&Bs | Budget | Cottages | Hostels | Inn | Pub and Bar | Restaurant | Self Catering |
Latest reviews | Events in Kempsey 4 miles south of Worcester down the old Bath Road (now the A38) and on the west bank of the River Seven lies the small town of Kempsey; a developing town but retaining a rural atmosphere. It`s history can be traced back to at least the early Iron Age and the Romans had a presence here, artifacts have been found to the north of the church where a small settlement was believed to have been sited. The River Seven was tidel at Kempsey and there was extensive marshland surronding the area; a fact brought to mind with the serious flooding of the Town in 2004.Kempsey is named after a Saxon chief called `Kemys` who had his settlement on land where the church now stands. The The towns early days were very illustrious - in 1186 King Henry II held his court here; in 1265 Simon de Montfont brought King Henry III here as his prisioner just before the Battle of Evesham (where de Montfont perished); King Edward I visited Kempsey on his way to put down the Welsh rebellion in 1276 and Queen Elizabeth passed through in October 1575. In 1299 the population stood at 600 but by 1327 was down to 86 following the devestation wrought by the Black Death. The Parlimentary army passed through in 1642 and raided the town in 1646. It is said that the small holes in the south wall of the Church Tower were made by the soldiers during musket practice! St.Marys Church stands on the site of an earlier 12th centry church and was extensively rebuilt ib the late 18th century and again by the Victorians but a few early features still remain. Kempsey`s Windmill stood for over 800 years but was demolished in 1875 but not before the Benjamin Breckell Turner took a photograph around 1853 making it one of the earliest of all photographs, it is now to be found in the Victoria & Albert Museum collection. With a wealth of local pubs (the Farmers Arms is the former Workhouse!!) and restaurants, tales of Dick Turpin, duels, and 4 foot carrots Kempsey is worthy of exploration.