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The Trust commits to promote and safeguard these assets for all the residents of, and visitors to, Herefordshire and Worcestershire
Bredon is a village in the parish of Wychavon District at the southern edge of Worcestershire. It lies on the banks of the River Avon on the lower slopes of Bredon Hill, an outlier from the main Cotswold escarpment. The village is a short distance from the confluence of the rivers Avon and the Severn, and the area behind the suggested parking is liable to flooding when the two rivers are swollen
There are 43 listed buildings in the village, including St Giles Church and Bredon Barn (both Grade I); a further 41 buildings were listed prior to the abolition of the Grade III category in 1970.
As in many Cotswold villages, a variety of architectural styles and materials can be found, but almost all historic buildings are at least partly built from Cotswold limestone, some of which was quarried on Bredon Hill.
The short walk around Bredon may best be started from the published coordinates at which you should find a parking area adjacent to the River Avon
The buildings within Bredon contrast significantly with those from nearby Great Malvern (See EHT2 GC59092). Here the buildings are generally no longer made of the hard, difficult to work, igneous rock quarried from the Malverns but rather the softer, yellowish-coloured, sedimentary, limestone characteristic of the Cotswold region. The two types of rock contrast significantly between each other
The properties of the rocks result from their method of formation.
Sedimentary rock, such as limestone and sandstone, is formed as layers of debris gets compacted and cemented together. Erosion and deposition play a key part in this; wind, water, ice, and chemicals can break down existing rock into sediment that is then transported and deposited by wind, water, and glaciers. As sediment accumulates with time (thousands of years) it becomes compacted and cemented, eventually forming the solid rock. The relatively gentle formation of sedimentary rock means that fossils may be found within them.
Igneous rock, forms directly from the cooling of magma (underground lava). These rocks, such as diorite, basalt and granite are usually crystalline and very hard. They are much harder than sedimentary rocks being formed from molten materials but this process means that any fossil evidence is destroyed.
WP1 Bredon Hancock School and WP2, the Alms Houses are among many examples of the use of limestone in building construction in Bredon.
The school was a single-storey stone building and now new additions have been added. The south-facing stone wall has 2 long gothic windows and a fleur window above.
The almshouses are of predominantly brick construction but there numerous blocks of stone used to frame the building. The stone drip-courses above the windows are to channel rainwater round and away from the windows, and are a characteristic Cotswold architectural feature.
Now under the care of the National Trust, Bredon barn WP3 is a beautifully constructed 14th-century threshing barn made from local Cotswold stone. Its dramatic aisled interior and unusual stone chimney cowling are notable features should you choose to visit it.
It has a steep pitched roof covered in Cotswold limestone tiles and walls of limestone rubble masonry. The barn was badly damaged by fire in 1980 but has been carefully restored.
WP4 Copper 'Slag' Blocks
Retracing your steps slightly, at the milestone turn into Church Walk where you will note a wall on the left hand side (heading towards the church) with dark stone blocks at its base. These are not stone but are in fact copper slag blocks. These dark blocks have a texture ranging from glassy to ropy and are heavy and very tough. Being impervious to air and moisture, they are used in construction of walls and occasionally dwellings but as foundations and paving rather than external walls. The blocks are comprised mainly of iron oxides and silicates and are a by-product of copper extraction and smelting.
WP5 Church and Lych Gates
Carry on through the churchyard past the church of St Giles, parts of which are believed to date back to the 12th century. Among many notable feature of this building is the tall, octagonal spire. The lych gate is the archway into/out of the Churchyard and is made from oak timbers and limestone. If you sit on the bench you can see chisel marks made in the limestone by the stonemason. The dedicated website contains much information about this historic building.
Head through the lych gate and back to the car if you have so parked at Dock Lane.
To claim this earthcache, please send answers to the following questions to the profile link above:
Question 1. What properties do you think the sedimentary Cotswold stone exhibits that makes it such a good building material?
Question 2. The 'slag' blocks used in the wall leading to the church have a characteristic surface appearance. Briefly describe their appearance and how you think they may have been made (look carefully at the texture).
Question 3. The 'slag' blocks are ideal as a foundation material. Why do you think they make such a good general building material and what advantage do they have over the local stone?
Question 4. At WP1, there is a carved shield above the two tall windows at the front of the school, this is just one example of carved stone within the village. What is the date shown on the carving?
The trust would love to see any photographs you would be willing to share in the gallery.
