St John's is a western suburb of
Worcester
Worcester may refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England
** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament
* Worcester Park, London, Engl ...
in
Worcestershire
Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the West Midlands (county), West ...
, England, lying west of the city centre and the
River Severn
The River Severn (, ), at long, is the longest river in Great Britain. It is also the river with the most voluminous flow of water by far in all of England and Wales, with an average flow rate of at Apperley, Gloucestershire. It rises in t ...
. St. John's is referred to locally as the "Village in the City", which is partly due to being an independent
township
A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries.
Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...
, before joining the city in 1837.
There is still a sense of identity within the community.
The Ward of St. John constitutes one of the fifteen
ward
Ward may refer to:
Division or unit
* Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward
* Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...
s of the city. See map of Wards within Worcester City Council.
St John borders the St. Clement Ward to the North, Cathedral Ward to the East and Bedwardine Ward. to the South.
It adjoins the Civil Parish of Broadheath to the West.
The
A44 runs through the area and is the most direct route from Worcester City Centre to Hereford. St John's is roughly 1.2 km (1,300 yards) West of the city centre. It comprises the area surrounding St John's Church, a short part of Bromyard Road, Bransford Road and Bromwich Lane. However; the area West of the River Severn is often wholly referred to as St John's, therefore encompassing the University, the Worcestershire
County Cricket Club ground and Cripplegate Park.
Toponymy
The name St John's probably derives from the Saint
John the Baptist
John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...
; the parish name is 'St John-in-Bedwardine' which refers to
the Baptist.
History

St John's played a role in the
English Civil War
The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...
. The
Parliamentary
In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
commander
Fleetwood
Fleetwood is a coastal town in the Borough of Wyre in Lancashire, England, at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 25,939 at the 2011 United Kingdom census, 2011 census.
Fleetwood acquired its modern character in the 1830 ...
forced his way across the
River Teme
The River Teme (pronounced ; ) rises in Mid Wales, south of Newtown, and flows southeast roughly forming the border between England and Wales for several miles through Knighton before entering England in the vicinity of Bucknell and continu ...
, to the south of the parish and successfully managed to force his way into St John's, pushing back Royalist forces. Parliamentary soldiers plundered the nearby parish church and set it on fire. The soldiers also used the church walls to sharpen their pikes and even today the scars are still visible on the sandstone. The tower was also used by the soldiers as an observation post, but the spire was shot off by cannon fire, most likely being hit by
Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially a ...
's artillery bombardment on the city, from
Red Hill and
Perry Wood across the river on the western heights of the city. When the civil war was over, Parliament gave £80 towards its restoration.
Parts of the Parish church of St John in Bedwardine are dated to the late 12th century, although much of the church was rebuilt during the 19th century.
St John's Parish was once an independent township having only been part of Worcester since 1837. St John's was able to expand and flourish because of its location on the roads leading from the city centre, westwards into
Mid Wales
Mid Wales ( or simply ''Y Canolbarth'', meaning "the midlands"), or Central Wales, is a region of Wales, encompassing its midlands, in-between North Wales and South Wales. The Mid Wales Regional Committee of the Senedd covered the unitary autho ...
. It was also situated close to the River Severn Bridge which was a very important crossing on the River Severn linking the city to Western areas of the country and other western towns, such as Hereford. This attracted many people to trade and settle in St John's. The parish also provided lodging for Welsh people trading with the city, who were not permitted to sleep on the streets within the city walls. The Parish was allowed its own
fayre and
bullring
A bullring is an arena where bullfighting is performed. Bullrings are often associated with the Iberian Peninsula, but they can also be found through Iberian America and in a few Spanish and Portuguese ex-colonies in Africa. Bullrings are ...
, maintaining its independence from the city. The bullring was located on the eastern side of the parish, outside the city walls. In the bullring, cattle were enraged before being slaughtered because this was believed to improve the quality of the meat.
In recent times, St John's has become home to a large student population, as a result of the increased growth of the
University of Worcester
The University of Worcester is a public research university, based in Worcester, England. With a history dating back to 1946, the university began awarding degrees in 1997 and was granted full university status in 2005.
History
In 1946 an Emerg ...
.
St John's was the first suburb of Worcester to have high-rise flats. These have recently (May 2015) been subject to a £5,000,000 visual overhaul to improve their aesthetics.
Demography
The 2021 Census found that St John's is quite a diverse suburb of Worcester, it found that of the population at the 2021 Census, 93.9% is White British, followed by 2.2% Mixed, 1.8% Asian, and 1.5% Black. The area residents identifying as Christian was recorded at 50.8%, followed by 46.8% Irreligious, 1.1% Muslim and other religions were less than 1%.
Transport
Walking/Cycling
Routes towards the city are commonly found with walks through
Cripplegate Park previously via the subway, which has been closed for some years for security reasons, or past the Worcestershire County
cricket ground
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field, at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails (small sticks) balanced on three stumps. Two players from the ...
and over the Worcester Bridge across the River Severn. Attractive views of
Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of Christ and Blessed Mary the Virgin, is a Church of England cathedral in Worcester, England, Worcester, England. The cathedral is the seat of the bishop of Worcester and is the Mother Church# ...
are obtained from the Worcester Bridge. Alternate routes include the Sabrina Bridge, which has undergone renovation during 2020, near the
Worcester Arena
The University of Worcester Arena, commonly referred to as Worcester Arena, is a multi-purpose sports venue and events arena in Worcester, England. The 2,000-seat capacity venue opened in April 2013 and is the home arena of Worcester Wolves bas ...
.
Buses
There are many bus stops in St. John's and 3 public buses travel through the area. The No. 44 bus is operated by First Midlands and takes passengers from Crowngate Bus Station in Worcester to
Malvern, Worcestershire
Malvern (, locally also: ) is a spa town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Worcestershire, England. It lies at the foot of the Malvern Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The centre of Malvern, Great Malvern, is ...
. The 31, 31b and the 31c travel from the
University of Worcester
The University of Worcester is a public research university, based in Worcester, England. With a history dating back to 1946, the university began awarding degrees in 1997 and was granted full university status in 2005.
History
In 1946 an Emerg ...
, to the city centre.
Railway Station
St. John's was formerly served by its railway station, situated on the Malvern and Hereford line. It also served trains on the now-defunct branch line to Bromyard. The station was called Henwick Railway Station, and was located on Henwick Road very near to St. Clement's church. It seems unlikely ever to reopen, as a nursing home was constructed on the former site at the beginning of the 21st century. The station was closed on 3 April 1965; the Signal Box and Level Crossing remain.
Geography
Centre of the suburb
The heart of the suburb
consists of one
A road, the A44 which is known as the Bromyard Road and the B4206, Malvern Road. The B4485, Bransford Road joins Malvern Road. The A44 rises a little from New Road, avoiding the frequent flooding of the New Road cricket ground and adjacent sports fields. Road access to St John's was often cut by the flooding of New Road by the River Severn. Road works in (2018?) raised the level of New Road, maintaining access between Worcester City Centre and St John's. Larger buildings include a Sainsbury's and Aldi supermarket, three high-rise flats, a sports centre, a Catholic church a Church of England church, and a library. A post office, two dentists, a chiropractic clinic, several barbers, two butchers and many other independent shops will be found in the area. The last remaining bank in St John's, Lloyds, is scheduled to close in March 2021.
An important landmark is the Church of St John in Bedwardine which is the Church of England.
Climate
St John's enjoys a temperate climate with warm summers and mild winters generally. However, the area can experience more extreme weather and flooding around New Road is often a problem.
During the winters of 2009–10 and 2010–11 the area experienced prolonged periods of sub-freezing temperatures and heavy snowfalls. The Severn, close to St John's, partially froze over in Worcester during this cold snap. In contrast, Worcester recorded on 3 August 1990.
Leisure
Park
In 1878 a Public Health Act was passed by the city, declaring that land, now referred to as Cripplegate Park, would become a refuse tip followed by a recreation ground for the enjoyment of the public.
In the 1940s a
bowling green
A bowling green is a finely laid, close-mown and rolled stretch of turf for playing the game of bowls.
Before 1830, when Edwin Beard Budding of Thrupp, near Stroud, UK, invented the lawnmower, lawns were often kept cropped by grazing sheep ...
emerged and it has been maintained to the present day. Along the
Bromyard Road there is a bowling alley.
There used to be a house at the park which was an odd shape, almost a circle. It had been a café, a library, issuing ration books and a clinic. It seemed to be the custodian of the park (which used to be its garden and before that its farmland). There was a paddling pool in the garden for the visitors to the park.
The house and paddling pool were removed when the high-rise flats were built and the road layout was altered.
There are municipal tennis courts at the park and an interactive game.
The Worcester Music Festival is held there in August.
The Fountain
Fountain was originally cast in 1858 by Hardy & Padmore and intended to relieve the heat in the market hall. Found to be leaking at a time when the hall needed thousands of pounds to repair it so it wasn't a priority, so after a year's delay and for £300 it was re-erected in the park. It was restored in 2004 for £28,000 and the lion masks were replaced.
Education
Primary schools

St.John's is the home to a few of
Worcestershire
Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the West Midlands (county), West ...
's 49 primary schools. The most central of these schools is Our Lady Queen of Peace RC Primary School which was founded in 1971 by the
diocese
In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...
. The uniform's primary colour is purple. There are other primary schools which are scattered around St.John's, though technically situated in Bedwardine and St Clement respectively; these schools are Pitmaston Primary School, Oldbury Park Primary School and St.Clements Primary School.
High schools
The only High School in St John's is
Christopher Whitehead Language College which was founded in 1983 after a boys' school and a girls' school merged. It is co-educational and it caters for about 1100 students. The school's status as a language college was granted in 2005. The school has grounds close to the river used for sports but it also uses the state-of-the-art astro turf pitches on its site along with the facilities of the St John's sports centre, which is situated directly next to the school. There are two entrances to the school, one being on the Malvern Road and the other being on the
A44.
The University

The
University of Worcester
The University of Worcester is a public research university, based in Worcester, England. With a history dating back to 1946, the university began awarding degrees in 1997 and was granted full university status in 2005.
History
In 1946 an Emerg ...
was granted University status in 2005. Its original campus, based on the west side of the
River Severn
The River Severn (, ), at long, is the longest river in Great Britain. It is also the river with the most voluminous flow of water by far in all of England and Wales, with an average flow rate of at Apperley, Gloucestershire. It rises in t ...
, is named
St John's Campus. This is likely due to its proximity to the St John's area. The
University
A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
has many facilities including two full-size astro turf pitches for hockey and football. It has around 18,000 alumni which range from undergraduate students to post-graduate students. Its first-class science facilities, specifically the Darwin Building, are "cementing the University's status as one of the best learning environments in the UK." Perhaps the
University's largest expansion came in 2010 when they opened their Business school in the centre of the city. The school is situated in a
Georgian building, formerly the city hospital, where the
British Medical Association
The British Medical Association (BMA) is a registered trade union and professional body for physician, doctors in the United Kingdom. It does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The BMA ...
was founded. Next door to this £100m investment is the Hive which is Europe's first University and Public library. It was opened by the Queen in 2012.
Sport
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Worcestershire. Its Vitality Blast T20 team has been rebranded ...
has been a part of the St John's community since 1896 when they first played at
New Road, the ground that they still use today. Although in recent years success on the pitch has been limited the club has a rich history and has been home to many great cricketers such as
Graeme Hick
Graeme Ashley Hick (born 23 May 1966) is a Zimbabwean-born former England cricketer who played 65 Test matches and 120 One Day Internationals for England. He was born in Rhodesia, and as a young man played international cricket for Zimbabwe. H ...
,
Basil D'Oliveira
Basil Lewis D'Oliveira CBE OIS (4 October 1931 – 19 November 2011) was an England international cricketer of South African Cape Coloured background, whose potential selection by England for the scheduled 1968–69 tour of apartheid-era Sout ...
,
Ian Botham
Ian Terence Botham, Baron Botham (born 24 November 1955) is an English cricket commentator, member of the House of Lords, a former cricketer who has been chairman of Durham County Cricket Club since 2017 and charity fundraiser. Hailed as one of ...
,
Moeen Ali
Moeen Munir Ali (born 18 June 1987) is an English cricketer, who was formerly vice-captain of England in limited overs cricket. He played for England cricket team between 2014 and 2024. In domestic cricket he represents Warwickshire, having p ...
and
Glenn McGrath
Glenn Donald McGrath (; born 9 February 1970) is an Australian former international cricketer whose career spanned 14 years. He was a fast-medium pace bowler and is considered one of cricket's greatest bowlers and a leading contributor to Aus ...
. The New Road ground is often flooded in winter by the nearby river and was severely affected by the floods of July 2007, leading to the cancellation of several matches, and losses that were estimated to take nine years to recoup.
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
played a concert at the ground in 2006.
Worcester Wolves

In May 2000 Roger Clarke and Mick Donovan announced the formation of the
Worcester Wolves
The Worcester Wolves are a basketball club in Worcester, England, Worcester, England. The team plays in the National Basketball League (England), NBL Division 2, the third tier of British basketball. The club was formed in 2000, and from 2006 u ...
Basketball Team franchise to play at the
University of Worcester
The University of Worcester is a public research university, based in Worcester, England. With a history dating back to 1946, the university began awarding degrees in 1997 and was granted full university status in 2005.
History
In 1946 an Emerg ...
's brand new £2.5 million 'state of the art' Sports Hall. 12 years later and the club is now part of the
top division in British Basketball. The club's development has largely been down to the development of the
University of Worcester
The University of Worcester is a public research university, based in Worcester, England. With a history dating back to 1946, the university began awarding degrees in 1997 and was granted full university status in 2005.
History
In 1946 an Emerg ...
but its fan base is spread across the city. Many of these fans are based in St John's due to the team's involvement with local schools from early on in the club's existence. Players from the first team would run after-school basketball sessions at schools such as Olbury Park Primary School and OLQP. This resulted in many students going to see their coaches playing at the
University of Worcester
The University of Worcester is a public research university, based in Worcester, England. With a history dating back to 1946, the university began awarding degrees in 1997 and was granted full university status in 2005.
History
In 1946 an Emerg ...
where the
Wolves
The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the grey wolf or gray wolf, is a canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, including the dog and dingo, though gr ...
are based. A new million-pound development by the riverside was constructed in 2012. It is called the
Worcester Arena
The University of Worcester Arena, commonly referred to as Worcester Arena, is a multi-purpose sports venue and events arena in Worcester, England. The 2,000-seat capacity venue opened in April 2013 and is the home arena of Worcester Wolves bas ...
and it has a capacity of 1,500. As of the 2013/2014 season, it will be the location of the
Worcester Wolves
The Worcester Wolves are a basketball club in Worcester, England, Worcester, England. The team plays in the National Basketball League (England), NBL Division 2, the third tier of British basketball. The club was formed in 2000, and from 2006 u ...
's home games.
Notable former players include Chuck Evans,
James Life,
Anthony Paez, Rick Solvason, Ty Shaw and
Skouson Harker.
Worcester St Johns Cycling Club
In 1888 Worcester St Johns Cycling Club was founded. The club has always been a racing club and from early on it had success;
Ernest Payne joined the club in 1903 and went on to win an
Olympic Gold Medal
Olympic or Olympics may refer to
Sports
Competitions
* Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896
** Summer Olympic Games
** Winter Olympic Games
* Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece bet ...
at the
London Games in
1908
This is the longest year in either the Julian or Gregorian calendars, having a duration of 31622401.38 seconds of Terrestrial Time (or ephemeris time), measured according to the definition of mean solar time.
Events
January
* January ...
.
Oldbury Park Tigers
Oldbury Park Tigers FC is a community football club which operates many different youth teams across the city. Its creation came about in 2001 when a group of parents and students from Oldbury Park Primary School set up the team. Since its foundation, it has grown into an organisation with 11 teams and over 140 players. It is currently sponsored by
The Co-operative which has a supermarket in St John's.
References
https://web.archive.org/web/20120302023910/http://www.worcester.gov.uk/index.php?id=1907
External links
Worcester St Johns Cycling Club
{{authority control
Areas of Worcester, England
History of Worcester, England
Transport in Worcester, England
Roads in Worcestershire
Villages in Worcestershire