周辺の天然記念物・トップ7

It's a steep pull up Walsgrove Hill from the north, and in the winter it will be slippery and muddy due to the activities of the sheep that live in this field. However, it offers fine views across to the clocktower and beyond.

A real picturesque old mill, and the Geopark Way affords a really good view of the weir and house from a number of angles.

Usually a rope swing, for the young at heart :-)

Red sandstone rock formation - low cliffs of exposed stone that has been historically quarried for building materials. A path runs along the bottom and the top, currently (Sept 2024) overgrown in places. An information sign gives details among the nettles.

View to the West The lower part of Walsgrove Hill and the hill on which Abberley clock tower stands are Silurian siltstone. The valley of the River Teme cuts into soft mudstones of the upper Silurian Old Red Sandstone with the harder sandstones of the lower Devonian Old Red Sandstone forming the Bromyard plateau. The low hummocky ground at the base of these hills is underlain by Carboniferous age Coal Measures rocks. These form the southerly tip of the Wyre Forest coalfield. Coal was mined here until the early twentieth century. To the north west, the Clee Hills are also formed of Carboniferous rocks. A molten layer of rock pushed between the layers and formed a hard black dolerite rock, the Dhustone, which slowed the erosion of these still prominent hills and is quarried for roadstone to this day. Source: Local signage

Prior's Mill is a former seventeenth century timber-framed water mill, with twentieth century alterations, and now used as a private residence. Next to it is a very high weir on the Dick Brook. There used to be several mills on this stream long ago.

There are grooves in the bed rock that suggest it was some kind of rope or chain-operated incline. On the east side of the sunken road the rock is Bromsgrove Sandstone.

Geological overview Just south of Stourport a magnificent river cliff of fine grained red sandstone is seen. Although mainly homogenous in terms of geology, there are white streaks and thin bands of coarse material running throughout the section. The soft sandstone of Redstone Rock is easily carved and there is evidence of human-made habitation in the cliff face since Stone Age times. The caves that can be seen today were mostly made in the 12th century, when a hermitage was established there, conveniently located for the hermits to be on hand to offer blessings and prayers for passers-by in return for alms. It was said to house up to 500 men, who may have also manned the ferry crossing, which was there due to the presence of a ford until the river was dredged. The caves were later used as domestic dwellings and were inhabited almost continuously until the mid twentieth century. Source: Geopark.org