_Spotlight on: Britannia Square, Worcester

What’s it all about?

Worcester as a whole is not a large city but it is thriving and caters very well for everyday needs. The area around Britannia Square is a case in point; a very attractive Regency city suburb with a friendly atmosphere that’s perfect for all generations. It’s certainly clear to me why Britannia Square is consistently found at the top of people’s list when it comes to finding a home in Worcester City.

The Square is, in actual fact, a Conservation Area. In 1973 the Britannia Square Residents' Association was founded to preserve, protect and enhance the character, environment and amenities of the area. This active residents’ association organises various events, including a wine club with three to four meetings a year where the sociable local residents can catch up and enjoy a glass of wine or two!

Local history

If like me, you like a bit of history to put places into context, you may be interested to know that in Roman times, the area where Britannia Square now stands was used for growing flax. A settlement here included baths and religious buildings. The remains of these still lie under Springfield, the Royal Grammar School (RGS), as well as stretching westward into the area now known as Back Lane South (behind nos. 3 to 20 Britannia Square).

And now for an interesting snippet of property history! For centuries there were no buildings in this area except for Pound Farm which, in the early 19th Century, was owned by Mr William Handy. In 1818, Mr Handy was the first to realise the potential of ‘land sale’ and drew up a catalogue and plans for the development of his farmland. He sold this in plots to different speculative builders. One of the early developments was Albion House (now nos. 8 & 9 Britannia Square), which was erected between 1820 and 1822. Other plots were vacant for some time, although the whole Square was completed by 1840. 

Types of property

Britannia Square has got it all when it comes to types of property. The conservation area is characterised by Regency stucco-fronted villas in the square itself and on nearby Albany Terrace, good historic terraces on York Place, a distinctive group of late 19th Century historic buildings on Stephenson Terrace, and traditional ‘back lanes’ either side of the Square and York Place Lane. All of these properties are framed by lovely, green open spaces too. 

Schools

Worcester is blessed with very reputable and well-established private schools including RGS, which has a preparatory school in the very centre of Britannia Square known as Springfield, as well as King’s School which is further south in the city. In my opinion, this is one of the key reasons that buyers look to move into this area of Worcester.

Sport and recreation

Worcester is a great destination for sporting enthusiasts as there’s plenty of green outside space dotted across the city. From Britannia Square, it’s a very short walk to the River Severn and Worcester Racecourse which also provide excellent recreation space. Another short walk south along the river will bring you to Worcester County Cricket Ground within the setting of Worcester Cathedral, and at Junction 6 of the M5 is Premiership rugby at Sixways Stadium (a firm family favourite of mine!)

Eating out

There has been a noticeable increase in the number of restaurants on offer in Worcester, and I think perhaps most worthy of note at the moment is the new iconic multi-million pound Cathedral Square redevelopment taking place opposite Worcester Cathedral, about 20 minutes’ walk from Britannia Square. It will be completed in the summer and will bring seven new restaurants to the city, overlooking a new public square, along with shops and a gym. The Worcester Team is certainly looking forward to it as our office is just next door!

Shelley Stephenson is an associate in Knight Frank's Worcestershire office. Search for properties in Worcestershire or call us for a friendly chat about selling, buying or renting property.