THIS beautiful county has few rivals when it comes to its breathtaking landscapes – and some of our best pubs are the perfect place to enjoy its most picturesque qualities.
From pubs high up in the Malvern Hills with dizzying, jaw-dropping views to riverside gems in Upton by the broad sweeping Severn, here is a list of eight of the most picturesque pubs to visit this weekend.
Worcestershire has spectacular landscapes, from the Malvern Hills in the west to the lush, verdant expanse of the Vale of Evesham and the Cotswolds with its honey-coloured stone.
Of course, the best pubs seem to fit perfectly within these landscapes, as if they were always here. Some were former farmhouses – like The Fleece in Bretforton- dating back to medieval times and have strange and quirky features to savour alongside a roast dinner or a pint of beer.
Others, like King Charles House in Worcester, date back to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and are known for their bowed and crooked timbers and deep connections to the trials and traumas of our history. These buildings and vistas are repositories for our shared history, rare survivals that sometimes seem like a requiem for a vanished England.
IDYLLIC: The Three Kings in Church End, Hanley Castle is one of Worcestershire’s most picturesque pubs (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)
The Three Kings Inn, Hanley Castle
The Three Kings in Church End in Hanley Castle has to be one of the most picturesque locations in Worcestershire. This timber-framed pub dates from around 1500 and retains much of its original character. Without many of the mod cons you find in many pubs (wide screen TVs) etc (the bar is cash only), this pub seems to belong to another time, which is why customers love it. It has two fires, one in Nell’s Lounge and the other in the snug, making it a beautiful pub to enjoy in autumn and winter. It is a pub which prides itself on tradition and serving high-quality ales.
In truth, it’s the sort of place you would want to live, but with an average house price of £490,000 in Church End, they might not be within everyone’s price range.
ICONIC: The Fleece Inn in Bretforton is so beautiful it is used as a filming location for BBC show Father Brown (Image: The Fleece Inn)
The Fleece Inn, Bretforton
A National Trust-owned pub, The Fleece dates back to the late Middle Ages. It is so picturesque that it has often been used as a filming location, most recently for the BBC television series Father Brown. It is a pub which still keeps the rhythm of the season, champions asparagus and the growers of the Vale, and is a platform for English folk music traditions.
READ MORE: Inside new Irish pub The Wilde Poet in The Tything, Worcester
The witch circles or witch marks by the fireplaces are also a source of fascination. It is also said to be singer-songwriter Taylor Swift’s favourite pub. With timber-framed houses and thatched cottages and other historic features, it is also an ideal place for an early autumn walk.
RUSTIC: The historic Mug House in Claines which has roots dating back to the 1500s (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)
The Mug House, Claines
One of only two pubs on consecrated ground, the Mug House has one of the county’s most distinctive settings. It might seem strange, having a pint within sight of the gravestones.
Being so near the churchyard gives the pub an unusual charm and picturesque quality which is hard to match. Easy to reach from Worcester, the landscape around has a more tranquil, rustic village atmosphere than the city pubs in Worcester, representing an idyllic escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The Mug House is known as the pub in the churchyard. The building dates back to the 1500s and, like all the very best pubs, lacks the ubiquitous mod cons which stifle native wit or smother conversation, be it televisions, fruit machines or jukeboxes.
King’s Head, Upton-upon-Severn
With a terrace overlooking the River Severn, this is one of the county’s classic waterside pubs. During summer and festival season, the views of boats and the river are hard to beat.
In June, the pub reopened after a £350,000 refurbishment. The refurbishment has included an overhaul of the interior and exterior of the pub.
Punch Pubs and Co, who own the pub, said visitors can expect a fully redecorated building and improved outdoor seating.
RIVERSIDE: Jo Wainwright-Scarrott, ‘the landlord’s daughter’, with dogs Sky and Sam at The Camp House Inn, Grimley (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)
Camp House Inn, Grimley
Though prone to flooding in winter, there are few more picturesque riverside pubs to visit in summer and early autumn than the Camp.
A traditional riverside pub below Bevere Lock with panoramic Severn views, a large beer garden and boats moored nearby. It is particularly picturesque in summer. Many approach the Camp via the narrow, twisting roads of Grimley. But in truth, it is probably best approached from the river and has a dock for that purpose. Some visitors still do come by boat.
When it is flooded, the River Severn forms a moat around the building, and it’s not unusual to see a swan glide by in the high water and peek in at the window. Sometimes a ferry is put on for customers to get them over the flood water so people can still have a pint.
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The Cardinal’s Hat, Worcester
A beautiful Grade II listed building in Friar Street, The Cardinal’s Hat is Worcester’s oldest recorded inn, with cellars dating back to the 14th century and its first official written mention recorded in 1497. The small main bar can get crowded but that only adds to its cosiness.
HISTORIC: The Cardinal’s Hat is in one of England’s finest streets, Friar Street (Image: Newsquest)
The pub is surprisingly cavernous if you venture a little deeper inside with a beer garden at the back and other rooms to explore. The pub has recently reached a new milestone.
READ MORE: Cardinal’s Hat in Friar Street’s lease up for sale
Nigel Smith, landlord of The Cardinal’s Hat for the past 14 years, has announced plans to sell the leasehold business.
While he does not own the freehold and is not selling the building itself, he is inviting someone new to take on the lease and continue the pub’s success story. It’s a shame it is next to one of Worcester’s ugliest structures – a multi-storey car park. Yet if you can block out this monstrosity, it is close to the National Trust’s Greyfriars and Tudor House.
STUNNING: King Charles House in New Street, Worcester has a dungeon, carved fireplace and a connection to the English Civil War via the defeated king, Charles II (Image: Submitted)
King Charles House, Worcester
A pub that scarcely needs an introduction, it was said to be the pub through which Charles II fled after the Battle of Worcester on September 3, 1651. A rare survival, the building dates from 1577. The setting of the pub itself is not especially picturesque, but the building itself certainly is. The building is known for its dark, crooked timbers, wonky floors and one of the grandest, oldest and strangest fireplaces in England dating from 1634, which features scenes of devils apparently hounding gamblers with pitchforks. Oh, and it has a dungeon too, called an ‘oubliette’.
VIEWS: Brewers Arms in West Malvern has some of the finest views in Worcestershire from the Malvern Hills (Image: James Connell/Newsquest photos)
The Brewers Arms, West Malvern
The Brewers Arms commands spectacular views of the surrounding countryside, which is hardly surprising considering it is 800 feet above sea level.
The pub is situated just off the main road on the slopes of the Beacon and commands jaw-dropping views towards Wales. From the patio and beer garden, you can see all the way to Hay Bluff in the Black Mountains. It has been a community pub since 2022.
