Editing Worcester, England (section)

===Early modern period===
{{see also|History of Worcester#Early modern period}}
[[File:Worcester, 1610 map.jpg|thumb|Worcester, 1610 map]] The Dissolution saw the Priory's status change, as it lost its Benedictine monks. As elsewhere, Worcester had to set up "public" schools to replace monastic education. This led to the establishment of [[King's School, Worcester|King's School]]. Worcester School continued to teach. St Oswald's Hospital survived the dissolution, later providing [[almshouses]];<ref>{{harvnb |Willis-Bund |Page |1971a |pp=175–179}}</ref> the charity and its housing survives to the present day.

The city gained the right to elect a [[mayor]], and was designated a [[county corporate]] in 1621, giving it autonomy from local government. Thereafter Worcester was governed by a mayor, recorder and six aldermen. Councillors were selected by co-option.<ref name="bhoworcester"/>

Worcester contained green spaces such as orchards and fields between its main streets, within the city wall, as appears on [[John Speed|Speed]]'s map of 1610. The walls were still more or less complete at the time, but suburbs had been established beyond them.

====Civil war====
{{further|Worcestershire in the English Civil War|Battle of Worcester}}
{{see also|History of Worcester#Civil war}}
[[File:Battle of Worcester.jpg|thumb|left|Battle of Worcester]]
Worcester equivocated, then sided with Parliament before the outbreak of the [[English Civil War]] in 1642 but was swiftly occupied by the Royalists. Parliament briefly retook the city after the [[Battle of Powick Bridge]] of September 1642, and ransacked the cathedral, where stained glass was smashed and the organ destroyed, along with library books and monuments.<ref>{{harvnb |Atkin |2004 |pp=52–53}}</ref>

The Parliamentary commander, the [[Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex|Earl of Essex]] was soon forced to withdraw, and the city spent the rest of the war under Royalist occupation. Worcester was a garrison town and had to sustain and billet a large number of Royalist troops. During the Royalist occupation, the suburbs were destroyed to make defence easier. High taxation was imposed, and many male residents [[Impressment|pressed]] into the army.<ref>{{harvnb |Atkin |2004}}</ref>

As Royalist power collapsed in May 1646, Worcester was placed under siege. Worcester had some 5,000 civilians and a Royalist garrison of about 1,500 men facing a [[New Model Army]] force of 2,500–5,000. The city surrendered on 23 July.<ref>{{harvnb |Atkin |2004 |pp=125–127}}</ref>

In 1651 a Scottish army, 16,000 strong, marched south along the west coast in support of [[Charles II of England|Charles II]]'s attempt to regain the Crown. As the army approached, Worcester Council voted to surrender, fearing further violence and destruction. The Parliamentary garrison withdrew to [[Evesham]] in the face of the overwhelming numbers against them. The Scots were billeted in and around the city, joined by very limited local forces.<ref>{{harvnb |Atkin |2004 |pp=142–143}}</ref>

The [[Battle of Worcester]] took place on 3 September 1651. Charles II was easily defeated by Cromwell's forces of 30,000 men. Charles II returned to his headquarters in what is now known as King Charles House in the Cornmarket, before [[Escape of Charles II|fleeing]] in disguise with help of one of his officers, [[Francis Talbot, 11th Earl of Shrewsbury|Francis Talbot]] to [[Boscobel House]] in [[Shropshire]], from where he eventually escaped to France. Worcester was then heavily looted by the Parliamentarian army. The city council estimated £80,000 of damage was done and subsequent debts were still not recovered in the 1670s.<ref>{{harvnb |Atkin |2004 |pp=142–147}}</ref>

====After the Restoration====
{{see also|History of Worcester#After the Restoration}}
After the [[Stuart Restoration|restoration of the monarchy]] in 1660, Worcester cleverly used its location as the site of the final battles of the First Civil War (1646) and Third Civil War (1651) to mount an appeal for compensation from [[King Charles II of England|Charles II]]. Though not based on historical fact, it invented the epithet ''Fidelis Civitas'' (The Faithful City), since included in the city's [[coat of arms]].<ref name="Civic Heralrdy"/><ref>{{harvnb |Atkin |1998}}</ref>

During the 18th century Worcester experienced significant economic growth, and in 1748 [[Daniel Defoe]] could note that 'the inhabitants are generally esteemed rich, being full of business, occasioned chiefly by the clothing-trade'.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Defoe |first=Daniel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HSgJAAAAQAAJ |title=A Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain. Vol. 2. |publisher=S. Birt |year=1748 |location=London |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref> The [[Royal Worcester|Royal Worcester Porcelain Company]] was established at Warmstry Slip in 1751,<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last1=Bridges |first1=Tim |title=Worcester: A Pictorial History |last2=Mundy |first2=Charles |publisher=Phillimore |year=1996 |isbn=0850339901 |location=Chichester}}</ref> and from the  later 18th century the city became a major centre for the [[glove]]making industry.<ref name=":0" />

[[File:The Guildhall, High Street, Worcester.jpg|thumbnail|200px|[[Worcester Guildhall]]]]
The wealth of 18th- and 19th-century Worcester is reflected in the city's architecture, which has been described as 'one of the most impressive Georgian streetscapes in the Midlands'.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last1=Morriss |first1=Richard K |title=The Buildings of Worcester |last2=Hoverd |first2=Ken |publisher=Alan Sutton |year=1994 |isbn=0750905573 |location=Stroud}}</ref> Many public buildings were built or rebuilt in this period, including the Grade I listed [[Worcester Guildhall]],<ref name=":1" /> the city bridge, and the [[Worcestershire Royal Hospital|Royal Infirmary]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Brooks |first1=Alan |title=The Buildings of England: Worcestershire |last2=Pevsner |first2=Nikolaus |publisher=Yale University Press |year=2007 |isbn=9780300112986 |location=New Haven}}</ref> Large stretches of the city walls were removed by 1796,<ref name="bhoworcester" /> allowing for continued expansion along Foregate Street, The Tything, and Upper Tything,<ref name=":0" /> and many townhouses were built or remodelled in brick.<ref name=":1" />

Worcester was a popular destination for wealthy visitors, who came to the annual [[Three Choirs Festival]] and horse races on [[Worcester Racecourse|Pitchcroft]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Drummond |first=Pippa |title=The Provincial Music Festival in England, 1784-1914 |publisher=Routledge |year=2011 |isbn=9781409400875 |location=London |pages=12}}</ref> However, parts of the city suffered from significant poverty, and in 1794 a large [[workhouse]] was built on the edge of the city at Tallow Hill.<ref name=":0" />