Editing Worcestershire (section)

==History==
{{main|History of Worcestershire|History of Worcester}}
[[File:Hallow Handaxe, early middle Palaeolithic.png|thumb|left|The hand axe discovered in 1970s in [[Hallow, Worcestershire|Hallow]]. Potentially the first Early Middle Palaeolithic artefact from the West Midlands.{{sfn|Russell|Daffern|Hancox|Nash|2018}}]]
The geographical area now known as Worcestershire was first populated at least 700,000 years ago.{{sfn|Russell|Daffern|Hancox|Nash|2018}} The area became predominantly agricultural in the [[History of Worcestershire#Bronze Age|Bronze Age]], leading to population growth and more evidence of settlement. By the [[History of Worcestershire#Iron Age|Iron Age]], hill forts dominated the landscape. Settlement of these swiftly ended with the [[Roman Britain|Roman occupation of Britain.]]{{sfn|MacDonald|1969|pp=2–4}}

The [[History of Worcestershire#Roman|Roman]] period saw establishment of the villa system in the Cotswolds and Vale of Evesham. [[Droitwich]] (Salinae) was probably the most important settlement in the county in this period, due to its product of salt. There is also evidence for Roman settlement and industrial activity around Worcester and King's Norton.{{sfn|Brookes|Pevsner|2007|p=14}}

===Anglo-Saxon Worcestershire===
{{main|History of Worcestershire#Anglo-Saxon}}
The area which became Worcestershire formed the heartland of the [[Anglo-Saxon]] kingdom of the [[Hwicce]]. It was absorbed by the [[Kingdom of Mercia]] during the 7th century and became part of the unified [[Kingdom of England]] in 927. Worcestershire was established as an administrative and defensive unit in the early tenth century.<ref>Brooks N, Cubitt C (1996). "St. Oswald of Worcester - Life and Influence". The administrative landscape of the Diocese of Worcester in the tenth century. p147</ref> Its purpose was to take into account and defend the estates within the northern area of the historic [[Anglican Diocese of Worcester|See of Worcester]], held by the [[Bishop of Worcester|Episcopus Hwicciorum]] and [[Worcester Cathedral|Worcester Priory]], along with the Abbots of [[Pershore Abbey|Pershore]], [[Westminster Abbey|Westminster]] and [[Evesham Abbey|Evesham]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Worcestershire|last1=Brooks|first1=Alan|last2=Pevsner|first2=Nikolaus|publisher=Yale University Press|year=2007|isbn=9780300112986|location=New Haven and London|pages=2}}</ref> The [[Non-metropolitan county|shires]] and its sub-divisions known as [[Hundred (county division)|hundreds]], formed a framework for administering the resources of each [[burh]]s' outlying estates.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.stourbridgewesternboundary.kjdocs.co.uk/Stourbridge%20Western%20Boundary.pdf|title=Stourbridge's Western Boundary: A cornerstone of the historical landscape|last=James BSc(Hons) MSc PhD FIAP|first=K|date=11 April 2018|website=Stourbridge's Western Boundary|access-date=11 April 2018}}</ref> It was a separate [[ealdorman]]ship briefly in the 10th century before forming part of the [[Earldom of Mercia]] in the 11th century. The last known [[Anglo-Saxon]] [[Sheriff of Worcestershire]] was [[Cyneweard of Laughern]].

===Norman Conquest===
{{main|History of Worcestershire#Medieval}}
During the [[Middle Ages]], much of the county's economy was based on the wool trade. Many areas of its dense forests, such as [[Feckenham Forest]], [[Horewell Forest]] and [[Malvern Chase]], were [[Royal forest|royal hunting grounds]] subject to forest law.

After the [[Norman conquest of England]]; the [[Domesday Book]] noted in 1086 that in seven of the twelve [[Hundred (county division)|hundreds]] covering Worcestershire, the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom#English monarchy|Crown]] had no authority. The Crown's authority was replaced by the Bishop of Worcester and the Abbots at Pershore, Westminster and Evesham.<ref>Tinti F.(2010) Sustaining Belief: The Church of Worcester from c.870 to c.1100</ref>

[[William the Conqueror]] gave to his allies and friends [[Manorialism|manors]] and [[parishes]] captured from the Anglo-Saxons.<ref name="Carter">{{Cite book |last=Carter |first=W.F |title=Additions to Grazebrook's 'The Barons of Dudley' |publisher=Chetwynd Papers}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Domesday Book Online - Worcestershire E-L |url=http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/worcestershire2.html#halesowen |access-date=11 April 2018 |website=www.domesdaybook.co.uk}}</ref>{{sfn|Mason|1979|p=124}} Despite the Norman Conquest, the rest of the county was still held by the Abbeys of Pershore and Evesham, the [[Bishop of Worcester]] and [[Worcester Cathedral|Priory]].

The first [[Norman conquest of England|Norman]] Sheriff [[Urse d'Abetot]], built the castle of Worcester and seized much church land, some of which became part of the Crown's hundreds in Worcestershire.<ref>Laird, "A Topographical and Historical Description of the County of Worcester" c. 1814; http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/worcs/vol3/pp1-4 British History Online: ''The hundred of Halfshire: Introduction and map'', Pages 1-4. A History of the County of Worcester: Volume 3. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1913.</ref> and was in dispute with the Bishop of Worcester over the rights of the sheriff.<ref name="Intro3">Brooks "Introduction" ''St Wulfstan and His World'' p. 3; Williams "Cunning of the Dove" ''St Wulfstan and His World'' pp. 33–35</ref>

[[Wulfstan (died 1095)|Bishop Wulfstan]] was the last Anglo-Saxon bishop in England, and remained in post until his death in 1095. Under his tenure [[Worcester Cathedral]] began major reconstruction, and he opposed political interventions against William and the Normans. He was later made a saint.

===High Medieval===
During [[Henry III of England|Henry III]]'s disputes and wars with his Barons, in 1263 [[Worcester, England|Worcester]]'s Jewish residents were attacked by a baronial force led by [[Robert de Ferrers, 6th Earl of Derby|Robert Earl Ferrers]] and [[Henry de Montfort]]. Most were killed.{{sfn|Willis-Bund|Page|1924|pp=376–390}} The massacre in [[Worcester, England|Worcester]] was part of a wider campaign by the De Montforts and their allies in the run-up to the [[Second Barons' War]], aimed at undermining Henry III.  Worcestershire was the site of the [[Battle of Evesham]] in which [[Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester|Simon de Montfort]] was killed on 4 August 1265.{{refn|group=note|[[Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester|Simon de Montfort]] had previously been engaged in a [[History of the Jews in England (1066–1290)#Increasing persecution, 13th century|campaign]] of persecution of Jewish communities in [[Leicester]].}} A few years later, in 1275, the Jews that were still living in [[Worcester, England|Worcester]] were forced to move to [[Hereford]],{{sfn|Willis-Bund|Page|1924|pp=376–390}} as they were expelled from all towns under the jurisdiction of the queen mother.<ref>{{harvnb|Mundill|2002|p=23}}</ref>

[[File:Wigornia Atlas.jpg|thumb|168x168px|Hand-drawn map of Worcestershire by Christopher Saxton from 1577.]]

===Civil War===
{{main|Worcestershire in the English Civil War|History of Worcestershire#Civil War|History of Worcester#Civil War}}
[[File:Old Powick Bridge over the River Teme - geograph.org.uk - 795873.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Battle of Powick Bridge]] on the [[River Teme]] on 23 September 1642 began the [[English Civil War]].]]
In 1642, the [[Battle of Powick Bridge]] was the first major skirmish of the [[English Civil War]]. The county suffered from being on the Royalist front line, as it was subject to heavy taxation and the pressing of men into the Royalist army, which also reduced its productive capacity. The northern part of the county, which was already a centre of iron production, was important for military supplies. Parliamentarian raids and Royalist requisitioning both placed a great strain on the county.

There were tensions from the participation of prominent Catholic recusants in the military and civilian organisation of the county. Combined with the opposition to requisitioning from both sides, bands of [[Clubmen]] formed to keep the war away from their localities.

The [[Battle of Worcester]] in 1651 effectively ended the third civil war. There was little enthusiasm or local participation in the mostly Scottish Royalist army, whose defeat was widely welcomed. Nevertheless, Parliamentarian forces ransacked the city of [[Worcester, England|Worcester]], causing heavy damage, looting and destruction of property. Around 10,000 mostly Scottish prisoners were sent into forced labour in the New World or fen drainage schemes. The small bands of Scots that fled into Worcestershire's countryside were attacked by local forces and killed.

===Nineteenth century===
{{main|History of Worcestershire#Victorian and Edwardian Worcestershire: 1830–1914}}
[[File:Worcestershire flag.svg|thumb|The flag of the historic county of Worcestershire]]
In the 19th century, [[Worcester, England|Worcester]] was a centre for the manufacture of gloves; the town of [[Kidderminster]] became a centre for carpet manufacture, and [[Redditch]] specialised in the manufacture of needles, springs and hooks. [[Droitwich Spa]], situated on large deposits of salt, was a centre of [[salt production]] from [[Roman Empire|Roman]] times, with one of the principal [[Roman road]]s running through the town. These old industries have since declined, to be replaced by other, more varied [[light industry]]. The county is also home to the world's oldest continually published newspaper, the ''[[Berrow's Worcester Journal|Berrow's Journal]]'', established in 1690. [[Malvern, Worcestershire|Malvern]] was one of the centres of the 19th-century rise in English spa towns due to [[Malvern water]] being believed to be very pure, containing "nothing at all".<ref name="Malvern Water">[http://www.finewaters.com/Water_Spas/British_Spa_Towns/Malvern.asp Bottled Waters of the World] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090427001844/http://www.finewaters.com/Water_Spas/British_Spa_Towns/Malvern.asp |date=27 April 2009 }}. Retrieved 9 August 2009</ref>