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Church Street, KIDDERMINSTER, DY10 2AR

The street still has many Georgian buildings and also No. 12, which dates from around 1600. Infortunately the top end was demolished to make way for a section of the ring road. Most of the remaining buildings are in use as offices or by dentists and other professionals. Image

One of Kidderminster's backwaters, Arch Hill is a short pedestrianised lane which leads off Church Street and climbs up to Orchard Street.

One of the oldest buildings in Kidderminster and Grade II listed. Unfortunately the local authority and its predecessors don't have a very good track record for preserving old buildings so an awful lot have been pulled down over the years. Hence the number of surviving listed buildings is not surprisingly quite low for a town of its size and age. This building is thought to date from around 1600 and has square panelled framing. It is used today as offices. Another view:- Image

This OS cut mark can be found on No6 Church Street. It marks a point 35.966m above mean sea level.

Since it was built in 1856-57, this Italianate styled building has housed a succession of banks. It was designed by Thomas Smith for the Stourbridge & Kidderminster Bank. It later came into the hands of the Midland Bank when they absorbed the Stourbridge & Kidderminster Bank long ago. Around 1957 it was doubled in size to the south, but in the same style as the original. In 1992 the bank had been fully acquired by HSBC Holdings plc and in 1999 this branch along with the other surviving Midland Bank branches were rebranded HSBC Bank.

In "The Buildings of England Worcestershire" by Brooks & Pevsner (Yale University Press, 2007), Church Street is described as "...the most worthwhile in the town. It has handsome Georgian brick houses on both sides, several with pretty doorcases." Today these houses are mainly used as professional offices. The street itself is a quiet backwater, and comes to a dead end. Originally it terminated in an open space in front of the Parish Church. But now it ends at a turning area, blocked off by the retaining wall of the ring road. Image

The Kidderminster & District Unitarians are based at the New Meeting House, which dates from 1782, although a major rebuild took place in 1882 including the present Gothic frontage. The building is set well back from the road and to its left is a hall, dating from 1907, not visible in this view. The Unitarians differ from other Christian sects in not accepting the Trinity and in refusing to lay down fixed articles of belief in the form of creeds and dogma. Image

The atmosphere of the Bull Ring, seen in the far distance, with its pub, betting office, post office & shops, is much livelier than Church Street, which is where you go for solicitors, dentists and other professional people.

Sandwiched between Georgian houses, No. 12 Church Street dates from around 1600 and has square-panelled framing. It is Grade II listed. Today it contains various professional offices. Another view:- Image Image