Elmley Castle, Worcestershire

Elmley Castle is an attractive village at the foot of Bredon Hill. The village is very pretty, with a large number of half-timbered cottages. The church boasts some enjoyable medieval sculpture.

On the slopes of Bredon Hill are the remains of the Norman castle which gave the village its name. The castle was erected in the late 11th century as a series of circular earthworks.

Stone defences were added in the 12th century and extended in the 13th century. Very little of the stone walls remain, and the castle is now little more than a series of partially defined earthen mounds on the sloping hillside.

From the village centre, a lane leads south, up the slope of Bredon Hill. Park at the top and follow the waymarked public footpath onto Bredon Hill itself.

I recommend bringing an Ordnance Survey map (Landranger 190) as the footpath is poorly marked in places. The views from the top of Bredon Hill are superb and well worth the climb.

The parish church of St Mary's is well worth exploring. The church dates to at least the late 11th-century and retains Norman herringbone stonework in the chancel wall. Other highlights include 11th-century carvings in the church porch, an alabaster memorial to the Savage family, and a marble monument to the 1st Earl of Coventry. Look for the 13th-century font, which has dragons carved around its base.