Worcester's Ronkswood Meadow: a history of farming and fighting

RONKSWOOD Hill Farm dominated the area for many years. Today the main 19th-century farmhouse stands proudly on Newtown Road. The farm buildings behind have been converted to housing and overlook the oasis known as Ronkswood Meadow.

When the practice of farming arrived in Britain, large areas of woodland were cleared ready for crops. We know outside the ancient settlement of Worcester, woods stretched on to the high ground surrounding it.

Today, some of that ancient woodland still exists at Perry and Nunnery Wood.

We do not know for sure when Ronkswood Meadow was cleared for farming, however it was probably in the early medieval period, when the area was in the ownership of the Teolowalding family. Farming this land continued up to the 20th century.

Early farming was based on open fields with boundaries marked by nothing more than a ditch. Research has found a number of very old field ditches, but the most prominent feature is the ridge and furrow that creates a rollercoaster effect for anyone walking or riding a bike across the meadow.

The medieval ridge and furrow with, inset, the plough in action

This was created by a team of men walking with a plough, behind oxen and, later, shire horses. The raised areas created well-drained ridges for wheat and other crops to grow without becoming waterlogged and rotting.

The last ploughing to take place on the meadow was in the 20th century. This was often done using traction engines, as the incline and heavy clay marl made it difficult for some of the early tractors to work.

In May 1646, during the English Civil Wars, the high ground of the meadow was used by Colonel Whalley’s men, who were ordered to limit the Royalist movements from the city.

Parliamentarian Gun Positions in Upper Pike Field.jpg

In the summer of the same year, the high ground surrounding Worcester had become bustling siege lines occupied by an extra 4-5,000 men.

Some earthworks located near the boundary fence at the top of the hill may have been constructed to house cannon from this period. On June 11 1646 great damage was done to St Martin's Gate by cannons firing from these positions.

Read more: Taking shelter as German bombers flew overhead

Most historical documents mention the meadow being divided into ‘Upper’ and ‘Lower Pike’ at the top of the hill and then ‘Home Ground’ on the flatter area, with ‘The Orchard Field’ sat in the shadow of Ronkswood Hill Farm.

Some of the dividing hedges have been dated to be about 300-400 years old.

Some people believe the term pike comes from the English Civil Wars, however it is not known if fighting took place in the area at the time. However, pike is often a term used to name pointed strips of land.

War visited the meadow again in the 1940s when a searchlight was ensconced on Upper Pike. This would have been a sandbagged enclosure, partly dug into the field, to house the searchlight and its generator.

A further pit would have been made to house a Lewis light machine gun. A wooden building then sat next to it, for the Royal Artillery crew.

The German bombers would follow the river up to the Stourport Power Station and then turn to attack Birmingham and the Black Country. This searchlight was part of a chain of lights spanning the Severn, which could illuminate hostile bombers as they navigated the Severn Valley.

Its rural location was chosen to draw any retaliation attacks away from the city centre.

Ronkswood Hill Farmhouse

As post-war Worcester expanded, Worcester City Council, the new owners, began to discuss building on this land.

By 2001 it became a valuable Local Nature Reserve, enjoyed by everyone and protected from future housing development.

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