A RETIRED headteacher with a passion for history has unveiled a plaque in memory of his late wife which marks the original location of a medieval gate on a lost Worcester bridge.

David Courts unveiled the Bridge Gate plaque on the side of the Severn View Hotel in Worcester today (Thursday) in memory of his beloved wife Jean who died five years ago.

The 87-year-old, who has lifelong love of history, had been the headteacher at Gorse Hill Junior and Infant School.

Mr Courts, who lived in Worcester for 30 years, even planted a black pear tree because he wanted his pupils to relate to their city and understand its rich history.

Mr Courts taught at the school in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The school became an academy in June 2014 and is now known as Hollymount School.

The plaque, sponsored by Mr Courts, shows a gate which would have been on the old river bridge itself (near what is now the hotel). It also shows the city walls and a fortified area on the western, St John's side of the river, including a cannon.

The image of the gate is based on an engraving from 1651, around the time of the Battle of Worcester, the last conflict of the English Civil War. The bridge would have been north west of the present Severn bridge.

The area has served as a historic crossing point dating from at least Roman times and was between what is now Tybridge Street and Newport Street. The bridge was rebuilt in stone between 1313 and 1328.

The mediaeval bridge was built over several piers with the Bridge Gate over one of them. Also on the bridge was the Bar Gate.

Anne Eden, Mr Courts' daughter spoke on behalf of her father, and said it was an emotional day for the family as the plaque was in memory of her dad's late wife and her mother, Jean.

She said: "This city is just so full of history and heritage. Even driving here when I caught my first glimpse of the Cathedral, it takes my breath away. You come back and realise what an amazing city it is."

She described the unveiling of the plaque as a great honour for the family. Three generations of the family attended - Mr Courts, his daughter Anne and one of her twin sons, Edward Eden, aged 25, and his fiancee, Harriet Eales, also 25.

Mr Eden's identical twin brother Charles Eden could not attend.

The plaque is the fifth of eight plaques so far unveiled and sponsored by various people, most prominently the Eden family as part of an ongoing project by Worcester Civic Society.

The plaques are designed to be both more informative than previous ones and to be positioned as near as physically possible to the original gates in the medieval walls of which only fragments remain, specifically the remnants of the Sidbury Gate which now lie in the basement of a tattoo parlour.

The project itself will cost an estimated £5,500 for all eight plaques. The old plaques may go on display at the Hive once it is removed.

Each plaque, made from aluminium, will be 20 inches by 15 inches (51cm by 38cm).

Phil Douce, the chairman of the civic society, said they had expected the project to take two to three years to complete but the project could be finished early next year with a sixth plaque due to be unveiled next week.

The first of the eight gates (The Sidbury gate) was unveiled on Friday, April 24.

The mayor of Worcester, Cllr Roger Knight, also attended the ceremony.

He said: "It's marking Worcester's history in perpetuity rather than have it forgotten and lost."

He said the process was underway nationally to have Worcester granted heritage city status because of its rich history.

Cllr Knight added: "We're only here in Worcester because of the river. To be here, opposite the site where the original bridge was, is quite something."