The Commandery

The building which exists today has undergone many changes over the centuries, with parts re-built to suit the style and needs of each period. The original Hospital developed around the chapel of Saint Gudwal which stood to the north of the present building and was founded around 1085.

Museum showcasing:

• The Medieval period, when The Commandery was first constructed and run as a hospital by the Catholic Church.
• The Tudor period, when The Commandery was bought and inhabited by the Wyldes, a family of wealthy wool merchants.
• The Civil War, when The Commandery was used by Charles II’s forces as headquarters during the Battle of Worcester.
• The Georgian period, when The Commandery was split into several family homes.
• The Victorian period, when The Commandery housed a pioneering school for the “blind sons of gentlemen”.
• The 1950s, when The Commandery was used as a printing factory by the Littlebury family.

Winner of Sandford Award 2008.