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Coordinates: 52°25′19″N 2°20′49″W / 52.42198°N 2.34699°W
| Upper Arley | |
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  Upper Arley shown within Worcestershire |
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| Population | 645 |
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| OS grid reference | |
| District | Wyre Forest |
| Shire county | Worcestershire |
| Region | West Midlands |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | West Mercia |
| Fire | Hereford and Worcester |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| European Parliament | West Midlands |
| List of places: UK • England • Worcestershire | |
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Upper Arley (grid reference SO765805) is a village along the Severn Valley near Kidderminster in the Wyre Forest District of Worcestershire, England. At the 2001 census it had a population of 645. [1]
Amenities & History
The town boasts a railway station named Arley—on the Severn Valley Railway, one of Britain's preserved steam railways—which has been used in many films and television programmes (including the BBC's Oh, Doctor Beeching!). It also has one pub, a tearoom and a post office with shop, and is an estate village, formerly owned in the 19th century by the Earls of Mountnorris—whose heir, Viscount Valentia, gave his name to the village's second and now defunct pub.
In the late 20th century, it was owned by the philanthropist and iron & steel tycoon Roger Turner, who bought the estate after selling his family's Staffordshire tubemaking businesses, called the Wellington Steel Tube Co. Ltd. There are a number of subtle references or in-jokes to this legacy on the estate—a large redwood tree of the Wellingtonia variety stands very much out-of-place at the entrance to the manor building called Arley House, and the estate buildings—be they commercial or residential—are coloured green and cream, the corporate colours of the Wellington companies.
By 2000 and the death of Roger Turner, part of his private park was opened to the public as Arley Arboretum.
Symbolically, Turner lies buried in the churchyard and next to the gate leading to the Arboretum and Arley House.
The village is very picturesque and many visitors come in by train since parking is difficult and road access is limited.
References
External links
- Upper Arley Parish website
- Upper Arley on Genuki
- Upper Arley on British History Online
- Arley Arboretum website
- Upper Arley Conservation Area
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