Attractions and Places To See around Birlingham - Top 20
Best attractions and places to see around Birlingham include a variety of natural features, cultural sites, and historical elements. The village offers tranquil landscapes with views of the River Avon and Bredon Hill. Visitors can explore historical landmarks and natural points of interest within the area. The region provides opportunities to discover its charming landscapes and historical significance.
Best attractions and places to see around Birlingham
- The most popular attractions is Parsons Folly on Bredon Hill, a man-made monument that stands on a hill offering views across Worcestershire. This 18th-century stone tower is located on Bredon Hill, which was formerly an Iron Age hillfort and Roman encampment.
- Another must-see spot is Pershore Old Bridge, a historical site and bridge. Originally constructed in the 1400s, this bridge served as a key crossing point for traders and has undergone multiple repairs over centuries.
- Visitors also love St Mary's Church, Elmley Castle, a historical religious building. This church, dating from a very early period, is known for its character and historic interest within the picturesque village of Elmley Castle.
- Birlingham is known for its historical sites, religious buildings, and natural viewpoints. The area offers a variety of attractions to see and explore, from ancient structures to scenic landscapes.
- The attractions around Birlingham are appreciated by the komoot community, with more than 160 upvotes and 90 photos shared by visitors.
Last updated: April 24, 2026
Parsons Folly on Bredon Hill
Highlight • Monument
The hill was once an Iron Age hillfort, known as Kemerton Camp and it then became an important Roman encampment. In the 18th century, the squire of Kemerton Court erected a small stone tower, Parsons Folly. A number of ancient standing stones also adorn the hill.
Tip by
Pershore Old Bridge
Highlight • Historical Site
Tip by
Sign up now to discover places like this
Get recommendations on the best single tracks, peaks, & plenty of other exciting outdoor places.
Sign up for free
St Mary's Church, Elmley Castle
Highlight • Monument
Tip by
Croome Court
Highlight • Historical Site
The mansion house is owned by Croome Heritage Trust and leased to the National Trust, which operates it as a tourist attraction. The National Trust owns the surrounding parkland, which is also open to the public.
The foundations and core of Croome Court, including the central chimney stack structure, date back to the early 1640s. Substantial changes to this early house were made by Gilbert Coventry, 4th Earl of Coventry.
George Coventry, the 6th Earl, inherited the estate in 1751, along with the existing Jacobean house. He commissioned Lancelot "Capability" Brown, with the assistance of Sanderson Miller, to redesign the house and estate. It was Brown's "first flight into the realms of architecture" and a "rare example of his architectural work", and it is an important and seminal work. It was built between 1751 and 1752, and it and Hagley Hall are considered to be the finest examples of Neo-Palladian architecture in Worcestershire. Notable Neo-Palladian features incorporated into Croome Court include the plain exterior and the corner towers with pyramidal roofs (a feature first used by Inigo Jones in the design of Wilton House in Wiltshire). Robert Adam worked on the interior of the building from 1760 onwards. The house was visited by George III, as well as by Queen Victoria during summers when she was a child, and George V (when Duke of York).
A jam factory was built near Pershore railway station by the 9th Earl of Coventry in about 1880, to provide a market for Vale of Evesham fruit growers in times of surplus. Although the Croome connection with jam-making had ceased, the building was leased by the Croome Estate Trust during the First World War to the Huddersfield Fruit Preserving Company as a pulping station. The First World War deeply affected Croome; there were many local casualties, although the house was not requisitioned for the war effort. This is possibly because it was the home of the Lord Lieutenant of the county, who needed a residence for his many official engagements. Croome Court was requisitioned during the Second World War by the Ministry of Works, and leased for a year to the Dutch Government as a possible refuge for Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands to escape the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. However, evidence shows that they stayed for two weeks at the most, perhaps because of the noise and fear created by the proximity of Defford Aerodrome. They later emigrated to Canada.
The Croome Estate Trust sold the Court in 1948, along with 38 acres (15 ha) of land, to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham, and the mansion became St Joseph's Special School, which was run by nuns from 1950 until 1979. In 1979, the hall was taken over by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON, the Hare Krishna movement) which used it as its UK headquarters and a training college, called Chaitanya College. During their tenure they repainted the Dining Room. ISKCON left the estate in 1984 for financial reasons. It held a festival at the hall in 2011. From 1984 onwards, various owners tried to use the property as a training centre; apartments; a restaurant and conference centre; and a hotel and golf course, before once more becoming a private family home, with outbuildings converted to private houses.
The house was purchased by the Croome Heritage Trust, a registered charity, in October 2007, and it is now managed by the National Trust as a tourist attraction. It opened to the public in September 2009, at which point six of the rooms had been restored, costing £400,000, including the Saloon. It was estimated that another £4 million to £4.8 million would be needed to restore the entire building. Fundraising activities for the restoration included a 2011 raffle for a Morgan sports car organised by Lord and Lady Flight. After the restoration is complete, a 999-year lease on the building will be granted to the National Trust. An oral history project to record recollections about Croome was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. As of 2009, the service wing was empty and in need of substantial repair. The house was listed on 11 August 1952; it is currently Grade I listed.
The mansion is faced with Bath stone, limestone ashlar, and has both north and south facing fronts. It has a basement and two stories, with three stories in the end pavilions. A slate roof, with pyramid roofs over the corner towers, tops the building, along with three pair-linked chimneys along the axis of the house.
Both fronts have 11 bays, split into three central sets of three each, and one additional bay each side. The north face has a pedimented centre, with two balustraded staircases leading to a Roman Doric doorcase. The south face has a projecting Ionic tetrastyle portico and Venetian windows. It has a broad staircase, with Coade stone sphinxes on each side, leading to a south door topped with a cornice on consoles. The wings have modillion cornice and balustrade.
A two-story L-shaped service wing is attached to the east side of the mansion. It is made of red brick and stone, with slate roofs. It was designed by Capability Brown in 1751–1752. On the far side of the service wing, a wall connects it to a stable court.
The interior of the house was designed partially by Capability Brown, with plasterwork by G. Vassalli, and partially by Robert Adam, with plasterwork by Joseph Rose, Jr. It has a central spine corridor. A stone staircase, with iron balusters, is at the east end.
The entrance hall is on the north side of the building, and has four fluted Doric columns, along with moulded doorcases. To the east of the entrance hall is the dining room, which has a plaster ceiling and cornice, while to the west is a billiard room, featuring fielded panelling, a plaster cornice, and a rococo fireplace. The three rooms were probably decorated around 1758–1759 by Capability Brown. The dining room was vibrantly repainted by the Hare Krishnas in the 1970s-80s.
The central room on the south side is a saloon, probably by Brown and Vassalli. It has an elaborate ceiling, with three panels, deep coving, and a cornice, along with two Ionic fireplaces, and Palladian doorcases. King George III was entertained by George Coventry, the 6th Earl, in the house's Saloon. A drawing room is to the west of the saloon, and features rococo plasterwork and a marble fireplace.
To the east of the saloon is the Tapestry Room. This was designed in 1763–1771, based on a design by Robert Adam, and contained tapestries and furniture covers possibly designed by François Boucher and Maurice Jacques, and made by Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins. Around 1902 the ninth Earl sold the tapestries and seating to a Parisian dealer. The Samuel H. Kress Foundation purchased the ceiling, floor, mantlepiece, chair rails, doors and door surrounds in 1949; they were donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, in 1958. In 1959, the Kress Foundation also helped the Metropolitan Museum acquire the chair and sofa frames, which they recovered using the original tapestry seats. A copy of the ceiling was installed in place of the original. As of 2016, the room is displayed as it would have looked after the tapestries had been sold, with a jug and ewer on display as the only original decoration of the room that remains in it. The adjacent library room is used to explain what happened to the tapestry room; the former library was designed by Adam, and was dismantled except for the marble fireplace.
At the west side of the building is a Long Gallery[10] which was designed by Robert Adam and installed between 1761 and 1766. It is the best preserved of the original interior (little of the rest has survived in situ). It has an octagonal panelled ceiling, and plaster reliefs of griffins. A half-hexagonal bay faces the garden. The room also contains a marble caryatid fireplace designed by J Wilton. As of 2016, modern sculptures are displayed in empty niches along the Long Gallery.
Tip by
Church of St Peter, Little Comberton
Highlight • Historical Site
Tip by
Sign up for free to discover even more attractions around Birlingham.
Sign up for free
Already have an account?
Start today with a free account
Your next adventure awaits.
Login or Signup
Tips from the Community
Beautiful medieval bridge over river Avon. Incredibly well preserved given its age.
0
0
Pleasant views of Malvern and the surrounding areas from up there. The folly is ugly as sin but then it IS a folly so... yeah. Not a particularly difficult climb to get up there from either direction.
0
0
A worthy addition to the National Trust. Wonderful house, set in Capability Brown's first landscape park.
0
0
The old bridge is picturesque, and its also a great place to while away an hour or two by the river.
0
0
The folly itself actually looks like it really is an industrial tower housing mobile phone equipment, but the views are very good. Nearby is the Elephant Stone - it looks like an Elephant kneeing down. Not far from the Cotswold Stone drystone wall is the circular stone that marks the very top of Bredon Hill.
0
0
Good parking, half a dozen spaces on Woollas Hill, near Deer Park centre. Views on way up to Folly are spectacular. Good to get the climb out the way early with gentle, long descent in to Broadway.
0
2
Great church on the descent in Pershore direction. Beautiful mosaics inside
0
0
Frequently Asked Questions
What historical landmarks can I visit near Birlingham?
You can explore several historical landmarks. Don't miss Parsons Folly on Bredon Hill, an 18th-century stone tower on a site that was once an Iron Age hillfort and Roman encampment. Another significant site is Pershore Old Bridge, originally built in the 1400s and a key crossing point for traders. Also, consider visiting St Mary's Church, Elmley Castle, a delightful church with a rich history dating back to a very early period.
Where can I find scenic viewpoints around Birlingham?
For breathtaking views, head to Parsons Folly on Bredon Hill. From its summit, you can gaze across Worcestershire to the Malvern Hills and south into the Cotswolds. The area around Eckington Bridge also offers scenic vistas of the River Avon, with the Worcestershire Beacon and North Hill visible on the horizon.
Are there family-friendly attractions around Birlingham?
Yes, several attractions are suitable for families. Pershore Old Bridge is a historical site with a popular nearby picnic spot, making it great for a family outing. St Mary's Church, Elmley Castle, and Croome Court are also listed as family-friendly, offering historical and cultural exploration.
What natural features can I explore in the Birlingham area?
Birlingham is rich in natural beauty. The River Avon is a prominent feature, offering scenic views, especially from Eckington Bridge. You can also see Bredon Hill, a significant landmark with historical importance, and explore the designated footpath known as Withy Walk. The area is also known for its asparagus crops and nearby Tiddesley Wood.
What outdoor activities can I do near Birlingham's attractions?
The area around Birlingham offers various outdoor activities. You can find numerous hiking trails, including easy loops like the 'Eckington Bridge – River Avon loop from Birlingham' or the 'Parsons Folly on Bredon Hill loop from Great Comberton'. For more options, explore the easy hikes around Birlingham guide. Mountain biking and road cycling routes are also available, with guides for MTB Trails and Road Cycling Routes.
Are there easy walking routes suitable for beginners around Birlingham?
Yes, there are several easy walking routes. The 'Eckington Bridge – River Avon loop from Birlingham' is an easy 7.4 km walk, and the 'Parsons Folly on Bredon Hill loop from Great Comberton' is an easy 6.2 km option. You can find more beginner-friendly trails in the Easy hikes around Birlingham guide.
What is the best time to visit Birlingham for natural beauty?
February is particularly special for visiting Birlingham Church and Churchyard, as it becomes adorned with a vibrant display of crocuses and snowdrops. The area is also noted for its asparagus crops, which are harvested until June, offering a unique seasonal experience.
What is Croome Court and how far is it from Birlingham?
Croome Court is a significant National Trust property featuring a mid-18th-century Neo-Palladian mansion surrounded by extensive landscaped parkland designed by Capability Brown. It is located in Worcestershire, near Upton-upon-Severn, and is a short distance from Birlingham, making it an excellent day trip option.
What do visitors enjoy most about Birlingham's attractions?
Visitors frequently praise the scenic magnificence and great views from places like Parsons Folly on Bredon Hill, often recommending it for sunset. The historical significance of sites like Pershore Old Bridge and the character of churches like St Mary's Church, Elmley Castle, are also highly appreciated.
Are there any unique historical features to look out for in Birlingham?
Yes, Birlingham Church and Churchyard is notable for its vibrant display of crocuses and snowdrops in February. Additionally, the village has a Millennium seat and war memorial located in front of the church. Eckington Bridge is also a historic landmark with a rich past.
Can I find places to eat or drink near Birlingham's attractions?
While specific cafes and pubs within Birlingham are not detailed, the surrounding villages and towns like Pershore, which is close to Pershore Old Bridge, offer various options. Many walking routes in the area often pass through or near villages with local establishments.
Most popular attractions around Birlingham
Get inspired with the komoot mobile app
Explore more
Still not found the Highlight you’re looking for? See guides of the top attractions in other regions:
