Castlemorton
Encyclopedia
Castlemorton is a village and civil parish
close to Malvern
in the Malvern Hills District
in the county of Worcestershire
, England
.
It consists of a village centre, a large common and many farms and houses within the area. To the south of the village are the earthwork remains of a medieval motte-and-bailey
castle.
Castlemorton Common was once part of the vast Royal hunting grounds of the Malvern Chase
. James I
split up much of this hunting ground (examples are Eastnor Castle Estate, Bromsberrow Estate) and Castlemorton Common is the largest remaining chunk of untouched public land. Much of Castlemorton is today within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and protected as a Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to some very rare fauna and flora living within its boundaries. It is often considered as the most desirable place to live in Worcestershire for equestrians and walkers, due to the direct access onto the Malvern Hills and its un-spoilt beauty.
The Common was the location of the controversial Castlemorton Common Festival
, a week-long free festival and rave
held in 1992, that eventually caused new legislation to be introduced to control specific genres of popular music (raves
) in public and the use of public spaces. The event made national headlines.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
close to Malvern
Malvern, Worcestershire
Malvern is a town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, governed by Malvern Town Council. As of the 2001 census it has a population of 28,749, and includes the historical settlement and commercial centre of Great Malvern on the steep eastern flank of the Malvern Hills, and the former...
in the Malvern Hills District
Malvern Hills (district)
Malvern Hills is a local government district in Worcestershire, England. Its council is based in the town of Malvern, and its area covers most of the western half of the county that borders Herefordshire. It was originally formed in 1974 and was subject to a significant boundary reform in 1998...
in the county of Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
It consists of a village centre, a large common and many farms and houses within the area. To the south of the village are the earthwork remains of a medieval motte-and-bailey
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
castle.
Castlemorton Common was once part of the vast Royal hunting grounds of the Malvern Chase
Malvern Chase
Malvern Chase occupied the land between the Malvern Hills and the River Severn in Worcestershire and extended to Herefordshire from the River Teme to Cors Forest....
. James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
split up much of this hunting ground (examples are Eastnor Castle Estate, Bromsberrow Estate) and Castlemorton Common is the largest remaining chunk of untouched public land. Much of Castlemorton is today within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and protected as a Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to some very rare fauna and flora living within its boundaries. It is often considered as the most desirable place to live in Worcestershire for equestrians and walkers, due to the direct access onto the Malvern Hills and its un-spoilt beauty.
The Common was the location of the controversial Castlemorton Common Festival
Castlemorton Common Festival
The Castlemorton Common Festival was a week-long free festival and rave held in the Malvern Hills near Malvern, Worcestershire, England in 1992....
, a week-long free festival and rave
Rave
Rave, rave dance, and rave party are parties that originated mostly from acid house parties, which featured fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties people dance and socialize to dance music played by disc jockeys and occasionally live performers...
held in 1992, that eventually caused new legislation to be introduced to control specific genres of popular music (raves
Raves
Raves can refer to:* Rave party* Raves, Vosges, a commune in the Vosges département in France* Raves , a 1980s power pop group from Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
) in public and the use of public spaces. The event made national headlines.