Malvern Wells

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Malvern Wells is a fairly modern village formed from parts of the parishes of Great Malvern, Hanley Castle, and Welland, in Worcestershire, England. The civil parish of Malvern Wells was formed in 1894 and was once known as South Malvern. It lies on the eastern slopes of the Malvern Hills south of Great Malvern and takes its name from the spring water issuing from the hills, principally from the Holy Well and the Eye Well. Its northern end also includes The Wyche, the historic crossing from the Herefordshire side of the Malvern Hills to the Worcestershire side. The actual cutting is at a height of 856 feet.

All Saints, the Parish church, was built by a local builder, William Porter, to a design by Troyte Griffith - a friend of Edward Elgar who is depicted in the "Enigma Variations". The church was consecrated on 19th November 1903. There is evidence to suggest that Elgar composed part of the "Enigma Variations" in the church, but his offer of the original manuscript of his oratorio "The Apostles", as a gift to the church, was refused by the Anglican authorities because Elgar was a Roman Catholic and the oratorio was heavily based in that tradition. Next to the church is the Wyche School; "Land of Hope and Glory", set to Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1, was first performed here in the presence of Elgar. In later life Elgar came to dislike the nationalistic overtones which became associated with the setting. 