Upper Arley
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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. It has a station called Arley on the Severn Valley Railway, one of Britain's preserved steam railways the station has been used in many films and television programmes (including the BBC's Oh, Doctor Beeching!); and has one pub; 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 in-jokes to this legacy on the estate - a large redwood tree of the Wellingtonia variety stands very 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 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 House. The Village is very picturesque and many visitors come in by train since parking is difficult and road access is limited.
| Settlements on the River Severn between Ironbridge and Bewdley (heading downstream) | edit | |
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Ironbridge | Jackfield | Coalport | Bridgnorth | Quatford | Quatt | Hampton & Hampton Loade (chain ferry) | Highley | Alveley | Upper Arley | Bewdley |
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