Historic Worcestershire Hotels: The Lygon Arms

Civil War Central.

Parish records for the small Cotswold town of Broadway suggest that the building we know today as The Lygon Arms stood here as early as 1532. But its origins may lie even further back in time.

Though it initially appears to have been constructed in one single process, the hotel is, in fact, the result of several developments. In his book England�s Thousand Best Houses, Simon Jenkins suggests that there �appear to be early medieval walls to the rear�, and that �fragments of a 14th-century house are visible inside.�

Whatever the architectural truth behind what was once known as The White Hart, it is its connection with the two main protagonists of the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell and King Charles I, for which it is most historically famous.

It was here that Cromwell spent the night of 2nd September 1651 before the Battle of Worcester in (his room is still available to guests) and the king had used it previously to meet and rally his royalist supporters - the room he used is know called the Charles I Sitting Room.

The current name of the hotel, however, is connected to one of the Duke of Wellington�s Generals, William Lygon, who acquired the house around 1820 - he had previously been victorious at the Battle of Waterloo.

Today, the Lygon Arms offers luxury accommodation and service which blends its historical charm with modern convenience as well as any other.

Avoid the new... The following may not necessarily be linked to famous figures or events, but all offer accommodation in historic surroundings. Click on the links for further tariff and availability information.

Broadway Classic Hotel. BROADWAY. Partly built of stone and partly timber-frame, the Broadway Classic Hotel was originally constructed in 1575 for the use of the Abbots of Pershore. Expedia.co.uk

Brockencote Hall Nr KIDDERMINSTER. An attractive country house in the rural village of Chaddesley Corbett. Expedia.co.uk | LateRooms

Cottage in the Wood Hotel, The. Nr MALVERN. Originally a Georgian Dower House, the Cottage in the Wood Hotel boasts one of the most fabulous locations anywhere in England. Expedia.co.uk

Dormy House Hotel. BROADWAY. Former farmhouse dating back to the 17th century, Dormy House is located just above the town and close to the golf course. Expedia.co.uk | LateRooms

Elms Hotel in Abberley, The. ABBERLEY. An attractive country mansion built by Sir Gilbert White (understudy to Sir Christopher Wren) in 1710. Expedia.co.uk | LateRooms