Bewdley - Beales Corner

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Many thanks to the folks at The Courtyard Restaurant for facilitating this camera's location at Beales Corner and to Worcestershire County Council  for capitally funding its installation.  Please click here for flooding information regarding this location. Beales Corner, located along the B4190, is prone to flooding when the River Severn experiences high water levels. Historically, the River Severn has frequently flooded during the winter season, causing significant damage to numerous residential and commercial properties in Bewdley. Notable floods in living memory occurred in 1947, 1968, and 2000, with 140 properties being affected. Following the 2000 floods, plans were developed for flood defenses on the western bank, which were completed in April 2006 at a cost of £7 million. Temporary barriers are also erected to safeguard properties on the eastern side of the river in Wribbenhall. Bewdley's extensive experience in dealing with flooding led to the hosting of the National Flood Forum in the town in 2002.The Bewdley Bridge, constructed in 1798 by Thomas Telford, replaced the medieval bridge of 1483 that was swept away during the floods of 1795. Furthermore, a modern road bridge was opened southeast of the town at Blackstone in 1987, following years of advocacy. This bridge serves as the Bewdley bypass, spanning the river.The Tenbury and Bewdley Railway branched off from the Severn Valley Railway at Bewdley, traversing the Wyre Forest to reach Tenbury Wells. It crossed the river at Dowles, slightly north of Bewdley. Although the bridge was dismantled in 1965, the impressive brick and stone pillars of the original structure remain. The bridge was initially opened a century earlier, in August 1865.Archaeological excavations in Wribbenhall have revealed evidence of Mesolithic-period settlers, including 1,400 fragments of flint tools, post holes, a hearth, gullies, and a pit. This settlement, dating back to approximately 6,800 BC, is the oldest identified settlement in Worcestershire. Pollen analysis indicates that crops were already being cultivated and woodlands cleared during this time. Wribbenhall, situated on the eastern side of the Severn and now part of Bewdley, was recorded in the Domesday Book as part of the manor of Kidderminster. By the 14th century, the town had acquired the name "Beau lieu," meaning "Beautiful place" in French. Two centuries later, John Leland described it in his Itinerary as a town that one could not wish to see better. King Edward IV granted Bewdley borough status, along with a weekly market, in 1472. It retained this status until the local government reorganization in 1974. In 1777, a parliamentary report listed Bewdley as having a parish workhouse capable of accommodating up to 80 residents. During World War II, Ribbesford House in Bewdley served as the headquarters for Free French officer cadets. These cadets, numbering 200 teenagers, underwent military training at Ribbesford House before joining other allied forces in the D-Day invasion.