Mary Arden-Davis from the Hartlebury Preservation Trust held our attention from the beginning, on her talk on the Bishops of Worcester.

She gave an introduction in which she said that Hartlebury Castle had over one thousand years of history, starting from when the site was given in 850AD by the King of Mercia, chosen because of its strategic position.

When the diocese decided that bishops should live in Worcester, the castle was put up for sale.

Given a large amount of money from The Heritage Lottery Fund, the trust has finally been able to buy the site, for future generations to enjoy.

Ms Arden-Davis gave us a brief resume of many of the bishops, through various lovely anecdotes, illustrated by portraits of these illustrious men.

For example, in 1675 James Fleetwood refurbished and rebuilt the castle from its medieval origins.

Another bishop, James Johnson, put in the pointed windows at a time when bishops had tremendous power.

Mary described the various rooms, including the salon which is considered to be the most beautiful, but the Hurd Library is the jewel in the crown, with its priceless collection of books from the libraries of Alexander Pope, Ralph Allen and William Warburton.

Many monarchs visited Hartlebury, including George III, Queen Charlotte; Mary Tudor visited it as did Queen Elizabeth – who came with 100 attendants and her visit cost the bishop a small fortune!

The bishops always had connections with royalty – in fact, Bishop George Morley negotiated the return of King Charles II from exile.

The castle, like so many ancient buildings, has seen many changes over time.

The chapel has just been restored, while some years ago the end of the castle became a fascinating museum.

Now the castle’s future has been secured, people can come and enjoy its unique place in Worcestershire’s history.

The society’s next meeting is at Feckenham Village Hall, on April 14, 7.30pm. The AGM is followed by a talk on Shropshire churches by Tim Bridges.