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Hartlebury is the most northerly parish in the district of Wychavon in the county of Worcestershire. It borders Kidderminster and Stourport in the Wyre Forest as well as the parishes of Elmley Lovett and Ombersley to the south.
Hartlebury Common, 216 acres of heathland with a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), provides a barrier to developing Stourport. There are 15 hamlets in Hartlebury, which has an electorate of more than 2000 and is served by a parish council with 13 elected members. The village is mainly a rural residential area which is growing constantly. In recent years, the Regentsgate, Waresley Park and Bowbrook Grange estates have brought in newcomers, mainly from the conurbation.
The centre of the village has been designated a conservation area. Hartlebury Castle, formerly home to the Bishop of Worcester for more than 1000 years, is the jewel in the crown. Worcestershire County Museum occupies the north wing. See http://www.hartleburycastletrust.org/ for more information.
The parish has good transport links, with a regular ‘bus service between Kidderminster and Worcester. The railway station is on the main Hereford to Birmingham line and efforts are being made to ensure that more trains call at Hartlebury. The A449 Kidderminster to Worcester road has easy access to the M5 motorway. A bypass constructed in the 1970s takes most of the major traffic out of the village centre.
Village life thrives within Hartlebury with a post office, 4 public houses, 2 churches, 1 general store, a hairdresser, an independent school and a primary school that caters for 4 -11 year olds. The village hall, purchased by the parish council, is used regularly, as is the Royal British Legion club.
3 Major industrial estates provide employment. Hartlebury Trading Estate is on the site of the former RAF No. 25 Maintenance Unit, which was created in 1938 and closed in 1977. This estate, which is a major employer, is served by purpose-built access via Crown Lane off the A449. A rocket research station at Summerfield was created by ICI, later taken over by the MoD and subsequently, Roxel. A third site is at Chadwick Bank, a former petrol depot and the village also provides employment through Baggeridge Brick, an enterprising company founded in 1885.
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