The coaching route over Fish Hill opened in the 1500s, connecting Worcester to Oxford and London via the A44. The steep climb up the escarpment was so demanding that Broadway, at the foot of the hill, became a thriving stagecoach stop. Horses were rested and changed, passengers refreshed, and grooms prepared fresh teams for the ascent. At the height of the coaching era, Broadway had 33 public houses — compared to a handful today. The Lygon Arms, still standing on the village green, hosted both King Charles I and Oliver Cromwell at different times during the Civil War. The name 'Fish Hill' is something of a mystery — there is no water, let alone fish, anywhere near the summit. Some historians believe it derives from an old English word for a ridge or escarpment edge. The hill was also the site of a quarry, though you would struggle to guess it today — nature has long since reclaimed the workings. The picnic area near the summit, managed by Worcestershire County Council, sits in the old quarry and is surrounded by wildflowers and mature beech trees.
“The Lygon Arms, still standing on the village green, hosted both King Charles I and Oliver Cromwell at different times during the Civil War.”
