More information about Dodderhill in the 20th Century
The M5 motorway was constructed in 1962 as a two lane motorway and widened to a three lane motorway in 1985. The motorway divided the parish and truncated roads and footpaths along its route. The area close to junction 5 where the M5 crosses the A38 developed with an increasing number of hotels, motels, restaurants and lorry service areas. However the motorway reduced the amount of traffic, especially heavy goods traffic on the A38 and although still heavy, it is nothing compared to what happens when there are delays on the motorway and traffic congestion backs up through the village of Wychbold.
Although the motorway has given easy access to major conurbations there was limited housing development in the parish. At the end of the century new housing developments were built off Church Lane and also on the land beside the motorway junction. It was on this second site that a major archaeological excavation revealed an Iron Age and a later Roman settlement. Closer to Droitwich and near to the Chateau Impney traffic lights another archaeological excavation prior to housing development revealed an early Roman fort. In the village of Wychbold during the 1950s housing development took place east of the main A38, and that development of flats is now being considered for redevelopment. We do not have records of any archaeological finds in that area.
Towards Droitwich other sites were subject to archaeological investigation including the Roman fort at St Augustine Church, Dodderhill; the Bays Meadow Roman villa; and the well preserved mediaeval Upwich pit in Vines Park. The Dodderhill Parish Survey Project undertook archaeological investigation (fieldwalking, resistivity) in other areas of the parish during the1990s.
When gravel was extracted for the motorway construction Mesolithic (40,000 years BC) bones of a woolly mammoth, reindeer and bison were discovered. The deep gravel pits are now the Upton Warren nature reserve and sailing lakes and part of the parish of Dodderhill.
The BBC transmitter masts are clearly visible from much of Dodderhill and these were built in 1933 to transmit long wave radio across the country. During the Second World War they were used to transmit signals across Europe. No longer owned but still used by the BBC, the masts also broadcast commercial radio signals.
The Croft in Astwood Lane was used as a billet for the Home Guard during the Second World War. On 12th March 1941 a German bomber landed in a field, just beyond the garden. It narrowly missed the house. The pilot, Gunther Unger returned to the site in 1980. He had bailed out of the plane over Merseyside when it had been hit by British anti-aircraft fire.
Prisoners of War and Land Army Girls helped farm the land during the Second World War. After the war the number of people working on the land decreased. Now many of the barns and farm outbuildings have been converted into homes.
Some of the large houses in the parish have seen changes of use. The house at Impney built by John Corbett has become the Chateau Impney Hotel and Conference Centre; Rashwood Court has become a nursing home and the vicarage in Crutch Lane has become the Priory Care Home. Hill Court once also used as a vicarage has become Dodderhill School. The farmhouse at Ford, has become the clubhouse for the local Golf Course. The first Wychbold Hall was demolished as the underground brine stream had caused the foundations to “break in half”. The second Wychbold Hall was demolished in 1995, the parkland becoming the new housing estate beside Junction 5.
The school at Rashwood which served the community for many years was demolished in 1986. A new first school was built closer to the village community and opened in 1972.
In 1935 Webbs opened seed trial grounds close to the railway where passengers could see fields of colourful flowers and be tempted to purchase seeds for the following year. These seed trial grounds are no longer in existence, but the name Webbs of Wychbold is now famous as an award winning garden centre attracting many visitors each year.
Small light industry came to Wychbold. Some buildings were converted including the main BBC building and the original village hall in Crown Lane was demolished again for light industrial use. Elsewhere small business units have been established in new buildings or in converted houses. The blacksmith’s was converted and is now part of the garage.
The village still retains one shop, but years ago boasted a village shop near to the Crown, a post office and even a telephone exchange in the days when calls were manually connected. The old telephone exchange is now a private residence known as Wychbold Grange.
The history of Wychbold between 1939 and 1965 is admirably told by Robin Skerratt in his book “Memories of Wychbold before the Motorway”.
Robin once lived in the Police House which was demolished at the end of the 20th century to make way for a large restaurant beside the motorway. Much has changed since the local policeman lived in the village.
Wychbold has changed, but still retains many features of its historical past.