The street where a king faced his final battle

In this ancient Worcester thoroughfare, an monarch prepared for one of the most decisive conflicts in English history -- and his legacy lives on to this day

It may be 350 years since the future King Charles II of England holed up in Worcester for the defining battle of the Civil War, but his legacy remains in the vibrant, historic area of Sidbury, a short walk from the city centre.

The jewel in Sidbury's crown is the Commandery. This imposing black-and-white building was already steeped in the past when Charles turned up--it is thought to have been founded as a hospital almost 600 years earlier in 1085 by Saint Wulfstan.

But when Charles chose it as his base for the Battle of Worcester--which ended in victory for Parliament and forced him into a decade-long exile--it acquired even more layers of history.

In its current incarnation as a museum, it is one of the city's biggest tourist attractions, drawing tens of thousands of people a year eager to learn about the greatest upheaval in this country's history and sample the atmosphere of the building where a future king prepared for battle.

The names of the nearby King's Head pub and Charlies' caf bar--housed in a building that was already more than 200 years old in Charles' day--also hark back to Sidbury's Civil War heritage.

But they are examples of the modern Sidbury vibe, too.

The King's Head, with its mixed, relaxed crowd and popular canalside patio area, is a great place to spend a Saturday night, away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre proper, while at Charlies you can recover on Sunday morning with a full English breakfast or its vegetarian or even vegan equivalent.

You can also buy a wedding dress, get a trendy haircut, look for a house, buy beautiful blooms or just stop and watch the narrowboats negotiating the locks that carry the canal under Sidbury to the adjoining area of Diglis.

However, the years have not been as kind to Sidbury as they might. There's a certain shabbiness about the place and the street itself is now an ugly dual-carriageway that detracts from its half-timbered heritage.

But changes are afoot. The Commandery is due for a £1m refurbishment, regeneration is planned for the Royal Porcelain works over the road, and Michelin-starred chef Shaun Hill is planning a world-class restaurant in a three-storey former antiques shop.

There are also plans to capitalise on Worcester's history with a Civil War trail in which Sidbury will play a central role

City council leader Stephen Inman is optimistic about the future. He said: "I believe a significant period of transformation that's nothing short of a renaissance is upon us. The city centre, which is the focal point for our 95,000 citizens, as well as many more beyond, will be changed dramatically within the next decade."

Perhaps soon Sidbury will once again be fit for a king.

Sidbury's rooftops are dominated by the tower of the Cathedral.

The former antiques shop that is due to become Shaun Hill's new restaurant.

A plaque on the canal bridge commemorates the Battle of Worcester.

The canal has been a feature of the area since it was finished in 1815.

A NEW DAWN FOR DIGLIS DOCKS

Just down the canal from Sidbury is Diglis. Mere meadowland beside the Severn until the Worcester and Birmingham Canal was finished in 1815, the area became the industrial powerhouse of Worcester, famous for its Victorian dock, warehouses and basin, but fell into decline. However, now it is entering a new golden age.

The cranes have moved in as developer Taylor Woodrow builds a huge development of 421 houses, shops, cafs and offices, a community centre and gym which, with the improvement of mooring facilities, will create a vibrant new canalside neighbourhood.