THERE are a couple of significant anniversaries coming up this year, both of which concern Worcester-shire.

One of the most appealing aspects of Britain is the fact that it's impossible to travel more than a mile or two before coming into contact with echoes of the past.

Indeed, occasionally, it's possible to encompass the spread of history by just a turn of the head.

Here's an example. The next time you're on the Malvern Hills - preferably the Worcestershire Beacon - adjust your gaze to the north-east. If the day's clear, a long, low ridge will appear on the far horizon. This is the Edgehill escarpment, scene of the first major battle of the English Civil Wars.

Remember, Powick Bridge in 1642 was really just a skirmish.

Then, turn your head slightly to the right, and there, of course is Worcester, the site of that decisive encounter in 1651. Now, turn full circle, and there's British Camp, the location of the last great clash between the Celts and Roman legions.

Another turn will reveal the Black Mountains over in Wales, to where defeated British king Caractacus fled and found permanent refuge in 200AD.

There. You must try it sometime.

This year sees the 400th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot. And, as many of you will know, Worcestershire was very much caught up in the events of that fateful autumn of 1605.

There's Grafton Manor, home of Robert Wintour's wealthy father-in-law, John Talbot. Thomas Habington's house was at Hindlip and Harvington Hall were both important hiding places where Catholic priests could hide with impunity.

Worcestershire was inhabited by several great Catholic families. Few escaped persecution during the "Popish" scares of the late 16th and early 17th Centuries...

Moving forward 200 years after Guy Fawkes' doomed enterprise, and we arrive at 1805. This was the year of Trafalgar, and many of you might wonder how land-locked Worcester could have had any link with maritime victories.

But the Faithful City did indeed play a role. For had Nelson failed to break the power of the French fleet, an invasion of England would have followed.

In the event of Napoleon's soldiers occupying London, the plan was for the entire Royal Family, Government and gold reserves to have been moved en masse to Worcester. Our city would then have become the country's capital. Thankfully, the plan never needed to be put into operation.

And we haven't even mentioned King John's tomb... what a historical place Worcester is, indeed!

Sad destruction

THE page opposite often features archive pictures of bygone Worcester.

In recent times, it has displayed photographs of how The Shambles, Lich Street and Sidbury used to look before the developers and their bulldozers went to work.

I'm not a Worcestershire native, as regular readers of this column will know, but if I were, then my heart would bleed.

So much destruction for so little gain. So much beauty lost chasing "progress".

Many times I have pondered the fate of Worcester.

How did it happen, especially when the awful fate of Coventry, a mere 40 miles distant, was plain for all to see? They say you could see Godiva's town burning quite clearly from Worcester on that night of infamy, November 14, 1940.

Such a pity that the awful beacon of Coventry did not serve as a warning to those who would one day visit a far greater destruction on a city that, ironically, escaped the Second World War almost unscathed.

I imagine that in the far more deferential 1950s and 60s, Worcester people just rolled over, said tickle my tummy... and allowed the destruction to happen. Now that really is a lesson from history.