CHURCHES in Wyre Forest and folklore of the district feature in two recently published books about Worcestershire.

Tim Bridges, who lives in Worcester, has written a new edition of Churches of Worcestershire which contains details of 270 buildings.

Wyre Forest churches featured in the book, include St Barnabas in Franche, St Anne's in Bewdley, St Michael and All Angels in Stourport, St Cassian's in Chaddesley Corbett, St Andrew's in Button Oak and St John The Baptist in Wolverley.

Each entry places the church in its setting, gives its building history and details the main decorations, monuments, glass and notable external features.

There is also a historical account of how Christianity spread across Worcestershire and the early development of churches as well as details of major events that affected church building in the county.

Mr Bridges lectures on church architecture and history and works as a collections manager for Worcester City Museums.

He also serves as a trustee for the Worcestershire and Dudley Historic Churches Trust.

The book, which has 288 pages and 200 black and white illustrations, is available, priced £14.95 from WHSmith in Kidderminster. For further details contact published Logaston Press on 01544 327344.

Churches also feature in The Folklore of Worcestershire which has been written by Roy Palmer and contains folklore of the county.

There are a number of chapters with themes including landscape, buildings, beliefs, work, seasons, people, sport, dance, drama and music.

References to the Wyre Forest include street ballads which were sung when carpet weavers in Kidderminster went on strike in 1828, memories of farming in Areley Kings, a mysterious tale relating to the building of Rock Church, near Bewdley and the busy ports along the River Severn.

The book has been out of print for several years and this volume contains more detail on the various customs of the county, on its music, drama and dance as well as cryptic and not so cryptic tales of live recorded on gravestones.

Mr Palmer has also published The Folklore of (old) Monmouthshire, The Folklore of Radnorshire and Herefordshire Folklore.

He has also published a number of anthologies of traditional songs as well as a study of songs of social comment called The Sound of History.

The book, which has 368 pages with more than 200 black and white illustrations, is priced £12.95 and is available WHSmith Books in Kidderminster. For further details contact publisher Logaston Press.