Our History

The Abbey Hotel and its landscaped gardens stand on the site of ancient monastic buildings. Today the Priory Church and Gateway (now the Malvern Museum) are all that remain of Malvern’s Benedictine monastery.After the monastic community was disbanded during Henry VIII’s reign, the Priory Church and Priory House were bought for £20 by villagers. The rest was acquired by Sir John Knotsford in 1545. Around 1600 the Priory’s residence was replaced by a large three-storey stone house named Abbey House. By the mid 1700s it had become a lodging house. In 1757 full board cost 15 shillings per week.

When the Water Cure was brought to Malvern by Dr. Wilson in 1842, the number of visitors put pressure on the hotels and lodging houses. In 1848, after failing to sell the old Abbey House to the Parish for £3,000, William Archer had it demolished and built in its place the present Abbey Hotel.

During World War II, The Abbey was first commandeered by the Ministry of Information, who held secret meetings in what is now the Shaw Suite. The building then acted as the headquarters of Belgian refugees before being taken over by the RAF. The Abbey was later extended to accommodate more guests and provide extra conference and banqueting facilities, including the 300-capacity Elgar Suite.

The rich history of The Abbey Hotel, its impressive architecture, and stunning position in the spa town of Great Malvern combine to make your stay especially memorable. You can learn more about the history of the town and surrounding area by following one of our recommended guided or self-guided walks around Malvern.

The Priory Church

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