Just outside the old medieval town walls lies The Commandery: a late-fifteenth century H-shaped building which was once the Hospital of St Wulstan. The Commandery’s architecture is exceptional, a blend of timber framing and brick construction which reveals its unique historical story. Throughout the centuries people have put their stamp on the building and now its different elements reflect many styles and materials used in each era.
Sitting at The Commandery’s heart is the Great Hall, a curiosity in its own right. The hall was originally designed as a space for ceremonial activities and it would have been open to the public to display the status and wealth of the owner.
The timber-framed hall contains what was originally a hammer-beam ceiling. This type of ceiling is rarely found in timber-framed buildings in general but it is particularly unusual to discover one in Worcestershire. Buildings that contain these types of ceilings generally need masonry walls to carry the weight.
At the inside end of the curved braces jutting out from the walls were originally intricately-carved wooden angels. These were probably removed in the nineteenth century when the middle sections of wood were inserted to join the hammer-beams. These sections cover metal ties and there are another set of ties added at a later date, used to keep the walls from spreading under the huge weight of the roof. It is unknown what became of the wooden angels, one of many mysteries of this incredible building with such a long and fascinating history.