Description

Elgar’s Enigma is Zubieta’s tribute to Edward Elgar, the composer of world-famous classical music, who was born six miles north of Worcester on June 2nd, 1857.

His most famous piece is Pomp and Circumstance, but he has another piece that has dazzled and mystified generations to come. In his composition ‘Enigma’ he innovated, creating one passage about each one of his friends, an authentic musical riddle.

Did you know that Edward Elgar’s father, William, had a music shop in Worcester and was a piano tuner?

Audio read by: Andrew Marston BBC Hereford and Worcester

Brought to you by

Artist

Zubieta

Zubieta is multidisciplinar artist, illustrator, merchandise creator, muralist and graphic designer.

Inspired by cartoons, sci-fi, pop-surreal art and folklore, she enjoys helping brands and individuals to communicate concepts and emotions through illustration and to find their visual voice with a touch of humour and surrealism.

More

Sponsors

More

Location

14. The Cornmarket

Old St Martin’s in the Cornmarket seems unique in its architectural style amongst Worcester’s other 18th century churches. Constructed largely in purple brick with Flemish bonding it almost escapes attention as a Georgian building, set against the creamy-white facades of the other churches dating from this period.
Yet it shares the common bond that most city-centre churches retain in Worcester: It occupies the site of a church that dates back much further.

More about this location

14. The Cornmarket

So much of Worcester was refaced during the 18th century economic revival that it can be hard to remember that we live in a predominantly medieval city. Some areas like Friar Street have ironically preserved their medieval appearance due to neglect or lack of development in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The Church and parish of St Martin’s played a significant role in the ecclesiastic business of the city. The official Church website records that the building that the present construction replaced was largely 14th century but entertains the idea that an earlier 11th century church may have existed before this.

The crumbling gothic architecture of the medieval church was replaced in the 1770s by Gloucestershire architect Anthony Keck. Keck also designed Worcester Royal Infirmary opposite Pitchcroft..

Two centuries before Keck, a young William Shakespeare obtained a marriage license from the Bishop of Worcester. In 1582 Stratford fell within the diocese of the Bishop of Worcester. There seems a lot of mystery surrounding the actual event, but there is a possibility that Shakespeare was married at St Martin’s.

Enticement for this theory comes from the fact that the parish register for St Martin’s has the page that would have recorded the marriage of Shakespeare that day torn away from its bindings.

It’s so easy to miss this church today and a shame too, especially given its unique architectural flare and the mystery surrounding its heritage with an international literary figure like Shakespeare.

This location fact has been provided by Joe Tierney of Faithful History. To learn more stories of the ancient city of Worcester, spanning thousands of years of history in ‘The Faithful City’, visit https://www.facebook.com/faithfulhistoryworcester

Take home your own feathered friend

In October 2024 all 40 large penguins and one chick will be auctioned to raise funds for the care provided by St Richard’s Hospice.

In 2021, 31 stunning elephant sculptures raised a mammoth £368,800 to support the care provided by St Richard’s Hospice across Worcestershire.

Find out more
About Sponsors Donate Contact