麻豆社

This walk has a magnificent civic building at its beginning and near its end, going from the stark beauty of the Shire Hall, to the ornate splendour of the Guild Hall.

Set back from Foregate Street, the Shire Hall was built in 1834-5, and, like so many civic buildings of the time, has the look of a Greek temple about it.

The design, by Charles Day and Henry Rave, has a frontage of six pillars, behind which is a huge door, which makes a fittingly imposing entrance to Worcester's Crown and County Courts, which are held in the building.

According to Pigots Directory of 1842 it cost 拢33,000 to build - that's more than 拢3m in today's money.

The building had a much needed face-lift in the 1990s, removing much of the accumulated traffic grime of the past century.

In the centre of the car park is an imposing statue of Queen Victoria, set on a plinth that allows passers-by to appreciate her celebrated 'We are not amused" expression.

The statue was added in 1887, and is the work of the Worcester-born sculptor Sir Thomas Brock.

He is the man responsible for two of London's best known landmarks: he was asked to finish the Albert memorial, and he designed the huge Imperial Memorial to Queen Victoria in front of Buckingham Palace.