Bewdley is a small riverside town and also civil parish in the Wyre Forest District of Worcestershire on the Shropshire boundary in England, along the Severn Valley 3 miles (4.8 kilometres) west of Kidderminster and 22 miles (35 kilometres) southwest of Birmingham. [1] It pushes the River Severn, at the gateway of the Wyre Forest national nature reserve, and at the time of the 2011 census had a population of 9,470. Bewdley is a popular visitor destination and is understood for the Bewdley Bridge designed by Thomas Telford. The main part of Bewdley town is situated on the western bank of the River Severn, including the primary road-- Load Street-- whose name stems from lode, an old word for ferry. Load Street is remarkable for its size: this is since it once additionally served as the town's market place. A lot of Bewdley's stores and features are positioned along Load Street, on top of which exists St Anne's Church, developed in between 1745 and also 1748 by Doctor Thomas Woodward of Chipping Campden. Past the church, High Street leads off to the south towards Stourport along the B4194, a roadway understood locally as "the switchback" because of its several wavinesses. Unlike in several English communities, High Street is so called not because of its relevance, however because of its geographical placement 'high' above the river. On the other side of the church, Welch Gate (so called because it once consisted of a tollgate when traveling towards Wales) climbs up outstanding as much as the west, while Dowles Road, a continuation of the B4194 leads northwest to Dowles and also towards the Wyre Forest. To the northeast of the town is the woody hilltop of Wassel Wood in Trimpley, the southern terminus of Shatterford Hill. In the location between Stourport as well as Bewdley there are numerous large country houses, amongst which Witley Court, Astley Hall and Pool House are particularly significant.