Film celebrates how salt made spa town 'wonky'
Film celebrates how salt made spa town 'wonky'
Oprah Flash - West MidlandsSun, August 23, 2026 at 6:20 AM UTC
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Some buildings in Droitwich Spa are known for their slight lean, earning them the name Wonky High Street
A film will celebrate and explore how a popular condiment made a market town's high street "wonky".
Droitwich Spa became a hub for salt extraction during the Industrial Revolution.
But the effects of too much brine being pumped to the surface of the town caused the ground to sink and buildings to lean - prompting the Wonky High Street nickname, Wychavon District Council said.
The animation, part of a project started by Droitwich Spa Place Board, will be shown at Tower Hill Brine Pump, which has been pumping brine since 1921 and is the town's last working well.
The town was once famous for its salt production
"Droitwich Spa's salt story is really special, and we're passionate about helping people discover and enjoy it," said Rebecca Butler, manager of Droitwich Spa Heritage Centre.
"The new animation brings the story of Tower Hill to life in a way that is easy to understand, engaging and enjoyable for visitors of all ages."
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Water packed full of natural salt underground helped turn the Worcestershire town into a hub for extracting the mineral for food preservation, and making soap and chemicals.
Upwich Brine Well - now Vines Park - was the primary site for extracting brine using manpower and wooden buckets, dating back to the 13th Century.
However, Droitwich became a booming salt town in later years.
The history project includes new boards in the brine pit at Vines Park and planned boards at Gurney's Lane.
The heritage centre has also expanded its guided town walk to offer a tour inside Tower Hill, giving people the chance to learn more about the salt extraction process and how it continues to fuel Droitwich Lido today.
Councillor Richard Morris said: "The improvements delivered over recent years, culminating in this new heritage animation, have transformed how people can experience and understand our unique salt heritage."
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Wychavon District Council
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
