St. Richard de Wych (1197-1253)
The Raven Hotel in the centre of Droitwich Spa stands on the
site where Richard de Wych, the Bishop of Chichester and
Worcestershire's only native saint, was born in 1197. He was made
Bishop of Chichester in 1244, but this disputed election brought
opposition from the King, and Richard had to take his case to the
Pope before he could be consecrated. Described as a 'model bishop',
he returned to Droitwich in his final years and performed what
local people saw as a miracle. One of the town's brine springs had
run dry, but after being blessed by Richard it began to flow again,
thus restoring Droitwich to prosperity.
St Richard de Wych died in 1253 and was canonised nine years
later. His life, depicted in a magnificent mosaic interior made
from millions of Italian glass tiles, can be found in the Church of
the Sacred Heart on the Worcester Road.