Worcester

woos-ter, the capital of Worcestershire, England. It is situated on the Severn. It was an ancient British settlement and a Roman military station. The last two syllables, "cester," are from the Latin word castrum, meaning camp. The final battle of the English civil war was fought here in 1651. The Scotch adherents of the Stuarts were defeated decisively by the English Puritans under Cromwell. The city is noted in industrial history for manufactures of gloves, porcelain, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar. It is the center of a large trade in hops. The city is noted also for a thirteenth century cathedral with handsome windows and a square central tower. The interior is described as possessing a certain simplicity and majesty of its own. The city is less than half as large as its namesake, Worcester, Massachusetts.