Kidderminster's history likely predates the Norman Conquest, with a name suggesting religious origins. By the time of the Domesday Book, it was a small market town with surrounding settlements. Throughout the medieval period, Kidderminster grew as a hub for both market trade and cloth weaving, the precursor to its later dominance in carpet manufacturer.
Its location in the lower Stour Valley provided the necessary resources for industrial expansion. The river was adapted – likely starting in the medieval period – with channels and diversions to power mills, forming the basis of its industrial infrastructure. Kidderminster's growing importance was formally recognized in 1636 when King Charles I granted it a Royal Charter, giving the town a degree of self-rule.
