The old church of St . Nicholas was erected in the 12th century and part of the crypt and basement walls appear to date from that period. There exists a record of a female anchorite who attached herself to the east end in the 13th century. There were others in Worcester, one at Diglis, and another in the churchyard of St. John in Bedwardine. They usually had themselves walled up into their cells and relied on charitable persons to supply their needs.
