Bull Baiting was from medieval times to the 19th century, an English pastime. John Noake quotes authority for statements that at Worcester, it was a recognized duty of the Mayor to secure a sufficiency of bulls, and that butchers to kill un-baited ones was a punishable offence. When public opinion became outraged at this barbaric sport, the butchers still believed the practice to be beneficial to the sale of their meat rendering the carcass tender. Despite the outcry from humanitarians, bull baiting continued on Pitchcroft regularly in the 1840s, and it was not until a campaign was started in the City to publish in the press the names of the butchers organizing the baiting, did it cease.
The Bull Ring at St. John's was set aside for bull-baiting. It was a natural piazza and more level than now, for when the New Road was constructed, part of the old roadway was raised to reduce the incline. On the south side of the Bull Ring the steps to the houses show this. When changing the levels, the base of the post used for bull-baiting was discovered. At the junction of the three roads, there was for many years in front of St. John's Church a public weighing machine.
