A worm in every bud

14 May 2026, The Tablet

Though an unbeliever, he is saddened by the sight of a church turned into a pub, and by the general decline in faith.

It was a dark day for Worcester when Theodore Dalrymple’s wife was summoned there for jury service. To spare her a 30-mile commute, the couple decided to put up at a hotel and explore the city. This record of their five-day stay is a highly entertaining but dispiriting dia tribe, with Worcester cast as a wretched microcosm of Britain’s many failings.

Get Instant Access

Continue Reading

Register for free to read this article in full

Subscribe for unlimited access

From just £37.50 quarterly

  Print copy of The Tablet delivered directly to your door.
  Complete access to all Tablet website content including all premium content.
  Access to the weekly digital copy of The Tablet.
  Full access to The Tablet’s archive – over 180 years of back issues.

Already a subscriber? Login

Article end