The town also serves as the hub of the Western Cape's interior commercial, distribution and retail activity with a shopping mall, well developed central business district and infrastructure.

Worcester is located at an elevation of 220 metres (720 ft) and can be reached by road either travelling on the N1 highway through the Huguenot Tunnel or by driving through spectacular mountain passes.

With the Cape Colony interior expanding with the settlement of an increasing number of European settlers, Lord Charles Somerset instructed Magistrate Fischer of Tulbagh, to find a location to establish a new deputy magisterial seat during 1818.

On 9 January 1819 the Colonial surveyors, Tulleken and Hertzog mapped the two farms and on 4 November, the first official advertisement for the sale of plots was issued.

The decline in the demand for raisins after the Second World War persuaded most of the farmers to convert to wine-grape growing: and in response to this change an extensive network of co-operative wineries sprang up.

A dubious character in some ways, Trappes, however, was far in advance of his time when he laid out the wide streets and town blocks with vision and a high regard for squares.

The boundaries were northwest – Kleinberg, northeast – Bloutoring, southeast – Mowers Heights, southwest – Roodehoogte and west – Du Toitskloof Mountains.

When Black Africans returned to Worcester at the end of the First World War, they were mainly employed as cheap labour for new construction programs springing up around town.

The Zweletemba township, to the southeast of the town, was awarded 524 sub-economic, 300 economic dwellings and two hostel schemes of 1274 units for single persons.

Worcester experiences more extremes of temperature than neighbouring Cape Town, as oceanic influences are blocked by the Du Toitskloof and Slanghoek mountain ranges to the west.

In the Breede River, Botha, Slanghoek and Goudini wards the soils are sandy loams with a varying loose stone content and a fairly high, free water table.

Along the river banks in the Nuy, Doornrivier, Aan De Doorns and Overhex wards, fertile alluvial and calcareous clayish soils can be found.

With a solid foundation for economic development laid by 1845 and the road across the Bainskloof pass completed in 1852, bringing quicker access to Cape Town, it was time for Worcester to move forward.

During 1875 the farm De Doorns in the Hex River Valley was bought by the Cape Colonial Government to build a railway station.

The Rhenish Mission complex situated on the corner of High- and Adderley streets forms an integral part of the rich Worcester cultural and architectural heritage.

The coloured community-owned farms, Hendrik Gertse at Hex River, Andreas Jasons at Brandwacht, Jeftha Fransman at Goudini while the Afrika, Hartzenberg, Everts, Solomons, Romans and Titus families were employed as labourers.

During the 1870s a second wave of German artisans helped with the construction of the railway line and in return received Crown property at Goudini Road in 1880.

A faithful soldier to the Army for many decades, he was a familiar figure in Worcester, attending the Saturday night Open-Air meetings with his violin, which he also took to the goal every Sunday morning for service.

After the Saturday night meetings he was welcomed into the public bars, whose customers put money liberally into the box he carried for the Army.

School was attended six days a week and subjects included Dictatation, Reading, Grammar, Writing, Arithmetic and Translating from Dutch into English.

The Ladies Seminary was founded by the Dutch Reformed Church in January 1876 after a period of 3 years when no education was offered to girls in Worcester.

By the end of the first World War the Venerable Söhnge came to Worcester with instructions from the Society to develop a Teachers Training College for Coloured people.

By 1894 the town was experiencing solid population growth and the then Cape Colony Premier, Cecil John Rhodes realised that to gain influence with the public he needed the local newspaper to support his policies.

From 1916 to 1925 Richard Robins (Dick) Luyt played for the Worcester Club as well as representing Western Province in the Currie Cup Competition.

In 1882 a Worcester Rugby team played in the first recorded match against De Doorns, "A special train was engaged and a tremendous crowd of enthusiasts proceeded to the Valley for a whole day's picnicking and some football."

The Church Council complained about this "tendency of the age," matches played on Saturday afternoon interfered with the Preparation Service for Sunday Sermon.

The Rugby Club was founded by Jimmy de Jongh, a local lawyer and started competition in the Western Province Country League in 1884.

[9] Municipality (1) — By 1931, the town council had assumed a coat of arms consisting of a blue shield depicting a golden portcullis on a silver and red torse.

[12] The arms were: Quarterly, Sable and Gules, a portcullis Or, nailed Azure; on a chief wavy Argent, three hurts, on each a fleur-de-lis, Or (in layman's terms: a shield quartered in black and red, displaying a golden portcullis with blue nails, above this is a horizontal silver strip with a wavy edge, displaying three golden fleurs de lis on blue discs).

[12] The arms were: Vert, a bend dancetty Argent in the shape of a letter W between two bezants (i.e. a green shield displaying a silver W-shaped stripe between two golden discs).