IF you lived in the Barbourne area of Worcester in the very early years of the 20th century, catching Covid-19, had it existed, would probably have been the least of your health worries. Far greater would have been the threat coming from a large and ancient farmhouse which stood at the junction of Barbourne Lane and Waterworks Road. Barbourne Lodge, as it became known, had a somewhat chequered history, which eventually went up in smoke, literally, when in 1905 the city council decided the place was so dangerous, it was decided to burn it down. The problem was that the building, once also a distinguished school of dancing and music, had fallen into use as a “pest house” or fever hospital and was considered so infected no one would buy it and return it to domestic use.