Discover Ubley

Ubley brings together the history of a village cross, the multi-period architecture of St Bartholomew’s Church and specific route references. Two walking routes pass along Ubley Drove or reach a T-junction with this road. Another landscape connection is the Ubley Warren nature reserve, with its history of lead mining. This lets you choose between local history, architecture and walking without combining the different route descriptions into a single route.

Church, Cross and Monument

Ubley’s village cross was erected in 1902 on the site of an earlier cross. Part of this older cross is incorporated into the masonry of the north porch of St Bartholomew’s Church. The village cross and the fragment are therefore connected by a specific historical relationship. The church itself is a 13th-century parish church. Its architecture includes aisles and a 15th-century tower arch; the porch was remodelled and restored in the 19th century. Aisles are positioned to the sides of the nave. The sequence of dates helps place the different building elements and works in context, rather than viewing the church as a single work from just one building phase.

Another heritage reference is Ubley Manor House (remains of). It is listed as a Scheduled Monument on the National Heritage List for England. The suffix “(remains of)” denotes surviving remains and distinguishes this entry from the parish church and the village cross. Together, the three local references show different aspects of the history associated with Ubley: a cross with an earlier predecessor, a church with several building phases, and a monument listed as a Scheduled Monument.

Walking Routes and Landscape

The routes can be distinguished by following their respective sequences. After passing Ubley Hill Farmhouse, the Compton Martin & Yeo Valley circular walk follows Ubley Drove. The Limestone Link passes Ubley Hill Farmhouse and then reaches a T-junction with Ubley Drove. The farmhouse and Drove feature in both route descriptions; the T-junction is the next landmark on the Limestone Link. If you follow one of the routes, keep its name and the associated sequence in mind rather than mixing the two descriptions together.

Another route reference leads from Charterhouse through the Ubley Warren nature reserve. The area is a remnant of Celtic, Roman and Victorian lead-mining activity. These historical periods give the landscape a distinct context, separate from the church’s building phases. If you are interested in the use of the landscape as well as architecture, Ubley Warren offers a separate point of interest.

Getting There and Planning Your Visit

For road directions, the A368 runs from Marksbury to Ubley within Bath and North East Somerset, connecting travellers from the east with the A38. This connection is distinct from the walking routes: the A368 describes road access, while Ubley Drove is part of the Compton Martin & Yeo Valley and Limestone Link route references. If your trip includes both, plan the road journey and your chosen walking route as separate legs.

St Bartholomew’s Church welcomes visitors. If you are planning a visit, check access for your chosen time in advance.

Discover more destinations: Farrington Gurney, Midsomer Norton, Batheaston, Bishop Sutton, Farmborough, Radstock, Pensford, Bathampton

For the wider travel overview: Bath And North East Somerset.