Edington: Church, Priory Remains and Music Festival

Edington lies on the northern escarpment of Salisbury Plain. The village offers several distinct reasons to visit: medieval buildings, an annual festival week and a walking route with a stated distance and duration. If you are looking for a hotel in Edington, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip. The historical landmarks offer a different perspective on the village from the August festival or Walk 8 – Edington; each gives you a distinct starting point for planning.

Church and monastic heritage

The Church of St Mary, St Katherine and All Saints was built between 1352 and 1361 for William of Edington, Bishop of Winchester. Inside are two effigies of 14th-century knights. Both come from the Church of St Giles in Imber and connect the church in Edington with a specific detail about their origin.

The remains of Edington Priory can also be understood through specific architectural features. These include a 40-metre-long wall of dressed limestone masonry, preserving the remains of a monastic building. Walls also enclose two large rectangular gardens. The Priory remains therefore draw attention both to the construction and length of a wall and to the shape of the enclosed garden plots.

A conduit at the spring line

Monk's Conduit adds a water-related aspect to Edington's architectural history. The conduit house dates from the 15th century and stands in a small valley on a spring line in the centre of Edington. It has served as an outlet for a spring for more than 500 years. Its form, location and function distinguish Monk's Conduit from the church and Priory remains: here, the spring line and its role as a spring outlet are central to describing the site.

Festival week in August

The Festival of Music within the Liturgy has been held every August since 1956 and lasts for one week. At the Edington Music Festival, three choirs sing four services each day; the programme also includes new compositions. Its annual August schedule and liturgical-music format give the festival a distinct place among Edington's reasons to visit. If you plan to time your trip around it, check the dates for the year in question.

The Westbury White Horse is easily reached from Edington and offers another point of interest to consider when planning your trip.

Walk 8 – Edington

Walk 8 – Edington is 8 kilometres long, takes about two hours and is rated moderate. The route climbs Edington Hill and continues along the Imber Range Perimeter Path (IRPP). The distance, approximate duration and rating provide different points of reference for planning your day; the named sections of the route make its course more specific.

The festival and walking route raise different planning questions: for the festival, the recurring August timing matters, while for Walk 8 the distance and approximate two-hour duration are key. This can help you decide whether an event date or the time needed for the route is more important for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Shrewton, Stapleford, Shaw, Charlton, Sherston, Christian Malford, Cricklade, Tidworth.

For the broader travel overview: Wiltshire.