Upavon on the Upper Reaches of the Salisbury Avon

Upavon lies on the upper reaches of the Salisbury Avon; the A345 runs through the village. The river setting and the road’s course provide two concrete points of reference for finding your way around. Other features include the Grade I listed Church of St Mary, Upavon Camp (Officers' Mess), Building 21, and the Upavon Walk. These local landmarks appeal to different interests: the two buildings offer a link to architectural and conservation history, while the footpath provides a route with views across the Vale of Pewsey. If you are considering Upavon as a destination, you can decide how to prioritise these themes according to what matters most to you during your stay.

Church of St Mary: Building history in two parts

The Church of St Mary is a Grade I listed building. Its building history can be distinguished more precisely by looking at the chancel and nave: the chancel dates from the late 12th to early 13th century, while the nave dates from the early 13th century. The dates therefore refer to different parts of the church and do not give one undifferentiated period for the building as a whole. Both date ranges extend into the early 13th century, so they overlap there. For travellers interested in architecture, this provides a specific way to explore the church: the chancel and nave can be considered as distinct reference points in its building history. The Grade I designation describes its listed status, while the dates provide additional context for the building’s different parts.

Upavon Camp and its designation

Upavon Camp (Officers' Mess), Building 21, is also a listed building, designated Grade II*. Its name provides a distinct historical point of reference in Upavon. The two buildings differ both in their names and in their designations: Grade I applies to the Church of St Mary, while Grade II* applies to Building 21. For travel planning, this is another point to consider if you are interested in listed buildings. While the focus at St Mary is the dating of the chancel and nave, the specific designation is the point of reference for Upavon Camp.

Upavon Walk and views across the Vale

The Upavon Walk is a permitted footpath from Upavon to Upavon Hill and connects with existing public rights of way. The path offers views across the Vale of Pewsey. This brings together a named starting point, a destination and a landscape to look out over. Here the focus is on the route and the views, rather than the architectural history of the Church of St Mary. If you would like to include a footpath as a key part of your travel plans, you can use the starting point, destination and views as your guide. Its connection with existing public rights of way is another feature of the Upavon Walk.

Which focus suits your trip?

These themes can be compared in practical terms when choosing a destination for a hotel stay. If you are primarily interested in architectural history, Upavon offers the Church of St Mary, with its separately dated sections, as well as Upavon Camp as another listed point of interest. If you would rather include a specific footpath route, the Upavon Walk—with its destination at Upavon Hill and views across the Vale of Pewsey—is the right focus. This lets you assess Upavon according to the interests you want your trip to reflect.

Discover more destinations: Beanacre, Downton, Pewsey, Shalbourne, Charlton, Edington, Market Lavington, Chippenham.

For the wider travel overview: Wiltshire.