Upavon
Encyclopedia
Upavon is a rural
village
in the English
County
of Wiltshire
, England. As its name suggests, it is on the upper portions of the River Avon
which runs from the north to the south through the village. It is situated about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Pewsey
, about 10 miles (16.1 km) southeast of the market town
of Devizes
, and about 20 miles (32.2 km) north of the cathedral
city
; Salisbury
. The A345
and A342
roads run through the village. Most of Upavon is between 90 and 100 metres above sea level.
which lies approximately 1.5 miles west of the current village. The first mention of Upavon itself is in the Domesday Book
as 'Oppavrene'; though there are no details it can be estimated that the village supported some 200 to 250 people The Iron Age settlement of Chisenbury Camp
also lies close by to the southeast.
The village prospered during the 12th and 13th centuries and started to develop features that are recognisable today. A large Norman church replaced the previous Saxon one, a manor house was built in the south of the village and a market square developed west of the church in the area that now lies between the two village pubs.
, with its headquarters in Trowbridge
, and the parish is represented there by Brigadier Robert Hall
. Its Member of Parliament
is Claire Perry
, Member for Devizes
.
s, corner shop
, petrol station
and garage
, doctors
surgery, a small hairdressers salon, a fine church, and a village hall
. The village has a primary school, but as of 2009 it has been closed, the nearest school now being Rushall
.
, is situated about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Upavon village. The site was originally constructed around 1912 as a Royal Flying Corps
(RFC) base, and became the home of the RFC Central Flying School
on 19 June 1912, later to be the RAF Central Flying School upon formation of the Royal Air Force
. Upavon is referred to as the birthplace where the Royal Air Force was formed.
In recent years the main function of the military
base has changed, and it is now largely an MoD
administrative centre, and home to admin HQs of the British Army
. Today the airfield is still used by the RAF from time to time but is now most frequently associated with regular glider
activity. With the only permanent RAF unit based there being No. 622 Volunteer Gliding Squadron
, providing glider training to members of the Air Cadet Organisation
.
The Army Gliding Club also uses the airfield in co-operation with 622 VGS.
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
County
Counties of the United Kingdom
The counties of the United Kingdom are subnational divisions of the United Kingdom, used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. By the Middle Ages counties had become established as a unit of local government, at least in England. By the early 17th century all...
of Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, England. As its name suggests, it is on the upper portions of the River Avon
River Avon, Hampshire
The River Avon is a river in the south of England. The river rises in the county of Wiltshire and flows through the city of Salisbury and the county of Hampshire before reaching the English Channel through Christchurch Harbour in the county of Dorset....
which runs from the north to the south through the village. It is situated about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Pewsey
Pewsey
Pewsey is a large village, often considered a small town, at the centre of the Vale of Pewsey in Wiltshire about west of London. It is well connected to London, the West Country and Wales being close to the M4 motorway and the A303. Also, the village is served by Pewsey railway station on the...
, about 10 miles (16.1 km) southeast of the market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
of Devizes
Devizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
, and about 20 miles (32.2 km) north of the cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
; Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
. The A345
A345 road
The A345 is a secondary A road in Wiltshire, England running from Salisbury to Marlborough ending at a roundabout leading to the High Street and the A4....
and A342
A342 road
The A342 is an A road that runs from Pewsham near Chippenham, Wiltshire to Andover, Hampshire.The road begins at the A4 junction just outside of the small village Pewsham, to the east of Chippenham. It heads south past the village of Derry Hill towards Devizes, briefly meeting with the A3102 near...
roads run through the village. Most of Upavon is between 90 and 100 metres above sea level.
History
The occupation of Upavon dates back to the Iron Age settlement at Casterley CampCasterley Camp
Casterley Camp is the site of an Iron Age univallate hillfort located in Wiltshire. The site comprises a large Iron Age/Romano-British enclosure, possibly non-defensive in function, and incomplete. The site was partially excavated in the 19th century....
which lies approximately 1.5 miles west of the current village. The first mention of Upavon itself is in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
as 'Oppavrene'; though there are no details it can be estimated that the village supported some 200 to 250 people The Iron Age settlement of Chisenbury Camp
Chisenbury Camp
Chisenbury Camp is the site of an Iron Age univallate hillfort located in Wiltshire. The site comprises a small circular 5 acre enclosure that was unfortunately levelled in 1931. A post was part excavated while being demolished...
also lies close by to the southeast.
The village prospered during the 12th and 13th centuries and started to develop features that are recognisable today. A large Norman church replaced the previous Saxon one, a manor house was built in the south of the village and a market square developed west of the church in the area that now lies between the two village pubs.
Governance
All significant local government services are provided by Wiltshire CouncilWiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council is the unitary authority for most of the county of Wiltshire, in the West of England, the successor authority to Wiltshire County Council and to four districts—Kennet, North Wiltshire, Salisbury, and West Wiltshire—all of which had been created in 1973 and were...
, with its headquarters in Trowbridge
Trowbridge
Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, approximately 12 miles southeast of Bath, Somerset....
, and the parish is represented there by Brigadier Robert Hall
Robert Hall (British Army officer)
Robert Wallace Strachan Hall is a Conservative politician in the United Kingdom, having previously served as a British Army officer, rising to the rank of Brigadier. He is currently Chairman of Wiltshire Council and of Wiltshire and Swindon Fire Authority...
. Its Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
is Claire Perry
Claire Perry
Claire Louise Perry is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Devizes since the 2010 general election.-Biography:Education...
, Member for Devizes
Devizes (UK Parliament constituency)
Devizes is a parliamentary constituency in Wiltshire, England, which is now represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and before 1707 in the House of Commons of England....
.
Facilities
The village has two public housePublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
s, corner shop
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
, petrol station
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
and garage
Automobile repair shop
An automobile repair shop is a place where automobiles are repaired by auto mechanics and electricians.- Types :The automotive garage can be divided in so many category....
, doctors
General practitioner
A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...
surgery, a small hairdressers salon, a fine church, and a village hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
. The village has a primary school, but as of 2009 it has been closed, the nearest school now being Rushall
Rushall
Rushall may refer to:*Rushall, Herefordshire, England*Rushall, Norfolk, England*Rushall, West Midlands, England**Rushall railway station, West Midlands, England*Rushall, Wiltshire, England*Rushall railway station, Melbourne, Australia...
.
The former RAF Upavon
Upavon airfield, now officially called Trenchard Lines, and previously RAF UpavonRAF Upavon
The former Royal Air Force Station Upavon, more commonly known as RAF Upavon, was a grass airfield, military flight training school, and administrative headquarters of the Royal Air Force....
, is situated about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Upavon village. The site was originally constructed around 1912 as a Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
(RFC) base, and became the home of the RFC Central Flying School
Central Flying School
The Central Flying School is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 it is the longest existing flying training school.-History:...
on 19 June 1912, later to be the RAF Central Flying School upon formation of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. Upavon is referred to as the birthplace where the Royal Air Force was formed.
In recent years the main function of the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
base has changed, and it is now largely an MoD
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
administrative centre, and home to admin HQs of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. Today the airfield is still used by the RAF from time to time but is now most frequently associated with regular glider
Glider (sailplane)
A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the sport of gliding. Some gliders, known as motor gliders are used for gliding and soaring as well, but have engines which can, in some cases, be used for take-off or for extending a flight...
activity. With the only permanent RAF unit based there being No. 622 Volunteer Gliding Squadron
Volunteer Gliding Squadron
Volunteer Gliding Squadrons are Royal Air Force Flying Training Units , operating military Viking TX.1 and Vigilant T.1 gliders to train Air Cadets from the Combined Cadet Force and the Air Training Corps....
, providing glider training to members of the Air Cadet Organisation
Air Cadet Organisation
The Air Cadet Organisation is the collective name for the UK cadet forces sponsored by the Royal Air Force. The organisation is subordinate to No. 22 Group RAF, with a serving RAF officer as Commandant Air Cadets. The current Commandant is Air Commodore Barbara Cooper CBE...
.
The Army Gliding Club also uses the airfield in co-operation with 622 VGS.
External links
- Upavon Parish Council website
- History of Upavon on Wiltshire County Council website - accessed 26 May 2007
- No. 622 Volunteer Gliding Squadron