Upton-upon-Severn
| Upton-upon-Severn | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Upton-upon-Severn Location within Worcestershire | |
| Population | 2,881 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SO852405 |
| • London | 114 miles (183 km) |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Worcester |
| Postcode district | WR8 |
| Dialling code | 01684 |
| Police | West Mercia |
| Fire | Hereford and Worcester |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
Upton-upon-Severn (or Upton on Severn, etc. and locally simply Upton) is a small town and civil parish in the Malvern Hills District of Worcestershire, England. Lying on the A4104 (formerly A440), the 2021 census recorded a population of 2,903 for the town.[1]
Upton is situated on the west bank of the River Severn and is located 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Malvern. The town has a distinctive tower and copper-clad cupola – known locally as the "Pepperpot" – the only surviving remnant of the former church. Its replacement, also dedicated to St Peter and St Paul, was designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield.[2]
History
[edit]
Until the later half of the 20th century, the bridge at Upton was the only one across the River Severn between Worcester and Tewkesbury; the present bridge was built in 1940.[3] Oliver Cromwell's soldiers crossed the Severn here to win the battle of Upton before the main Battle of Worcester in the English Civil War. The Upton-upon-Severn Memorial Hall was completed in 1832.[4]
Upton in the 21st century
[edit]The population of the civil parish in 2021 was recorded at 2,903[5]- an increase from 2,881 in 2011.[6] The parish extends westward from the town, including the settlement at Tunnel Hill, but does not include the village of Ryall located close to the town, on the other side of the river. Upton is in the West Worcestershire parliamentary constituency.
The town has three major music festivals, with the spring folk festival, and the summer jazz and blues festivals.[7]
Upton is the location of a 16th-century coaching inn, The White Lion Hotel, in which parts of the building date back to 1510. The building its distinctive portico adorned with its very own lion, has undergone many transformations over the centuries. Reputed to have played a part in the English Civil War, where soldiers from both sides are alleged to have enjoyed the hospitality of this popular local hostelry prior to the Battle of Worcester. Guests of the hotel can stay in rooms referred to in books VII and VIII of Henry Fielding's classic 1749 novel Tom Jones in which he refers to the hotel as "A house of exceeding good repute";[8] these rooms retain many of their original features.
Flooding
[edit]Known for its regular flooding, Upton lies on the banks of the River Severn and is one of the most frequently flooded towns in England and was the subject of a 2024 risk assessment paper by the University of Manchester.[9] [10] Low-lying areas of Upton suffered serious flooding in 1947 and 2000 but is regularly flooded most years during the spring and early summer. In the 2007 floods, levels exceeded those in 2000, and the town was inaccessible by road.[11] The town's main built up area lies on slightly higher ground than the surrounding countryside, and in the past became an island during severe floods. A connecting causeway now carries the A4104 above the floods to the west, and a viaduct on the other side of the bridge to the east.
Education
[edit]Primary education is provided by Upton-upon-Severn CofE Primary School with approximately 194 (in 2019) pupils on its roll.[12] Hanley Castle High School, located in a nearby village, provides secondary education for the region and is one of the three large high schools serving the Malvern area.
People
[edit]
- John Dee, mathematician, astronomer and astrologer, was presented the lay rectorship of Upton upon Severn in 1553.[13]
- Nigel Mansell, Formula One world champion, born at Baughton near Upton.[14]
- Admiral Sir William Tennant (1890–1963), born in Upton.[15]
- General Sir George Alexander Weir (1876–1951), born in Upton[16]
Transport
[edit]
Upton used to be served by Upton-on-Severn railway station, on a branch line Tewkesbury and Malvern Railway from Ashchurch to Malvern, with the intermediate stations Tewkesbury, Ripple, Worcestershire, Upton upon Severn and Malvern Wells (Hanley Road).[17] The Upton to Malvern section closed in December 1952 and the rest in August 1961, before the Beeching Axe.
Bus services 332 and 363 link Upton to Worcester a total of six times per day (Mon-Fri), with four per day on Saturdays.[18]
Although the M5 motorway is close by, the nearest motorway junction is Junction 1 of the M50 (which is 2 miles or 3.2 km from J8 of the M5).
Upton Marina is home to Mercia Inshore Search and Rescue.
References
[edit]- ^ "Upton-upon-Severn (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
- ^ "History of the Old Church" (PDF). www.upton.uk.net. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
- ^ "The Bridge at Upton" (PDF). www.upton.uk.net. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Memorial Hall (1227111)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
- ^ "Neighbourhood Statistics". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
- ^ ONS 2001 census: parish headcount
- ^ "Upton Blues Festival". Upton Blues Festival. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- ^ Fielding, Henry (1861). Tom Jones. Derby. p. 149. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
tom jones exceeding good repute.
- ^ Tasneem Haider Khan (2024). "Flood Risks Analysis in Upton Upon Severn: Assessing the Baseline Conditions and Future Scenarios for 100 and 1000-year Flood Events with a 2050 Climate Change Perspective". ResearchGate. International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research. doi:10.36948/ijfmr. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
- ^ Clare Lissaman, Downpours shocked 'most flooded' town Upton upon Severn, BBC News, 20 July 2012.
- ^ "July 2007 Floods". www.upton.uk.net. Archived from the original on 30 September 2008. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
- ^ "Upton-upon-Severn CofE Primary School - Profile (2023)". snobe.co.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
- ^ Fell Smith, Charlotte (1909). John Dee: 1527–1608. London: Constable and Company.
- ^ "House that gave birth to a legend". Worcester News. 8 August 2003. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ^ "William Tennant - alias Dunkirk Joe". BBC Hereford and Worcestershire. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
- ^ Houtermann, Hans. "British Army Officers, 1939–1945 (G.M.B. Wadsworth to G.A. Weir)". World War II unit histories. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
- ^ "Upton Ticket". www.miac.org.uk. Railways in Worcestershire. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
- ^ Traveline Midlands bus search (searched 2 December 2020)
Further reading
[edit]- "'Parishes: Upton upon Severn', A History of the County of Worcester". 1924. pp. 212–217.
External links
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