| Hawkesbury Upton | |
|---|---|
) War Memorial, Hawkesbury Upton | |
)  Hawkesbury Upton Location within Gloucestershire | |
| Population | c. 1,200 |
| OS grid reference | ST780870 |
| Civil parish | |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Badminton |
| Postcode district | GL9 |
| Dialling code | 01454 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Avon |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | Parish Council |
Hawkesbury Upton is a village in South Gloucestershire, England, east of the much smaller Hawkesbury. It lies north of Horton, east of Dunkirk and south of Alderley and Hillesley.
Hawkesbury Upton is close to the A46 road. The village lies on the Cotswold Way[1] and exhibits many of the characteristics of a Cotswold village, including use of the local limestone in the majority of the buildings.[2]
The village has two pubs – the Beaufort Arms and the Fox Inn, both on the High Street – a primary school, a village shop, a post office and a hair salon. There is also a village hall with a recreation ground and a cricket club.[3][4]
On the last Saturday in August, the annual Hawkesbury Horticultural Show takes place at the village hall & recreation ground. The show features a large marquee, where the best fruit, vegetables and flowers, as well as home baking, varied crafts, home made wine & beer, original photographs and pictures are exhibited – all produced by the local community. In addition, there is entertainment in the arena, a carnival procession, fairground rides and a wide range of local craft, trade and charity stalls. The show has been running continuously since 1885 - never once cancelled for adverse weather or war - something which villagers are extremely proud of, although the 2020 show was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[5]
The village was also home to an illustrious football club, founded by village locals Simon Warren and Ollie Gillman, the Hawkesbury Stallions. Notable alumni of the Stallions' Recreation Ground include the likes of Bill Stephens - not to be mistaken for his more talented brother, former Barnet F.C. star Jamie Stephens - and Humphrey Wells. The club played in the Stroud and District League Division 6.
Somerset Monument
)
The Somerset Monument stands on the Cotswold Edge escarpment, about half a mile from the village on the road towards Hillesley. Built in ashlar and designed by Lewis Vulliamy, it was constructed in 1846 as a memorial to Lord Edward Somerset, who led the British cavalry at the Battle of Waterloo.[6] The monument is a slightly tapering square tower, about 100 feet (30 m) high.[7]
The first keeper of the monument was Shadrack Byfield, a one-armed veteran of the Anglo-American War of 1812, whose memoirs of that conflict have achieved a measure of fame. Byfield, a native of Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire, lived in Hawkesbury Upton from 1843 to 1856.
Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival
The Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival was founded by local author Debbie Young and has been held annually since 2015.[8][9]
References
- ^ "10 walks around Hawkesbury" (PDF). Hawkesbury Upton. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 August 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ "Hawkesbury Conservation Area" (PDF). Suth Gloucestershire council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 August 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ "Hawkesbury Upton Village Hall". Hawkesbury Upton Village Hall. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ "Hawkesbury Cricket Club". Play Cricket. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ "Hawkesbury Show". Hawkesbury Show. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ Headley, Gwyn; Meulenkamp, Wim (1999). Follies, grottoes & garden buildings. London: Aurum. p. 241.
- ^ Historic England. "Monument to Lord Robert Edward Somerset (1320834)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- ^ "Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival". Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival. Archived from the original on 24 April 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
- ^ "The brand new Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival this April". Cotswold Life. 30 March 2015. Archived from the original on 22 August 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
External links
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Media related to Hawkesbury Upton at Wikimedia Commons