Upton-upon-Severn
Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox UK place
Upton-upon-Severn (or Upton on Severn, etc. and locally simply Upton) is a small riverside 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Upton is situated on the west bank of the River Severn and is located Template:Convert 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.<ref name ="HistoryoftheOldChurch"/>
Formula One legend Nigel Mansell was born in nearby Baughton.
History
The name Upton derives from the Old English upptūn meaning 'settlement higher up', in reference to its position upstream from Ripple.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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.<ref name ="TheBridgeatUpton"/> 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.<ref>Template:NHLE</ref>
Upton in the 21st century
The population of the civil parish in 2021 was recorded at 2,903<ref name=ONS/>- an increase from 2,881 in 2011.<ref>ONS 2001 census: parish headcount</ref> 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, the summer jazz and blues festivals.<ref name ="UptonBluesFestival"/>
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, which has a distinctive portico adorned with its very own lion, has undergone many transformations over the centuries. It is 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";<ref name="Fielding1861"/> these rooms retain many of their original features.
Flooding
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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> <ref>Clare Lissaman, Downpours shocked 'most flooded' town Upton upon Severn, BBC News, 20 July 2012.</ref> 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.<ref name ="July2007Floods"/> 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
Primary education is provided by Upton Upon Severn CofE Primary School with approximately 175 (in 2025) pupils on its roll.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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
- John Dee, mathematician, astronomer and astrologer, was presented the lay rectorship of Upton upon Severn in 1553.<ref name="FellSmith1909"/>
- Nigel Mansell, Formula One world champion, born at Baughton near Upton.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Admiral Sir William Tennant (1890–1963), born in Upton.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- General Sir George Alexander Weir (1876–1951), born in Upton<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Transport
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).<ref name ="UptonTicket"/> 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.<ref>Traveline Midlands bus search (searched 2 December 2020)</ref>
Although the M5 motorway is close by, the nearest motorway junction is Junction 1 of the M50 (which is Template:Convert from J8 of the M5).
Upton Marina is home to Mercia Inshore Search and Rescue.
References
Further reading
External links
Template:Worcestershire Template:Severn from Bewdley to Gloucester Template:Malvern Hills