Upottery offers several distinct points of interest for planning a trip: a landscape within the Blackdown Hills, historic buildings and the “Luppitt and Upottery” riding route. The parish lies within the Blackdown Hills, designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; its landscape features include water meadows, fields, ancient hedgerows and narrow lanes. It is also home to St Mary the Virgin, a Grade II* listed parish church, and Twistgates, a 15th-century farmhouse. The village’s history dates back to the Domesday Book, while RAF Upottery opened on 17 February 1944. Depending on whether you prioritise landscape, heritage or riding when choosing a destination, different aspects of Upottery will come to the fore.
Landscape and Riding Route
The parish of Upottery lies within the Blackdown Hills, designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Its landscape includes water meadows, fields, ancient hedgerows and narrow lanes. If the surroundings are your main consideration when choosing a place to visit, these features offer specific points to consider: they describe the landscape, while the church and farmhouse are individual historic buildings. This can help you weigh up whether the scenery or the architectural history better matches your travel interests.
The “Luppitt and Upottery” route is one of five riding routes in the Blackdown Hills National Landscape. It is 12 miles long and offers views across the tributaries of the Otter. These details answer different questions when planning a trip: the fact that there are five routes places it within the Blackdown Hills’ riding options, the 12-mile length indicates its scale, and the views add a landscape element to the activity. If you want to include riding, you can weigh the route’s length and views together.
Church, Farmhouse and Local History
St Mary the Virgin is Upottery’s parish church and is Grade II* listed. Twistgates, also known as Twisgates, is a farmhouse built in the 15th century as a passage house with an open fire in the middle of the room. The two buildings offer a point of comparison: the church is notable for its religious function and listing, while the farmhouse is notable for its construction date and layout, with a central fire. The open fire gives Twistgates’ architectural history a concrete spatial dimension.
Upottery’s history dates back to the Domesday Book. The village’s name also comes from the River Otter. RAF Upottery opened on 17 February 1944. Together with the 15th-century Twistgates, these details bring different periods into view: the village’s long history, the story of a farmhouse and a precisely dated connection to the Second World War. For travellers interested in heritage, the place name, architectural history and dated historical event offer different ways to explore the area.
Visitor Information
The Upottery Heritage Centre is accessible on the ground floor, except for one room. If access to every room is important to you, take this exception into account when planning your visit.
Discover more destinations: Bere Alston, Spreyton, Kingskerswell, Colebrooke, Liverton, Dartmouth, Broadclyst, Chulmleigh.
See the main travel overview: Devon.
