Filton offers two different starting points for planning a trip: aviation history and a level walk through two parks that returns to the library. Its historic buildings and functions tell the story of aircraft acceptance, final assembly and testing; the Concorde Alpha Foxtrot at Aerospace Bristol offers another point of reference. If you plan to visit a building, check the current access arrangements in advance.
Aviation history in several chapters
The Concorde Alpha Foxtrot at Aerospace Bristol was the last Concorde to be built and the last to fly. These two details mark different milestones: one relates to the completion of construction, the other to the aircraft’s flying history. This makes the aircraft a tangible point of reference for anyone interested in the history of Concorde.
Around 1917, an aircraft hangar was built at Filton Airfield for the Royal Flying Corps. Formerly known as Hangar 16U, it is now called Spitfire Hangar. The building is Grade II listed. Hangar 16U is also considered a rare, well-preserved example of a General Service Shed. These details describe both the building’s protected status and its classification as a building type, as well as its state of preservation.
The Triple Hangar is another Grade II listed building at Filton Airfield; its location is given as ST 60 806. Unlike a single hangar, it is a group of four aircraft hangars arranged in pairs and built in 1918. This distinction helps differentiate the names and buildings: Spitfire Hangar refers to the building erected around 1917, while Triple Hangar refers to a group of four sheds.
The Royal Flying Corps opened the Filton Aircraft Acceptance Park in 1915. This part of Filton was developed as an Aircraft Acceptance Park for receiving, final assembly and flight testing of aircraft. This function adds further context to the area’s history: alongside individual buildings, the sequence of work processes also comes into focus. Together with the construction dates, it helps place the history in context—from the park’s opening in 1915, to the Spitfire Hangar being built around 1917, to the group of hangars built in 1918.
A later chapter is the opening of the Spitfire Hangar in Brabazon in 2026. It opened as the first restored heritage building on the former Filton Airfield. This historic opening describes the date and its status as a restored building; you should also check the current access arrangements if you plan to visit.
A walk and the weekly routine
As an alternative focus, Filton has a level walk through two parks that returns to the library. The route offers a way to add an outdoor stroll to your stay without specifying a particular walking time. Details of the route may need to be checked locally; if necessary, ask there for the exact directions.
The bells of St Peter’s Church also provide a recurring point of reference: they ring for Sunday services and for a weekly practice on Thursday evenings. If you would like to plan your visit around these times, check the schedule in advance. This gives you different themes to focus on when planning: historic aircraft buildings and their functions, a walk through two parks, or the regular ringing of the bells.
Discover more destinations: Warmley, Thornbury, Badminton, Winterbourne, Bradley Stoke, Yate, Pucklechurch, Hinton.
For the wider travel overview: South Gloucestershire.
