Staverton can be explored through two distinct themes: walks along the Kennet and Avon Canal and traces of its church and mill history. The canal forms a natural boundary at one end of Staverton. Staverton is accessible via the old stone bridge over the River Avon. The landscape, choice of routes and history all provide tangible starting points for a stay.

Landscape, lagoon and towpath

From the churchyard of St Paul's Church, there are views over the meadows and the River Avon. Staverton Marina and the small lagoon it leads to offer a different perspective on the landscape. The marina provides moorings for many canal boats; the lagoon is a habitat for numerous wildlife species, including swans, ducks, moorhens and Canada geese. As well as views over meadows and river, waterways and wildlife offer distinct points of interest.

At weekends, the Kennet and Avon Canal towpath at Staverton is heavily used by cyclists and pedestrians. If you are planning a walk, you can take this weekend traffic into account when choosing a route. The towpath is not only a feature of the local canal paths, but also part of a named route.

Church and mill history

The first mention of the Chapel of Ease on the site of today's St Paul's Church dates back to the 13th century. In 1826, the church was completely rebuilt and enlarged. These two details mark different stages at the same site: the early mention of a chapel and the later construction of the present-day church. Anyone interested in the history of the place will find a story of development that can be traced to a specific location. The churchyard also offers views over the meadows and the River Avon, connecting the historical perspective with a view of the landscape.

The history of the mills also has several points of reference. Staverton Mill was first mentioned in the Domesday Book. By the end of the 14th century, it had been converted into a fulling mill for processing cloth. The Staverton Superfine Woollen Manufactory was the largest mill in the area. Together with the history of the church, this offers insight into different aspects of the place: sacred architecture on the one hand, mills and cloth processing on the other.

Walks and choosing a route

The Kennet and Avon Canal offers a scenic walk from Staverton towards Bradford on Avon. There is also the Bradford on Avon Walking Wheel: one section of this route runs along the canal towpath, and another leads south to Staverton. These are two distinct route descriptions, which can be distinguished by their stated features: the canal walk is associated with the direction of Bradford on Avon; for the Walking Wheel, the towpath section and the route south to Staverton are the specific points of reference. At weekends, the towpath is also heavily used by cyclists and pedestrians.

When choosing a holiday rental, it may help to decide first what you would like to focus on during your trip: would you mainly like to enjoy walks and scenery, or are you particularly interested in the history of the church and mills? Staverton offers tangible starting points for both interests, without requiring you to follow a fixed daily itinerary.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Lyneham, Sedgehill, Pewsey, Chilmark, Downton, Marlborough, Hindon, Potterne.

For the main travel overview: Wiltshire.