Discover Winthorpe

Winthorpe brings together buildings, a river course and traces of aviation history. The village’s varied points of interest include the Church of All Saints, the Village Cross, the River Fleet and the history of the Second World War. The Trent Vale Trail also passes through Winthorpe. This gives your stay several possible focal points: local history, a longer route or aviation.

Buildings and local history

The present-day Church of All Saints was built by S. G. Parry in 1886–1888. Its distinctive features include red brickwork and ashlar stone surrounds. Together, the construction dates, architect and materials give a precise impression of what distinguishes this church. The dates place its construction in the second half of the 19th century.

The Village Cross, a Grade II listed building, is another point of reference for local history. For the church, the construction dates, architect and materials are the focus; for the Village Cross, its listed status is the key point of reference. This makes it possible to distinguish two different aspects of Winthorpe’s architectural history without reducing them to the same feature.

River course and landscape

The River Fleet runs through Winthorpe and flows underground in places. Its course is therefore not visible throughout. This feature adds a landscape aspect to the buildings: the village’s character includes both the river course and the fact that part of it runs underground. As you explore Winthorpe, you can therefore take in the river’s course as a subject in its own right, alongside individual buildings.

Aviation history and present-day use

RAF Station Winthorpe opened in September 1940 as a satellite station for RAF Swinderby. Winthorpe Airfield is also recorded as having been used during the Second World War as the base for a Heavy (bomber) Conversion Unit for training. The information highlights two different aspects of aviation history: the opening of a station and an airfield’s training role.

The site of Winthorpe Airfield is now used by Newark and Nottinghamshire Gliding Club Ltd. This adds a present-day use of the site to the airfield’s historical context. In your planning, you can distinguish this current use from the information about the station’s opening and training during the Second World War.

The Newark Air Museum collection includes more than 80 aircraft. This scale adds a distinct focus to the aviation theme: here, the emphasis is on the size of a collection, while the information about Winthorpe concerns the airfield’s history and current use.

Routes and holiday focus

The Trent Vale Trail passes through Winthorpe and is a 15-mile route from Newark to South Clifton. The named endpoints give the route’s length a clear frame of reference. For anyone who enjoys walking or cycling, the trail can be a focus of holiday planning in its own right. The question is whether the route itself should take centre stage or whether you are planning to visit Winthorpe mainly for its buildings and local history.

When looking for a holiday rental, you can start with the focus you want for your stay. Would you like to connect your visit more closely with local history, or include the Trent Vale Trail? If you are interested in aviation, you can also distinguish between the history of Winthorpe Airfield and the Newark Air Museum collection.

Discover more destinations: Calverton, Stapleford, Nottingham, Kimberley, Tuxford, Ollerton, Sutton Bonington, Warsop

For the broader travel overview: Nottinghamshire.