Andover is a market town of 50,000 people (2020) in Hampshire. It is well-known as the location of an important Royal Air Force base. Surrounding Andover is the Hants portion of the North Wessex Downs, which includes interesting small towns such as Whitchurch.

Understand

The town's largest employer is the Ministry of Defence. RAF Andover was opened on Andover Airfield, to the south of the town, during the First World War and became the site of the RAF Staff College.

Get in

Andover is on the major A303 trunk road at the eastern end of Salisbury Plain, 18 miles (30 km) west of Basingstoke. It is 20 miles (32 km) NNW of Winchester, 35 miles (56 km) north of Southampton and 65 miles (105 km) WSW of London.

The M4 motorway, to the north, can be reached by way of the A34 trunk road, which continues to Birmingham; or via Marlborough, Wiltshire.

1 Andover station is on the London Waterloo to Exeter line. Trains arrive from Salisbury, Yeovil Junction, Exeter St Davids, Basingstoke and London Waterloo (with a usual intermittent stop of Woking) and some stopping services to places such as Whitchurch.

See

• 1 Andover Museum and Museum of the Iron Age, 6 Church Cl, ☏ +44 1264 366283. Local history and museum of the Iron Age based in the former John Hanson Free School building. The Museum of the Iron Age houses the finds from excavations at nearby Danebury hillfort. (updated Jan 2017)

Rooksbury Mill

• 2 Rooksbury Mill. Rooksbury Mill is one of the few surviving mill buildings in Andover. The existence of Rooksbury Mill is first recorded by name in the 17th century. Functioning as a flour mill, it has passed through a succession of owners. Milling ceased in the early 20th century, after which the mill building went through a series of uses including being used as a small theatre. (updated Apr 2021)
• Whitchurch Silk Mill. (updated Jul 2021)

Do

• 1 Finkley Down Farm, ☏ +44 1264 324141. (updated Jan 2017)
• The Lights arts and entertainment venue hosts professional artists throughout the year.
• Dever Springs Fly Fishery. (updated Jul 2021)

• Walk or cycle to Watership Down

• Walk around Longparish

Eat

• 1 The John Russell Fox, 10 High St, SP10 1NY. Wetherspoon pub with bar meals and 30 room hotel. (updated Dec 2020)

Drink

• Black Chalk Vineyard is at Fullerton Farm, five miles south of town on A3057; tours available.

Sleep

• 1 Esseborne Manor, Hurstbourne Tarrant, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 0ER, ☏ +44 1264 736444. Located between Andover and Newbury, once referred to as being 'invitingly snug', this family-run Victorian country house hotel is small, unpretentious, yet stylish. 
• 2 Star and Garter, 2 High St, SP10 1PB. 35 room hotel in a building dating from 1770. (updated Dec 2020)

Go next

Routes through Andover

Exeter ← Stonehenge ←

W  E

→ Basingstoke → London