Upper Shirley is situated to the south-west of Shirley proper and is centred on the junction of Upper Shirley Road and Oaks Road, adjacent to the Addington Hills and Shirley Park and Addington golf courses. The settlement is thought to have originated in the mid-18th century, originally under the name 'Badger's Hole'. The area was home to a brewery in the mid-18th century. In 1865 the Surprise pub opened. There was another pub in the area - The Sandrock - which was located at the junction of Upper Shirley Road with Sandpits Road, which closed in 2018. The area is largely affluent, especially along Bishops Walk.