Discover Wiltshire: Stone Circles, Houses and Gardens

Stone Circles, Cathedrals and Collections

Salisbury Cathedral has the tallest church spire in Britain and houses an original copy of Magna Carta from 1215. Its striking architecture and medieval document make it a special destination for anyone interested in architectural history and written records. The cathedral also offers free tours and demonstrations. The visitor programme may change, so check current availability before your visit.

Stonehenge is a prehistoric World Heritage Site and visitor attraction near Amesbury in Wiltshire. Visitors can walk among the reconstructed Neolithic houses; check access arrangements before you travel. An exhibition at the visitor centre features more than 250 archaeological objects and finds, including jewellery, pottery, tools and human remains. Alongside the monument itself, the finds and their material variety are also a focus.

At Avebury, Britain’s largest stone circle lies within a henge. It originally consisted of around 100 stones and encloses two smaller stone circles. You can explore the World Heritage Site on foot or by bicycle. Comparing the outer circle with the two smaller ones makes Avebury a different stone-circle experience from visiting a single monument.

Old Sarum also combines archaeological evidence with landscape. This Iron Age hillfort preserves defensive ramparts formed by two earth banks separated by a ditch. Footpaths cross 29 acres of rare chalk grassland and offer wide views across the Wiltshire landscape. If you are interested both in the form of the fortifications and the open surroundings, you will find both here in the same place. The Wiltshire Museum complements visits like these with a collection on Bronze Age archaeology, including gold from the time of Stonehenge. Exhibitions and displays may change.

Houses, Gardens and Historic Places

Stourhead shows how varied a historic landscape garden can be: a lake is surrounded by lawns, trees and classical temples. The 2,650-acre estate also includes chalk hills, ancient woodland, Iron Age hillforts and farmland. The gardens and the expansive estate offer two different ways to experience Stourhead: the designed setting by the lake and a landscape with a range of historic and natural features.

Mompesson House is an 18th-century town house in Salisbury’s Cathedral Close. Its walled garden has herbaceous borders and a pergola; seasonal planting changes its appearance throughout the year. Visitor arrangements may change, so check visiting information in advance. Westwood Manor is a 15th-century stone manor house with restored rooms. The collection includes an Italian virginal dating from 1537; its display may change. Access to the house may be seasonal. The pond gardens are home to the rare, protected great crested newt, although sightings are not guaranteed.

Great Chalfield Manor is a medieval manor house restored in the early 20th century. Its Arts and Crafts garden combines topiary shaped like a house with a rose garden and a spring-fed pond; the seasonal planting changes. Access to the interior may vary by season. A one-mile public footpath connects the estate with The Courts Garden in Holt. As path conditions may vary, it is worth checking them before setting out.

The village of Lacock and its streets have changed little in 200 years. Timber-framed houses and independent shops line the streets. The Fox Talbot Museum in Lacock explores the history of photography and Lacock’s role in it, and hosts changing photographic exhibitions. The village offers both a glimpse of its architectural character and an insight into the history of photography.

The remains of Ludgershall Castle include three large walls and extensive earthworks from a medieval castle. The grounds are suitable for a picnic, and children can explore the ruins; the ground may be uneven. In the centre of the village of Ludgershall are also the remains of a 14th-century cross. The Wiltshire Museum, the castle and the cross represent different forms of historic heritage: a collection, a castle site and a monument in the village centre.

Landscapes and Paths as Travel Themes

Almost half of Wiltshire is designated as a National Landscape. White Sheet Hill is a Site of Special Scientific Interest with archaeological evidence from the Neolithic, Iron Age and Bronze Age. Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs National Landscape offers opportunities for walking, cycling and horse riding. The North Wessex Downs include the World Heritage Site of Avebury and a stretch of the Kennet & Avon Canal.

Paths and waterways also offer practical points to consider when planning. The Caen Hill flight comprises 29 locks in total. Over two miles, it rises 237 feet at a gradient of 1 in 44. The towpath by the locks is open at all times; as access may change temporarily, check local notices before travelling. The 160-mile Wiltshire Cycleway follows quiet country roads and is complemented by a network of shorter circular routes. Check current route information before setting off.

A cycling route along the Kennet & Avon Canal towpath passes the Crofton Beam Engines, Caen Hill Lock, Pewsey Wharf, and the historic towns of Bradford on Avon and Devizes. The different route descriptions help you distinguish between a long cycling route with shorter circular routes and individual paths along the canal. When choosing a hotel, you can then consider whether buildings and collections or landscapes and paths should be the focus of your stay.

Discover more destinations: Tollard Royal, Chilmark, Tidworth, Upavon, Larkhill, Ludgershall, Steeple Ashton, Corsham, Collingbourne Kingston, Colerne, Chippenham, Salisbury, Melksham, Malmesbury, Landford, Hindon, Grittleton, Devizes, Crudwell, Cricklade, Redlynch, Holt, Beanacre, Ogbourne St George, Ansty, Staverton, Castle Combe, Calne, Bradford On Avon, Amesbury, Warminster, Trowbridge, Sutton Benger, Stanton Saint Quintin, Stanley, Shaw, Purton, Potterne, Lyneham, Figheldean, Erlestoke, Ashton Keynes, Edington, Yatton Keynell, Wootton Bassett, Whiteparish, Durrington, Shrewton, Charlton, Marston, Marlborough, Box, Broad Chalke, Froxfield, Stapleford, Limpley Stoke, Westbury, Downton, Market Lavington, Upper Seagry, Netheravon, Sedgehill, Ham, Shalbourne, Temple, Sherston, Andover, Christian Malford, Bratton, Wylye, Alderbury, Pewsey, Tytherton Lucas, Manningford Abbots

For the regional travel overview: South West England.