What do we know about Wiltshire? we asked one another as we headed off for a weekend break.
And, to our shame, the answer was little.
The World Heritage Site of Stonehenge near Salisbury in Wiltshire
As one of the country’s lesser known counties, Wiltshire had us stumped for its list of attractions much beyond Stonehenge.
But there are parts of the county you’ll already know well, even if you don’t know their names.
From the chocolate-box village of Lacock– location for Meryton in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice – to Mompesson House in Salisbury – used in the Emma Thompson film of Sense and Sensibility – there are places period drama fans at least will know very well.
Other draws – not just Stonehenge, but Swindon, Salisbury Cathedral, the sweet little village of Bradford on Avon, and stately homes aplenty – are here too, making Wiltshire a perfect destination for an attractions-packed short break.
We were taking in the county from the stress-free comfort of a coach, safe in the knowledge negotiating a route and finding somewhere to park would be taken care of for us, and we’d be able to really see the scenery, not just the road ahead.
A packed itinerary made for a whistlestop tour – quite literally at our first stop, Swindon and the Great Western Railway Museum STEAM, where our guide spoke with such passion about the heyday of the railway you could almost hear the pistons and smell the coal.
It was here thousands of men once toiled, making Swindon the locomotive manufacturing capital of the world – and where, tragically, all that now remains is a poignantly moving museum, and replica period platforms with carriages from through the ages to wander through and explore.
Onwards to Stonehenge we explored history of an altogether vintage.
We were surprised by the 4,500-year-old stone circle’s scale – smaller than we had imagined – and a little underwhelmed by its acclaimed new ‘world class’ English Heritage open air visitor centre which, on the wet and blustery day we were there, allowed the rain to lash in.
But we could not fail to be impressed by Stonehenge’s enduring enigma – and, as a British ‘must see’, we were pleased to have seen it.
There was history of yet another kind at Salisbury Cathedral – home to the finest of the four surviving original 1215 Magna Carta documents, marking their 800th year in 2015. A major new anniversary exhibition explores one of the most celebrated documents in English history and it was spine-tingling to see the parchment skin and tightly-packed Latin script up close.
Salisbury has been ranked the seventh best city in the world to visit during 2015 – and the Magna Carta is one reason for that, but there are plenty of others too.
The cathedral itself is full of interest, explained to us by an extremely enthusiastic guide. Afterwards we found Chorister’s Green, the beautiful lawned square outside the cathedral, to be the city’s prettiest spot.
It was here scenes for Sense and Sensibility were filmed in 1995, at the calm and elegant Mompesson House – a Queen Anne townhouse of perfect proportions and symmetry, its interiors decorated as they might have been in the 1700s.
A few doors along, we visited Arundells, the home of former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath, whose wish was ‘for the public to share the enjoyment’ of his house after his death. We were given a tour by his clearly devoted former landscape gardener, now the house’s manager and curator, whose personal anecdotes added a unique intimacy and depth to rooms still furnished with Sir Edward’s furniture, ornaments, ceramics and books.
In the National Trust village of Lacock we wandered pretty winding streets, popped into perfect pubs and gazed at timber-framed 13th century cottages so unspoilt by the modern age it’s obvious why they were chosen as a backdrop for Pride and Prejudice and the Harry Potter films.
Read the full story in the Star: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/travel-discovering-hidden-gem-is-best-by-coach-1-7093719
Stonehenge Guided Tours
The Stonehenge Experts
www.StonehengeTours.com
10-day exploration of ancient sites from Stonehenge to the Aran Islands.
Across the lush landscapes of England and Ireland lie some of the most important and intriguing prehistoric monuments in the world. In the company of local archaeologists, authors, and historians, uncover the stories of Neolithic and Bronze Age civilizations—and the mysteries of their legacies—as we make our way from Stonehenge to Ireland’s Bend of the Boyne, the Aran Islands, and more. –
National Geographic Trip Highlights
Take an insider’s tour of legendary Stonehenge and its adjacent sites with a local expert.
Explore the boglands of Céide Fields, a 6,000-year-old site excavated by archaeologist Seamus Caulfield.
Delve into the heritage of the Aran Islands with the director of the islands’ college.
Take a walking tour of the Burren National Park with a local author and discover Bronze Age sites amid this otherworldly limestone landscape.
This superb 10 Day Expedition Tour includes:
Avebury and Stonehenge (Day 3)
Step back thousands of years among remarkable megalithic monuments at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Avebury and Stonehenge. At 
Avebury, stroll around the largest stone circle in the world, excavated in the early 20th century by archaeologist Alexander Keiller. Examine the site’s standing megaliths with a local expert, and examine artifacts found here at the Alexander Keiller Museum. Walk past Silbury Hill, Europe’s largest man-made, prehistoric mound, on the way to the Neolithic chambered tomb at West Kennet Long Barrow, which predates Stonehenge by some 400 years. Then head to legendary Stonehenge for an insider’s tour with local expert Pat Shelley. Visit the adjacent sites of Woodhenge and Durrington Walls, where the site’s builders are believed to have lived, and learn about recent discoveries that have shed light on the mysteries surrounding these sites. –
Learn about prehistoric civilizations with a seasoned archaeologist
2015 Tour departures:
June 06th – 15th
June 13th – 22nd
September 05th – 14th
Mysteries of Prehistoric England and Ireland Tour can be booked direct via the National Geographic Expedition Website
Stonehenge Guided Tours
http://www.StonehengeTours.com
time would be most appreciated. Please note that, in previous years, access for the Equinox ceased earlier at 0800h, however English Heritage has permitted an additional half an hour within the monument for our visitors.
Stonehenge Guided Tours 