Salisbury Area

This description of the Salisbury area has the following headings: Introduction, Landscapes, Market Towns and Villages.

Introduction

The Salisbury area includes the whole of South Wiltshire and parts of NE Dorset and NW Hampshire, with the city of Salisbury at its centre. It stretches from Salisbury Plain in the North to the edge of the New Forest in the South, and from Cranborne Chase in the West almost to the Test Valley in the East. Salisbury is the dominant urban community and market. It is surrounded by charming typically English countryside, a few small market towns and many attractive villages. Most of the area is part of the extensive belt of chalkland which stretches across southern England and which is the key factor in shaping most of the landscape. In the north, archaeological sites, especially Stonehenge provide the greatest visitor interest. In the south and west, the open down lands offer beautiful scenery and splendid opportunities for outdoor activities. Then there is the more intimate countryside of the valleys, particularly those of the Wylye, Nadder and Avon rivers.

Traditional down pasture is now largely confined to steeper slopes but large rectangular fields emphasise the area’s open character. The valleys are mainly in permanent pasture, with many copses and hedgerows. This is a deeply rural area with scattered villages and country lanes. Agriculture is the major employer with commercial forestry and limited mineral extraction. There are no large settlements in the AONB but there are nearby market towns such as Salisbury, Shaftesbury and Blandford Forum. The area is rich in archaeology. There is evidence of hunter- gatherers living here, signs of Mesolithic activity and many Neolithic and Bronze- Age sites. Part of the Dorset Cursus, one of Wessex’s most important prehistoric monuments, sweeps through the area. At one point, it appears as 2 parallel banks stretching for 6 miles, 4 miles of which are well preserved and make a delightful walk across the Chase. The banks are flanked with barrows. The AONB is criss-crossed by Roman roads including Ackling Dyke, one of the most spectacular Roman Roads in Britain which runs for 25 miles.

Landscapes

Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs

Cranborne Chase and the West Wiltshire Downs, which are west and south west of Salisbury, have been recognised as one of England’s 30 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), a designation given to landscapes of national importance. They form part of the extensive belt of chalkland which stretches across southern England. The AONB covers 983 square kilometres and is divided into its two areas. To the south, Cranborne Chase with its smooth rounded downs, steeply cut combes and dry valleys shows a typical chalk downland landscape. To the north, the topography of the Wiltshire Downs is more varied and broken, with shapely knolls and whaleback ridges. Both areas are fringed on the west by an impressive scarp, cresting above the adjoining clay vales.

Traditional down pasture is now largely confined to steeper slopes but large rectangular fields emphasise the area’s open character. The valleys are mainly in permanent pasture, with many copses and hedgerows. This is a deeply rural area with scattered villages and country lanes. Agriculture is the major employer together with commercial forestry and limited mineral extraction. There are no large settlements in the AONB but there are nearby market towns such as Salisbury, Shaftesbury and Blandford Forum.

The area is rich in archaeology. There is evidence of hunter- gatherers living here, signs of Mesolithic activity and many Neolithic and Bronze-Age sites. Part of the Dorset Cursus, one of Wessex’s most important prehistoric monuments, sweeps through the area. At one point, it appears as 2 parallel banks stretching for 6 miles, 4 miles of which are well preserved and make a delightful walk across the Chase. The banks are flanked with barrows . The AONB is criss-crossed by Roman roads including Ackling Dyke, one of the most spectacular Roman Roads in Britain which runs for 25 miles.

In the medieval period, the area was the site of the Cranborne Chase hunting forest where King John was a frequent visitor, and of the former Royal Forests of Selwood and Gillingham, parts of which are still there. The Chase was a private forest with its own laws until 150 years ago. Parts of it still seem very remote. This is excellent country for outdoor activities. The classic chalk downland habitat is rich in flora and fauna. This plus the combination of woodland and open, rolling country with wide views and big skies makes it excellent for walking, cycling and riding. In the valleys, the rivers attract many fishermen. One example is the Cranborne Chase Path. Utilising an old drove road and a long stretch of Roman road, this takes the walker from Wimborne Minster to Salisbury Cathedral and Shaftesbury Abbey and along the way provides delightful villages, manor houses, ancient barrows and fine views. Also for walkers, there is the Wessex Ridgway, a very ancient highway that crosses the AONB.

Salisbury Plan

Salisbury Plain is that undulating tract of chalky downland which begins 10 miles north of Salisbury and extends northwards to Devizes, about 20 twenty miles long and sixteen miles wide. It is the country of Stonehenge, a country of barrows, tumuli, earthworks, hill forts and field systems through which can be traced man’s progress and achievements in prehistoric and early historic times. From the earliest days almost until the Norman Conquest in 1066. the Plain has been a melting pot for all manner of tribes and races that have left their mark on it. It is possible that the first were here as long ago as 10,000 BC. These men were hunters who followed the herds of wild animals over the downs and along the river valleys.

Settled communities were living on the Plain by about 3,000 BC. They were farmers and hunters and, besides providing pasture for their animals, the open downland was a much better place in which to live than the inhospitable forests and marshes that surrounded it. These people buried their dead in long barrows. Later on, they introduced a new form of ceremonial monument, the henge, the finest examples of which are Woodhenge and Stonehenge. Waves of immigrants from the Continent were attracted to the area. One of these included the Beaker Folk who came from Holland and the Rhine in about 1800 BC. They completed the huge henge at Avebury, quarried the stones for Stonehenge in West Wales and transported them somehow to their present site.

Another group, at the start of the Bronze Age 1600-1400 BC this time from Germany recognised that the Plain sat astride the main trade route and established themselves as the overlords of the area, a situation that persisted for about a thousand years. Then, in about 500 BC, the warrior Celts came along and took charge, followed by the Romans and the Saxons. When Saxon rule ended a the time of the Norman Conquest, the importance of Salisbury Plain in English history steadily declined. Power was transferred eastwards to London. For almost 4,000 years Salisbury Plain was a place of great importance. Each of its tribal groups left something behind, the burial barrows and henges of the early settlers, the magnificent objects and ornaments buried with the German overlords, the hill forts and earthwork castles of the Celts and the Roman roads. For visitors, Stonehenge and Avebury are the high points but for those interested in man’s progress through prehistory and early historic times, there is much much more. Salisbury Plain is probably the finest open- air museum in Britain.

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Market Towns

Salisbury

The story of Salisbury begins two miles to the north at a natural strongpoint and junction of ancient trade routes. The site developed between 600 and 300 BC as a hill fort and later became Old Sarum, the Roman fort and market centre, which remains a popular visitor attraction. In Saxon times it was an important political centre. Then under William the Conqueror the hill fort became a Norman motte and bailey castle where, in 1070, he reviewed his troops. A new bishopric was established, with its cathedral built inside the castle between 1075 and 1092 and later enlarged in 1120. Eventually, disputes between the clergy and the military at Old Sarum led to the decision to resite the cathedral elsewhere. Thus the city of New Sarum, known as Salisbury, was founded in 1220, and the building of the new cathedral begun by Bishop Richard Poore in 1220.

Because they take so long to build, almost all other English cathedrals are a mixture of different architectural styles. However the main body of Salisbury Cathedral which includes the tower and west front, was completed in a mere 38 years and is a masterpiece of Early English architecture. The huge cloister (the largest in England) and the magnificent chapter house (containing the Magna Carta) were added later and the cathedral completed with the addition of the great spire in the 14th century. At 404 feet (123 metres) high, it is the tallest medieval structure in the world. The Cathedral Close housed the clergy and included the Bishop’s palace. Today, most properties in the Close are leased to private residents and visitors can see in it a fine array of English Architecture, some designed by Sir Christopher Wren, dating from the 13th to the 20th century.

Salisbury grew up around the new cathedral and its close which provided revenue for the maintenance of the cathedral. The cathedral, in turn, proved to be a magnet for pilgrims. Travel, latterly in the guise of tourism, has been a mainstay of Salisbury’s economy since its earliest years.

King Henry III granted its charter in 1227 and the city grew rapidly. The historic heart of the city today dates from the medieval period. Many street names, inns (now hotels), the Poultry Cross and other buildings were constructed at this time. By 1400, Salisbury was one of the ten largest cities in England. Yet, despite the wealth that it acquired from the wool trade over three centuries, the city remained under the control of the Bishop throughout the middle ages. It was not until 1612 that the city was granted a charter confirming powers independent of episcopal authority. It flourished as a centre for society and the arts during the late 17th and the 18th centuries.

The great houses of the Close such as Malmesbury House, Mompesson House and Myles Place belong to this period, when people like Sir Christopher Wren, Samuel Pepys, Daniel Defoe, John Evelyn and Handel were regular visitors. As now, Salisbury was a centre for travel – the object of Pepys’s visit in 1668 was to visit Stonehenge – and apart from innkeeping, stabling and coaching, high-quality crafts developed to take advantage of Salisbury’s pre- eminence in what is now termed tourism.

The city's economy declined, losing textile manufacturing to new centres better placed to take advantage of industrialisation. After the Great Reform Act of 1832, a recovery began which was spurred on by the arrival of the railway in 1847. Such improvements in communications reinforced Salisbury’s position as a centre of trade and of tourism and Salisbury today is ideally located as a touring base to explore the many fascinating attractions, museums, castles, elegant stately homes and beautiful gardens either in the city and in the area around it.

Amesbury

Amesbury lies on the River Avon, eight miles north of Salisbury. The chalk downlands of Salisbury Plain surround it, along with the remains that earlier civilizations have left behind in or on them. For hundreds of years, the town has served as a resting place for travellers on foot, horseback and mail coach. Most of its appeal today arises from it being the nearest town to Stonehenge (2 miles away) and its associated sites. 1979 was Amesbury's millennium year, a thousand years since its Abbey was established. Legend has it that this is where King Arthur’s Queen Guinevere took refuge and died. It was also here that King Henry II founded one of the priories he opened in penance for the murder of Sir Thomas Becket and where he exiled his Queen Eleanour. All that is left of the abbey is its handsome church, Norman originally but with Gothic additions.

The town centre has many 18th and 19th century houses and some earlier buildings. Many have been superficially modified to suit modern usage but retain their architectural style. There is also a classical mansion called Amesbury Abbey that is now a private nursing home and West Amesbury House, a 17th century building containing the remains of a medieval house that was perhaps associated with the priory.

Fordingbridge

Fordingbridge is a small country town on the banks of the River Avon and on the edge of the New Forest. Its dates back at least to the 11th century when it was recorded in the Domesday Book. The Great Bridge with its seven graceful arches is the main feature of the town which was in existence in 1286 and possibly earlier. There is an interesting Early English church and many Georgian houses among a variety of listed buildings.

Shaftesbury

Shaftesbury is a most attractive hill top town, 20 miles west of Salisbury with splendid views over three counties and has a fine collection of historical buildings in its centre. It was the “Shaston” of Thomas Hardy’s novels. Its hilltop position means that Shaftesbury has had a long history. It was founded in 880 by King Alfred who fortified his new town and, believing his defences to be secure. He then added a Benedictine abbey and made his daughter its first prioress. It remained an important town throughout the Saxon period, At its peak, the abbey was the largest woman`s religious community in England and the abbess of Shaftesbury was the “governor” of Shaftesbury in the Middle Ages. The abbey was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539. The town was then governed by a Royal; Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth 1 in 1570.

Today, Shaftesbury is a very pleasant country market town. Its two main visitor attractions are the much photographed Gold Hill with its steep cobbles and picturesque cottages and the remains of the abbey where there is an interesting museum and a serene Anglo-Saxon garden which offers glorious views to the south.

Wilton

Wilton is a very old and interesting town that was established as a royal seat of the Kingdom of Wessex by the 9th century. It was Wilton , in fact, that gave its name to the county of Wiltshire of which it became the county town. It remained the administrative centre of Wiltshire until the 11th century.

The town was a bishopric and a royal residence with an abbey and a mint. This, plus its stature as a trading and market centre, made it a target and it was burned down three times between the 9th and 12th centuries. A great blow to its prosperity and power came with the building of the new planned city of Salisbury and its cathedral from 1220. The new city rapidly gained ascendancy. Wilton still had its abbey and the medieval cloth and glove trade but Salisbury gradually eroded its economy and power.

The abbey was closed in 1539 during Henry VIII’s Dissolution but the land was granted to the Pembroke family and in 1550 Wilton House was completed. From the mid 17th century, Wilton underwent a process of rebuilding that has removed nearly all traces of the medieval buildings. Several of the 17th century houses have survived but most of the larger houses remaining now were built in the 18th century when Wilton was going through a period of renewed prosperity. Wilton's famous carpet industry was started during this time and continues in the town today.

Wilton is now a small English market town that attracts many visitors because of Wilton House, its Georgian houses, The Royal Wilton Carpet Factory, antique shops, walks along the River Wylye and its long history.

Villages

Alderbury

Alderbury is a long village with a long history. It is of interest because it is rich in artistic links. Architect Augustus Pugin and literary giants Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins are all associated with it. Alderbury's inn, the Green Dragon, is generally agreed to be the Blue Dragon in Dickens' Martin Chuzzlewit. Dickens stayed there while collecting material for the book. The village is also close to the site of the Palace of Clarendon, a favourite retreat of Kings of England from William the Conqueror to the Tudors and at one time second in importance only to the great Palace of Westminster. It was here in 1164 that Henry II and Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury met and agreed the laws governing church/state relations that also caused the quarrel resulting in Becket’s assassination. It passed into obscurity after Henry VIII’s reign and declined into an overgrown ruin. Conservation and improvement work is now taking place.

Bishopstone

This is a charming tranquil village six miles west of Salisbury in the secluded Ebble valley. It is of interest on two counts. First its fine church now stands alone in fields, left behind when the village moved further down the valley after the Black Death (13th century plague). Secondly, the neighbouring rectory is said to figure strongly in Anthony Trollope’s Barchester novels as the home of Archbishop Grantly.

Cranborne

Cranborne, situated 15 miles south west of Salisbury, has a history going back to the Saxon times and beyond. It is the community that gave its name to Cranborne Chase now recognised as an “Area Of Outstanding Beauty”. At one time, it was a garrison for troops who were there to give protection to the monarchs while they hunted on the Chase. King John was a regular visitor to the area.

The village today is pretty with its red brick cottages, many of them colour washed. There are several interesting buildings, especially Cranborne Manor which was originally a hunting lodge, later owned by Robert Cecil, chief minister to Elizabeth I, and is now the home of his descendant, Viscount Cranborne. The House is rarely open to the public but many visitors come to see its beautiful gardens. The village features in the novels of Thomas Hardy as “Chaseborough” and its inn, the Fleur de Lys was popular with Rupert Brooke who wrote poetry there.

Downton

Downton lies six miles south of Salisbury. Although it has ancient origins, the present Downton is an attractive 14th century village with thatched cottages and village greens on the River Avon. and rising up to the old Church of St. Laurence and the Saxon Moot. The latter is an ancient monument with a reputed Saxon meeting place and parliament which is now a beautiful Grade 1 18th century garden. Visitors can also enjoy a walk by the River Avon, past the medieval bailie.

East Knoyle

East Knoyle is 20 miles west of Salisbury. This delightful village is a conservation area featuring thatched stone buildings. It has a fine Norman church and many picturesque cottages, plus an important Victorian mansion, Clouds House. Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of St, Paul’s Cathedral was born in a house, now demolished, near the centre of the village, and his father was the rector. East Knoyle is set in a dramatic landscape providing great views and a good area for walking.

Heytesbury

Heytesbury is located 28 miles north west of Salisbury in the Wylye valley and adjacent to the archaeologically rich Salisbury Plain.. There was a community here in the Saxon period and Heytesbury church is Norman. It was known to exist in 1086, was given to Salisbury Cathedral by Henry I about 1115. and became a collegiate church in 1150. It retained this status until 1840.

Once an important market town, Heytesbury could not compete with its larger rivals and is now a quiet picturesque village. Besides its interesting church, other buildings of note are Heytesbury House which was the home of its most famous resident, the poet and novelist, Siegried Sassoon, the 16th century Angel Inn and the 15th century Hungerford Hospital which was rebuilt after the village fire in 1765.

Hindon

Hindon is 24 miles NW of Salisbury. In 1219, the Bishop of Winchester built a town here in the open downland. Hindon thus began its life as a planned town with houses set out on narrow plots on each side of the main street. Over the centuries, it grew into a very successful market town and by 1754 it had 14 inns. Then the community was consumed by fire. Only one of the inns survived. It revived for a while but when it lost the railway, it declined in importance. Today, it is a charming village built around the same main street that was planned in 1219. It still has the 12th century inn that survived the fire, The Lamb and one that was rebuilt after the fire, The Angel.

Rockbourne

Rockbourne is 10 miles south of Salisbury, in the scenic Cranborne Chase area. It is a tranquil village with timber framed thatched houses and a stream running through it together with a good pub and a Norman church. It also has the Rockbourne Roman Villa, located south of the village, which was discovered as recently as 1942 and is the largest known Roman villa in the area. It's history spans the period from the Iron Age through to the 5th century AD. Visitors can walk around the site and see the best mosaics, part of the underfloor heating system and the outline of the Villa's forty rooms. They can then visit the site museum which displays objects found on the site and shows what life was like for the Romano Britons who lived here 1600 years ago.

Teffont Magna

Teffont Magna and its twin Teffont Evias are located in the Nadder valley, 9 miles west of Salisbury. Teffont Magna, in particular, is the epitome of the English village, charming thatched cottages with a roadside stream running between them and the road, all set in some lovely countryside. It is not surprising that they have attracted celebrity attention. Howard's House, the exclusive country house hotel in Teffont, has entertained the likes of Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise and Sir John Gielgud. Before it was a hotel, it was owned by the prominent theatre figures, David Tennant and Hermione Baddeley who entertained Lord Olivier and others. Also, Siegfried Sassoon lived in Teffont for a while.

Tisbury

Tisbury is located 16 miles west of Salisbury amidst beautiful chalk downland scenery. Although a village, it has many of the aspects of a small town and is often called the capital of the Nadder Valley. It began to take on the look of a town in the late 19th century when the railway came to Tisbury. While there is evidence of Bronze and Iron Age occupation, the first known settlement was in Saxon times . A monastery had been established by 700 and the West Saxons named it Tissebiri in 759. Throughout the centuries this has been sheep and grain country with cloth manufacture important for much of the time. Tisbury has a number of interesting old stone buildings including the 17th century almshouses and the largest medieval tithe barn in England. A very popular nearby visitor attraction is Old Wardour Castle, built in 1392, badly damaged in the Civil War but still an imposing structure in a beautiful setting.

 

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World Heritage Sites of Wessex

 

These details were last updated on
26 AUG 2007