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Salisbury and Wiltshire
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Stonehenge was built between 3,000 and 1,500 BC by three different prehistoric cultures. There is still debate about why people took the immense
trouble they did over moving and lifting these enormous stones into
place, and what symbolism and function should be interpreted from their
site and positioning. The scale, age and sense of mystery continues to fascinate, and is a
potent mixture which continues to attract many thousands of visitors
each year.
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Set within 900 acres of Capability Brown landscaped parkland, Longleat House is widely
regarded as one of the best examples of high Elizabethan architecture in Britain.
Longleat opened the first Safari Park outside of Africa in 1966. Today it is difficult to
imagine the furore aroused when the plans for a 100-acre lion reserve were made public!
Longleat now encompasses a wide range of attractions to suit visitors of all ages, with lots of activities for children.
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Stourhead is a celebrated 18th-century landscape garden and Palladian
mansion, with enchanting temples, monuments and rare planting around a
tranquil lake. The mansion is filled with Georgian treasures
including Chippendale furniture and fine paintings. There are mature
woodlands with a collection of exotic trees, spectacular views from the
top of King Alfred's Tower, one of the finest follies in Britain, and
two Iron Age Hill-forts to explore. Facilities include a farm
shop and restaurant.
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Wilton House is a 460
year old family home. It's history, architecture, art treasures and 21
acres of gardens and parkland have attracted visitors from all over the
world since opening to the public in 1951. The rebuilding
of the house was completed following a fire in 1647, and now stands as a testament to the
popularity of the Palladian style of architecture. The Single and Double Cube rooms are recognised as
the grandest rooms of this period in England. There's an adventure playground for children and a restaurant serving snacks and light lunches.
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Mompesson House is an elegant and spacious 18th-century house in
Salisbury's Cathedral Close - a rare retreat of peace and tranquillity
in the city centre. Fine Georgian features include intricate
plasterwork, a monumental oak staircase and a virtually unrivalled
collection of Turnball drinking glasses. There are charming walled
gardens to explore. Mompesson House was the film location for Sense and
Sensibility, starring Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet and
Alan Rickman.
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Discover over 750 years of history at Salisbury Cathedral, including Britain's tallest spire, the world's best preserved original Magna Carta and Europe's oldest working clock. Built between 1220 and 1258, in one architectural style, Salisbury is Britain's finest 13th century Gothic Cathedral. A previous Cathedral had stood nearby since as early as 1075. Why not take a tower tour, climbing 332 steps by a narrow,
winding spiral staircase, to reach the foot of the spire 225 feet above
ground level? Facilities include a shop and restaurant.
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Founded in the early 13th century, Lacock Abbey is a medieval
cloistered abbey converted into a fine country house with fully
restored botanic gardens. There's a fascinating
museum dedicated to former owner and resident, Henry Fox Talbot, the
'Father of Modern Photography,' who in 1835 made the earliest known
surviving photographic negative using a camera. Nearby Lacock village is uniquely preserved and has changed little over
the centuries. Facilities include shops and tearooms.
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STEAM tells the story of those who built, operated and
travelled on the Great Western Railway, which due to the pioneering vision and genius of
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, was regarded as the most advanced in the world. Experience the sights and sounds of the works, famous
as the place where the best steam locomotives were
built, and hear the stories of the men and women who worked there. The story is brought to life with videos, mixing rare archive film footage with the stories of ex-railway workers, famous locomotives and GWR memorabilia.
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Salisbury Museum is based in the King’s House, a grade I listed building located opposite Salisbury Cathedral. Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum houses extensive collections
relating to the history of Salisbury and the archaeology of south
Wiltshire. Browse through the large collection assembled by General
Pitt Rivers (1827 - 1900), an important figure in the development of
museums. In addition, there are fascinating displays of costume and
ceramics, as well as regular temporary exhibitions.
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Castle Combe Circuit opened just 18 months after Silverstone in the
summer of 1950, making it one of the longest established circuits in
the UK. Treat yourself or someone special to a high octane racing car experience! The Castle Combe Racing School can give you the chance to experience
the thrill of circuit driving in both high performance Saloon cars,
Formula Ford single seater race cars and Lotus Elise sports cars.
Become a Racing Driver for a day, tackling one of the country's
longest, fastest and most demanding race car circuits.
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