Read on to discover some of the attractions you can enjoy whilst staying at one of our Wiltshire cottages. Cottages in Wiltshire offer the ideal base from which to discover this county's distinctive landscape.
From our selection of holiday cottages Wiltshire, its high chalk downland (for example Salisbury Plain) and wide valleys are easily accessible. The southern Cotswolds touch the north of this rolling county. Wiltshire is home to some of England's finest prehistoric sites as well stately homes with magnificent gardens and attractive market towns.
If you are staying at any of our Wiltshire cottages a visit to the Stonehenge World Heritage site is a must. Sitting at the centre of the densest complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, this mysterious collection of earthworks and standing stones is accessible by road and footpath. Nearby, to the north on the Marlborough Downs is Avebury, whose towering, weathered stones rank as one of the finest Neolithic monuments in Europe. A thoroughly recommended walk when enjoying a cottage holiday in Wiltshire is from Avebury, past the man-made chalk mound of Silbury Hill to the West Kennett Long Barrow, one of the largest burial tombs in Britain.
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In the south of the county the city of Salisbury is notable for its fine medieval cathedral, with the highest spire in Britain. To the north-west, beyond Warminster, in the beautiful Wylye Valley is Stourhead, one of the foremost examples of English landscape gardening. Further north another superb garden can be found at Bowood House. This Grade I listed Georgian building is set in one of Capability Brown's finest parks. Close to Stourhead is Longleat, the UK's original Safari Park, where as well as coming face-to-face with some wild and exotic creatures visitors can view family heirlooms within Longleat House, enjoy getting lost in the mazes and ride various attractions.
By selecting one of our holiday cottages Wiltshire and its many white horses can also be discovered. Thirteen of Britain's two dozen hill figures reside in the county. Most are carved into the underlying rock; the central chalk Downs of Wiltshire make it an ideal place for such figures with the largest and oldest being found at Westbury near Warminster. The more recent labours of man can be marvelled at along the Kennet and Avon canal which bisects the county, forming an east-west route linking the River Thames and Bristol Channel. One of its more spectacular features is the Caen Hill flight of 16 locks at Devizes. Westwards, towards Bath, the canal passes through Bradford on Avon. This bustling market town, in contrast to other parts of the county, is built in the honey-coloured stone of the Cotswolds hinting at the close proximity of these lovely hills. If you're seeking this influence in the location of your holiday cottage Wiltshire Cotswold villages lying north of here include Lacock, Corsham and Malmesbury. So, why not browse our selection of cottages in Wiltshire to find something that catches your eye?
Places to visit in Wiltshire
Salisbury
Known as 'The city in the countryside', the magnificent medieval city of Salisbury has it all: historic streets and alleyways, charming half-timbered buildings, not to mention one of the UK's finest medieval cathedrals. Boasting the tallest spire in Britain, it stands in the largest medieval close in Britain. Completed within a single generation, rather than evolving gradually over centuries, the cathedral presents a remarkable unity of vision. Constable painted it, and generations of artists have attempted to capture its beauty rising above the water meadows
Chippenham
Chippenham has a mix of building styles from half-timbered houses, including Yelde Hall in the market place, through to modern buildings. However it is the town's location between the Malborough Downs to the east, the Cotswolds to the north and west and Salisbury Plain to the south which is its real asset, meaning that some of the country's greatest houses and historic villages and sites are within easy reach
Dyrham Park
The setting is nothing short of stupendous - as you drop down into this secluded valley near Chippenham, the imposing house of honey-coloured stone reveals itself in dramatic fashion. But Dyrham Park is really all about the trees: venerable horse chestnuts, beech and cedar tower above the house along with ancient mulberries, pine and holm oak. The east garden became what is now an ancient 265-acre deer park, while the west garden still has rectangular ponds now flanked by natural plantings of dogwoods and willows. Dyrham Park which was used as the setting for the film Remains of the Day starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson.
Malmesbury
The picturesque village is one of England's ancient boroughs. Situated on a hill circled by the River Avon, it is often called the 'Queen of Hilltop Towns'. Its skyline is dominated by the imposing Norman Abbey where the Abbey Gardens feature planting ranging from daffodils, crocus, tulips and iris in spring through the county's largest private collection of roses, double herbaceous borders that rival Monet's, to fabulous autumn colour from specimen trees and shrubs spread between formal gardens dotted with fish ponds and a wilder section that cascades into a valley cut through by a tributary of the River Avon. In the town there is a fine 15th century market cross, narrow medieval streets and quaint alleyways.
Bowood House
Bowood House is one of England's finest stately homes. Hidden away, deep within the rolling, unspoiled Wiltshire countryside the remains represent only a section of the original building, yet it is a perfectly proportioned Georgian house. The grounds, designed by 'Capability' Brown, stretch out from the Italian-style terraced garden and lead to the peaceful lake beyond. On the other side of the lake sits a Doric temple which continues the Grecian architecture theme, whilst near the lake is the romantic Cascade Waterfall.
Warminster
Warminster lies beneath the chalk downland of Salisbury Plain and at the head of one of Wiltshire's best-kept secrets - the Wylye Valley. The Plain is famous for the World Heritage Site of Stonehenge which lies at the centre of many other Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments, including several hundred burial mounds many accessible by road or footpath. The Wylye Valley is a picturesque valley dotted with small, chocolate-box villages composed of thatched Wiltshire cottages and inviting pubs and the nearby Stourhead House, one of the best examples of landscape gardening in Britain
Stourhead House
Stourhead House is among the best examples of landscape gardening in Britain. Often referred to as 'Paradise', Stourhead is an exquisite example of an English landscaped garden. The garden is dotted with Classical temples including the Pantheon and the Temple of Apollo, which provide a dramatic backdrop to the majestic lake, secluded valley and magnificent trees. Stourhead House itself is an 18th-century Palladian Mansion situated at the top of the gardens surrounded by lawns and parkland.
Bradford on Avon
Bradford on Avon is a bustling market town only eight miles from the World Heritage City of Bath. One of the most compelling features about Bradford is its position on the edge of the Cotswolds facing the River Avon. The ancient bridge in the centre of the town remains its natural focus. The surrounding hillside is covered with Cotswold stone houses and cottages of every shape and size.
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