The County of Wiltshire.

Wiltshire is proud of 6,000 years of history, where 'the timeless past is ever present'. There are varied options for half or full days tours.

The prehistoric monuments of Stonehenge and Avebury are both World Heritage sites. At Stonehenge the famous stone circle stands at the centre of an extensive prehistoric landscape, while the Avebury monument is one enormous circular enclosure containing various stone circles.

At Old Sarum the iron age hillfort became the ancient city of Salisbury. Modern Salisbury is based on a medieval city; the Cathedral (1220-1258) has the tallest spire and the largest cloisters in England and the 14th century Cathedral Close includes Mompesson House.

The chalklands of Salisbury Plain roll northwards into the Marlborough Downs and the Vale of the White Horses, where horse shapes were carved into the hillsides between 1780 and 1937.

Wiltshire has a long history with the woollen trade. Bradford on Avon, in a steep valley of the River, is a medieval woollen town with 'rows' of weavers cottages, a 14th century bridge and tithe barn and the Saxon church of St Lawrence. Corsham, with the Elizabethan Corsham Court, is a woollen town with many 16th century buildings whose economic prosperity also included mining the local Bath stone.

The 15th century village of Castle Combe, one of the prettiest villages in England, and the National Trust village at Lacock, have both been used for many film sets. At Lacock Abbey, Fox Talbot invented the negative and it is now known as the home of photography.

A popular day tour from Bath combines visits to Castle Combe, Lacock, Corsham and Bradford on Avon.

The market town of Devizes can be used to explore the Kennet and Avon Canal with the Canal Visitors Centre and the impressive flight of 29 locks at Caen Hill.

Stately houses to visit include: the Palladian Wilton House, the Elizabethan Longleat House, and Robert Adam's Bowood House.

Gardens to visit include: Stourhead, created over 250 years ago and the early 1900s Grade I Peto Garden at Iford Manor.

Let Bath Parade Guides help you make the most of your visit to Wiltshire.

Local Links.

> Salisbury (Old Sarum) ( Tourist Bureau Site)
> Wiltshire Tourism (Tourist Bureau Site)
> Avebury
> Castle Combe
> Longleat Park
> National Trust - Lacock Village and Abbey
> Salisbury Cathedral
> Stonehenge
> The Kennet and Avon Canal Trust
> Westbury and the Vale of the White Horse