Press Release 1 August 2017
MERE... a historical and archaeological hidden gem
History of the town
Mere is situated in the extreme south-west corner of Wiltshire and nestles beneath the South West Wiltshire Downs of which large parts are designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Ridgeway was used throughout prehistory, with several Iron Age hill forts providing a wealth of archaeological interest for visitors, a real hidden gem. The name ‘Mere’ is derived from Anglo Saxon ‘meri’ referring to marshy ground of lakes and arises from the spring line where the chalk downlands meet the clay lower lands. The town lies on a ridge where the three Saxon shires of Wiltshire, Dorset and Somerset meet.
The 16th century saw cloth making in Mere well established as a cottage industry and from the late 17th century flax, which was spun and woven into linen, became an important local crop. In 1670, four years after the Great Fire of London, Mere had its own great fire. A total of 54 houses were destroyed and so much of Mere now is of the characteristic local stone and dates from the late 17th century. The 11th century St Michael the Archangel Church contains a unique Charles II royal coat of arms.
Mere has a great sense of community and many facilities such as a library with visitor information, museum, post office, school, police and fire station as well as a variety of sporting facilities including football, cricket, bowls, tennis and a skate park. Two free car parks make visiting easy!
Things to see and do
Hillbrush has been manufacturing cleaning equipment in Mere since 1922 and has just opened a brand new visitor centre – Visit Hillbrush – the only brush museum in the UK! This free museum celebrates the rich 95-year history of the Coward family brushware and hygienic cleaning tools business where they make 10,000 brushes a day. Admission is free and the newly located building also includes a gift shop, restaurant and artisan coffee bar.
The award-winning Mere Museum, founded in 1970 boasts a collection of over 7,000 items for visitors to find out about the history of Mere and provides a three-monthly changing exhibition.
Take in the views from Castle Hill above the town, where once a medieval fortification existed.
The Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding National Beauty is the 6th largest in the country and considered nationally as one of the most rural protected landscapes. It is characterised by the Lynchets, ridges formed by ancient ploughing.
There is excellent walking (route maps available locally) and horse riding along many miles of woodland tracks and open downland, while local cycle routes and clay shooting provide for both leisurely and more challenging expeditions.
Annual Events & Entertainment
Every year in October, residents run the Mere Literary Festival which includes a literary competition, alternating each year between poetry and short-story writing, plus events for children. There is also a carnival in September with children’s entertainment in the afternoon and an illuminated evening parade. Most summer weekends see an event in the Town Square.
Where to eat and drink
A cup of tea or light meals are available at the Angel Corner Tea Rooms and Visit Hillbrush Restaurant serve drinks and excellent food. In the neighbouring village of Horningsham on the Longleat Estate, The Bath Arms is a popular choice as it has an AA rosette and serves a traditional great British home grown food.
Where to stay
There is local B&B accommodation in the town and only a mile away is The Folly at Castlebridge, an enchanting mid-19th century folly lying at the end of an impressive tree-lined avenue. It was built in an elevated position as an observation tower for the ladies of the big house to watch the hunt over the neighbouring field below. It makes a highly unusual, unique self-catering accommodation for two.
Close by is the village of Zeals with Cornerways Cottage which offers first class accommodation with two en-suite double bedrooms, one with a four poster bed!
The Spread Eagle Inn in the nearby village of Stourton on the Stourhead estate, is an 18th century AA 4 star inn with stone floors, painted beams and big windows which look out onto a lovely courtyard. There are five en-suite bedrooms complete with period furniture. The Stourhead Gardens B&B, which has 4 rooms is at the entrance to the beautiful gardens.
Connectivity
Mere is a great place to stop-off while travelling east/west as it’s conveniently situated close to the A303. It is west of Salisbury and the nearest rail services are at Gillingham, Warminster and Castle Cary.
What’s nearby?
The National Trust house and breath-taking 18th century garden at Stourhead is nearby with its series of follies and temples is 3 miles away. It is only 15 miles to the 16th century house at Longleat which has a safari park within its impressive grounds. So escape the everyday and visit the many timeless places Wiltshire has to offer.
For further information please see www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/mere
For further information or to arrange a press visit please contact Florence Wallace, Travel Trade & PR Manager, flowallace@visitwiltshire.co.uk Tel: 01722 341309 or 07436 588860
Note to editors:
VisitWiltshire is the official Destination Management & Marketing Organisation for Wiltshire representing 600 partners. It is a public/private sector membership organisation. VisitWiltshire's priority is to grow the county's Visitor Economy by raising awareness of the destination and generating additional tourism visits and spend. Wiltshire's Visitor Economy currently generates an estimated £1.5billion and supports over 29,000 jobs.
For more information on Mere visit http://merewilts.org/
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