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  1. stonehenge at twilight
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You are here: Home > Things To Do > History & Heritage

Wiltshire History & Heritage

With a history spanning over 10,000 years, Wiltshire has been a special place for a very long time. History in Wiltshire is not just ancient, come today and you can walk through time.

Probably the most iconic of Wiltshire’s sites is of course Stonehenge. To this day there is still a mystery as to the reasons behind the site and how the stones were transported from as far away as Wales.

Further north is Avebury, the largest stone circle in the world. Dating from around 4,500 years ago, Avebury together with Stonehenge form part of the World Heritage Site.

The Battle of Edington in 878AD was a major victory for Alfred the Great over the Vikings led by Guthrum. The victory was decisive, forcing Guthrum to withdraw from Wessex and agree to the division of England. The Three Daggers in Edington offers opportuities to explore the battlefield and provides guides and talks as well. 

Discover Salisbury’s 13th century Cathedral which boasts the tallest spire in Britain, the medieval village of Lacock with its Abbey and historic towns such as Malmesbury and Bradford on Avon and Wiltshire's county town, Trowbridge.

Visit one of our stately homes ranging from the Elizabethan Longleat House, Wilton House with its Tudor origins, Palladian-style Lydiard House and the Merchant’s House in Marlborough, the house of a prosperous silk mercer. Explore some of Wiltshire’s ecclesiastical heritage in some of our historic churches that open to the public.

During the industrial revolution, the Kennet & Avon Canal was created linking Bristol to Reading by water. The canal although no longer used for industrial reasons is still a very thriving place and is the perfect spot for a stroll or cycle along the tow path. Look out for Crofton Beam Engines near Marlborough and the Caen Hill Locks near Devizes which both form part of the impressive canal. One of the key drivers in the Industrial Revolution was Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Brunel was responsible for developing the Great Western Railway, still celebrated today in Swindon’s STEAM Museum.

Learn more about the history of Wiltshire at the Wiltshire Museum and Salisbury Museum and if you are searching your heritage then the Wiltshire History Centre in Chippenham should be your first point of call. Discover more history on a visit to one of our museums from transport to local history.

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  1. National Trust Spring Petra Mirosevic-Sorgo

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 2826 reviews2826 reviews

    Stourhead - National Trust

    Type

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    Garden

    Stourton, Warminster

    Stourhead estate on the Wiltshire-Somerset border is the perfect day out for everyone.

    A breathtaking 18th century landscape garden with lakeside walks, grottoes and classical temples is only the beginning.

  2. Salisbury Museum

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 511 reviews511 reviews

    Salisbury Museum

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    Museum

    Salisbury

    Discover 500,000 years of history - from the archaeology of ancient Wessex to contemporary art - all in a stunning medieval building set within the glorious setting of the Cathedral Close.

  3. STEAM-City of Truro

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 1641 reviews1641 reviews

    STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway

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    Museum

    Swindon

    Get up close to magnificent locomotives, be a signalman in the GWR interactive Signal Box and drive the steam train simulator as you travel through STEAM’s story-telling displays!

    STEAM tells the story of the men and women who built, operated and…

  4. Fisherton Mill - Gallery, Cafe and Artist Studios

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 232 reviews232 reviews

    Fisherton Mill - Gallery, Cafe and Artist Studios

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    Gallery

    Salisbury

    Explore a treasure trove of amazing artwork in the largest independent art gallery in the South West. Our relaxed and friendly café is a slice of foodie heaven in the heart of Salisbury.

  5. Stonehenge

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    Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site

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    Historic Site

    Wiltshire

    Stonehenge and Avebury are listed together as a single UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site is famous for its instantly recognisable stone circles but there is far more to explore in these two remarkable landscapes.

  6. Roman Baths

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 24562 reviews24562 reviews

    Roman Baths

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    Abbey Church Yard, Bath

    Visit the heart of the World Heritage Site. Around Britain's only hot spring, the Romans built a magnificent temple and bathing complex that still flows with natural hot water.

  7. Stonehenge seen from above, © ENGLISH HERITAGE

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 14942 reviews14942 reviews

    Stonehenge

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    Nr Amesbury

    Stonehenge stands impressively as a prehistoric monument of unique importance, a World Heritage Site, surrounded by remains of ceremonial and domestic structures - some older than the monument itself.

  8. Moored boats on K&A by Terry Hewlett

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    Caen Hill Locks

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    Canal / Waterway / Marina

    DEVIZES

    On the Kennet & Avon Canal you will find beauty, history and nature. Tap into its stillness, enjoy a gentle adventure, share your boating stories at canal side cafes or pubs, and live in a space where time moves no faster than a stroll.

  9. Salisbury Cathedral and Magna Carta

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 7235 reviews7235 reviews

    Salisbury Cathedral and Magna Carta

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    Cathedral/Minster

    Salisbury

    Salisbury Cathedral has been a place of worship, welcome, and hospitality for over 800 years. Its Spire (the tallest in the country and a feat of medieval engineering) rises to a breath-taking 404ft/123m, guiding travelers, merchants, and pilgrims…

  10. REME Museum

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 159 reviews159 reviews

    REME Museum

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    Museum

    Chippenham

    The REME Museum displays the proud history of the Corps of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Wherever in the world the Army serves, there you will find REME.

  11. Wadworth Brewery

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    Wadworth Brewery

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    Brewery

    Devizes

    Sample the delights and discover the history & heritage of Wadworth Brewery.

  12. women feeding lorikeets, one on each hand and one on her shoulder

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 10159 reviews10159 reviews

    Longleat Safari Park

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    Warminster

    Longleat, nestled within 900 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped grounds, is home to the UK’s original Safari Park, one of the best examples of Elizabethan architecture, and an abundance of exciting attractions including Jungle Kingdom and Animal…

  13. Visitors in rear garden

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 635 reviews635 reviews

    Mompesson House

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    Salisbury

    Homely and welcoming eighteenth-century townhouse with magnificent plasterwork, fine oak staircase, period furniture and important collection of drinking glasses. Tranquil walled garden.

  14. West Kennet Long Barrow in summer

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    West Kennet Long Barrow

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    Type:

    Historic Site

    Marlborough

    Constructed around 3,400 BC West Kennet is one of the largest Neolithic chambers in Britain.

    The impressive site was the resting place for many souls. Two Sarsen stones cover the entrance and inside there are five chambers.

  15. Crop Circle Visitor Centre & Exhibition

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    Crop Circle Visitor Centre & Exhibition

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    Type:

    Heritage/Visitor Centre

    PEWSEY

    Ever wanted to learn about crop circles? Or wanted to meet crop circle enthusiasts to share thoughts with? Or find out about the latest news? If so, come to the Crop Circle Visitor Centre & Exhibition at the Honeystreet Mill Café at Honeystreet,…

  16. Boscombe Down Aviation Collection

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 754 reviews754 reviews

    Boscombe Down Aviation Collection

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    Museum

    Old Sarum, Salisbury

    Collection of aircraft, cockpits, replicas and models weapons and trials equipment to show the story of flight and flight test in the UK.

    The cockpits are mostly open and you can sit in and use the controls.

  17. Old Sarum

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 1714 reviews1714 reviews

    Old Sarum

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    Castle/Fort

    Salisbury

    Discover the story of the original Salisbury with a day out to Old Sarum, 2 miles north of where the city stands now.

    The mighty Iron Age hill fort was where the first cathedral once stood and Romans, Normans and Saxons left their mark.

  18. Marlborough College Summer School

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    Marlborough College Summer School

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    Marlborough

    This extremely popular multi-generational learning experience will take place over four weeks between July and August

  19. Bowood House & Gardens

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 859 reviews859 reviews

    Bowood House and Gardens

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    Historic House/Palace

    Calne

    Bowood House & Gardens will open from 1st April - 2nd November 2025

    Bowood is the magnificent family home of the Lansdowne Family.

    NEW FOR 2025

    BOWOOD: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF OPEN DAYS

    2025 is the 50th Anniversary of opening…

  20. Iford Manor Gardens

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    Iford Manor Gardens

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    Garden

    Iford, Near Bath

    Breathtakingly pretty 18th-century manor surrounded by award-winning Italianate gardens.

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