8 Historical Sites Around Salisbury
Stonehenge
Stonehenge Visitor Centre, Salisbury, SP4 7DE
Monday – Sunday: 9:30 am – 3:00 pm | 03703 331 181
The number one place to visit when you stay with us at Brades acre is Stonehenge. The prehistoric monument is one of the world’s greatest wonders, with hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Built around 5,000 years ago, the stone circle structure draws crowds from across the globe twice a year during the Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice.
English Heritage is the current guardian of Stonehenge after the site was gifted to the nation in 1918 by Cecil and Mary Chubb. The visitor centre at Stonehenge has world-class exhibitions including ancient artefacts, multi-media displays, reproduced neolithic houses and so much more for visitors of all ages to explore. For more information about Stonehenge and ticket information, visit English-Heritage.org.uk.
Avebury and the Avebury Stone Circles
Avebury, Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 1RD
Multiple opening hours | 01672 539 250
The stunning neolithic site of Avebury holds a magnitude of things to see and explore. The World Heritage Site holds the world’s largest prehistoric stone circle, originally holding around 100 stones, enclosing two smaller stone circles. Across Avebury, there are several spots of interest, each within walking distance. Each location holds secrets of how ancient civilisations lived day-to-day and their beliefs.
Both English Heritage and the National Trust look after different parts of Avebury, including the stone circles and henge, West Kennet Avenue, Avebury Manor and Garden, Alexander Kellier Museum, Great Barn and Dovecote, as well as places for visitors to shop and grab something light to eat and drink. The National Trust charge an admittance fee across certain attractions in Avebury. Visit NationalTrust.org.uk for information about prices and access.
Old Sarum
Castle Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 3SD
Monday – Sunday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm | 03703 331 181
Travel through time and connect to nearly 1000 years of English history. The great historical site of Old Sarum holds great historic significance in Wiltshire and British history. As the original site of the Salisbury Cathedral, and the earliest Salisbury settlement, the site appears in some of the earliest records in England. The site also held a motte and bailey royal castle, built by the Normans as a fortification in the 11th century.
Over time, the original Salisbury Cathedral in Old Sarum was dismantled, with the stone being recycled as building materials for the new Cathedral, which we recognise today. Check out English-Heritage.org.uk for ticket information and a detailed history of Old Sarum.
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire, SP1 2EF
Monday – Saturday: 9:30 am to 4:00 pm, Sunday: 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm | 01722 555120
The great historical Salisbury Cathedral is a true must-see when visiting us at Brades Acre. The 13th-century structure is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, with the largest spire, cloister, and cathedral close in Britain. Stepping inside takes you back through history with guided tours and demonstrations, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the cathedral.
Salisbury Cathedral also houses one of the original 1215 Magna Carta documents, which limited the powers of the monarchy and gave rights and regulations to the ordinary person in England. The Magna Carter is known for being a cornerstone in law-making and individual rights across the world. To find more information about what you can see and do and Salisbury Cathedral and to book tickets, visit SalisburyCathedral.org.uk.
The Salisbury Museum
The Kings House, 65 The Close, Salisbury, SP1 2EN
Monday – Sunday: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | 01722 332151
Salisbury Museum holds nearly 100,000 objects in its collections, including Roman and Neolithic archaeological finds. There are also collections of art, pottery & porcelain, fashion through time, and the social history of Salisbury.
The museum has plenty of activities for the whole family. To find out more about entry fees, accessibility, and how to get there, visit SalisburyMuseum.org.uk.
Woodhenge
Countess Road, Amesbury, Wiltshire, SP4 7AR
“Any reasonable time during daylight hours”
Woodhenge, just two miles from Stonehenge, is a Neolithic site that was rediscovered in the 1920s by aerial photography. Rings of dark spots were spotted in a crop of wheat, and archaeological digs soon began. Today, concrete posts replace where wooden ones once stood, in six concentric ovals.
Carbon dating sets the original site around 2470 – 2000 BC, which puts Woodhenge’s creation at the same period as Stonehenge, whilst found artefacts indicate the site was still in use around 1800 BC. You can read more about the history of Woodhenge and visitor information at English-Heritage.org.uk.
The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum
58 The Close, Salisbury SP1 2EX | 01722 419419
Opening 11th Feb – 2nd Dec 2023
Explore the captivating history of the Berkshire and Wiltshire regiments, housed in a Grade II listed building, The Wardrobe. So named, because it was once used to house the robes of the Bishop of Salisbury. The military museum holds thousands in its collection from the local area.
Discover individual soldier stories and get to know their lives in the regiments throughout history, including 19th and 20th-century wars. The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum is also an excellent resource for research and education, researching family history. For more information and an extensive look at some of the digitised collections, visit TheWardrobe.org.uk.
Mompesson House
The Close, Salisbury, SP1 2EL
Spring to Winter | 01722 335659
Mompesson House is an 18th-century Grade I house dated from 1701 with stunningly beautiful gardens. The house belonged to Charles Mompesson and the Mompesson family, recorded as a Wiltshire family of whom several were sheriffs. After Charles’ death in 1714, his brother-in-law Charles Longueville took on the lease of the house and lavishly decorated the interior, a tradition that continued over the centuries with passing residents.
Before the last resident Denis Martineau, lived Barbara Townsend, who lived in Mompesson House from 1843 to her death in 1939. Barbara Townsend documented everyday life in Cathedral Close in her art. A self-taught artist, it is her work which mostly decorates the house today. More information can be found at NationalTrust.org.uk.
