Wiltshire

The ancient county of Wiltshire is in central southern England. As a county it dates back to Saxon times.

It is a land locked county, with no coastline. It is has borders with Gloucestershire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Dorset, Somerset.

The River Kennet rises near Silbury Hill and flows east through Marlborough to meet the Thames near Reading in Berkshire. The early stages of the River Thames skim the northeastern edge of Wiltshire heading eastwards. The River Avon (Bristol) flows southwards through the northwestern part of Wiltshire. A second River Avon (Hampshire) flows through Salisbury towards the south coast. The Kennet and Avon canal was build in the early 1800s providing another important trade route through the country, allowing transport of cargoes between Bristol and London.

Wiltshire is a large county (1,370 sq miles) with a varied landscape. The highest point is at Milk Hill (967 feet) in the centre of the county. The north-west of the county is part of the limestone Cotswolds. Much of the rest of the county is characterised by chalk downlands. In the north-east are the Marlborough Downs, and Savernake Forest. To the south is the heavy clay of the Pewsey Valley. Moving south, the vast Salisbury Plain dominates the centre of the county. South of Trowbridge the vales are fairly heavily wooded, in contrast to the open, rolling countryside of the uplands. In the south west is Cranford Chase.

Wiltshire is rich in ancient remains, including Stonehenge, Silbury Hill, and Avebury Ring. The ancient Ridgeway is at least 5000 years old from Avebury and Overton Hill north eastwards to central England. There are several major Roman roads crossing the county – Fosse Way, Ermin Way, and main east-west routes.

Wiltshire has always been a largely agricultural county. Sheep farming on the Downs, and arable on the chalk soils. Dairy was important in the areas with richer pasture.

Wool and textiles were important to the economy for many centuries, particularly in Trowbridge. Blankets were made in Devizes, silk at Malmesbury and carpets in Wilton.

Wiltshire strongly supported the Parliament during the civil war in the 1640s.

The main town in the county from the medieval period was Salisbury, with its famous Cathedral. In the mid 1800s Swindon grew rapidly to become a railway and engineering hub, as part of the Great Western Railway.

Much of Salisbury Plain has been used by the military and is closed to the public.

The Hundreds of Wiltshire.

Famous people from Wiltshire

Jane Seymour – Queen of England
Edward Hyde – 1st Earl of Clarendon
Sir Christopher Wren
Joseph Priestley
Sir Cecil Beaton
Ian Fleming
Edward Heath