Things to do in Wiltshire
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Doom Painting
In St Thomas's Church, the amazing doom painting is above the chancel arch, painted in 1475. It depicts Christ on the day of judgment, sitting astride a rainbow flanked by visions of heaven and hell; on the hell side, look out for two naked kings and a nude bishop, a miser with his moneybags, and a female alehouse owner, the only person allowed to hang on to her clothes.
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Avebury Stone Circle
With a diameter of about 348m, Avebury is the largest stone circle in the world. It's also one of the oldest, dating from around 2500 to 2200 BC, between the first and second phase of construction at Stonehenge. The site originally consisted of an outer circle of 98 standing stones from 3m to 6m in length, many weighing up to 20 tons, carefully selected for their size and shape. The stones were surrounded by another circle delineated by a 5.5m-high earth bank and a 6m- to 9m-deep ditch. Inside were smaller stone circles to the north (27 stones) and south (29 stones).
The present-day site represents just a fraction of the circle's original size; many of the stones were buri…
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Salisbury Cathedral
England is endowed with countless stunning churches, but few can hold a candle to the grandeur and sheer spectacle of Salisbury Cathedral. Built between 1220 and 1258, the cathedral bears all the hallmarks of the early English Gothic style, with an elaborate exterior decorated with pointed arches and flying buttresses, and a sombre, austere interior designed to keep its congregation suitably pious.
Beyond the highly decorative West Front, a small passageway leads into the 70m-long nave, lined with handsome pillars of Purbeck stone. In the north aisle look out for a fascinating medieval clock dating from 1386, probably the oldest working timepiece in the world. At the easte…
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St Thomas's Church
This elegant church was built for cathedral workmen in 1219 and named after St Thomas Becket. Modified in the 15th century, its most famous feature is the amazing doom painting above the chancel arch, painted in 1475. This depicts Christ on the day of judgment, sitting astride a rainbow flanked by visions of Heaven and Hell; on the Hell side, look out for two naked kings and a nude bishop, a miser with his moneybags, and a female alehouse owner, the only person allowed to hang on to her clothes.
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Silbury Hill
This huge mound rises abruptly from the surrounding fields just west of Avebury. At more than 40m high, it's the largest artificial mound in Europe, and was built in stages from around 2500 BC. No significant artefacts have been found at the site, and the reason for its construction remains unclear. A massive project to stabilise the hill took place in 2008 after a combination of erosion and damage caused by earlier excavations caused part of the top to collapse. Direct access to the hill isn't allowed, but you can view it from a car park on the A4. Hiking across the fields from Avebury (1½ miles each way) is a more atmospheric way to arrive; the tourist office sells guid…
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Market Square & Poultry Cross
Markets were first held here in 1219, and the square still bustles with traders every Tuesday and Saturday. The narrow lanes that surround the square reveal their medieval specialities (Oatmeal Row, Fish Row, Silver St) but today the action is confined to the square, where you can pick up anything from fresh fish to dodgy digital watches. The 15th-century Poultry Cross is the last of four market crosses that once stood on the square.
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Cathedral Close
Salisbury Cathedral is surrounded by one of the country's most beautiful medieval closes. Many of the houses date from the same period as the cathedral, although the area was heavily restored during an 18th-century clean-up by James Wyatt. The close is encircled by a sturdy outer wall, constructed in 1333; the stout gates leading into the complex are still locked every night.
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Marrakech
This great little restaurant is the nearest you'll get to North Africa in Wiltshire, serving tangy tagines and bona fide Moroccan couscous in a terracotta-coloured dining room full of earthenware pots and tiled tables. There's even a small souk where you can buy Moroccan handicrafts, and with luck you might even get a spot of Middle Eastern dancing thrown in for free.
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West Kennet Long Barrow
Set in the fields south of Silbury Hill, this is England's finest burial mound and dates from around 3500 BC. Its entrance is guarded by huge sarsens and its roof is made out of gigantic overlapping capstones. About 50 skeletons were found when it was excavated, and finds are on display at the Wiltshire Heritage Museum in Devizes. A footpath just to the east of Silbury Hill leads to West Kennet (0.5 mile).
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Après LXIX
This achingly trendy bistro feels closer to Soho than Salisbury, with an artfully understated dining room filled with exposed brickwork and designer spotlights, and an imaginative menu with a magpie eye - Italian, French and Oriental flavours find their way into many dishes, all based around a solid reliance on good old British produce.
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Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum
The highlight of the Cathedral Close is at the Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum, in the King's House, is the interactive Stonehenge gallery, but there are also some interesting artefacts recovered from Old Sarum and lots of ceramics, historical artefacts and paintings, including a dreamy watercolour of Stonehenge by JMW Turner.
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Mojito
Authentic tapas and an unmistakably Spanish atmosphere characterise this sassy restaurant, which has a couple of dining areas split over twin floors, and plenty of Iberian attitude. There's an open-plan kitchen where you can see the dishes being put together - our top tip is the fantastic paella, which also comes in a veggie version.
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West Kennet Ave
Avebury is surrounded by a network of ancient monuments. Lined by 100 pairs of stones, the 1½-mile West Kennet Ave links the Avebury circle with the Sanctuary. Post holes indicate that a wooden building surrounded by a stone circle once stood at the Sanctuary, although no-one knows quite what the site was for.
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Avebury Manor
Alexander Keiller bought the manor in 1939 and spent much of his later life here. The 16th-century house features Queen Anne and Edwardian era alterations, but it's the garden that's the real treat – the topiary and box hedges create a series of rooms that inspired Vita Sackville-West, creator of Sissinghurst gardens in Kent.
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Malmesbury House
With a façade by Wren, Malmesbury House was a canonry in the 13th century and later the residence of the earls of Malmesbury, visited by notables including Charles II and Handel. It's still a private residence, but can be visited on pre-booked tours from April to October.
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Café Med
This breezy brasserie brings some Mediterranean vim to Salisbury's streets, and it's a popular spot for an early-evening meal. The menu offers British classics shot through with sun-kissed flavours - think sirloin steak with grilled vine tomatoes, or roast cod with pancetta.
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Lemon Tree
The menu at this tiny eatery is packed with character – how about chicken laced with white wine, butternut squash with Provençal sauce, or crab claw and avocado salad? The patio-garden makes warm weather dining a delight.
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Mompesson House
Built in 1701, this fine Queen Anne building boasts magnificent plasterwork ceilings, exceptional period furnishings and a wonderful carved staircase. All that made it the perfect location for the 1995 film Sense and Sensibility.
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Prezzo
Housed in a decidedly wonky half-timbered house, this sleek Italian does all the standard pizza, pasta and Italian dishes fantastically well, supplemented by some unusual choices including Sicilian chicken and a delicious red pesto burger.
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Escoba
Orange walls, Dali-esque paintings and a hot and sultry atmosphere make this Spanish-style bar a popular drinking den. Cool Sol beers and jugs of margarita are the tipple of choice, accompanied by plates of fresh tapas.
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Alexander Keiller Museum
Explores the archaeological history of the circle and traces the story of the man who dedicated his life to unlocking the secret of the stones.
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Square
The kind of urban-style café you might not expect to find in provincial Salisbury, with the requisite clean lines and cream-and-chocolate tones, and a menu of paninis, pasta bakes and designer breakfasts.
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Salisbury Arts Centre
Housed in the converted St Edmund's church some 800m northeast of the cathedral, this innovative arts centre showcases cutting-edge theatre, dance and live gigs; photography and arts exhibitions are held in the foyer.
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Moloko
This curious bar seems to take its visual cue from Stalinist Russia - black paint, stark interiors and red stars abound - and you'll need the constitution of a Tartar to stomach the flavoured vodkas.
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Magna Carta
One of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta, the historic agreement made between King John and his barons in 1215, is kept in the cathedral's Chapter House.
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