The Kennet & Avon Canal One can explore the beauty of the Kennet and Avon canal (3/4 mile). Ideal for cycling, walking, boating and fishing. There are two bike hire
and boat hire outlets within 2 miles of Church Farm. |
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| Longleat House - home to the Marquess of Bath, with
its formal gardens, orangery, and terraces designed by Capability Brown is
only 12 miles away. Also
home to the 'Lions of Longleat' safari park. A great day out for all the family. |
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| The historic City of Bath with its world famous Roman Baths
and Georgian architecture including some of the finest crescents in the world.
There is archaeological evidence that occupation based around the hot springs on
which the City of Bath is built began at least 8,000 years B.C. Coins thrown by
Celts into the water, probably as offerings to their God, Sulis were found during
excavations of the King’s Bath. The legend that Bath was founded by Bladud was
first documented by Geoffrey of Monmouth, who published his 'History of the
Kings of Britain' in 1136. |
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| The picturesque town of Bradford-on-Avon grew up around
'broad ford' and the slopes of the river. The
narrow roads are lined with grey buildings in mellowed Bath stone. The textile
industry had been the backbone of the local economy for six ceturies until its
demise at the begining of the last century. |
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Nearby Attractions Within a One Hour Drive:
| Lacock, the National Trust owned village with its
Abbey and Fox-Talbot Museum of Photography. |
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| Castle Combe - To the north is the perfect 'picture book'
Cotswold village made famous as the location for the film 'Dr. Dolittle'. |
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| Corsham Court was a Royal Manor in the days of the
Saxon Kings and currently is the home to Lord Methuen, The home is based on
an Elizabethan house dating from 1582. It was bought by Paul Methuen in the
mid-18th century to house a collection of 16th and 17th century Italian and
Flemish Master paintings and statuary. During the middle of the 19th century
the house was altered to receive a second collection of fashionable Italian
Masters and rare Italian Primitives and stone inlaid furniture. |
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| Stonehenge This ancient monument of huge stones solitarily
standing on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire has captured imaginations for centuries.
Theories about who built it have included the Druids, Greeks, Phoenicians, and
Atlanteans. Speculation on the reason it was built range from human sacrifice
to astronomy. |
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| Avebury - This tiny village is the centre of a wonderful
concentration of prehistoric sites, including; Avebury complex, - Massive circular
bank and ditch surrounding settings of stone circles within the village, linked
by avenues of standing stones leading towards West Kennet and the Sanctuary,
West Kennet Long Barrow - A stone chambered collective tomb within massive earthern
mound 330 ft long. |
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| Stourhead - The 18th century Palladian mansion and gardens
at Stourhead are well worth a visit for anyone who appreciates beautiful English
country parks. Three small temples, a grotto and the statues of eight English
kings are situated within the grounds whose views from all locations are breathtaking. |
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| Salisbury has Britains finest medieval cathedral and
boasts Englands tallest (123m) spire. It also boasts museums, historic houses and a great range of shops. |
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| White Horses - Wiltshire is without doubt the county
of counties when it comes to white horses, with no less than nine laying within
its boundaries, although only seven of these are now visible. |
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| Bowood House & Gardens - Bowood was bought by the 1st
Earl of Shelburne in the mid 18th century. The story of Bowood is both interesting
and remarkable, reflecting the ups and downs of successive generations. The
house and gardens have been added to by many famous architects and designers,
including Henry Keene, Robert Adam, 'Capability' Brown, C.R. Cockerell and Sir
Charles Barry. Today you can enjoy some splendid interiors: the Adam Orangery,
the Chapel, Library, New Hall, the Sculpture Gallery and the Laboratory where
Dr Joseph Priestley discovered oxygen in 1774. |
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| Silbury hill - The huge earthern mound 130 feet high
covering 5.5 acres at its base. |
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| Dyrham Park Crowned with a balustrade and with fine
views over its ancient deer park, Dyrham was built between 1691 and 1702 for
William Blathwayt, William III’s Secretary at War and Secretary of State. The
rooms have changed little since they were furnished by Blathwayt and their contents
are recorded in his housekeeper’s inventory. There are many fine textiles and
paintings, as well as items of blue-and-white delftware, reflecting the contemporary
taste for Dutch fashions. Restored Victorian domestic rooms including kitchen,
bells passage, bakehouse, larders, tenants’ hall and Delft-tiled dairy. Car
park has been relocated to the East Lodge, and a free bus now takes visitors
to and from the house, thereby restored to its original, car-free, setting.
Audio tours of the house, colour souvenir guidebook and CD-Rom available to
purchase. |
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| The American Museum in Britain (approx. 3 miles from Church Farm) is the only museum in
Europe devoted to American furniture, decorative arts and quilts. The collections
illustrate the domestic arts in America from the late seventeenth century to
the end of the nineteenth century. |
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| Malmesbury is famous for its Abbey though only a part of the Abbey Church now
remains. The surviving building is only around two thirds of the nave, of the
original. It was from a tower here that Elmer, the flying monk, leaped in
c.1000AD. in his attempt to be the first man to fly. He travelled more than a
furlong, but broke both his legs! Athelstan first King of all England is said to
have been buried here in 939 AD. So too is Hannah Twynnoy, a barmaid mauled to
death by a tiger in a travelling menagerie. |
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