Few people, easy to access. Free. Don't go too far out of your way, but an interesting stop.read more

Just 2 miles from stonehenges.. Its a free site. Not much but truly amazes you, when you think of…read morethem people who created these circles. What were they thinking or doing to create these circles.. hmm. Nice views around. Small parking available as well.

A site that goes back nearly 5,000 years old. That's crazy. There are some ruins of the old castle…read more The views from the top are incredible. It was so peaceful walking around up there today. We took the local bus from Blue Boar Road to Old Sarum. Just tell the bus driver how many people you're paying for, and tap your contactless payment card.

If you get one of the bus tours, one of the stops is Old Sarum. Looking at the remnants of a…read moreformidable castle, I guess was exciting? I think the sheep on the way to OS was actually more fun to observe. The most interesting thing that I found out about OS was where the loo was located. I wished I had taken a picture of the sign because there was a picture of a king sitting on the hole with his pants around his legs. Great place to bring your pooch. Several locals had brought their dog to run the open fields.

The castle is lovely and grounds are absolutely stunning. Although the structure and landscaping…read moreare lovely, our tour guide felt the need to weave her strong political views into most topics. Examples would be regarding a pitcher/jug that is displayed in one of the glass cases. She said the pitcher "should not be here" and if she had her way "it would be returned" because it was "stolen from a masque." She also said when referring to Dr. Edward Jenner being the first to develop a successful vaccination for small pox that "it really is a question if he were the first." She said he barely beat Africa and Turkey in this world altering vaccine. To which doctors to whom was she referring to in Africa or Turkey? She made a comment of, " My grandfather always said, 'Whatever horrible acts done have been done have been done by the English first.' and I firmly believe this." She was also railing against the decisions of the monarchs before the addition of the parliament. Then she went on to say she wished she could get rid of the current government. A guide should concentrate on the facts and remove biases. It is quite distracting and unnecessary.

What can you say about one of the oldest inhabited castles in the world which is still owned by the…read moresame family from 900 years ago. You have to go. Its where Edward II was murdered with a red hot poker up his fundament .

Most visitors to Salisbury never get further than the famous and spectacular Cathedral, which is,…read moreadmittedly, the principal draw. But a few minutes' walk away is the town church of St Thomas's, which is well worth keeping half an hour free to see. Located right in the centre of mediaeval Salisbury, the church was built to serve the workers building the new cathedral, and was dedicated to St Thomas a Becket in 1220. However, most of the building we see today results from the rebuilding in the mid 1400s in the perpendicular gothic style. The nave in particular benefits from a huge clerestory of perpendicular panels windows, flooding the church with light. The nave has a fine 'Somerset' roof, complete with dozens of carved angels. The main draw, however, is the spectacular 'Doom' wall-painting above the chancel arch, painted around 1475, depicting the last judgement. Hidden Covered under whitewash during the Reformation, it was uncovered in the 19th century and vividly restored. It now ranks as the best preserved Doom Painting, to say nothing of being one of the most complete mediaeval wall paintings of any kind, in the UK. The painting shows Christ sitting in judgement, with the Apostles at his feet, and the New Jerusalem behind. To the left, angels raise the good from their graves to heaven, while on the right devils herd the bad into the mouth of a wonderful blood-red monster. (The 'bad' includes several Bishops I wonder what the contemporary Cathedral authorities made of this?) At the bottom sides of the painting, below the arch are images thought to be of St James (left) and St Osmund, the first Bishop of Salisbury, on the right. Other items of interest include the Lady Chapel, built in 1470 by William Swayne, and containing a rich array of 15th and 16th century memorials, as well as some small fragments of wall painting depicting the Annunciation, Visitation and Nativity. The chancel also dates from around this period, but is rather plainer in style. The south wall has a fine carved wooden memorial in memory of Henry Beckham, who died, aged 83, in 1671. He apparently carved it himself the panel below describes it as 'His own Worke'. The church is rich in other memorials, including diamond-shaped funeral hatchments and the Coat of Arms of Queen Elizabeth I. The tower is adorned by an attractive Tudor Quarter Clock which can be seen through an alley around the corner. There are daily services during the week and of course on Sundays, with an inclusive but traditional liturgy, which visitors are very welcome to join.

Agree with the above really. It's beautiful, and interesting. The only things I'd add are:…read more- the organ was donated by George III to Salisbury diocese - the Doom gives some sort of context to the Cathedral in terms of showing the mindset of the people that built it....albeit a couple of hundred years later. Is that a bit pretentious? - the Christmas tree festival in early December is very good!

I visited this restored 18th (and, to some extent, 19th) century mansion because it's right next to…read morethe wonderful Salisbury Cathedral, it offers a real - i.e. not inflated, museum-style - glimpse into the life of the upper, or upper-middle class of the time(s) - and because it was raining cats and dogs in Salisbury. on that day. I knew that it was used for the 1995 Jane Austen film adaptation of "Sense and Sensibility" with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet, but that was of very minor concern of my rosy nose (I read Jane Austen as part of my English literature studies - 10 pages, then I decided that life is too short). Mompesson House is run by National Trust, and the staff are volunteers who sacrifice their time to provide visitors with information on the house and the families that lived there (and the collections they accumulated - like the porcelain figurines and the drinking glasses). Amazingly, photography *is* allowed at this place - not a given at a National Trust property. What I liked about Mompesson House in particular is that it did feel like a real place, not a museum - i.e. It wasn't overstuffed. The lady at the entrance was very friendly. She noticed I wasn't an English native speaker and gave me printed notes to the house in decent German (actually, I would have preferred English, but the gesture was nice anyway). There are about 10 rooms that you can visit, plus the garden and a tea house/café. So expect to spend about 45-.60 minutes at this place, depending on just how much you treasure Jane Austen. So, for me it was 45 minutes. There is a small exhibition on the first floor which deals with the 1995 film "Sense and Sensibility" and includes some memorabilia, like e.g. a costume Kate Winslet wore in the film. The current entrance fee for an adult is UKP 6.50, which I think is quite okay, if not really a bargain. Please see my photos to get an impression of Mompesson House.

Anyone walking from the Cathedral into Salisbury City Centre will most probably walk through this…read moregate. One of four which used to pierce the wall surrounding the cathedral, the High Street (or North Gate) is one of the most attractive. It was built between 1327 and 1342, when Edward III gave permission for stone from the old site of the City at Old Sarum to be used to erect a wall around the Cathedral precinct. It used to have a portcullis, lowered when the citizens became rebellious, and it is still closed every evening at 23h, and reopened at 6h. It once housed the small lock-up jail for those convicted of misdeeds within the Close. Beside the gate stands the Porters Lodge. The post of Porter to the Close was much sought-after by the servants of kings and nobles in the middle ages. On the Cathedral side, it is decorated with a single statue of a Knight in early 14th Century armour, whereas the City side is decorated with the Royal Coat of Arms, surrounded by decorative carving. It is framed by attractive buildings on both sides, reflecting the changing architectural styles from mediaeval times to the Victorian period. On the far (south) side of the Cathedral close is the smaller Harnham Gate - as this was less important, its architecture did not need to impress the townspeople! This gate is also closed overnight. Entering from this gate, you can see some of the classic views of Salisbury Cathedral.

Part of Salisbury's heritage quarter, its a gorgeous example of medieval architecture at a more…read moredomestic scale than the neighboring cathedral. Lots of quaint shops nearby. Check out the river walk nearby.

Other than the castle, the village itself has a very inviting feel about it. You enter the castle…read morefrom the little square where there are a few shops and a monument in the middle. The square is very small! I don't know; I just found the place really calm and peaceful - most likely not this way during the tourist season but on a cold wet November late afternoon the atmosphere was at its best. The village isn't very big, so worth a little wander around and perhaps a stop in a pub and some of the shops.

Such a beautiful village - it hasn't changed much since I used to visit it over 40 years ago. The…read moreCastle is always worth a visit - you get in free if you're a National Trust member, and the parking at the visitor centre at the entrance to the village is also free to members. Try getting there early-morning before the crowds. Interesting little shops and the National Trust Tea Rooms does the best cream tea ever - sit in their garden overlooking the Castle. There's also a model village. The steam train runs from the Park & Ride at Norden (just before Corfe Castle village), stops at the village before chugging through the Purbecks onto Swanage. A good day's fun!

On our Road Trip through England, Wales and Scotland we focused on Castles, Abbeys and walks…read more The Titchfield Abbey we've visited on our first full day here in England. It was a hot summer day. A monday. And only really a handful people on site. Which is surprising, because these are beautiful remains of a former abbey and mansion. It's almost still fully complete even. There's no entrance fee. And even parking is free if you're a member of the EH. If not it's 2£ only. The building is very impressive. Built in the 13th Century it was first in the hand of monks. Then it changed hands under Henry VIII. And was turned into a Tudor mansion. It's quite a sight to behold. And you can walk around the whole site. But as usual: Be respectful, don't climb around and pick up your litter and after your dog (which are allowed here on the site). A very good start for this year's Road Trip. A great place to visit. And there are even one or two lunch options around, if you feel hungry after your visit.

Titchfield Abbey is a ruined former country home, which was itself adapted from an Abbey during the…read moreDissolution. The Abbey was founded in 1222 by the Premonstratensian Order of canons. It was founded as a daughter house of Halesowen Abbey, and endowed both by its founder Bishop Peter of Winchester and Henry III. Never especially wealthy, the Abbey was nevertheless noted for its scholarship and held a substantial library. The Abbey buildings followed a standard plan, albeit on a relatively modest scale. The Abbey seems to have had a quiet and ordered existence, although it's location near the south coast on one of the main routes to France meant it hosted both Richard II and Henry V, and was the location of Henry VI to Margaret of Anjou in 1445. The Abbey was dissolved in 1537, at the behest of Thomas Wriothesely, Chancellor to Henry VIII. Unlike many dissolutions, the Abbott John Salisbury secured a peaceful handover, with pensions provided for the canons and the position of Dean of Norwich for himself in 1539. Wriothesely adapted the buildings to form a n impressive country home for himself, called Place House. The Abbey church itself was converted to a grand gatehouse and accommodation wing, with a long gallery and hall formed around the former cloister. This involved taking down the church tower and chancel. The house hosted Elizabeth I, Edward VI, Charles I and Charles II. It continued in use as a home until the 1780s, when the decision was taken to abandon and deliberately demolish much of the complex to form a romantic ruin. Today it is in the care of English Heritage. The impressive turreted gatehouse forms the larger part of what is visible today, the bare structure enabling much of the former church to be traced. There are also remains of the cloister walls, with the foundations of the demolished buildings traced out on the ground. The site is also known for its collection of decorative mediaeval floor tiles. The adjacent fish ponds have survived but are no longer part of the site. Practicalities: the gravel drive is quite narrow and leads to a gravel car park. Although there is level access the rough surfaces make for challenging wheelchair access. There are no toilets on site.

Grade II listed block of 164 flats designed by American architect Hector O'Hamilton, in Los Angeles…read moreSpanish style. It is a marvellous confection, with lovely tiled detailing. Built in 1935-38, it has worn remarkably well, and still looks 'fabulous, darling' today.

The freehold of San Remo Towers was sold for the first time whilst it remained as a 100% rental…read moreblock in 1992 to Roger Byron-Collins' company Welbeck Estate Group and the Hodge Group. It underwent a major upgrading programme. After several years of overall enhancement the freehold was sold whilst it was still a rental building. In 2000 it's freehold was sold whilst still a rental block by Welbeck and Hodge., The new owners then embarked on a programme of selling off the individual apartments.