The Castle & Ball, Malborough

Marlborough lies in the valley of the River Kennet between the Marlborough Downs and Savernake Forest. Described by Pepys as a “pretty fair town for a street or two”, it retains its unique beauty and is an ideal touring centre.

Local Attractions
The beautiful, atmospheric Marlborough Downs are rich in pre-historic sites. Avebury (a World Heritage site) is described by Nikolaus Pevsner as “among the foremost works of pre-historic man in Europe”. Nearby are the great man-made Silbury Hill, its secrets still undiscovered, and West Kennet Long Barrow, an excavated tomb that can be entered. Walkers on The Ridgeway, a pre-historic road, are within sight of these monuments. Crop circles, man-made or an unexplained phenomenon may also be seen on The Downs.

The industrial revolution is also richly represented in the area. The Kennet and Avon Canal offers the major attractions of the Crofton Pumping Station, which retains a working 1812 Beam Engine, the 502 yard long Bruce Tunnel and the amazing 16 locks climbing Caen Hill near Devizes. For railway enthusiasts Swindon, including Steam, the railway museum, lies to the north.

Hungerford, an ancient town along the Kennet Valley is a centre for antique shopping. On the way lies the beautiful church at Mildenhall, beloved of John Betjeman, who was at school in Marlborough.

A little further afield are a number of National Trust properties including Lacock, much used for filming period dramas and home of the inventor of photography. There are also several chalk-cut white horse figures in the area. Uffington is the oldest and most dramatic.

Only 20 miles away is Stonehenge, an icon for the mysteries of the beautiful area.

Barbury Castle Estate
Sharpridge Farm, Marlborough
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Further Afield
From Marlborough in a day it is easily possible to visit Bath, Bristol, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Salisbury, Winchester or Woodstock near Oxford, home of the Duke of Marlborough.

Stonehenge
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Avebury
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Salisbury Racecourse
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Salisbury Cathedral
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Roman Baths
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Wilton Windmill
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The Merchant’s House
Marlborough
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Museum of Great Western Railway
Swindon
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