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If you are looking for woodland scenery, a large wooded green area on Harnham Hill to the south of the city gives shaded walks and spectacular views across to the cathedral, as well as being a site of historic, scientific and geological importance. The 9 acre Slope consists of a steep chalk escarpment covered by broadleaved woodland of mainly ash, sycamore and beech. It is crisscrossed by a number of paths including the Avon Valley Path, which will take the long distance walker from Salisbury to Christchurch. Pottery and other artefacts show that Harnham Slope has been occupied since the Iron Age. It was also used as an Anglo-Saxon burial ground - 60 Saxon graves were discovered here in 1846. Harnham Slope has some links to well known names. L: The memorial to Bishop Wordsworth who provided the land for the use of the people of Salisbury R: One of several paths crossing the Harnham Slope Many of John Constable’s paintings of the cathedral from 1811 onwards include Harnham Slope in the background. Harnham Hill was also a favourite spot of Henry Fawcett (1833 – 1884) the former Postmaster General who had his tragic accident on this slope, and whose statue stands in the Market Square. Local artist Edwin Young (1831 – 1913) whose watercolours are displayed in the Young Gallery above Salisbury Library regularly painted the area. The land was gifted to the people of Salisbury by Bishop John Wordsworth after he bought the land in 1898. He wanted the people of Salisbury to “freely enjoy it, with its unequalled view over the city and cathedral, as long as good order were observed”. A monument on the top path, also known as “Bishop’s Walk” records this act of philanthropy. At the western end of the woods you will find the Chalk Pits and can clamber up and down the steep slopes. In the 13th century, chalk from here was heated to make lime mortar to fix the cathedral stones firmly in place. It exposed the basal beds of the overlying Culver Chalk Formation and so is designated an area of special scientific interest. It is also an important wildlife habitat for birds, mammal, bats and butterflies with a large badger site. At the eastern end there is a mysterious Cold War bunker – an underground military telephone exchange for Salisbury Council in the event of nuclear attack. It included a control room, a decontamination room and an emergency escape shaft, a chilling reminder of the potential threat to the country in the 1950s and 60s. Happily it now has a far more peaceful and cheerful role – local music groups are able to practise there. Opposite Harnham Slope on the Old Blandford Road is a further, smaller wooded area to explore. This is Tut Woods, although known locally as Chiselbury Grove, again used as a source of chalk for making lime mortar or providing building material for cob and cottage walls but now an area to explore and for children to run up and down its slopes. If you too are feeling particularly energetic, you can join some locals and run/climb the 118 steps up to Bouverie Avenue. VISITING THE HARNHAM SLOPE How to get to the Harnham Slope Postcode: SP2 8BZ what3words: simple.sofa.tilt Walking: It is a short walk from Salisbury Cathedral to the Slope, less than ten minutes Public Transport: Catch the R5 or the 14 from Salisbury Find timetable >> Parking: If you are driving, there are some free parking spaces on the Old Blandford Road. When is the Harnham Slope open? The slope is accessible at any time of day or night. There are no street lights on the paths. How much does it cost to visit the Harnham Slope? The site is free to visit Are there any facilities at the Harnham Slope? There are no facilities. The nearest locally owned shop is the Harnham Local on Harnham Road Which is the nearest town to the Harnham Slope? Salisbury is the nearest town. See our Salisbury City Guide for details on how to get to Salisbury, locally owned accommodation, restaurants and shops, further places to visit and things to do.

Castle Hill Country Park is a 135 acre country park on former farmland to the north of the city, which opened to the public in 2018. It provides walks and views across to Old Sarum, the cathedral and Laverstock Downs. Due to its newness, the park is not the most fascinating place to visit, although it is perfect for dogs, as it even has a dog agility course. The park is an area mostly of open grassland with easily accessible paths, and includes play areas for the kids and a multi gym area for the bigger kids. An off road bike track is in the process of being constructed in part of the park. Once fully established the park will feature coppiced woodland, downland, hedgerows, wildflower meadows, community supported agriculture, traditional orchards and wetland habitats. Skylarks in the Spring are a particular highlight. A Nectar Flower mixture has been sown in an area near the Ford Road to provide a natural food source for butterflies and bumblebees, and a cover for birds. It has a World War Memorial Woodland which was planted in 2018, although it is currently little more than saplings in plastic sheaths. The park is a wide open space of uneven grassland, surrounded by farm buildings, the airfield and housing estates, which does detract from its charm and impinge on its views. Near Old Sarum you can sit on a bench and watch the people clambering around Old Sarum in the background, while pigs truffle around in front of you The flatness of the park terrain makes it perfect for dogs, as you can let them off the lead and still see them when they zoom around the area. The dog agility course is a large fenced off area with a variety of ramps, jumps, tunnels and other features, which they seem to enjoy. When Old Sarum Airfield is operating you watch the light aircraft across the sky and see parachute drops nearby. This walk could easily be combined with a trip to the Boscombe Down Aircraft Museum or the Jumpin' Fun Inflatable Park, both less than a mile away. Access is available from many areas including Hilltop Way in Salisbury and from pathways from the Bishopdown and Hampton Farm estates. How to get to Castle Hill Country Park Castle Hill Country Park is 2 miles north of Salisbury City Centre Postcode: SP1 3GB Walking: Access is available from many areas including Hilltop Way in Salisbury and from pathways from the Bishopdown and Hampton Farm estates. Public transport: The R11 Park and Ride bus going to The Beehive, or any bus destined for Amesbury, R2 to Bishopdown Parking: There is limited free parking in Saunders Avenue SP1 3PG and in Ford Road SP1 3RZ When is the Castle Hill Country Park open? All day How much does it cost to visit the Castle Hill Country Park? Free Are there any facilities at the Castle Hill Country Park? The nearest toilets are at Victoria Park SP1 3JH A good place for a meal is at the Café@TheFarm, located at River Bourne Community Farm in Laverstock (open Tues-Sun 10am-4pm).

Want to explore the darker side of social history? These 13 old prisons in the UK have opened their doors to visitors and put their grisly pasts on display. You can learn about the most notorious of criminals, the wrongfully imprisoned, the executed and the terrible conditions many of them lived and died in. Several of these prisons offer events such as ghost tours or even sleepovers in the cells. Read on to find out more. Dartmoor Prison, Princetown, Devon Photograph © Brian Henley One of England's most famous prisons, Dartmoor has been a prison for over 200 years, situated on the windswept and foggy moors. It was built to hold prisoners of the Napoleonic War, who started arriving in 1809. By 1813 they were joined by American prisoners, and the prison soon became overcrowded, leading to outbreaks of contagious diseases and thousands of deaths. In the Victorian Era it held convicts who were considered the worst criminals in the land, although it now houses only Category C prisoners - those who are preparing for release. The prison museum is not your typical modern museum with stark lighting, gleaming surfaces and sterile out-of-context exhibits. It is a quirky, slightly ramshackle place which makes it all the more appealing. Exhibits include objects made by the prisoners out of bone, prisoner and guard uniforms, cells, items with secret compartments for keeping contraband hidden, handmade weapons such as knuckle dusters, shivs and shanks made from toothbrushes. It is fascinating in a rather dark way and the fact that there is a sign informing visitors that the museum is sometimes staffed by prisoners, adds an extra frisson of interest to the whole experience. Dartmoor Prison Museum website >> Shepton Mallet Prison, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Shepton Mallet was built in 1610 when it was decided that the eastern part of Somerset should have their own House of Correction. Men, women and children were all housed together for a variety of crimes, whether debtors, vagrants or just mentally unwell. Conditions were bad, with regular outbreaks of fever, jaundice, venereal diseases and many more unpleasant illnesses, with the bodies buried in unconsecrated ground just outside the prison. Many executions were carried out in the prison whether by firing squad or hanging. Executioners included the famous Albert Pierrepoint, who executed about 600 people during his career. For World War II, the prison was used by the British and the American military, as well as safe storage for the National Archives from London, including the Magna Carta and the Domesday Book. The Kray Twins were held here in the 1950s after absconding from their national service. The museum closed in 2013 and is now a tourist attraction, hosting not just sight seeing tours, but also ghost tours after hours, an escape room, and even the opportunity to spend the night behind bars, with free rein to explore the place at night. Read about my Night Behind Bars at Shepton Mallet prison >> Bodmin Jail, Bodmin, Cornwall Photograph © Bodmin Jail Attraction Built in 1779 on the edge of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, the prison was ground breaking in prison reform at the time, with individual cells, separate areas for men and women and prisoners paid for their work. The prison was completely re-developed by 1861 and included a chapel and a debtors' jail, until 1869 when imprisonment for debt was abolished. From 1887, part of the jail was used by the Royal Navy, who were there until 1922. Over the years there were 55 executions on site, 8 of them being women. The last prisoner left in 1916, and the jail was decommissioned in 1927. The jail has been open as a tourist attraction for some time, but was recently overhauled and now has a lot to offer the visitor, including an immersive 'Dark Walk Experience', Ghost Tours, After Dark Tours, Scary Cinema and even a hotel being built in the site for visitors. The jail has the only original Victorian hanging pit left in the country (pictured), the Naval prison cells, an in depth look at the stories behind the administration of the prison and overall it looks like a fantastic place to visit. Bodmin Jail Website >> Shrewsbury Prison, Shrewsbury, Shropshire Photograph © Shrewsbury Prison Built in 1793, Shrewsbury Prison was built to replace the prison in the castle, which was crumbling so badly that prisonners could escape by removing bricks from the walls. Known as 'the Dana' after Rev Edmund Dana, a local vicar and magistrate, the prison was a place of execution for many years, with public hangings which attracted large crowds. The prison was decomissioned in 2013 and is now open to visitors, with a wide variety of tours and events on offer. Guided tours by ex-prison officers during the day or after dark, tours underground of the original prison, escape rooms, a 'prison break' event, nights spent in the cells, ghost hunting, live music, even axe throwing; it is all on offer here. Shrewsbury Prison website >> Clink Prison Museum, Southwark, London There has been a prison on this site in Southwark, London from 1151. Owned by the Bishops of Winchester, the prison was part of the estate, and included heretics as well as local criminals. No-one is quite sure how the Clink got its name - whether from the clinking of the chains the prisoners wore, or of the cell doors slamming shut, but it has now become a universal term for prisons. This one became the most notorious of prisons, with massive amounts of corruption and prisoner degradation. By the 16th century, the prison largely held people who disagreed with the Bishops, and after that mainly held debtors. After a decrease in numbers, the prison burnt down in a riot in 1780 and was never rebuilt. The museum is built on the original site, and contains just a single wall left from the original building. It covers over 600 years of history with a self-guided tour which looks at the assorted inmates, debauchery of the Southwark area and artefacts connected with the prison. Read about a visit to the Clink Prison Museum >> Littledean Jail, Gloucester This one is best avoided by children and those of a sensitive disposition, as the warnings on their website will attest. Describing their museum as politically insensitive and bizarre, there is a huge rage of items on display. Exhibitions look at Witchfinders, Satanism, the SS and the Holocaust, the KKK, instruments of punishment and torture, police memorabilia and a whole host of other subjects. It is not all the dark side though, as their subject matters include the bravery of the SAS and people like Violette Szabo of the S.O.E. Littledean Jail was built in 1791, and little has changed since it was first built. It has held all manner of prisoners, including children as young as 8, and is believed to be one of the most haunted prisons in the country. It was also used as a police station and a court for 20 years from 1854. Read the website before you go to make sure you want to - reviews on Trip Advisor range from 'fantastic' to 'absolutely disgusting', so make sure you know what you are getting into. Littledean Jail website >> Gloucester Prison, Gloucester Built in 1792 as a County Jail, this men's prison has been renovated and added to over the years, including the addition of a Young Offenders Wing in the 1970s. It was the site of many an execution, with the last one taking place in 1936. By the early 2000s it had a reputation as being seriously overcrowded, as well as bad conditions for the inmates and subject to repeated flooding. The prison closed in 2013 and its re-development is still under discussion. In the meantime however, it is open to the public for guided tours and a variety of events. Visitors can take guided tours which are family friendly or which included more details on the executions, paranormal activity and violence. Various paranormal groups run ghost hunts in the prison, as do Salvation-Z - a live action Zombie survival experience, or combat games. Read about a visit to Gloucester Prison >> National Justice Museum, Nottingham A Victorian Courtroom Photograph © National Justice Museum The National Justice Museum is in a Grade II listed building, on a site which has been in use as a court since 1375 and a prison since 1449. The current building was a Victorian police station, gaol, courtroom and execution site, making it a one stop shop for the judicial process. Executions were held on the front steps of the building, with the last public execution held in 1864 of a Richard Parker, who shot both of his parents after a drunken row. The building ceased use as prison in 1878, but continued as courts and the meeting place of the County Council until 1991. It opened as a museum in 1995 and objects on display include the cell door of playwright Oscar Wilde, the bath from the Brides in the Bath murder case, gibbet irons, force feeding equipment used on Suffragettes and conscientious objectors and the dock from Bow Street Magistrates Court, which was used in notorious cases such as the trials of Oscar Wilde, Roger Casement and the Krays. There are over 40 000 objects and archives, making it the UK’s largest collection relating to law, justice, crime and punishment. National Justice Museum website >> Crumlin Road Gaol, Belfast Built in 1845, 'the Crum' in North Belfast was a County Gaol for men, women and children, who were often imprisoned for offences such as stealing food and necessities. Executions were carried out in public at the gaol until 1901, when an execution chamber was built inside. 17 executions were carried out in the prison, including the final one in all of Ireland in 1961. The prison had some well known prisoners from the Troubles, and two prisoners were killed when a IRA bomb went off in one of the wings. The prison closed in 1996. The prison is now not just a tourist attraction, but hosts concerts, live events and party nights. Tourists can do the Crumlin Road Gaol Experience, a self-guided tour around the building which includes the tunnel linking the courthouse on the other side of the Crumlin Road to the hanging cell, the historic holding cells and the graveyard. Read about visiting Crumlin Road Gaol >> York Castle Prison, York Photograph © Visit York Part of York Castle Museum, there has been a prison on the site for nearly 1000 years, with a castle built for William the Conqueror in 1068, which included a prison. The site is still in use for criminal justice, with York Crown Court held in the 18th century court and people are still held in cells here, including those accused of the most serious crimes. The prison buildings were built in the 18th century, and visitors can explore the original cells. Conditions were terrible at the prison, with 15 to a cell sleeping on bare floors and living off bread and water. Many of the Keepers of the prison were as corrupt as the inmates, and they made as much money as they could off the prisoners. The most notorious prisoner held here was the legendary highwayman Dick Turpin, who was found guilty of his crimes at York Court and sentenced to death at the gallows. The museum is part of a visit to York Castle Museum, which looks at many aspects of life in historic York. York Castle Prison Museum website >> Prison & Police Museum, Rippon Photograph © Rippon Museums There has been a prison on this site since 1684, when a Workhouse and House of Correction was established for putting the poor to work and punishing those who had broken the law. In 1816, it was incorporated into the new Liberty Prison, which is the current museum building. Prisoners were held in cells on the ground floor, with debtors on the floor above them. Inmates had to do hard labour and worked for 10 hours a day, walking the treadwheel amongst other tasks. The prison later became the police station, until it became a museum in the 1980s, one of three in the area which also include a workhouse museum and the courthouse, giving a fantastic look at poverty and justice in the region. The prison museum includes a look at policing from the Anglo-Saxons onwards, as well as an exhibition in the prison cells about life in a Victorian prison. Rippon Prison and Police Museum website >> The Old Gaol Museum, Buckingham Photograph © Buckingham Old Gaol Built in 1748, this Gothic prison provided terrible conditions for the inmates, who lived in damp cells with no heating, lights or bathrooms, and who were fed on just bread and water. The prison housed local convicts, although one in three were just poachers, often held for the smallest of crimes. Over the years, the prison has been used as a Police Station, Fire Station, ammunition store and an air-raid shelter. Faced with demolition in the 1980s, the prison was bought by a charitable organisation, and it now houses the local museum as well as the Old Gaol. The museum focuses on local history, spanning time from the Ice Age to World War I. It is also home to the Lenborough Hoard of 5,000 Anglo-Saxon silver coins as well as a permanent exhibition dedicated to Flora Thompson, author of Lark Rise to Candleford. Buckingham Old Gaol Website >> Dorchester Prison, Dorchester, Dorset A Victorian prison built in 1885 on the site of a much older prison, Dorchester was closed in 2013 and is now awaiting its fate from developers. In the meantime, you can take guided tours from Ed who is still a serving prison officer and who used to work there. He provides a fascinating insight into the life of this prison, showing you round this now crumbling site. There were several executions here, including that of Martha Brown who is said to still be haunting the prison, and whose execution was watched by Thomas Hardy, inspiring the hanging he wrote about in Tess of the d'Urbervilles. Visitors can also join paranormal nights and airsoft combat games within its walls. Read more about visiting Dorchester Prison >> Want to delve even deeper into prison history? Try the Prison History website which looks at UK prison history from 1500 - 1999.

Have you ever wondered about the church next to Westminster Abbey? Since 1614 St. Margaret’s Church has been the parish church of the House of Commons; somewhat overshadowed by the Abbey and usually overlooked by visitors to London. With free entry, a number of fascinating memorials, a stained glass window with quite a history, and some lovely Tudor features, this is a must; especially for the Slow Traveller who wants to explore hidden London away from the crowds. Photograph © Ermell Tucked away in the shadows next to the grandiose Westminster Abbey, St Margaret’s is a parish church virtually ignored by the tourists, who will queue for hours and pay large sums to get into the Abbey, while this free yet equally fascinating church stands neglected by all but the most observant of visitors. It may not contain as many well known deceased people as the Abbey, but it has no shortage of the great and the good memorialised or buried within its walls. It was here that Sir Walter Raleigh was executed in the churchyard then buried with honours in the chancel of the church, John Milton is buried here, as were many of Cromwell’s supporters who signed Charles I’s death warrant. Chaucer was a parishioner, the Abolitionist Olaudah Equiano was baptised here, Winston Churchill was married here, as was Samuel Pepys, who also conducted many of his extra-marital affairs here. St Margarets was built in the latter part of the 11th century, for use by the locals as a parish church, as they were clearly getting in the way of the Benedictine monks who worshipped in Westminster Abbey. The church was dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch, a third century martyr. The first church was Romanesque in style and survived until the 14th century, when the nave was replaced. By the 15th century, the whole church was in a dilapidated state needing total reconstruction. Work started in 1482 and it was re-consecrated in 1523. Although the church has been altered slightly over the subsequent years, such as Portland stone cladding on the exterior, and the addition of a porch, it is still much as it was. The gravestones were removed from the churchyard in 1881 and the whole area was grassed over, leaving no evidence of the thousands who are buried beneath the soil. The church has a plain wooden tiled ceiling, a stone flagged floor, a nave lined with arches and a very golden reredos, but the chief attraction in this church is the walls, which are lined with a hotchpotch of memorials of such varied styles. From simple plaques to elaborate statues and wordy epitaphs, they are fascinating glimpses into past lives and really worth a slow wander down the sides of the church to read them all. A small oval plaque is dedicated to “The African” Olaudah Equiano who was baptised in St Margarets in February 1759. Born in Nigeria, he was enslaved as a child, with several ‘owners’ until he was able to purchase his freedom in 1766. Living in London as a freedman, he supported the abolitionist movement. He published an autiobiography in 1789 which depicted the horrors of his life as a slave and it opened people’s eyes, leading to the Slave Trade Act in 1807, which ended slavery in Britain. There is a small slate plaque to the wonderfully named Sir Dingle Mackintosh Foot, and another to Marie Celeste, the wife of James Hora who had survived the hardships of colonial Australian life with him, both of whom now have charities named after them. The oldest memorial is to Cornelius Van Dun, who died in 1577 and had been Yeoman of the Guard to four monarchs. He sounds like a thoroughly decent chap, as he led an ‘honest and virtuous life … who dyd buyld for pore widowes 20 howses of his owne costs’. L: This memorial to the Revd. James Palmer was irreparably damaged by an oil bomb in September 1940. M: This devout pair of Thomas Arnwaye and his wife devoted their lives to helping the poor. R: There is a large and fanciful memorial to Mary Dudley, depicted recumbent on marble pillows, with her second husband worshipping at her feet. She died in 1600 and is presumably still awaiting the ‘joyful day of her resurrection’. Since 1641, the church has been considered as the parish church of the House of Commons, when the whole House took Communion together on Palm Sunday of that year. There is a wooden pew reserved for the Speaker of the House, with the portcullis carved on the end. L: The portcullis, the symbol of the House, features regularly throughout the church on kneelers, carvings and the padded red north doors. R:The colourful stained glass window on the east wall above the reredos has an equally colourful history. Created in Holland in 1526 to celebrate the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, by the time the stained glas window was completed, Henry had moved his attention on to Anne Boleyn. With his marriage annulled in 1533, the window could no longer go in its intended location in Westminster Abbey, so was sent to Essex where its Catholic symbolism and subject matter would avoid attention during the Reformation. It was sold to St Margarets in 1758, but then had to undergo a seven year legal battle as the Dean and Chapter of Westminster considered it too popish and they started a lawsuit. Fortunately they lost, and the window remains in place above the golden reredos. Sir Walter Raleigh is buried beneath the altar below a golden reredos and the controversial stained glass window. The colourful and elaborate pulpit is 19th century, commemorating Thomas Brittain Vacher, who founded Vacher’s Parliamentary Companion, a reference book which is still in publication today. Samuel Pepys did not allow anything as commonplace as marriage to stand in the way of his liaisons dangereuse and although married in this church, and presumably worshipped in regularly by his wife as well as himself, it was also the place he came to admire the ladies and meet up with two of his special ones, Betty Martin and Betty Mitchell. His diary entry for 26th May 1667 tells us much about both his extra marital activites as well as his attitude towards church services: “After dinner I by water alone to Westminster, where, not finding Mrs. Martin within, did go towards the parish church, and in the way did overtake her… [Having agreed to meet her forthwith] did go out again myself, but met with Mr. Howlett, who, offering me a pew in the gallery, I had no excuse but up with him I must go, and then much against my will staid out the whole church in pain while she expected me at home, but I did entertain myself with my perspective glass up and down the church, by which I had the great pleasure of seeing and gazing at a great many very fine women; and what with that, and sleeping, I passed away the time till sermon was done, and then to Mrs. Martin, and there staid with her an hour or two, and there did what I would with her.” Portraits of Pepys and his long suffering wife, Elizabeth As well as Sir Walter Raleigh, other notable burials include the 15th century printer, William Caxton; 17th century graphic artist Wenceslas Hollar and the American inventor of the steam boat, James Rumsey. The remains of a number of Cromwell’s followers also lie here, testament to a turbulent time in British history. Charles I was beheaded in 1649 at the nearby Banqueting House, and Cromwell ruled as Lord Protector from 1653 to 1658. With the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Charles II, understandably peeved at his father’s death and most of his own life in exile, ordered that the bodies of Cromwell, and the men who had signed his father’s death warrant, be exhumed from the Abbey. He had Cromwell posthumously hanged at Tyburn and his head stuck on a spike on the roof of Westminster Hall. The others he had burned and then buried in a pit in St Margaret’s churchyard. There is now a memorial to them outside the church, put up by The Cromwell Society. On the outside wall of St Margaret’s Church, next to Westminster Abbey, is a bust of King Charles I. It sits there glaring malevolently at his nemesis across the road, the statue of Oliver Cromwell erected by William Thornycroft, a Cromwell supporter, in 1899, outside the Houses of Parliament. Cromwell is depicted with his head lowered, which is often said to be him looking away from the bust of King Charles I opposite. It is actually a myth as the Charles I statue wasn’t put up until 60 years after the Cromwell one. Myth it may be, but with the Charles statue put up by the Society of King Charles Martyr and Cromwell by a Cromwell supporter, it seems to be a very sedate and placid way of maintaining their centuries long rivalry. VISITING ST. MARGARET’S CHURCH, WESTMINSTER Opening Hours Monday – Friday 9.30am - 3.30pm Entrance is free You will need to enter through the same entrance for Westminster Abbey and have your bags checked. Please note that photography is not allowed within the church. Photographs in this article are used with the kind permission of The Chapter Office, Westminster Abbey. St. Margarets Website >>

Words like ‘magical’ and ‘mystical’ are seriously overused – but they apply in no small measure to the island of Iona, famous for its Abbey and as a place of spiritual retreat. Kate was fortunate to visit during a sailing tour of the West coast of Scotland and discovered that the atmosphere of the island doesn’t ever quite leave you, even long after you have left its shores behind. Iona is tiny – 1.5 x 3 miles – and the only way to arrive is by ferry from Fionnphort on the Isle of Mull. The population is about 120 permanent residents, augmented in summer months by casual tourists, but also by many seeking peace and spiritual restoration in their personal lives. Iona has been a destination for pilgrims for over 11 centuries, a place of worship at the shrine and home of St Columba. Christianity in the United Kingdom began here, as Columba arrived on Iona in 563 AD, 34 years before Pope Gregory in Rome sent Augustine to Canterbury on his mission to convert the Angles. Columba was an Irish priest and monk, founding a number of monastic houses in Ireland before a tribal feud forced him to into exile across the sea. Standing on the west coast of the island at St Columba’s Bay and looking out, it is possible to imagine him arriving with 12 companions in a wicker coracle, ready to bring the Word of God to pagan peoples. The monks built a wooden and wattle settlement on Iona as their first monastery, and large parts of the original boundary earth wall and ditch are still visible. Quickly recognised as a devout and holy man, for the next 34 years he and his monks were active missionaries through the Western Isles and up to the north-east of Scotland, establishing what came to be known as Celtic Christianity. Columba made his monastery the centre of contemplation of God and of learning – himself writing hymns and poetry, and reading and copying holy texts. In 2017, using radiocarbon dating of samples of burned wood, archaeologists were able to identify the remains of Columba’s cell, or scriptorium, on Torr an Aba, where he worked and prayed. It is known that Columba died on Iona and was buried by his monks in the abbey. A 7th century abbot called Adomnan wrote a biography of Columba and also a spiritual guidebook detailing the layout of the sites of the Holy Land, and it is possible that this was replicated on Iona with a “via dolorosa” route ending with three high crosses representing Calvary. Amazingly, still to be seen are four of the island’s high crosses – possibly the first designs to contain the ring around the intersection that became characteristic of the “Celtic cross”. St Martin’s Cross is 14 feet tall and stands in its original spot in front of the abbey. L: St. John’s Cross hangs in the Abbey Museum. Photograph © Dennis Turner M: St. Martin’s Cross. Photograph © Akela R: St. Martin's Cross in front of the Abbey In 802 the settlement on Iona was destroyed by a Viking raid. Forty years later, Columba’s remains were divided between Scotland and Ireland, and the monks returned to the safer shores of Ireland taking with them the Book of Kells, which is now displayed at Trinity College, Dublin. St Columba’s shrine, now a small stone chapel in front of the abbey, is thought to date from the 9th century. It is this shrine that became the focus of pilgrimage and Iona, despite its remote location, became the centre of a Gaelic golden age, producing illustrated manuscripts and the carved stone crosses. A Benedictine Abbey was established in approximately 1203 and a convent for Augustinian nuns was established in about 1208. The convent stands on the main route from the ferry’s landing place along the route to Columba’s shrine and the abbey. This route is similar to the Sràid nam Marbh (‘Street of the Dead’) taken by pilgrims of old so there is an immediate sense of following in the footsteps of the devout from earlier centuries as you follow the grassy paths. The ruins of the 13th century convent church remain; it is one of the best preserved medieval nunneries in Britain. The church stands on the north aisle of a cloister and has an aisled nave, a chancel and north chapel. Some of the pink granite walls still show the finely carved arcade capitals. Many noble women of Argyll were buried here, and you can just make out a worn grave slab to Prioress Anna MacLean who died in 1543. The cloister garden gives a sense of quiet and contemplation. Inside the medieval church. Photograph © Oliver Bonjoch The 12th century abbey church stands where Columba’s monastery once stood. Known as St Mary’s cathedral, it is of the Romanesque style. Today the abbey is the home of the Iona Community, an ecumenical Christian community of men and women from all different Christian traditions founded in 1938. It runs 3 residential centres on Iona and Mull. Nearby is St Oran’s Chapel, with a surrounding graveyard known as Relig Odhráin. For centuries the graveyard became the traditional burial ground for the kings of Scotland making it an important historical and cultural landmark on the island. Kenneth MacAlpin and Macbeth are believed to be buried here. Visitors and pilgrims alike tend to focus their concentration on the main religious buildings, but the island itself is well worth exploration. You can walk across The Hill of the Angels to St Columba’s Bay and continue onwards to some of the most beautiful and unspoilt beaches in Scotland. You can find a marble quarry with some on the machinery still intact. You may even see a golden eagle. Those lucky enough to be at sea can travel north to visit the basalt rocks of Fingal’s Cave on the island of Staffa, and perhaps enjoy the spectacle of dolphins leaping around the boat. The experience of visiting Iona is subtly different from that of any other island, even in the Western Isles where glorious islands abound. It seems to exude a sense of spirituality and mysticism even to those of no Christian faith. The feet of so many devout believers have trodden these sacred paths that you cannot help but be drawn into the atmosphere of holiness, calm and peace. Take a journey to it if you can. VISITING IONA Travel by ferry from Oban to Craignure or from Kilchoan to Tobermory, then drive or take a bus across Mull to Fionnphort for the 4 minute passenger ferry across to Iona. Opening Hours 1 April to 30 September: Daily, 9.30am - 5.30pm 1 October to 31 March: Monday to Saturday, 10am - 4pm Sundays are unmanned but Abbey Church, Shrine, Michael Chapel and grounds open. Last entry 3.30pm Monument may close for lunch Admission to the Abbey Adult: £9.00 Child aged 5–15: £5.40 Child under 5: FREE Concession: £7.20 Opening times are subject to ferry services and weather conditions. Historic Scotland website >>

Today there is a renewed interest in either going on a pilgrimage or visiting a holy shrine, not necessarily because of faith but as an opportunity to experience the slower pace of life in the past - and to feel a closeness to nature and the benefits to health and wellbeing. In medieval times going on pilgrimage was one of the “good works” that would guarantee you a place in Heaven, and so was of huge significance to all believers. Here we suggest some of the sites that can be visited. Many can be reached through walking along specific Pilgrim Ways, but all are accessible through public or private transport. The Shrine of Our Lady, Walsingham, Norfolk Photograph © The British Pilgrim Trust Walsingham was the premier place for pilgrimage in England throughout the Middle Ages, rivalling Canterbury and the great shrines of Europe. Many kings and queens of England made pilgrimages here including Henry VIII. In 1061, the widow of the Lord of the Manor of Walsingham, Richeldis de Faverches, had a vision of the Virgin Mary. In the vision Mary took Richeldis to Nazareth to show the place where the Angel Gabriel had appeared to her. Richeldis was told to build a copy of the Holy House in Walsingham. The legend is that she prayed all night to locate the exact spot and in the morning the chapel was found, fully completed. People who came testified that their prayers had been answered and their illnesses healed by drinking water from the adjacent wells. King Henry III came on pilgrimage in 1226 and Walsingham’s reputation grew. Since the 1930s there have been two shrines to visit – Roman Catholic and Anglican - both enjoying a spiritual revival with pilgrimages, both organised and personal, regularly taking place. Roman Catholic shrine >> Anglican shrine >> Walk the Pilgrim Ways to Walsingham >> Holy Island, Lindisfarne In 635 St Aidan came from Iona and founded a monastery on the island of Lindisfarne. This became the base for Christian evangelism in the north of England. St Cuthbert later became the abbot and his deeds were recorded by the Venerable Bede. Cuthbert died on Lindisfarne and his shrine soon became the focus for pilgrims. After his death this peaceful setting was the birthplace of the Lindisfarne Gospels, long acclaimed as the most spectacular illustrated manuscript to survive from Anglo-Saxon England and held now by the British Library. Lindisfarne was sacked by Viking raiders in the 8th century. Horrified, the monks left Lindisfarne, taking the bones of St Cuthbert with them, eventually to be re-interred in Durham Cathedral. The priory was re-established in Norman times in 1093 as a Benedictine house, and continued until its suppression during the Reformation. Its ruins are both extensive and evocative. Lindisfarne is still a place for Christian pilgrimage and at low tide it is possible to walk across the sands following an ancient route known as the Pilgrims' Way. Lindisfarne website >> Walk the Pilgrim Routes to Lindisfarne >> St Julian’s Shrine, Norwich Photograph © Norfolk Churches Interest in Julian of Norwich, the anchoress who lived and wrote in the 14th century is undergoing a revival. She is known for her work, thought to be the first written in English by a woman, called Revelations of Divine Love. The book is based on a series of 16 visions that she received in May 1373. Lying on what she thought was her deathbed she saw Christ bleeding in front of her and received insight into his sufferings and his love for mankind. After her death Julian was for a time largely forgotten and her writings were almost lost, but in the 17th century they were saved when a number of copies were made by English nuns living in exile in France. The Julian Shrine is a place for quiet contemplation, a chance to read her words, to consider her solitary life in the cell next to the chapel and to marvel at her value as a spiritual adviser to all who came to see her. The Julian Centre next door to the chapel has important information about Julian’s life and an extensive library. St. Julian's Chapel website >> Waltham Abbey, Essex In 1035 a miraculous black marble crucifix was discovered by a peasant after a vision, in Somerset. The owner of the land, Tovi, standard bearer to King Cnut decided that the cross should be placed in one of the great religious houses of the country. But legend has it that the oxen pulling the cart containing the cross took it, of their own accord, to the tiny Saxon church at Waltham. A new church was built, the cross became known for its healing powers and was soon the object of pilgrimage. Harold Godwinson was a pilgrim to the shrine, and is said to be buried in the Abbey church. In the 12th century Henry II founded an abbey at Waltham as part of his penance for the murder of Thomas Becket and it became one of the most important of all Augustinian houses in England. In 1536, as the Reformation progressed, pilgrimages were abolished as superstitious practices and the Holy Cross disappeared. The abbey was dissolved in 1540. Many of its building were demolished but the 12th century nave was saved for the parish church where it can still be seen today. Waltham Abbey website >> Glastonbury Abbey, Somerset The legend and details differ according to the source, but the story centres on the idea that St Joseph of Arimathea, uncle to Jesus Christ, came to Glastonbury with twelve holy men, soon after the crucifixion, bringing with him the “Holy Grail” the chalice used at the Last Supper, containing the blood and sweat of Jesus on the cross. He planted his walking staff in the ground, from which sprang the Glastonbury Thorn. These men built the first Christian church in England – a small wattle building. There is little to substantiate this story, but an abbey was built on the spot in the 7th century. In the 12th century the monks claimed to have discovered the bones of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. This coincided with a revival of interest in the Holy Grail, and the legends of the Knights of the Round Table and Glastonbury soon became a focus of pilgrimage, which lasted until its dissolution in 1539 and the brutal execution of its last abbot, Richard Whiting. The abbey has a thorn bush in its grounds, as does the nearby St John’s Church. The abbey ruins and the Chalice Well are also worth a visit, but the highlight is a climb up Glastonbury Tor to see the surrounding countryside for miles around. Glastonbury Abbey website >> Walk the Glastonbury Pilgrimage >> St Winefrede’s Well, Holywell, Wales Photograph © Nabokov St Winefrede’s Well claims to be the oldest continually visited pilgrimage site in Britain. According to legend the holy waters sprang from the spot where St Winifred was beheaded by Caradoc, a local prince, after she turned down his advances. Miraculously she was then restored to life by her uncle. It became a place of pilgrimage and was visited by Richard I in 1189 to pray for the success of his crusade. In the 15th century Lady Margaret Beaufort built a chapel overlooking the well. Its stonework is covered in graffiti – the grateful thanks of many pilgrims who have visited, some claiming miraculous cures for their illnesses. Modern pilgrims and casual visitors can visit the crypt, small pool and chapel and at certain times it is possible to bathe in the holy waters. St. Winefrede's Well website >> Walk St. Winefrede's Pilgrimage >> St David’s Cathedral, Wales St David’s has been a sacred location for pilgrims for hundreds of years. As the birthplace of St David, Dewi Sant, the patron saint of Wales, it is a devout holy site as it is believed that the saint performed many miracles here in the 6th century. It was declared that on the occasion of his baptism the monk holding him regained his sight. He died here on March 1st in 589 – now commemorated in Wales at St David’s Day. In 1123 the Pope declared that two pilgrimages to St David’s were equal to two to Rome. The cathedral is built on the site of a 6th century monastery, with building beginning on the cathedral itself in 1181. The cathedral contains the shrines of St David and St Caradog; chapels to St Justinian and St Non are all within 2 miles. His last words to his followers were “Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things in life that you have seen me do”. “Do the little things in life” is still a well known maxim in Wales. You can visit the cathedral, including St David’s shrine, which was restored in 2012, the Cloisters, the Treasury and the Library as well as the nearby Bishop’s Palace. St. David's Cathedral website >> Walk St. David's Pilgrimage >> St Swithun’s Cathedral, Winchester Winchester has been a place of pilgrimage since the 10th century as the devout came to pray at the shrine of St Swithun, a 9th century bishop with a reputation for posthumous miracle working. He was originally buried, at his own request “where the feet of ordinary men could walk over him and raindrops could fall from the eaves above on to him”, outside the cathedral walls - but as his bones became famed for their healing powers, a shrine was built inside the cathedral in 971. A short tunnel (the Holy Hole) allowed them to crawl right under this memorial, as close as possible to its healing powers. The shrine itself was destroyed in the Reformation but there is a modern replica of it. You can visit the shrine in the cathedral and see other landmarks such as the 12th century Winchester Bible, the grave of Jane Austen, the crypt with an Antony Gormley statue and The Close. Pilgrims with strong legs, stamina and time are encouraged to walk the 153 mile Pilgrims’ Way from Winchester to Canterbury, passing the Hospital of St. Holy Cross and visiting Rochester and St Dunstan’s en route. Walk St. Swithun's Way >> Iona Abbey, Iona, Scotland Iona is one of the oldest centres of Christian pilgrimage and of a monastic community in Britain. The 12th century abbey church stands where Columba’s monastery once stood. Known as St Mary’s cathedral, it is of the Romanesque style. Today the abbey is the home of the Iona Community, an ecumenical Christian community of men and women from all different Christian traditions founded in 1938. Visitors must take the ferry from Mull and follow the pilgrims’ route to reach the Abbey Church, and see the original Celtic crosses. The community runs 3 residential centres on Iona and Mull. Read more about a visit to Iona >> Canterbury Cathedral, Kent Canterbury, which was already well known as the place where St Augustine began his Christian missionary work in 597, is undoubtedly the most famous pilgrimage site in England because of the martyrdom of its most famous Archbishop, Thomas Becket. In 1170, following a bitter dispute between Henry II and Becket over the powers of the church, Henry II exclaimed “Who will rid me of this turbulent priest”, whereupon 4 knights set out for Canterbury and murdered Becket at the altar. Shortly afterwards, healing miracles were said to have taken place at the spot. Becket was canonised and his body was moved from the crypt to a shrine. Canterbury then became one of Europe’s most important pilgrimage centres. Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, written in the late 14th century, illustrates Canterbury’s huge importance in medieval England. The shrine was destroyed in the Reformation, its gold, silver and jewellery originally donated by pilgrims looted by Henry VIII. The cathedral and all its many treasures are open to visitors, but it is best to choose a quiet time if you want to experience its solemnity. At the site of the shrine today there is a simple burning candle and you can see depressions in the stone paving worn by the knees of praying pilgrims over 850 years. There are many other significant religious sites in Canterbury like St Martin’s Church and St Augustine’s Abbey which can also be included as part of your visit to this unique city. You can take a specialist tour of the Canterbury UNESCO Heritage sites organised by Canterbury Cathedral (see below) Canterbury Cathedral website >> Walk the Pilgrim's Way to Canterbury Cathedral >> Walk in the Footsteps of Early Christians and Pilgrims at Canterbury’s UNESCO Places The historic medieval city of Canterbury is not only home to picturesque, cobbled streets and quaint and colourful houses, but three of its religious buildings also make Canterbury a UNESCO World Heritage Site. St Martin’s Church, the nation's oldest continually used chapel, St Augustine’s Abbey, the burial place of Anglo-Saxon royalty and its early archbishops, and magnificent Canterbury Cathedral, described as ‘England in Stone’, whose Bell Harry Tower dominates the modern city skyline, gained UNESCO status in 1988. Canterbury Cathedral's stunning combination of Romanesque and Gothic architecture houses a wealth of treasures including the tombs of King Henry IV and the Black Prince. Following Archbishop Thomas Becket’s murder in 1170, stories of miraculous recoveries from illness circulated from visitors to his shrine and Canterbury became a major pilgrimage destination, celebrated in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Now all three sites have come together to create Canterbury’s ‘Foundations of Faith’ tour. This is a guided walking tour lasting a full day and covering all three of the UNESCO sites with a guided tour at each church and an accompanied walk in between. The day is broken with an included sandwich lunch in the grounds of Canterbury Cathedral itself. It is a lovely slow day of walking around some beautiful places while learning about early history and discovering some fascinating stories. The tour offers a valuable insight into the introduction of Roman Christianity into Britain. Starting with Queen Bertha’s 6th century arrival in England, the tour visits her personal church, St Martin’s. St. Augustine’s arrival in Kent in 597 and the creation of the Abbey that bears his name are covered next before discovering Canterbury Cathedral’s formation and development as Mother Church of the Church of England, all as you explore stunning architecture and striking scenery while you make your way through Canterbury. There are dates available to book online, or private versions of the tour can be arranged for groups. More information can be found at www.canterburyunescotour.co.uk

Abbeys and monasteries are places of reflection, peace and simplicity; the perfect antidote to the stresses of modern life. Many open their doors to day visitors or those who are looking to stay for a while to go on retreat, to take their time to absorb some of the quietude and serenity. You do not have to have to be of a religious mind to appreciate all that these pockets of peace can bring you, and they are the perfect experience for the Slow Traveller. 800 monasteries once dotted the countryside of Britain and played a significant part in the fabric of medieval society. In the 1530s Henry VIII dissolved them – to add to his own coffers, rather than to support the growing Protestant ideology of the time. This action had a dramatic impact, causing the eventual loss of all the religious houses – abbeys, convents, monasteries, priories and friaries – and the wholesale destruction of manuscripts, relics, icons, statues so integral to Catholic faith. Over the following years most of these sacred buildings were pillaged for their stone or lead, or simply fell victim to erosion and neglect. Some of these ruins – for example Rievaulx and Fountains - are well known for their evocative settings and buildings and regularly attract many visitors. Less well known are those religious houses that re-established their buildings and their way of life once it was politically acceptable to do so in a more modern, more tolerant British society. These are not the ruins of the past – although many retain aspects of their medieval heritage - but working institutions. St Benedict, the founder of the majority of these institutions, wrote that “a monastery is never without guests”, and these houses continue the medieval tradition of hospitality. The establishments listed here encourage visitors for short or long term visits, offering a glimpse of their history alongside an insight into their current spiritual and daily lives. Downside Abbey, Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Somerset Photograph © Rabanus Flavus Downside Abbey is the senior Benedictine monastery of the English Benedictine Congregation and recently featured on the BBC4 programme about meditation and contemplation. It was originally founded at Douai in Flanders in 1606. The community moved to Downside in 1814 and opened a chapel and new buildings for a school, designed in the Gothic style to recreate the medieval monastic life. Sir Nikolaus Pevsner described the Abbey as the “most splendid demonstration of the renaissance of Roman Catholicism in England”. The Library, specialising in Theology, Philosophy and Ecclesiastical History holds about 500,000 volumes, with the earliest texts dating back to the 11th century. 16 monks live at Downside and run the school and several local parishes. The abbey church and Visitor Centre welcome visitors and the Library is accessible on special request. The guesthouse can accommodate male visitors on retreat. Find out more from the Downside Abbey website >> Belmont Abbey, Herefordshire Photograph © Poemen Belmont, recently featured in the BBC programme about meditation and contemplation, is home to 20 monks who continue to follow the 6th century Rule of St Benedict, seeking to live “the ancient wisdom of the monastic life in a contemporary way”. In the 17th century Benedictine monks from Britain lived in exile on the continent, vowing to return to their native land. In 1860 Belmont was consecrated as the Common House of Studies for the three existing monasteries of Downside, Ampleforth and Douai. It became an independent house in 1917. The Abbey Church was designed by Edward Welby Pugin, son to the better known Augustus Welby Pugin, in the decorated, Early English style. Although a relatively modern building it has the atmosphere and appearance of an old medieval abbey. The exterior is of local pink sandstone, the interior is faced with Bath stone. It has four elegant arches supporting the central tower and is noted for the quality of its stained glass windows, particularly in St Benedict’s Chapel. The monks run a retreat and guest house centre at Hedley Lodge. The church is open daily, and group tours to learn more about the monastic way of life and visit the private gardens can also be arranged. Find out more from the Belmont Abbey website >> Buckfast Abbey, Buckfastleigh, Devon Buckfast was originally founded as Benedictine Abbey in 1018 in the reign of King Cnut. It was rebuilt in stone in 1147 as a Cistercian Abbey. In the 14th century it was one of the wealthiest abbeys in the south-west of England, owning sheep runs, manors, town houses, fisheries and a country house. It was dissolved in 1539, then its buildings were stripped and left in ruins before it was finally demolished. In 1882 a group of French Benedictine monks refounded a monastery on the site, dedicated to St Mary. They uncovered most of the original foundations dating back to the Cistercian period, and rebuilt the Abbey in the Norman transitional and Early English styles of the mid 12th century. The arch of the North gate and part of the barrel-vaulted undercroft by the west cloister survive from the original period. The new church was built very largely by the monks themselves, working with very primitive constructive methods and no safety harnesses. The Grange Restaurant has a wall depicting the labour of these monks, showing only 6 working on the project at any one time. Visitors can tour the abbey church with the striking huge east window in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, designed by one of the monks and erected in 1968, and tour the gardens which include a Lavender Garden, a Physic Garden and a Sensory Garden. They may also be lucky enough to catch a local choir in rehearsal. There is a very comprehensive exhibition called The Monastic Way which includes a detailed history of the Abbey and the Benedictine Community with animations, films and interactive models. Find out more from the Buckfast Abbey website >> Pluscarden Abbey, Elgin, Scotland Photograph © Pluscarden Abbey Pluscarden Abbey recently featured on a BBC4 programme about reflection and meditations which followed the daily life of this community of 30 Benedictine monks, living and working in the only medieval British monastery still being used for its original purpose. The setting is stunning – the buildings set in the peace and stillness of a secluded glen. It was founded by King Alexander II of Scotland in 1230, originally as a Valliscaulian order. Despite the Reformation in Scotland, monks appear to have lived unobtrusively in Pluscarden until the end of the 16th century. The priory buildings then passed into various lay hands but eventually were left to the effects of Scottish weather – the roofs collapsed, ivy grew up the walls, the woodwork rotted, rubble accumulated in the church and cloisters. In 1943 the land was given to the Benedictine community of Prinknash, the buildings were restored and the community moved into them in 1948. In 1974 the monastery was elevated to Abbey status. Now it trains novices, and is a place of worship, work (including weaving and beekeeping) and reflection. The Abbey Church has been largely restored but traces of a 15th century fresco can still be seen around the Chancel Arch. There are several memorial stones, the oldest dating back to 1480. The night stair is also still visible. The stained glass windows are modern, with dramatic designs in bold, striking colours. Several sections of the abbey and grounds are open to the public, and there is an exhibition on the history of the site and the work of the Benedictines. Visitors are welcome to attend Mass or any of the offices. Longer term guests are welcome in two guest houses. People can go on a retreat here – they can share in the prayer and work of the community or simply use their time for rest and reflection. Find out more from the Pluscarden Abbey website >> Iona Abbey, Iona Iona is one of the oldest centres of Christian pilgrimage and of a monastic community in Britain. The 12th century abbey church stands where Columba’s monastery once stood. Known as St Mary’s cathedral, it is of the Romanesque style. Today the abbey is the home of the Iona Community, an ecumenical Christian community of men and women from all different Christian traditions founded in 1938. Visitors must take the ferry from Mull and follow the pilgrims’ route to reach the Abbey Church, and see the original Celtic crosses. The community runs 3 residential centres on Iona and Mull. Read more about a visit to Iona >> Quarr Abbey, Ryde, Isle of Wight Photograph © WyrdLight The abbey of Our Lady of Quarr is in the north east corner of the Isle of Wight, home to a small group of Benedictine monks. Founded in 1132, originally as a Cistercian Abbey, it is unusual in that it has defensive walls and fulfilled a maritime role of trade and commerce. It was dissolved during the Reformation and largely fell into disrepair, its stone used to build Henry VIII’s new coastal forts. In 1907 a community of French monks bought Quarr Abbey House and a new abbey church built from brick was consecrated in 1912. The ruins are evocative and compelling, standing in silhouette against the countryside with its resident sheep, and the coastline. Part of the infirmary chapel still exists along with some of the kitchen and refectory including the monks’ servery hatch. The dormitory is now used as a barn. The old medieval culvert still gurgles with water. Visitors can attend mass and the Offices or visit the abbey church, visitor centre, art gallery the woodland walk, the small farm and apiary. There is a guest house for those who wish to live quietly, or go on retreat, for short periods of time. Find out more from the Quarr Abbey website >> St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough, Hampshire St Michael’s is a small Benedictine community with an unusual history. In 1880 the Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III bought a house in Farnborough and built St Michael’s Abbey as a monastery. In 1895 she invited French Benedictines to England where their work, prayer and study began. In 1947 a small band of monks came from Prinknash Abbey to anglicise the house and ensure the continuity of monastic tradition. The monks live by the work of their hands, as St Benedict decreed. They have a guest house, a small farm selling their own produce, an apiary and a publishing and printing house. They also care for the shrine of St Joseph where pilgrims are welcome. Visitors can attend the religious services or join the regular Saturday afternoon guided tour. Guests who wish to experience the Benedictine way of life, or simply benefit from its peace and tranquility, are able to stay in the monastery itself. Find out more from the St. Michaels Abbey website >> Ampleforth Abbey, North Yorkshire Photograph © Ampleforth Abbey Ampleforth claims its monastic descent from the last remaining monk of Westminster Abbey, Father Sigebert Buckley, who established a Benedictine community if France near Nancy. In 1802 Father Anselm, Chaplain to Lady Anne Fairfax at Gilling Castle, gave his residence, Ampleforth Lodge, to this community of monks, fleeing France following the excesses of the French Revolution. The present Abbey Church was built by the distinguished 20th century architect, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Today Ampleforth is an establishment of about 50 monks, running the Catholic boarding school, Ampleforth College, and working in local parishes. Set in over 2000 acres in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the abbey welcomes visitors to the church, orchard and mill. The Visitor Centre explains the history of Ampleforth and the working life of a monk. People can go for the day, for retreats, or for one night individual stays. They are also offering online retreats in these difficult times. Find out more from the Ampleforth Abbey website >> The Friars, Aylesford, Kent Photograph © Ian Capper The Friars is home to a small community of Carmelite Friars who first came here in 1242. The left after the Dissolution in 1538 but returned in 1949. Visitors can the Chapels including the simple Cloister Chapel and the more ornate St Joseph’s Chapel. The Pilgrims Hall in the Great Courtyard dates from the 13th century and served as shelter for pilgrims on their way to Canterbury. Panels by the Polish artist, Adam Kossowski, tell the story of the Carmelites from their origins as hermits on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land, their expulsion from England by Henry VIII and their eventual return. These panels in the 15th century Priors Hall were designed by the painter as an act of thanksgiving for his release from a Russian labour camp. The Main Shrine is modern, featuring a sculpture of the Virgin Mary, designed by Michael Clark in 1960. It contains some earth from the Well of the Prophet Elijah on Mount Carmel and is a focal point for processions on pilgrimage days. Peaceful areas of the Friars include the Rosary Way, with Fifteen Mysteries displayed along the route, and the Peace Garden with fountains and landscaping where you can sit quietly. The Friars has an 80 bedroom guesthouse for guests, a shop and restaurant. Find out more from the Friars website >> Douai Abbey, Upper Woolhampton, Berkshire Photograph © Edmund Shaw The monks of Douai began their monastery in Paris in 1615, moving to Douai in Flanders after the French Revolution, and to Woolhampton in 1903. The abbey church was opened in 1933. The community now numbers about 25. The abbey church has magnificent acoustics and regularly hosts musical ensembles and concerts. Visitors are welcome at services, and those wishing to go on retreat will find excellent accommodation in the guesthouse. Find out more from the Douai Abbey website >> Ealing Abbey, Ealing, London Photograph © John Salmon The monastery at Ealing was founded in 1897 by Benedictine monks from Downside Abbey. The abbey church was completed in 1934, only to be largely destroyed by the Luftwaffe in 1940. It has been restored and enlarged. The Abbey has an active programme of musical recitals which are open to the public. Clerical and lay men are accepted as guests in the monastery; there is a guest house for those on retreat and everyone is welcome to visit the abbey church. Find out more from the Ealing Abbey website >> St. Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, Surrey Photograph © St. Augustine's Abbey St Augustine’s is a Benedictine monastery located in beautiful countryside less than a mile south of the Pilgrim’s Way, an excellent stop for a short visit or a prolonged stay should you be walking this route. It featured recently on BBC1’s Heaven Made at Christmas where it was described as a “powerful powerhouse of prayer and productivity”. The monks continue to say the Divine Office eight times a day and regularly sing Gregorian Chant. The shop sells their own skin and lip cream and beeswax polish. The building dates from the end of the 19th century and was originally occupied by Franciscan Friars until a small Order of Benedictines moved there in 2011. The monastery is open 365 days a year and visitors are welcome to celebrations of Mass and daily prayers. Coffee with the monks is available after Mass. The monks offer a programme of retreats, study days, meditation sessions and healing days. They believe that hospitality is a spiritual obligation and there is also a small guesthouse open to members of the public wanting to stay on religious retreat or experience the rhythm of monastic life. It’s available for four/five overnight guests at a time and may have food provided or be self-catering. There is no charge but donations are encouraged. Find out more on the St. Augustine's Abbey website >>

A five mile circular walk which starts at Salisbury Cathedral and follows the River Avon out to Old Sarum through a nature reserve. Explore the outer rings of Old Sarum including the ruins of the original cathedral (which you can see for free), admire the views over the city, then walk back to town on the other side of the river. This walk divides into three different routes at the mid-way point, so you get a choice as to which one to take. Route A is by far the prettiest and is filled with wildlife, but can be hard going after heavy rain. Route C is the dullest but is mostly paved. Bear in mind that Old Sarum itself can get very boggy after rain. Walking the narrow outer rings after rain on all that chalky clay soil can be quite an adventure as you try not to slip down the steep banks into the moat, or lose your footwear as it gets sucked into the mud. 1. The walk starts at the cathedral, at the statue of the Walking Madonna. (w3w: pram.option.skin) The Walking Madonna in the Cathedral grounds is a life size statue of Mary in her later years (the cathedral is formally the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary). She is frail after the death of her son but walking with determination to spread the word of the church. You can read more about the meaning behind the statue here >> The statue is facing Old Sarum, home to the original cathedral of Salisbury, and the direction you will be walking in. 2. Walk through the High Street Gate and continue down the High Street in a straight line, you will need to cross a road at the end. You will reach St. Thomas' Church. This medieval church was built for the people working on the cathedral, and is usually open to visitors, if you have the time. It is home to the largest and best preserved Doom Painting in the country, which you can read about in detail here >> 3. Turn left into the Maltings (w3w: ozone.empty.rare) and follow the path of the river, keeping the river to your right. You will pass the spot where the Skripals were found on a bench (w3w: passes.decks.opens) , having become seriously unwell after being poisoned with novichok. The bench has since been removed and not replaced - currently there is a plastic Stonehenge chair in the area, presumably for visitors to take photos of themselves sitting in it. This section of the walk is not the most exciting - you will see the backs of modern buildings and a few run down ones, including the old Boathouse which just looks pitiful now - it was once a lovely pub where you could have a drink with a riverside view, and even hire out a boat to bob around on the river. 4. Keep heading north on the path - you will cross a small road then veer left to go round the old Boathouse, before crossing another road. Stay on the path - it will lead you round over a sluice gate at w3w: sage.spice.intelligible and under a railway bridge at w3w: decks.terms.fight The first part of the walk takes you under a railway bridge and past Grade II listed Scammells Bridge On your right you will see what is known as Scammells Bridge. This once carried the London to Exeter railway over Castle Street, but was moved, by hand, to its present location in 1898. The lattice sides were not part of the original construction, being added when the bridge was moved. The bridge is Grade II listed but looks rather unloved. 5. Keep following the path which will lead you under the dual carriageway at w3w: save.trim.normal and finally out onto a much nicer view. Here on the right you can see the back gardens of some rather nice houses, while you pass Waitrose on your left. Keep on following the path! 6. You emerge at a pedestrian crossing (w3w: crash.gown.ready) on Ashley Road. Cross the road and keep following the path, with the river still to your right. On your right will be a bridge, (w3w: switch.battle.part) which leads to the Five Rivers Leisure Centre, and this is where you get to make a choice as to the rest of your route. Route A is by far the loveliest as it takes you through the Avon Valley Nature Reserve, but it is a little bit longer than the others. Route B is through a different section of the Avon Valley Nature Reserve, not quite as lovely, and Route C is the one you should use when the ground is sodden, as well as being the shortest route. Take your pick now! Route A Route B Route C Route A Don't cross the bridge, keep following the path round, keeping the river on your right and just keep going. This takes you through the Avon Valley Nature Reserve, which has beautiful wetlands as well as the river, and no shortage of wildlife. Part of the walk is on a boardwalk, the rest continues through wetlands and river plain until you reach a bridge at w3w: unroll.overdrive.splendid. Cross the bridge, follow the path until it turns into a road - Mill Lane, turn left at the end and you will walk a short way on pavement through the village of Stratford-sub-Castle. Stratford-sub-Castle has a long history, which you can read about here >> Just before you get to the church, cross the road into a track at w3w: baseline.illogical.bubbles. Follow it and you will see that you are heading up towards Old Sarum. Turn right after the second field (w3w: laughs.fingernails.reshaping) then turn left at w3w: scenes.ordeals.solder. This area is the site of the old Roman-British settlement, although you will not be able to see any remnants of their time here. You are now on the outer rings of Old Sarum. Go to Old Sarum section Route B Cross the bridge and follow the path immediately to your left, which keeps the River Avon on your left and the Leisure Centre on your right. You will walk through part of the Avon Valley Nature Reserve, until the path bends round to your right and eventually puts you on a path at w3w: recent.pave.comically. Turn left onto the path. Follow the path, past the allotments on your left and a small field which usually has horses in it. The path eventually emerges onto a main road in Stratford-sub-Castle. Turn right onto the pavement, walk past the houses, and where the road bends round to the right, you keep going straight on, up the path. This is the Portway. The Portway is believed to be an old Roman Road which ran between London and Dorchester, via Old Sarum. It is far more likely however to be a bypass for the main Roman Road, as the area became increasingly busy. By the MIddle Ages it had become a main throughfare for people travelling to the west from Old Sarum. The Portway will lead you to the bottom of Old Sarum - you can walk either on the track or cross to Hudson's Field next to it, which may be better if the track is too wet. Hudson's Field is named after Alderman J.C. Hudson, Mayor of Salisbury from 1926 -1927, who bequeathed £3000 in his will to ensure that the area remained a green space, and that housing couldn't encroach on Old Sarum. It is a large space, used for rugby, football, dog walking and large events held in the city, such as the Race for Life. Keep on following the path until you reach a set of wooden steps to your left at w3w: disposal.gushes.cello. which were donated by a local Scout troup. Walk up them and you are now at the base of Old Sarum. Walk up the field and on your left is a gate to the castle grounds. Go to Old Sarum section Route C This is the least exciting route, but the one to use if the ground is saturated, as the Avon Valley Nature Reserve can get very boggy after heavy rain. Cross the bridge, walk straight ahead and turn left to join the path. There is a school sports field to your right and you will walk past the backs of houses and two fields of allotments in a straight line. This path is tarmacked which is why it is best used in inclement weather. At the end of the path, follow the instructions for Route B from here >> Old Sarum Once at Old Sarum, you can explore all around the outer rings, including the ruins of the original cathedral, for free. There are some lovely views over the city and a lot of places to just explore. Read more about walking around Old Sarum, its historical background and what you can see >> If it is open, you have the option of paying to go into the inner castle, or it is free if you are an English Heritage member. There are loos above an old World War II pillbox and wireless room in the car park. If you need food or drink, then on the main road is a Harvester which does typical English pub food and has a nice garden. Old Sarum to Salisbury Cathedral For your return journey, why not choose one of the other routes to walk back by? Just reverse the instructions. Or for speed you could just head down Castle Road which takes you back into the heart of the city, but it is a very busy road and you will have to deal with the noise and pollution, particularly in rush hour. The only advantage of that route is that you will walk past the Salisbury Spitfire Memorial, which is an impressive sight. If you do take that route, divert into Victoria Park for some of it so that not all of it is next to the main road.

A visit to Salisbury is incomplete without a look at the site where Salisbury began, and where you can get unparalleled views of the city and cathedral across a wide sweep of countryside, further enhanced by 360 degree views of the surrounding area. Old Sarum from above Photograph © Mark Edwards You can choose to visit the main site of the medieval castle, an English Heritage property, or simply walk for free around the inner and outer ramparts which give you access to the original cathedral ruins, and a glimpse of how life must have been for those living here on this exposed Iron Age hillfort until the early 13th century. Historical Background of Old Sarum Archaeologists believe that the original ramparts were built about 400 BC, surrounding the hillfort settlement which probably also served as a refuge and market centre. There is evidence of Roman occupation from 43 AD as it appears in documentary records as Sorviodunum. By the time of the Domesday Book in 1087 the site had become known as Sarisberie. William the Conqueror chose it for one of the first timber Norman castles, and it is the ruins of this castle, later built in stone comprising keep, courtyard house, well, tower and kitchen, and maintained in good repair until about 1228, that you will visit if you decide to cross the wooden bridge to the former gatehouse and enter the English Heritage site. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, William himself came here in 1086 and accepted fealty from the “landholding men of any account throughout England”. Its most famous – if unwilling – resident was Eleanor of Aquitaine, kept here under house arrest for most of the 1170s. The ruins in the outer ramparts are free to view The story of the move down to the plain below is often told but is worth a brief summary here. Relations between the clergy centred on the cathedral and the administrative officials centred in the castle deteriorated rapidly at the end of the 12th century. Accommodation for the clergy was in short supply, water was scarce, the fabric of the cathedral in need of serious repair and the site so windy that “those celebrating the divine offices can hardly hear each other speak”. The decision was made to move down to an already well populated area, using much of the stone from the existing cathedral to build the new one. The legend is that, from roughly where you are standing to admire the view, that an arrow was fired to determine the most favourable area. The arrow hit a deer which ran on until it died of its wounds and, at this spot, the foundations of the new cathedral were laid. Walking around Old Sarum From the outer bailey you can climb a short flight of steps on to the grassy ramparts and walk anticlockwise round the narrow pathway which gives you magnificent views to the north of Salisbury and the roads and paths leading up to Stonehenge. (Sturdy footwear is recommended if the weather has been wet as it can get very muddy.) This leads you in a westerly direction to look over the settlement of Stratford-sub-Castle and the rural landscape leading up to the River Avon and the scenic Woodford Valley. As you turn south you cross the outer bailey and find the ruins of the medieval cathedral, supported by useful information boards showing how it must have looked in its heyday. Old Sarum can be a beautiful place in the sunshine Cross to the trees and continue along the path – here the slopes are steep and provide wonderful “slides” for young children (or even big ones) down the chalkface. Following the path eastwards brings you to the exceptional views across to the city and the “new” cathedral, founded in 1220 as the hillfort site was finally abandoned. As you complete this mile of circular walk you have the option of extending it by going round the outer ramparts to enjoy the spectacular views once more, or indeed going down into the ditch between these outer and inner earthworks to admire the work by our ancestors to defend their early settlement. VISITING OLD SARUM How to get to Old Sarum Postcode: SP1 3SD what3words: herb.restore.brotherly Public Transport: The R11 Park and Ride to the Beehive goes past Old Sarum, as do all buses to Amesbury, the Activ8. The Stonehenge Tour buses from Salisbury Station will drop you here on the way to Stonehenge and collect you on its return. Buses from Salisbury take 10 minutes. Walking: You can walk from Salisbury to Old Sarum by several routes. The shortest but least pleasant is on Castle Road, which has heavy traffic. The best route is by following the River Avon which takes approx 50 minutes. Detailed instructions and sites to see on the walk from Salisbury Cathedral to Old Sarum >> Parking: Old Sarum is 2 miles north of Salisbury just off the A345. The entrance is clearly marked. You may be lucky and find a free space in the layby just south of Old Sarum on the A345. There is plenty of paid parking in the outer bailey. An alternative is to ask permission from The Harvester immediately opposite the site to leave your car and return for coffee or a meal after you have made your visit. When is Old Sarum open? Old Sarum is open every day except for 24 - 25 Dec and 1st Jan November - March: 10am - 4pm April - October: 10am - 5pm How much does it cost to visit Old Sarum? The ramparts, outer bailey and access to the cathedral ruins are free, but you must pay for entry into the remains of the medieval castle (£5.90 for an adult. Concessions available). Are there any facilities at Old Sarum? There are loos in the outer bailey near the car park (built over a WWII wireless room and pillbox). There are hot and cold drinks and snacks available in the shop. The Harvester across the road is open for meals. In the summer English Heritage often host events here – such as medieval games, battle re-enactmets and performances of plays. Useful tips for visiting Old Sarum It can get very windy on blustery days, and very boggy on wet ones, so dress accordingly. Dog Walking at Old Sarum The outer bailey and nearby Hudson's Field are popular with dog walkers. Bear in mind that there are often sheep grazing the outer rings, and dogs will need to be kept on a lead. Which is the nearest town to Old Sarum? Old Sarum is on the outskirts of Salisbury. See our Salisbury City Guide for details on how to get to Salisbury, locally owned accommodation, restaurants and shops, further places to visit and things to do. Old Sarum Website >>

Salisbury is in the perfect central location to visit the rest of the south of England, with easy access to the coast, the New Forest, the south-west, Cotswolds and London. Here we have selected our favourite places to visit from Salisbury, to help you plan your adventures, along with the best ways to get to each location. Salisbury has the enviable position of being within easy reach of cities, coastline and countryside. We have hand-picked our favourites, which include a few places less well known to visitors to the UK, but which make for a fabulous day out. Using public transport is far better for the environment and will save you the stress of traffic and parking, although for a few of these places, a car is unfortunately the best option. We have placed these locations in order of ease to get to by public transport: 1. Stonehenge, Wiltshire The purpose of this pre-historic stone circle is still shrouded in mystery, but it is world famous and is on many people's bucket lists. This is the obvious day trip for most visitors to the area, with lots of buses and tours to take you. In peak season it can be over crowded, so if you want to do it without the hordes, then consider a stone circle access tour which avoids the crowds altogether. You can also see the stones for free if you are prepared to do a bit of walking - Woodhenge to Stonehenge Walk and see both for free >> Best way to get from Salisbury to Stonehenge: The best way to get there is by bus trip from Salisbury train station or the centre of town. You can arrange the whole trip, book tickets, look at timetables and find out more from The Stonehenge Tour >> You can of course drive there, or even walk there from Salisbury - a mere 3 hour stroll! 2. Bath, Somerset Less than an hour's journey by train from Salisbury, the UNESCO heritage city of Bath has some amazing sites and plenty of things for the visitor to see and do. The Roman Baths, the Abbey, the Georgian Royal Crescent, river cruises and beautiful buildings mean it is well worth the day trip. If you are visiting in the summer months then consider the unique experience of seeing the Baths by twilight, avoiding the crowds altogether, and still being able to catch a train back to Salisbury afterwards. Slow Travel's City Guide to Bath is coming soon! Best way to get from Salisbury to Bath: The cheapest and easiest way to get between the two cities is by train: there are regular trains, both train stations are in the centre of town, and tickets can be very cheap if you book in advance. Traffic in Bath can get busy, and parking can be tricky, so this is far the best option. Train: Salisbury to Bath direct Frequency: Hourly Journey time: Approx 1 hour Cost: £19 adult single but £5 if you book in advance. Book here >> 3. London London needs no introduction - there is so much to see and do there that there is something for everyone. (Slow London guide coming soon!) About 90 minutes away by train, the day trip to London is an easy one to do, and if you book in advance, can cost as little as £12 for a return. Best way to get from Salisbury to London: The only sensible way to get to London for a day trip is by train. Coach is cheaper but can take longer and cut into your exploring time, and driving is a nightmare with traffic jams and parking charges. Arriving at Waterloo, you can access the whole city through the underground. If you want to spend several days in London, it is still cheaper to get the train there and back from Salisbury for a few days than it is to stay in a central London hotel. Train: Salisbury to London Waterloo direct. Frequency: Every 30 minutes Journey Time: Approx 1h 30m Cost: £42 adult single but can be £12 if you book in advance. Book your train tickets here, or set up an alert to notify you when they go on sale at the cheapest price possible. 4. Portsmouth, Hampshire Portsmouth is a naval town with a long and vivid history, making it an excellent place for a day trip. The Historic Dockyards are filled with naval history and include the Mary Rose, HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and a submarine museum where you get to go inside a submarine - a truly unique experience. There is also the D-Day Museum, a Sea Life Centre, the Spinnaker Tower with its glass floor, a seaside funfair and plenty of other attractions. Best way to get from Salisbury to Portsmouth: Train: Salisbury to Portsmouth direct. Frequency: Every hour Journey Time: Approx 1h 15m Cost: £20 adult single but far cheaper if you book 12 weeks in advance. Book train tickets here >> 5. Bournemouth Bournemouth is a very popular seaside town, with miles of golden sandy beaches and all the seaside attractions that come with them. There are piers, pleasure gardens, theatres, bars and restaurants as well as museums, an oceanarium and lots of activities. It can be a great place for a day by the sea - hiring a beach hut and watching the world walk by. There are quieter beaches for those who know where to look (details coming soon.) Best way to get from Salisbury to Bournemouth: The cheapest, and quickest way from Salisbury to Bournemouth is on the X3 bus. Buses save the hassle of parking in Bournemouth, which can be hard work and expensive in peak season, and the trains take too long as there is no direct line, and often involve several changes. Bus: Salisbury to Bournemouth direct on the X3. Frequency: Hourly Journey Time: 1h30m Cost: £8.50 adult return, with concessions available. Timetables here >> 6. Winchester, Hampshire Winchester is a cathedral city with a lot going on, and it has plenty of historical sites which are worth visiting, such as the Great Hall and the Hospital of St. Cross. There is a fantastic science centre and planetarium and Marwell Zoo is nearby to keep the kids happy. There are nature reserves and lots of walks, theatres, museums and regular cultural festivals and a splendid Christmas market with an outdoor ice skating rink in the cathedral grounds. Best way to get from Salisbury to Winchester: There are no direct buses or trains, but the train journey only has one change and is an easy one to do. Driving is an option if you use the Park & Ride sites for parking, as parking in the city itself can be tricky, with a shortage of spaces, some confusing road systems and heavy traffic. Train: Salisbury to Winchester (via Basingstoke). Frequency: Every 20 - 30 minutes Journey Time: 1hour Cost: £15 adult single, but much cheaper if you book 12 weeks in advance. Timetables and book your tickets here >> 7. New Forest, Hampshire Harder to get to by public transport but still accessible if you make the effort, the New Forest is a glorious place to spend time, particularly in the summer. Some areas are filled with tourists, but it is easy to find peaceful spots if you know where to look. Our Slow New Forest Guide is coming soon to help you avoid the crowds and to get the most from this beautiful part of the UK. Best way to get from Salisbury to the New Forest: Car is really the only practical solution to get to the Forest, although it depends on which part of the forest you want to visit. The New Forest has 8 train stations - Ashurst, Beaulieu Road, Brockenhurst, Hinton Admiral, Lymington, New Milton, Sway and Totton. There are plenty of buses which zip around the forest so it can be done with public transport, but you will need to plan carefully. Moovit will help with your planning. 8. Avebury The World Heritage Site of Avebury has a neolithic stone circle where you can wander freely, as well as other neolithic monuments nearby. West Kennet Longbarrow, Silbury Hill, the Sanctuary and more are all part of this pre-historic landscape. Best way to get from Salisbury to Avebury: There is no direct public transport route, but you can use a combination of trains and buses to get there, with the journey taking approx 3 hours. If you want to take in the other sites in this prehistoric landscape, then a car is really the only option. Bus: Salisbury to Devizes to Avebury. Frequency: Every 3 hours Journey Time: 3 hours Cost: Approx £15 9. Highclere Castle, Hampshire World famous for being the filming location of Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle is only open in the summer months but is an amazing place to visit and well worth the effort. Tickets sell out months in advance so make sure you book ahead. With beautiful interiors and grounds as well finds from King Tut's tomb, there is plenty to see in a day trip. If you have any time left over, the the nearby Sandham Memorial Chapel owned by the National Trust, is only 5 minutes away and is an incredible and very moving place to visit. Best way to get from Salisbury to Highclere: Unfortunately the easiest and cheapest way is by car, which takes just 45 minutes. Train: Salisbury to Newbury direct. Frequency: Every 30 minutes Journey Time: 1h30m Cost: £23 adult single. You will then need to catch a bus from Newbury Station to Hollington Cross, or catch a taxi (approx £24) Bus: Salisbury to Marlborough to Newbury, then bus or taxi to Highclere. 10. Oxford, Oxfordshire The ‘dreaming spires’ of this ancient University town have some incredible architecture and historical sites. You can take hop-on hop-off bus tours, walking tours, a river cruise, or just wander around the college quads. You can visit some of the free museums such as The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, the incredible Pitt-Rivers Museum or listen to Evensong in one of the beautiful college chapels for free. The world famous Bodleian Library does tours and is most definitely worth a visit to see the ancient manuscripts. Best way to get from Salisbury to Oxford: There is no direct train, bus or coach between the two cities, but the train is definitely the quickest option, taking around 2 hours, whereas a bus takes at least 3. It is possible to drive there, but parking can be horrendous, unless you pre-book a parking space with an app such as Justpark - they have plenty of spaces available in Oxford. Train: Salisbury to Oxford with 2 or 3 changes. Frequency: Every hour Journey Time: Approx 2h 30m Cost: £35 adult single but can be much cheaper if you book 12 weeks in advance. 11. Swanage, Dorset Swanage is a lovely place. A seaside town with beaches, funfairs, a marina and plenty of locally owned shops and restaurants, it is the perfect place for a traditional day at the beach. It also has a wealth of historical sites, mostly from World War II, and incredible clifftop views over the sea. Shell Bay at nearby Studland has miles of golden sandy beaches which overlook a deep blue sea. Best way to get from Salisbury to Swanage: The cheapest and quickest way is by car, which takes just over an hour. Parking at Swanage can get hard at peak season, but otherwise is usually fine. There is usually plenty of parking at Studland which is free for National Trust members. Swanage has no train station (although there is a heritage line from Corfe Castle to Swanage, where you can take a steam train.) Bus: Salisbury to Swanage with 2 or 3 changes. Frequency: Every hour Journey Time: Approx 3 hours Cost: £15 depending on which route you take. 12. Weymouth, Dorset Weymouth is a popular place - another coastal town with plenty of seaside attractions, as well as historical attractions such as Nothe Fort, the Tudor House and Sandsfoot Castle, which is free to visit. Nearby is the very lovely Bennetts Water Gardens, Radipole Lake which is full of birdlife as well as Abbotsbury Swannery and Sub-Tropical gardens. The Portland Peninsula has miles of beaches and is a fascinating place to visit. Best way to get from Salisbury to Weymouth: For a day trip, car is the quickest and cheapest mode of transport to use. Coach is the next best option but takes 3 hours, meaning it is too long for a day trip. Train: Salisbury to Weymouth (2 or 3 changes). Frequency: Every 30 minutes Journey Time: Approx. 2 hours Cost: £33 adult single but much cheaper if you book 12 weeks in advance. Staying in Salisbury? Use our Salisbury Guide to find the best independently owned accommodation, restaurants, shops and things to do.

This short circular walk of less than a mile takes in some of the history of Salisbury that even many locals don't know about. It includes the old medieval walls, a porch which was once part of the cathedral, the World War I war memorial and the 'secret garden', which is a beautiful place to wander through. 1. Start at the Winchester Street mosaic (w3w: noble.craft.local) It's not the most impressive start to a walk, but the concrete road towering in front of you is a vivid illustration of how this community was torn apart by the road planners of the 1970s, who ripped up some beautiful old buildings to create the permanent traffic jam that is the Salisbury inner ring road. The Winchester Street Mosaic depicts life on this street in the early to mid 19th century, and includes this ditty which was pinned to the noticeboard of the Anchor & Hope pub, which you can see back down the road from where you are standing. "Go to Mould's when you're hungry The Anchor when you're dry Go to Churchill's when you're tired Go to Heaven when you die" Read about life in Winchester Street, and an interpretation of the mosaic >> Don't go underneath the road, instead turn left and walk through the narrow passageway which leads you out into The Greencroft. Try to ignore the graffiti (currently some choice words about Boris Johnson) and walk straight ahead. The houses on your left, numbers 18-24, are actually Grade II listed and are typical of the cottages which were once prevalent in this area. The Greencroft has a fascinating history. Archaeological finds include a paleolithic axe and a few Saxon burials. Throughout the Middle Ages it was farmed, although it was also common land and people had the right to play and walk there. By the 16th century it was used for executions and for burying the poorer victims of the plague, who ended up in plague pits on the site. There was also a riot on the land in 1830 as a result of the Corn Laws. The tree lined avenue which runs down the diagonal of the park, was planted in 1897, probably for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. These days it has a play park, a basket ball court and is used mainly by kids and dog walkers. The play park and the avenue (they look much better in the summer!) 2. Follow the path which runs to the left of the kids play park, then take the right fork of the crossroads, which will lead you down the tree lined avenue. Follow the avenue until you get to the road, which you will need to cross. (w3w: trees.bubble.wool). Turn right and then left down some steps (w3w: flap.detect.active) This is a fairly obscure green part of Salisbury and one that even few locals know about. Directly in front of you is a stone porch, rather weather worn but still standing proudly. This was actually once a part of the cathedral, being a porch outside the north transept. Dating from the 15th century, it was removed by James Wyatt in 1791 as part of his extensive works to 'beautify' the cathedral (or vandalise it depending on your point of view). The spirelet and pinacles were added to create this 'garden ornament' for the owners of Wyndham House (now called Bourne Hill House), which you can see in the distance on the other side of the porch. 3. Follow the path through the trees - this is the route of the medieval city ramparts, which were constructed in the 13th century. Originally only a ditch, work wasn't completed until the mid 15th century. What you see here is all that remains of these city walls, as they have been demolished over the years in every other location. Follow the path to the end - it is a lovely tree-lined walk. On your left, you will see Bourne Hill House, which you will get a chance to see close up at the end of the walk. 4. At end of the path is a memorial urn. This dates from 1774 and was built as a monument commemorating the discovery of Saxon remains on the site. The stone plinth is in Latin. This area was once an early Anglo-Saxon burial ground. Around you, you will see a few other random stone or brick relics, that must have once held significance, but whose purposes have been lost in the mists of time. 5. Keep following the path to the end and in front of you, you will see the Secret Garden. The Secret Garden is maintained by volunteers, who have transformed the site from a run down, derelict council garden to the lovely space it is now. Originating from the 18th century, the gardens were designated in 1996 to commemorate Salisbury Councillors who have died whilst in office. It consists of several small gardens, including a Poesy Garden, chequerboard herb garden, vegetable garden, pond and a sunken garden. All plants are native to the UK, and are planted to encourage wildlife. They often hold events, such as tea parties, in the garden, and have wildlife information sheets for children. (Find out more about the garden and events >>) 6. Leave the garden by the side entrance, directly by the church, and go into the church yard. St. Edmunds is a 15th century church which was converted to the Salisbury Arts Centre in 1975. If it is open, it is a lovely space inside, with a café, art exhibitions and plenty of events on. This is the place to go if you fancy listening to live music while enjoying a leisurely meal, or to watch a film, play or stand up comedy act. They also run creative workshops and classes. If it is closed then wander around the grounds. There are a few ivy clad tombs remaining, as well as a Grade II listed war memorial. It is a simple cross on a stepped plinth. The inscribed words, which are hard to read, are: THIS CROSS STANDS HERE IN SACRED MEMORY OF THOSE WHO WENT FROM THIS PARISH AND GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY AND FOR THE WORLD’S FREEDOM IN THE WORLD WAR OF 1914 - 1918 THEIR NAMES ARE EVER RECORDED ON THE NATIONAL ROLL OF HONOUR THE VICTORY OF BATTLE LANDETH NOT IN THE MULTITUDE OF AN HOST BUT STRENGTH COMETH FROM HEAVEN The old school and St Edmunds House plaque Behind the war memorial is the old building of St Edmunds School. Built in 1860, it is a typical Victorian school building, and was a school until 1964, when St. Edmunds School moved to modern, purpose built premises in nearby Laverstock. On its right is St. Edmunds House and Church Hall, which was built in the 1920s. 7. Leave the Arts Centre grounds by the entrance on Bedwin Street (w3w: select.fled.defeat) and go through the stone porchway, back into the grounds of Bourne Hill. This is the main entrance to Bourne House, which is now council offices. To the right of the house as you look at it, walk through the forecourt and the stone gateway, and you can go into the grounds of the house - the view you saw from the cathedral porch. Bourne House is a Grade II listed building which was built on the site and remains of St Edmund's College founded by Bishop de la Wyle in 1269. It was bought by the Wyndham family in 1660, who rebuilt in 1670. From the grounds you can see two cast iron 19th century urns in the Greek revival style. Bourne Hill House, the urn and the trough filled with ice You will also see a stone trough, which dates from 1887. It was originally in the market place, erected by the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain & Cattle Trough Association. Over the years it moved around various locations in Salisbury, before ending up at Bourne Hill. It was lost for many years, until it was found in a car park by a member of Salisbury's Civic Society, who ensured it was returned to its previous location in Bourne Hill. The side is inscribed with a quotation from Proverbs: “Open thy mouth for the dumb”. The grounds of Bourne Hill are a nice place for a picnic or to explore. 8. Leave the grounds by the forecourt, and walk straight down Greencroft Street which is directly opposite (w3w: having.shift.agent). Greencroft Street has a lovely mix of old buildings (more on these coming soon). At the end of the street on your left, is the Greencroft Street Mosaic. (w3w: descended.keys.teeth) You can find an interpretation of the mosaic, telling you more about the lives of early residents, here >> 9. At the end of the road you have come back full circle on where you started - the Winchester Street Mosaic is just up the road to your left. Staying in Salisbury? Read our Salisbury City Guide for full details on independently owned places to stay, eat and shop, as well as places to visit, walks to do and lots more.

High in the hills of Nice on the French Riviera is an Israelite Cemetery which includes a moving and poignant memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. The Jewish community in Nice is long established, with the first synagogue being built in 1418. When the town of Nice outgrew its city walls and had to relocate in the later Middle Ages, the Jewish community was forced to live in a gated street called ‘The Street of the Jews’ (now called Rue Benoit Bunico) which was locked every night. The locals were unhappy about this, and so built tunnels with secret doors so that Jewish and non-Jewish could continue to integrate as they had always done. (France was the first European nation to emancipate its Jewish residents, just after the French Revolution of 1789.) In 1783 the burial grounds for Catholics and Jews had to be moved due to the introduction of new rules forbidding burials inside churches, so the Catholic and Israelite Cemeteries were relocated side by side on the ruins of the old citadel high up on the hill overlooking Nice. During World War II, Nice was incorporated into Italy and became a place of refuge for Jews. Tragically, this all changed in 1943 when the Germans took over and many were sent to their deaths. The Israelite Cemetery in Nice is a beautiful, peaceful place with views over the red tiled roof tops of Nice on one side and the sparkling blue sea of the Baie Des Anges on the other. Next to the Christian Cemetery on the Colline du Chateau, the tall hill in Nice that once held a castle and now contains parks and open space for locals and tourists to enjoy, the two cemeteries with their ornate marble monuments and grave stones are open to the public during daylight hours. Outside the Israelite Cemetery is a small plaque, commemorating 70 years since the creation of the state of Israel, where the ambassadors of Israel and France ‘laid the first stone of the wall of the Jewish deportees from Nice station to the death camps.’ Next to this hang two huge banners each with a photograph and a quote. One says “Each day, when I get up, I am happy, it is one day less that the Nazis will not have stolen from me”. Inside the cemetery walls, right behind the entrance gate, is a small painted wooden building that looks like it has been there some time. On the walls are inscribed the words ‘The Israelite Community of Nice 1939- 1945 to the heroes of the resistance and to the martyrs of persecution.’ Each side of the door are two small marble urns on slim pedestals. On one, ‘This urn contains the ashes of our martyrs killed in the gas chambers and ovens of Auschwitz’. The other urn contains ‘soap made from human fat by the Germans of the Third Reich with the bodies of our deported brothers.’ The cemetery contains many touching graves, often with grand monuments imitating Roman sarcophagi, Gothic chapels or antiqued columns, but there is nothing as poignant as those two simple urns. . Visiting The Israelite Cemetery and the Holocaust Memorial Opening Hours 1st October – 31st March 8.30am - 6pm 1st April – 30th September 8.30am - 8pm

Built at the turn of the 19th century, this small cob cottage was where English novelist and poet, Thomas Hardy, was born. Now owned by the National Trust, it is a great way to experience rural Victorian life, and to learn how his early years in the countryside formed the connection with nature which runs throughout his written works. In rural Dorset, near the small village of Higher Bockhampton, is an almost impossibly perfect thatched cottage, surrounded by a typical cottage garden and mature, towering woodland. It looks exactly how you would imagine a thatched cottage should look; small and rustic with irregular outbuildings, little windows tucked up in the eaves of the thatch, chimneys sprouting through the roof and creepers growing haphazardly over a central front door. Built in 1800 by Thomas Hardy’s great grandfather, this idyllic cottage was Hardy’s birthplace and home for a substantial part of his life. Born a rather sickly child in 1840, but with the advantage of a well read mother, he soon excelled at reading and writing. He was a pupil at the local school and then Dorchester Grammar, before becoming an apprentice to a local architect and draughtsman, and it was in this cottage that he would sit at his small desk and write his early poetry and novels. The cottage still looks much as it did when Hardy was living in it, with the exterior little altered. It is now owned by the National Trust, who have recently added a modern visitor centre – fortunately some distance away from the cottage itself. This is the starting point for any visit to the cottage, and is the only place where tickets can be purchased. With displays about Hardy and Victorian life, as well as how the Trust looks after the landscape, it is a good place to wait for your timed entry slot, as the cottage is so small that it can only hold so many people at a time. There are two routes to walk to the cottage, a trail through the woods or a more direct and flatter route along a gravelled country lane. The walk through the woods sees you immersed in woodland and beech trees listening to the bird song, the country lane has some lovely cottages to admire and a friendly horse or two in the adjoining fields. Whichever way you approach, the cottage emerges from behind swathes of lush and colourful foliage, the ground floor barely visible with purple buddleia, bright ox eye daisies and golden irises all competing for attention. Tall leafy trees tower behind, giving the impression that the cottage is hunkering down into the greenery. With worn, pale walls of cob, irregular brickwork and faded thatch, the cottage has mellowed into the landscape around it. Roses spill down over the small porch, ferns sprout up under windows, everything growing is intertwined and jumbled together in a crowd of greenery. The cottage itself is small and very homely. The first room you visit is the parlour, which was the heart of the Hardy home. With a stone flagged floor and deep window sills in front of the small windows, there is not much light coming in with the plants towering up outside. A huge open fireplace with a cast iron range fills a wall, wooden armchairs are grouped around the hearth, a large wooden dresser filled with willow-pattern china sits against another wall, and brass candlesticks and earthenware jugs complete the look. None of the furniture in the house was owned by the Hardy family, but the National Trust have done a fantastic job of sourcing authentic period pieces to really enhance the rural Victorian atmosphere. Violins and a wooden music stand fill the space, as Hardys’s father was a keen violinist and taught his son how to play. The next room is tiny and was once a scullery, but was used by Thomas’s father as an office; he employed nine men in his building firm and would pay them through the window at the back. A small Victorian fireplace is topped with a large wooden carriage clock, ledgers cover the wooden desk and a large dark bookcase sits snugly in the corner, all pointing to how the room would have been used. You have to wait to be able to go upstairs as it is just so small that only a few people can go up there at any one time. When you ascend those narrow, thick stairs with their worn carpet, chipped paint and brass stair rods, you end up on the top floor, where there are three white bedrooms with irregular wooden floorboards all linked together and hiding under the eaves, the thatch visible through the tops of the windows and beautiful views over the garden. All of the bedrooms are plain and only include the simple necessities of rural life. Rickety brass bedsteads, chamber pots, small wooden furniture and a few books and samplers. L: The parents bedroom contains a small wooden crib with a wooden snake in it, a reference to Thomas’ earliest memory being that a snake was found in his crib with him when he was a tiny baby, both of them sleeping peacefully, an event to which he attributes his love of the countryside and nature. All four Hardy children were born in this room. Thomas himself was thought to be stillborn but was swiftly resuscitated, a rare event in the Victorian days of high infant mortality. R: The boys' bedroom is where Thomas shared with his brother Henry, who was 11 years younger than him. Originally it had been his Grandmother’s bedroom and was separate to the rest of the house, but on her death in 1857 they opened up a narrow passageway and the boys were able to sleep here. Thomas would sit at a small wooden table or on the window seat to read and write about the countryside. His original table, given to him by his mother, is in the Dorset museum; the one here is a replica and you can sit at it and admire the same views. He liked to write while he was actually in the scene he was describing, and wrote many poems as well as some of his earliest novels here, such as Under the Greenwood Tree and Far From the Madding Crowd. The third room was his sisters' room, shared by his two younger sisters, Kate and Mary. It was his youngest sister Kate who bequeathed Hardy’s other house, Max Gate, to the National Trust, and who left enough money for the cottage to be purchased a few years later. Back on the ground floor is ‘Granny’s Kitchen’, which Thomas’ grandmother had as her main parlour and kitchen. With a small bread oven in which she burnt gorse from behind the cottage as her heat source, a large fireplace and a scrubbed wooden kitchen table, there are often costumed volunteers in here cooking meals and treats from the Victorian era for visitors to sample. The garden is essential viewing after the cottage. When I visited in late August, it was lush and verdant, with everything growing in one huge mass of greenery and colour. I have seen photos of it at other times of the year, when plants are cut, trimmed and tied, hedges are sculpted and the soil is exposed and tidied. I far preferred it as I saw it, tumultuous and wild with tendrils reaching out, apples ripening on the trees and colour everywhere. At the back of the garden is a wood and brick shed, filled with oil lamps, hay for thatch repairs, terracotta pots, beehives and assorted tools. This is where Hardy’s father would have stored all of the tools for his building work, as well as being the main outhouse for the garden, which was run as a small holding, with vegetables, fruit and herbs all being grown here to feed the large family. There is a large water pump in front of the house, where you can pump away until the water starts splashing out onto the stones below, something many visitors to the house just couldn’t resist trying. Once he was a successful author, Hardy built a house in the nearby town of Dorchester. Called Max Gate it is a typical Victorian villa; large and entirely suitable for his status as a famous author of the day, but I can’t help wondering if he missed the soft edges and rambunctious house and garden of his birthplace when he was living in his angular, well-ordered house in a busy Dorset town. Domicilium is the earliest known poem of Hardy’s, written around 1857, and is about the cottage and the land around it. Domicilium – by Thomas Hardy It faces west, and round the back and sides High beeches, bending, hang a veil of boughs, And sweep against the roof. Wild honeysucks Climb on the walls, and seem to sprout a wish (If we may fancy wish of trees and plants) To overtop the apple trees hard-by. Red roses, lilacs, variegated box Are there in plenty, and such hardy flowers As flourish best untrained. Adjoining these Are herbs and esculents; and farther still A field; then cottages with trees, and last The distant hills and sky. Behind, the scene is wilder. Heath and furze Are everything that seems to grow and thrive Upon the uneven ground. A stunted thorn Stands here and there, indeed; and from a pit An oak uprises, Springing from a seed Dropped by some bird a hundred years ago. In days bygone– Long gone–my father’s mother, who is now Blest with the blest, would take me out to walk. At such a time I once inquired of her How looked the spot when first she settled here. The answer I remember. ‘Fifty years Have passed since then, my child, and change has marked The face of all things. Yonder garden-plots And orchards were uncultivated slopes O’ergrown with bramble bushes, furze and thorn: That road a narrow path shut in by ferns, Which, almost trees, obscured the passers-by. Our house stood quite alone, and those tall firs And beeches were not planted. Snakes and efts Swarmed in the summer days, and nightly bats Would fly about our bedrooms. Heathcroppers Lived on the hills, and were our only friends; So wild it was when we first settled here.’ VISITING HARDY’S COTTAGE Opening Hours Daily 11am - 5pm Closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during the Winter months Ticket Prices Adults: £7.90 Children: £3.95 Free for National Trust Members Facilities Getting there: Cars are definitely easiest for this site which can be reached on the A35. Parking: There is free parking available on site for members, charges apply for non-members. Access: The site is not easily accessible. Blue badge parking is available near the house if you book in advance. The house cannot fit pushchairs or wheelchairs. Food: There is a café in the Visitors Centre. Hardy's Cottage Website >>

Home to many different types of ancient housing, Butser farm hosts a multitude of traditional events over the year, including the Celtic festivals of Beltain, Lammas and Samhain. In 2019, I visited their biggest festival of Beltain to welcome the arrival of Summer, with the spectacular finale of a giant Wicker Man being burnt. Butser Ancient Farm, on the Hampshire/Sussex border, was set up by experimental archaeologists to test their theories of life and construction in ancient Britain. With an assortment of Iron Age, Stone Age, Roman and Saxon houses, the farm hosts many events connected with the past. Each year they celebrate the Celtic festivals of Lammas, Imbolc and Samhain, but by far the biggest is its Beltain Festival, held at the start of May each year and which acts as a fundraiser for this non-profit educational farm. THE ANCIENT FESTIVAL OF BELTAIN Beltain festival is the Celtic May Day festival, usually held around the 1st of the month. The earliest written records show it practised in Ireland in 908AD, with several references over subsequent years up until the 19th century. The Gaelic year was divided into two significant parts, summer (from around the 1st May) and winter (1st November), with the Eve before each being a crossover time when the boundaries between human and supernatural were removed, witches and faeries roamed freely and rituals were required to remove their enchantments as well as augur growth for the coming season. At Beltain, cattle were often driven between two fires as they were led out, to protect them from disease, with the fires built by druids and deemed to have protective properties. People would rekindle their home fires with embers from the Beltain bonfires and a huge feast would be held. The practice died out by the end of the 19th century, but was revived in the mid-20th century by Neopagans and Wiccans who have adapted the festival and merged it with other May Day celebrations. Butser Farm is one of these smaller and more traditional events, although with so much mythology and variety surrounding the festival, it is impossible for any of them to be considered as entirely accurate. BELTAIN AT BUTSER We arrived at the festival not really knowing quite where to go or what to expect. Fortunately it had been really easy to find as it was well signposted from the main road, and there were stewards to guide us to a parking spot. We joined the throng of people all heading down to the farm on stony paths through fields of brilliant yellow oilseed and joined the good natured queue at the bottom. After having our tickets checked, we were in the farm. The first thing that struck me was a just how beautiful the location is – at the bottom of a valley with a steep hill on one side that shelters the buildings, opening up to fields and woodland as far as the eye can see on the other. Dotted around are assorted roundhouses with their thatched roofs glowing in the sunshine, the smell of wood smoke in the air and the sound of birds chirping above the chatter of the crowd. We watched as a pheasant peacefully pecked around in a nearby field. Our first port of call was to see the Wicker Man before it was reduced to ashes. The farm makes a different style each year, having had a Roman and a Saxon warrior amongst others, but this year was intended to be a mysterious hooded figure to represent a traveller on a journey which also intentionally resembled a Star Wars character, with their Beltain festival falling on the 4th May (May the 4th be with you…). The Wicker Man having wishes tied to his legs It was started three months earlier when two 50ft cedar trees were felled to make the main structure. Dragged by hand and bound with sisal rope, these were winched upright, placed into 3ft deep holes and then with a combination of scaffolding and a lot of courage, the 35 foot Wicker Man was assembled, taking over 600 hours to build in total. It was very impressive, my children couldn’t believe how tall and imposing it was, I think they had been expecting something life size. Over the next few hours, people would arrive with their wishes written on little scraps of paper, bound with red or blue string, and tie them to the legs of the Wicker Man. The festival started at 4pm, and the Wicker Man didn’t get lit until about 9pm, so we had a few hours in which to visit the rest of the site. There was a lot on offer with live music and demonstrations and activities, but we spent quite a while just people watching. There was a fascinating and eclectic mix of festival goers. Many were in period dress, with a lot of Saxon capes, Celtic dresses, pagans, Steampunk outfits, Morris dancers, and Romans, all mixed with people in their sensible walking boots and waterproof hats (we went through every type of weather that night from bright sunshine, heavy rain and even hail on our way there). There were many faces painted blue, in homage to the Celtic tradition of warriors painting their faces with blue woad before going into battle, and even though there are academic doubts about the veracity of this, it is still a popularly held belief and lent an air of festivity to the event. We explored each and every roundhouse and I was amazed at how good they were. Each one is a different type, from a different era and location, and many were kitted out as accurately as archaeologists can know. We watched a Celtic harp demonstration taking place here, people sitting in large circles around the open fire in the semi darkness, with the only light coming in from the door and the fire. It was really interesting and a very peaceful experience to sit there listening to ancient music in front of the fire of such an impressive archaeological reconstruction. Outside, there was a small stage set up and several different types of music over the evening for people sitting on the grass enjoying food and drink. There was an excellent folk band playing ‘Olde’ English songs but my particular favourite was the drumming group, the Pentacle Drummers. The fantastic Pentacle Drummers keeping the crowds entertained Earlier in the festival I had popped in to look at their drumming workshop coming from one of the Iron Age houses, and had walked into that small mud bricked room to be amazed by the sheer volume and intensity as drummers and visitors all crammed together and pounded out a beat that echoed through the rafters. Now in their performance in front of the stage, I could see them more clearly, all dressed in a livery of red and green tatter coats with painted faces, hats adorned with antlers, feathers, flowers and more; they kept the audience spellbound for some time as they beat out rhythms in perfect time. It was loud, mesmerising and kept me utterly captivated. Just chilling in the Saxon Longhouse There is an Anglo-Saxon longhouse at the farm, an immaculate recreation based on excavations from the nearby village of Charlton. Made from oak, chestnut and hazel from local woodlands, the roof panelled with wattle hurdles and thatched and with everything hewn by hand rather than machine, it was a very beautiful building. We visited the house, walking through Saxon warriors milling around outside and with several sitting around the open fire inside chatting. The hut was lit by a huge shaft of sunlight coming in from a gap at the top of the roof, and the smoke drifted lazily through it. It was quite a surreal experience, sitting unobtrusively in a Saxon longhouse surrounded by Saxons just going about their day. We later watched the Saxons fighting in one of the fields. As their leader said at the start, they knew that Beltain was a Celtic festival, and the Saxons came along much later, but they thought they’d come along for a fight anyway. It was highly entertaining; with the Saxons taking it in turns to have a jolly good battle as the crowds lined the edges and cheered them on. There were demonstrations of flint napping done by an archaeologist in Neolithic clothing (well, except for the walking boots), stalls selling jewellery, pottery and more all made by traditional methods, enough to entice anyone archaeologically minded. There was axe throwing, which we didn’t try, and learning to fight like warriors for kids, there was even Star Wars battles for kids once dusk started creeping in, their glowing lightsabers luminous in the dark. We watched authentic cookery over an outdoor fire with strips of meat drying in the smoke. There were demonstrations of metalwork, leather-work, weaving and spinning, with stalls where you could make May Day garlands which soon many people were wearing around their heads. The blue sky was interrupted by a huge rain shower and so we took shelter in the Great Roundhouse with crowds of us around the open fire just chatting and drinking mead and ale (or fizzy drinks in the case of my kids). The wood smoke writhed through the crowd leaving trails as more wet people came in to join the throng. It was rather lovely to join this crowd of cloak clad strangers chatting around the fire of a Neolithic gathering house while we all waited out the rain. The sun eventually reappeared and after grabbing a hot chocolate and something to eat from one of the food stalls, we joined the people slowly started making their way towards the Wickerman enclosure. Dark was rapidly approaching and people were choosing the best spots to watch the showpiece. A path was cleared through the crowd for the assorted warriors and Pentacle Drummers to make their way into the enclosure, drums beating in time as they lined the small hill either side of the Wickerman. There had been a raffle earlier in the evening to win the chance to light the fire, and the lucky winner approached with a flaming staff to light it up. It took him two goes but eventually the Wicker Man was alight and went up with astonishing speed as the crowd cheered, the drums beat louder and louder and we all stood engrossed watching the flames leap higher and higher up the giant burning spectacle in front of us. It was pitch black by now and very cold, but we were all suffused in the light and heat from the Wicker Man, listening to the rhythm, watching the silhouettes of the drummers and Saxons against the bright light of the fire. It was a wonderful spectacle and one I will never forget, a truly intense and primal experience. As the flames slowly died down, the crowds gently drifted away back through the quiet fields, listening to the hooting of owls and scuttling of nocturnal animals, to find their cars and join the usual slow exit from the car park. There were cries in the air of ‘See you next Beltain,’ as people packed away their cloaks and swords into car boots and drove off into the dark night, the wood smoke lingering for hours on our clothes long after the Wicker Man was gone. Useful Tips for going to Beltain The festival is very child friendly, with plenty of activities for them to do, particularly for younger children. My teenager wasn’t hugely impressed with anything other than the burning of the Wicker Man, but then that’s teenagers for you. Be prepared for inclement weather. Apparently the previous year it was boiling hot and people could sit outside enjoying the sun, but the year we went it was incredibly cold, and even though the sun was out for some of it, we froze. Take the whole range of clothing with you, and expect it to come home smelling of wood smoke. Sensible shoes are essential. The whole venue is pushchair friendly. The walk to the farm is about a third of a mile downhill through fields from the car park, off road pushchairs are probably best. There are several places to buy food and drinks with vegetarian options available. There are plenty of loos available. Be prepared for a wait to get out of the car park at the end. Visiting Butser Ancient Farm The farm is a unique family day out where you can travel back to Ancient Britain and experience it with all your senses to gain a real sense of the past, from the Stone Age, through the Iron Age, Romans and Anglo-Saxons. Set in a beautiful landscape it has plenty of farm animals, activities, kids trails and much more. They have an extensive events calendar and run Warrior Academies for kids and families, have their own Roman Legion and run an Archaeology Club. It is open all year round. Opening hours April – September Monday to Sunday 9am - 5pm October – March Monday – Friday 10am - 4pm Tickets for Beltain go on sale in the Autumn. Watch their website or sign up the their mailing list for the exact date. Ticket Prices Adults £9 Children aged 3-16 £5 Under 3’s visit for free Concessions and family tickets available How to Get There The farm is on the Hampshire/West Sussex/Surrey border and is just off the A3, about 5 miles south of Petersfield in the village of Chalton. The nearest train station is Petersfield with bus services running to within half a mile. There is nearby overnight accommodation with hotels and glamping sites on offer. Butser Ancient Farm Website >>

The Supreme Court is a recent phenomenon in the UK, having only been operating since 2009. Housed in the Middlesex Guildhall near the Houses of Parliament, the Court buildings house three courtrooms and an exhibition. Few people know that people can visit the Supreme Court for free, whenever the building is open. This amazing deep relief frieze is part of a longer one which has imagery of King John at Runnymeade, sealing the Magna Carta which shows even he is not above the law. There are statues of women representing ideals such as truth, law, government and justice. It was created by Henry Fehr, a London architectural sculptor. There have been legal buildings on this site in Parliament Square for nearly 1000 years. Before that, it was the location for the Westminster Abbey’s Old Belfry and Sanctuary Tower, which was used by fugitives seeking refuge. A series of courthouses then stood on the site and in 1889 the first Guildhall was built. This housed Middlesex County Council and Quarter Sessions (local court sessions held four times a year) until the building became too small for use. A second, neo-Tudor Guildhall was built in 1893. The building which stands there today, the third Guildhall, was built in 1906 and opened just before World War I in 1913. It was designed by architect James Gibson and built from Portland stone, with decorative features by Henry Fehr. It is often described as Art Nouveau Gothic. These art nouveau features provide a decorative touch to what could be a rather modern and simplistic interior By 1964, due to the London Government Act, Middlesex ceased to exist as an administrative and judicial entity and the Guildhall was converted to a Crown court. The building was cramped and the rooms had little light, as various extensions and bits of machinery obscured the building. The Law Lords, who were the highest legal power in the UK, were originally housed in the House of Lords, but a decision was taken in the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 to separate the law from parliament, keeping the judicial and legislative functions apart both physically and symbolically. During World War II, the building was used by the judiciary of five governments in exile to hold their own courts to deal with military and maritime offences. The Netherlands, Poland, Norway, Belgium and Greece are all represented on this document. The building then went through some very controversial renovations, with many people up in arms about the plans. The building is Grade II listed and the courtroom interiors were considered to be exceptional examples of their type. However, the renovations went ahead and while many original fixtures and fittings were found and enhanced during the work, others were lost. Inside Courtroom One, the largest and most impressive of the courts. Photograph © David Iliff. In 2009, the Supreme Court heard its first case. Its role is as an authority on interpreting the law which the rest of the judicial system must follow. Unlike in many other countries, the Supreme Court cannot overturn primary legislation made by the government, only secondary. The government doesn’t have to agree to the changes, but can incorporate them into law if wished. The court can decide which cases it hears and always selects those that are considered to be of national importance. Adjudicating on cases that are considered to be Rule of Law, the principle that all legal decisions are taken according to an accepted set of rules which are consistently applied. Inside Courtroom Two which was created out of two other courtrooms. It has high ceilings, is very modern and is apparently the preferred courtroom of the current sitting judges. There are 12 justices, who don’t all adjudicate on every case, with usually just 3 or 5 hearing a case. There is always an odd number of them so that a majority verdict can be reached. On rare occasions and matters of great significance, the number of judges will increase. Only twice has there been the maximum of 11 judges, both times Brexit related. On the day of a hearing, teams of lawyers will present their cases to the panel, setting out the legal arguments on both sides. The cases are usually filmed and are often broadcast on national television. Courtroom Three is generally used by the Court of the Privy Council, the highest court of appeal for British territories and Commonwealth countries In the interests of transparency, the Supreme Court is open and free for all visitors, although you cannot always go in the courtrooms, depending on what is happening. On the lower ground floor is a permanent exhibition which has artefacts from its days as Middlesex County Council Guildhall, but also a lot of information about the court, how it is set up and how it works. There are some interesting artefacts on display, but what is most fascinating are two interactive screens where you can sit and learn about some of the cases that have been heard at the court. You get given the background and asked what decision you would make, then told if the judges voted the same way as you, and what the implications were for the law in the country. It is easy to while away some time here trying all the cases and making decisions on whether Prince Charles should have had his private documents published, if a father should have been fined for taking his daughter on holiday in term time, if immigrants should be returned to their native country if they are under threat and several other cases. This stylised version of the court logo appears in various places throughout the courthouse. It has the English rose, the Scottish thistle, the Welsh leek and the Northern Irish flax flower. This is outside Courtroom One. VISITING THE SUPREME COURT, LONDON Opening Hours Monday – Friday 9:30am - 4pm Entrance is Free You will need to go through an airport style security check before you are allowed in the building. Nearest tube station: Westminster Bridge Supreme Court Website >>