Simply click on the links below to visit the relevant parts of this page providing details, pictures and links to specific web sites of interest.
- Stonehenge
- Salisbury City
- Avebury Stone Circle
- Historical Wiltshire
- New Forest
- Longleat
- Historical Houses
- Rare Breeds Farm
- This is Amesbury
STONEHENGE
Only 5 minutes from Catkin Lodge is Stonehenge
which is of course the best known of all the stone circles throughout the
world. This ancient monument of huge stones solitarily standing on the Salisbury
Plain in Wiltshire, England has captured imaginations for centuries. In
addition to the impressive stone circles (some of which are almost 7 metres
high) there are other very interesting features within this site. "The Avenue"
which consists of two banks about twelve metres apart forms a 500 metre
approach to the site and a similar structure known as "The Cursus" stretches
away northward. Theories about who built it have included the Druids, Greeks, Phoenicians, and Atlanteans. Speculation on the reason it was built range from human sacrifice to astronomy. Investigations over the last 100 years have revealed that Stonehenge was built in several stages from 2800 - 1800 BC. It seems to have been designed to allow for observation of astronomical phenomena - summer and winter solstices, eclipses, and more.......................
Mysterious Places - Stonehenge
Stonehenge by Night
Earth Mysteries
Sacred Sites - Stonehenge
World Heritage Sites
The Active Mind - Stonehenge
Stonehenge And The Druids
SALISBURY CITY
Salisbury CathedralSalisbury and all it's wonders is only a 15 minute drive from Catkin Lodge. The story begins at Old Sarum, two miles north of modern Salisbury. It was known to be an Iron Age earthwork and later became a Roman fort. In Saxon times was an important political centre, a Witenagemot being held there in 960 AD. In 1070, William the Conqueror reviewed his troops there and it became a Bishopric with a Cathedral and a Castle. The first Cathedral was mostly destroyed within days of its consecration by a huge storm. Only the nave survived to be incorporated into Bishop Roger's restoration. Osmund, a powerful Bishop and Chancellor of England, completed the rebuilding and established the Constitution based on the Chapter of the Bayeux Cathedral in France.
In 1220 the authorities decided to abandon the site after problems arose between the military and the clergy. The old Cathedral fell into ruin and many of its stones were used to build a new Cathedral in Salisbury. Situated at the confluence of four rivers, Salisbury is the only city within the county of Wiltshire. The Cathedral hosts the tallest spire in England at 404 feet and it dominates the city. Many legends grew from the choice of the site to build the Cathedral; some say that the flight of an arrow shot by an archer from the ramparts of Old Sarum marked the place, another that the Virgin Mary appeared to Bishop Poore in a dream telling him to build in 'Mary's Field' which was the site selected, even though is was low-lying and marshy.
Salisbury is one of the few Cathedrals built in the shape of a double cross with the arms of the transept branching off on either side. The cloisters are larger and older than any other of the English cathedrals. The spire was added 100 years after its concecration and its immense weight, some 6000 tons, meant much strengthening. The Cathedral is home to a wealth of history and many unique treasures including an ancient clock mechanism dating from 1386 and said to be the oldest piece of machinery still at work in Britain, if not the entire world.
Salisbury Cathedral - History
History of The Close
Old Sarum
Castle and Cathedral RuinsOld Sarum is about two miles to the north of the city itself, and represents the earliest origins of Salisbury. Old Sarum was sited on the conjunction of two ancient trade routes and a river and was a thriving town from the first settlement in 300BC to about the 13th century. Originally a bronze age hill fort was the center of life there, many burial mounds and barrows surround the site of the castle. During the Roman occupation, the town became a military base and was renamed Sorviodonum.
After the Norman invasion of 1066 the town was renamed Salisberie after the Norman Earl to which the area was entrusted. A wooden castle was built on the central mound. A cathedral was started in 1067 to the north of the castle. However the town quickly outgrew the available space and eventually a new city, New Sarum was founded, further south. Eventually the old name associated itself with the new city. On the top of the hill there can be found a comprehensive set of ruins comprising the castle itself, dating back nearly a thousand years and the original Cathedral from about the same time. Most of the stone from the old cathedral was used in the construction of the new one.
Salisbury - Historic Streets &
BuildingsSalisbury of today still has a traditional Market Place with several pavement cafes and which still holds a medieval street market that flourishes in Salisbury on Tuesdays and Saturdays. There are also many traditional Pubs and Restuarants in the City Centre. Salisbury has many surviving buildings in the Tudor style, such as the Pheasant pub that date from late medieval times and contribute much to the architectural atmosphere of the city. In some places entire streets can be found where the original building faces have been retained, despite conversion from houses to shops. Inside such shops you normally find that ceilings are low and the shop area cluttered since many are listed buildings. A listed building is one deemed to be of great historic or architectural value and is protected by law from alterations that might destroy its charm, interest or value. Hence these cannot be radically altered to suit commerce. An example to look for here is Watsons over looking the Guild Hall and Market Square (see picture above).
As well as many interesting tudor streets and shops, some medieval gothic architecture has also survived in Salisbury. This dates back to the earliest times of the city, the time of the construction of the Cathedral itself. A good example of this is the Poultry Cross standing incongrously at the end of Fish Row. Other sites include the cheese market (now part of the city library) and the city wall, as well as the cathedral itself of course.
Salisbury is in deed a most charming and
pleasant mixture of the cultures of old and new. In fact it even has its
own official "Court Jester" appointed by the Mayor of the City. The jester's
main job, explains the Mayor is, when he sees groups of people who look
as if they could use a bit of cheering up, is to charge in, tell a few weak
jokes, do a bit of juggling and some fire eating, and generally cheer them
up. And to prove that such things are taken seriously, Jonathan Russel (the
jester) has just been voted European Jester of The Year!!AVEBURY STONE CIRCLE
Avebury is no more than a 30 minute drive
from Catkin Lodge and lies in the heart of the Wiltshire Downs just west
of Marlborough - the most ancient borough in England. Avebury stone circles
are thought to have been constructed in neolithic times between 2500 to
2000 BC. The Beaker people, so called after their pottery, are thought to
have played a major role in their formation, as they did with Stonehenge.
Avebury is more than just a stone circle - although this is itsmain feature.
There is also a rampart, a ditch and two mysterious avenues. The rampart
or bank is on the outside, then comes the ditch. They both have four entrances
and enclose some twenty eight acres. Inside these 'circles' - none of the circumferences are perfect, is the stone circle itself. It once consisted of around one hundred unquarried stones; inside this larger circle were once two smaller circles. Only four stones of one of the smaller circles survive, although it is though there may have once been as many as twenty seven. None of the stones in the other small circle are now standing, although is is thought to have consisted of around twenty nine stones at one time. Avebury also hosts a museum in which can be found the remains of a prehistoric child called 'Charlie' who was found by Alexander Keiller. The museum houses one of the most important prehistoric archaeological collections in Britain.
Within the circle is a village, partly constructed from stone plundered from the monument itself around 200 to 300 years ago. Also nearby are the West Lennet Long Barrow and Silbury Hill which is the largest manmade hill in Britain.
In a recent newspaper publication Aliens are being hailed as the builders of the Avebury stones. Regualrs at the Red Lion, the pub which stands in the centre of the circle, are remaining tight lipped about the latest explanation, which is one of many to have been suggested down the years. Apparently the stones are identical to ones on Mars called Cydonia and are arranged in the same formation! We leave you to draw your own conclusion or visit Avebury and Mars to make your own decision about the similarity.
HISTORICAL WILTSHIRE
Within 30 minutes of Catkin Lodge
lie many wonderful and fascinating places of interest. Wiltshire has played
a significant role in the history of this region. Wilton, near Salisbury,
was once the "heade town of Wessex and Wileshire" and it is said that the
county originally grew out of Wilton. The nearby village of Old Sarum has
also played a significant role in the county's history, being popular with
both the Saxons and the Normans. It was also the site of the original Cathedral
in the southern part of Wiltshire, preceeding Salisbury Cathedral. The county
has been host to a number of notable battles, including Alfred`s defeat
of the Danes at Ethandune where despite tremendous odds and a seamingly
impregnable hill-fort, he used all his guile and cunning to win a famous
victory. The civil war battle of Roundway Hill near Devizes also figures prominantly in our 'warrior' history. In more recent times, the county, especially Trowbridge in the west, was renowned the world over for its quality woollen products. Alas, all mills are now confined to memory and text, although Trowbridge now hosts a museum where details of this aspect of the county's past can be explored.
Swindon, which means 'pig hill' to the north, was once the centre of Brunel's Great Western Railway and until quite modern times produced trains and rolling stock for British Railways. Sadly, this trade has also been lost but Swindon now boasts a number of hi-tech industries and the Brunel Centre now hosts a large out of town shopping village.
NEW FOREST
South
of Salisbury near the South Coast just 30 minutes from Catkin Lodge, this
145-sq-mile (233 sq km) woodland is the largest area of natural vegetation
left in England. It has been that way since William the Conqueror gave the
area its name in 1079. Befittingly, a number of ancient traditions survive
in the forest, including commoners' rights to graze their stock. There are
some 5000 wild ponies and cattle grazing in the forest, and plenty of deer,
badgers and foxes residing among the fine stands of oak, beech and holly.
It's a pretty area to drive through, but even better if you get off the
roads and onto the walking and cycling tracks. LONGLEAT
Longleat
only a 30 minute drive from Catkin Lodge is the seat of the 7th Marquess
of Bath. The Thynne family have owned the Estate since 1540, when Sir John
Thynne bought the land for £53 and started to build Longleat House
In 1948, due to crippling expenses, death duties and taxation, the late
Lord Bath, the 6th Marquess, opened his house to the public. It was his
way of meeting the ever increasing cost of maintaining and preserving the
family home of his ancestors and the extensive estate. This was not his
only first, in 1966, he formed a partnership with Jimmy Chipperfield and
set up the world’s first drive through wild Animal Park - The late
Jimmy Chipperfield came from a great family of showmen and this idea was
hatched whilst he was on safari in Africa. These two men of vision set the
scene not only for post war tourism in Stately Homes, but also established
a new method of exhibiting wild animals in captivity which was recognised
as being as significant as the revolutionary display of wild animals behind
moats and ditches rather than behind bars had been fifty years previous.This unique way of preserving wildlife and endangered species brought many thousands of visitors to the Safari Park This revenue was, and still is, spent on maintaining a wonderful historic home which, like the animals, can so easily face ‘extinction’ if not conserved. Sadly, there are many species of animal facing extinction throughout the world. Man has become more aware of the need for conservation and safari parks have an invaluable part to play in this process. Many of the animals at Longleat are endangered, some on the brink of extinction or already extinct in the wild In the expansive parkland wild animals roam freely, successfully breeding.
To date Longleat has an excellent record of establishing breeding programmes. Many of the animals born at Longleat are sent to various zoological collections worldwide, thus reducing the demand for importing animals from the wild. Some of the animals have also been bred here and then reintroduced back into the wild. See for yourself some of nature’s most spectacular animals and help to protect them for the future.
Longleat Safari Park
Longleat House
HISTORICAL HOUSES
Wilton
HouseWilton House is just 3 miles from Salisbury and 9 miles from Stonehenge. The 17th Earl of Pembroke and his family live in Wilton House which has been their ancestral home for 450 years. In 1544 Henry VIII gave the Abbey and lands of Wilton to Sir William Herbert who had married Anne Parr, sister of Catherine, sixth wife of King Henry. The Clock Tower, in the centre of the east front, is part of the original building which survived a fire in 1647. Inigo Jones and John Webb were responsible for the rebuilding of the house in the Palladian style, whilst further alterations were made by James Wyatt from 1801. The chief architectural features are the magnificent 17th century state apartments (including the famous Single and Double Cube rooms) and the 19th century cloisters.
The house contains one of the finest art collections in Europe, with over 230 original paintings on display, including works by Van Dyck, Rubens, Joshua Reynolds and Breughel. Also on show are Greek and Italian statuary, a lock of Queen Elizabeth Is hair, Napoleons despatch case, and Florence Nightingales sash.
The visitor centre houses a dynamic introductory film (narrated by Anna Massey), the reconstructed Tudor kitchen and the Estates Victorian laundry. It provides a new home for the Wareham Bears, an exhibition of some 200 miniature teddy bears with their own house, stables and other scenes. 21 acres of landscaped parkland, water and old English rose gardens, Palladian bridge and adventure playground.
The 18th century Palladian mansion and gardens at Stourhead are well worth a visit for anyone who appreciates beautiful English country parks. Three small temples, a grotto and the statues of eight English kings are situated within the grounds whose views from all locations are breathtaking. The House contains furniture designed by C
hippendale the Younger,
as well as paintings and ceramics. Near the gates stands a stone cross which originally stood in Bristol for four hundred years from 1373. It was once home to Sir Richard Colt Hoare an over enthusiastic archaeologist who opened 379 barrows mostly in Wiltshire, much on the information we could have learned of their contents was lost.
Beaulieu House & Motor MuseumFormerly the Great Gatehouse of Beaulieu Abbey, Palace House has been home to the Montagu family since 1538, and is one of the Treasure Houses of England.
Few car museums in the world can match the unique collection of Beaulieu's National Motor Museum.
RARE BREEDS FARM
Cholderton Rare Breeds FarmThe Cholderton Rare Breeds Farm is located just off the A303 a 15 minute drive from Catkin Lodge. This attractive farm park is set in beautiful Wiltshire countryside with views to Salisbury Cathedral some 10 miles away. First opened in 1987 it has quickly become a major attraction which is also home to a wide variety of endangered farm animals.
The farm is approved by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust - which means standards are high. See pigs, sheep, goats, horses, chickens and more, many breeds of which are close to extinction. Our breeding programme in conjunction with others, is helping to save these beautiful animals. One example is our herd of Exmoor ponies, rarer than the Giant Panda, we are proud of our part in their survival.
The pets park is a great favourite where you can sit and cuddle or stroke the friendly pygmy goats and sheep. Bring fairy stories to life with the story of the three little pigs. Sit with them outside their house of brick. Take a stroll around the nature trail passing the duck pond and rose garden and spot a variety of plants and animal life or relax in the peaceful water gardens.
E-mail:
info@catkinlodge.fsnet.co.uk