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Wiltshire

In southwest England lies the county of Wiltshire, which was formerly Wilton Shire and whose name is derived from the former county town Wilton. With an area of 3,500 km2, divided into four districts and one unitary authority (Swindon), Wiltshire is one of the larger counties in the country.

Wiltshire is particularly well known for its archaeological features from the Central and Neolithic and Bronze Age. The most famous sites from the Neolithic are Stonehenge and Avebury. The stone circles that are surrounding the village of Avebury are about 5,000 years old and probably a little older than the ones 30 kilometers at Stonehenge.

The administrative headquarters of the Wiltshire town of Trowbridge, which is west of the county at the river mouth. It has a population of about 30,000 people living in the city whose history is closely connected with the wool and textile industry which today bear witness to many historic buildings. Sun, the building of the last factory, which closed in 1982 is now a museum of local history and textile industries.

Famous for its cathedral is the city of Salisbury which is located in the southeast of Wiltshire. Salisbury is located in a valley where the  rivers of Nadder, EBBL, Wylye and Bourne meet the river Avon, which is why the location of the present city was popular residential area from the Iron Age and later was among the Romans. The present building dates from the 13th Century and is considered a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, known as the Early English Period. The bell tower was added later with a height of 123 meters, the highest in the United Kingdom.

Although it only has 10,000 inhabitants the smallest city in the West Wiltshire district  Bradford on Avon is a a magnet for tourists. The city is located about eight miles southeast of Bath in the hilly landscape between the Mendip Hills, Salisbury Plain and the Cotswolds. A famous landmark is the Town Bridge which runs over the Avon. This bridge was built by the Normans in the 17th Century and has a small chapel on it which was later used as a dungeon.

Wiltshire, Avebury stone circle

More information

Cities in Wiltshire : Avebury