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Shaftesbury (/ ˈʃɑːftsbəri, ˈʃæfts -/) is a town and civil parish in Dorset, England. It is on the A30 road, 20 miles (32 kilometres) west of Salisbury and 23 miles (37 kilometres) north-northeast of Dorchester, near the border with Wiltshire.
🌟 Discover the charm of Shaftesbury, Dorset! From the iconic Gold Hill to breathtaking views over Blackmore Vale, Shaftesbury is a treasure waiting to be explored. Plan your visit now and immerse yourself in a town rich in history and beauty.
Shaftesbury is one of the oldest and highest towns in England and home to renowned, iconic landmark – Gold Hill. Nearby Gillingham is Dorset’s most northern town and has connections with the famous oil painter John Constable.
- Gold Hill
- Gold Hill Museum
- Shaftesbury Abbey Museum and Garden
- Shaftesbury Heritage Trail
- Cranborne Chase
- Fontmell Down
- Melbury Beacon
- Duncliffe Wood
- Win Green
- Old Wardour Castle
One of the most charming sights in England is yours to enjoy from this famous cobblestone street, winding down from Shaftesbury’s high street. On the right side is the 14th-century wall of Shaftesbury Abbey, and on the other is a terrace of stone-built cottages mostly from the 18th century, while the North Dorset countryside rolls out behind. Gold ...
At the top of the slope, the Gold Hill Museum is in two historic buildings, one a priest’s dwelling and the other that provided lodgings for traders at the market. In eight galleries you can trace the history of Shaftesbury and the wider district, browsing an appealing jumble of objects. Most riveting is the Byzant, a ceremonial object made by a lo...
Founded by Alfred the Great in 888, Shaftesbury Abbey the most important Benedictine nunnery in Anglo-Saxon England. The relics of St Edward the Martyr, a teenage king murdered in 978, were brought here in 981, turning the abbey into a pilgrimage site. By the 11th century the town had three mints thanks to the abbey and was the place of King Canute...
Plotted in the 2000s with Heritage Lottery funding, the Shaftesbury Heritage Trail is an easy introduction to the town via 12 important buildings and sites given blue plaques. There are information boards at each stop, beginning with the Gothic Revival Town Hall (1827) and the 15th-century Church of St Peter, leading to the abbey grounds and of cou...
The sixth largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the country begins just east of Shaftesbury. In 379 square miles, Cranborne Chase is a chalk plateau belonging to the Southern England Chalk Formation. Shaftesbury is beside the steeper scarp slope, and there’s a row of downs affording magnificent vistas west of across the Blackmore Vale. As w...
In store at Fontmell Down on the eastern cusp of Cranborne Chase is an expanse of ancient chalk grassland, increasingly rare in England. Never farmed, Fontmell Down supports 35 butterfly species and an exquisite array of wildflowers, including nine orchid varieties and the extremely rare early gentian. Many of the wildflowers grow on the south-faci...
This 263-metre chalk down, rising above the Blackmore Vale and Cranborne Chase was one of a chain of beacons linking London to Plymouth in 1588 to warn of the approach of the Spanish Armada. Melbury Beacon was bought in Thomas Hardy’s memory to preserve a piece of the Blackmore Vale countryside, the setting for many of his works. Walking Melbury Be...
You could also go west into the Blackmore Vale, to walk in this tract of ancient woodland at the double summit of the 210-metre Duncliffe Hill. This is one of the largest areas of ancient woodland in the region, covering more than 220 acres and noted in the Domesday Book in 1086. For five centuries, Duncliffe Wood was the property of King’s College...
The highest point of Cranborne Chase is only five miles from the centre of Shaftesbury. At 277 metres, Win Green is defined as a Marilyn for its prominence in the landscape, and is in the care of the National Trust. Try to pick clear weather for an ascent as the panoramas are staggering, stretching back to Shaftesbury, north-west to Glastonbury Tor...
When it was built in the 14th century, Old Wardour Castle was ahead of the curve, as an extravagant residence on a hexagonal plan. William Wynford (1360-1405), one of the most successful master masons in Medieval England, was employed in its construction. The founding Lovell family lost possession in the 15th century for supporting the Lancastrians...
Its unique location ‘on top of the world’ inspired Kings to settle here over 1100 years ago. Follow in Thomas Hardy’s footsteps and explore one of England’s highest, ancient hill-top towns or visit the town which inspired one of Constable’s paintings – now hanging in London’s Tate Gallery.
Things to Do in Shaftesbury, England: See Tripadvisor's 11,083 traveller reviews and photos of Shaftesbury tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in October. We have reviews of the best places to see in Shaftesbury. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions.
The town makes an ideal centre for anyone wishing to explore North Dorset and the neighbouring areas. At over 750 feet above sea level, Shaftesbury is one of the highest towns in England. It was known as 'Caer Palladur' in Celtic times.
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