Wiltshire, Ceremonial county in South West England.
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England that stretches across rolling chalk downlands, open grasslands, and scattered market towns. The territory lies between Bristol in the north and the New Forest in the south, with Salisbury Plain occupying much of its central expanse.
Stone Age communities built some of the oldest structures in Europe here, leaving behind massive stone circles and burial mounds from around 5000 years ago. Later centuries brought medieval wool merchants who funded village churches and established market charters that still shape local town life.
The region celebrates its long association with wool production through annual sheep fairs and thriving farmers markets that fill town squares most weeks. Visitors encounter stone-built villages where locals still follow agricultural rhythms tied to seasons and ancient field patterns.
Several long-distance footpaths cross the territory, linking villages through open countryside and offering wide views from hilltops. Regional trains connect London with major towns, while local buses serve smaller settlements throughout the week.
The Ministry of Defence controls large sections as training grounds, where rare butterflies and wildflowers thrive because farming never disturbed the soil. Visitors can walk certain routes on weekends when military exercises pause, offering glimpses of landscapes unchanged for centuries.
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