Wessex Attractions: Great Chalfield Manor
Great Chalfield Manor is a 15th century manor house in Wiltshire that has served as a location in many films and TV series including Wolf Hall, Poldark and The Other…
Wessex Attractions: The Rollright Stones
According to local folklore, an army serving under an unnamed king was marching across the border between Wessex and Mercia when they were accosted by a witch named Mother Shipton,…
Wessex On Screen: The Land Girls
The Land Girls is a 1998 movie directed by David Leland, starring Catherine McCormack, Rachel Weisz and Anna Friel as three women from different backgrounds sent to work on a…
Essential Wessex: The Mary Rose
The Mary Rose was a man-o-war in Henry VIII's navy, built in Portsmouth in 1510 and launched the following year. Henry was preparing for war against France, and the building…
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Wessex Attractions: MAKE Southwest
MAKE Southwest, formerly the Devon Guild of Craftsmen, was founded in 1955 by Edward Baly, to promote regional crafts. They started out creating small exhibitions in various venues across South…
Wessex Attractions: Corfe Castle
Last week, we looked at Shaftesbury Abbey, once home to the relics of Edward, King and Martyr. This week we turn our attention to Corfe Castle, the original site of…
Wessex Attractions: Shaftesbury Abbey
Shaftesbury Abbey was founded by Alfred the Great in 888, and continued until it was dissolved in 1539 by order of Thomas Cromwell. At the time, it was the wealthiest…
The Character of Wessex: The Forest of Dean and Lower Wye
The Forest of Dean and Lower Wye character area is a triangular area bounded, for the most part, by the rivers Severn and Wye, and the A40 around Ross-on-Wye. It…
Wessex Attractions: Newton Abbott Racecourse
Newton Abbot racecourse, situated on the edge of Dartmoor, was founded in 1866 as a community venture, funded by local horse racing enthusiasts. However, it lacked a proper grandstand for…
Wessex Worthies: William D’Avenant
William D'avenant (sometimes spelled without the apostrophe) was born in Oxford in 1606, the son of John and Jane D'avenant, owners of the Crown Tavern, where Shakespeare was said to…