Wiltshire

Wiltshire is a place in South West England.

It is a very green land. Many parts are quiet and rural.

There are many big hills. Some are made of white chalk.

These hills are very old.

You can see famous stone circles.

People built them a long time ago. They are called Stonehenge.

Two big rivers flow through the land. Both rivers have the same name. They are called the Avon.

Many people like to visit. You can see large houses or forests. It is a lovely place to explore.

Wiltshire is a county in South West England.

It sits near many other places. It borders Gloucestershire to the north. It sits near the New Forest in the south-east.

Most of the land is rural. This means it has many farms and open spaces.

The land is shaped by rocks. Much of it is made of chalk. Chalk is a soft, white rock.

This rock makes high hills called downlands. The Marlborough Downs are in the north-east. Salisbury Plain is in the centre. This plain is very large. The British Army uses it for training.

Two rivers flow through the county. Both rivers are named the Avon. One river flows through the north. The other rises on Salisbury Plain. It flows south through the city of Salisbury.

Wiltshire has very old sites. You can visit Stonehenge.

It is a famous circle of stones. There is also a site called Avebury. Many people visit to see these ancient landmarks. You can also see big country houses like Longleat.

Wiltshire is a beautiful ceremonial county in South West England.

It sits near many different places. It borders Gloucestershire to the north and Oxfordshire to the north-east. To the east lies Berkshire, while Hampshire and Dorset sit to the south. Somerset is a neighbor to the west. The county is mostly rural with many open spaces. Most people live in towns rather than the empty countryside. Swindon is the largest settlement in the area. Other major places include Salisbury, Trowbridge, and Chippenham.

The land in Wiltshire has a very special shape. Much of the ground is made of chalk. Chalk is a soft, white, and porous rock. This rock creates high hills called chalk downlands. The Marlborough Downs sit in the north-east. These hills include the Savernake Forest. In the center of the county is Salisbury Plain. The south-west has the West Wiltshire Downs. You can also find the New Forest in the south-east. The north-west part of the county is made of limestone. This area is part of the Cotswolds.

History is hidden all around this county. Long ago, people from the Stone Age lived here. They built settlements on the hills and downlands. Stonehenge and Avebury are very famous sites from this time.

These stone circles are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the 600s, the area was at the edge of Saxon Britain. Later, the Danes invaded the county in the year 878. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, the church and crown owned much land. In the 1300s, people even sent wool to far-away markets.

Two major rivers flow through the land. Both of these rivers are named the Avon. The northern Avon flows through the north-west. It passes near Bradford-on-Avon before it leaves the county. The southern Avon begins on Salisbury Plain. It flows south through the city of Salisbury.

This river then moves into Hampshire. The landscape also has many valleys between the hills. The largest is called the Avon Vale. The Kennet and Avon Canal was built around the year 1800. It helped move goods from Bristol to London.

There are many interesting things to see today. You can visit the big medieval cathedral in Salisbury. Many large country houses are open to visitors. Longleat is a famous house with a safari park. Stourhead is another grand house run by the National Trust. People from Wiltshire have a funny nickname. They are called "Moonrakers." This comes from an old story about smugglers. They once used a pond to hide alcohol. They raked the water to hide the barrels. They told officials they were raking for a giant cheese. They claimed it was actually a reflection of the moon.

Wiltshire is a ceremonial county located in South West England.

It is surrounded by several other counties. To the north lies Gloucestershire, and to the north-east is Oxfordshire. Berkshire sits to the east, while Hampshire and Dorset border the south. Somerset is the neighbor to the west. The county is mostly rural and features many sparsely populated areas. Swindon is the largest settlement in the county. Other major towns include Salisbury, Trowbridge, and Chippenham.

The landscape is defined by its unique geology. Two-thirds of the county sits on chalk. Chalk is a soft, white, and porous limestone. This rock resists erosion and creates high chalk downlands. The largest area of chalk is Salisbury Plain. This plain is used for farming and British Army training. The highest point is the Tan Hill–Milk Hill ridge. The north-west corner is different because it sits on oolite limestone. This area is part of the Cotswolds.

Water shapes the land through rivers and valleys. There are two major rivers, and both are named the Avon. The northern Avon flows through the north-west. It passes through the Avon Vale and exits near Bradford-on-Avon. The southern Avon rises on Salisbury Plain. It flows south through the city of Salisbury and into Hampshire. Because chalk is porous, it holds little surface water. Most major settlements formed near wet points. For example, Salisbury sits between the chalk and marshy flood plains.

History in Wiltshire reaches back to the Stone Age. Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Age people lived on these hills. They built famous sites like Stonehenge and Avebury.

These stone circles are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the 6th and 7th centuries, the area was the western edge of Saxon Britain. The Danes invaded the county in 878. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, the crown and church owned much land. In the 1300s, the Cistercian monastery at Stanley exported wool to foreign markets.

In later centuries, the county saw much change. During the English Civil War, Wiltshire was largely Parliamentarian. The Battle of Roundway Down was a victory for the Royalists near Devizes. In 1794, local men formed the basis of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry. This group served in the Boer War and both World Wars. Around 1800, the Kennet and Avon Canal was built.

This canal allowed people to transport cargo from Bristol to London. This route was important until the Great Western Railway was developed.

Today, Wiltshire is known for its many protected landscapes. The Marlborough Downs and West Wiltshire Downs are national landscapes. The New Forest in the south-east is a national park. Visitors can see the medieval cathedral in Salisbury. You can also visit large country houses like Longleat or Stourhead. Longleat even features a safari park. There is also a local nickname for people from the area. They are called "Moonrakers." This comes from a story about smugglers hiding alcohol in a pond. They raked the water to hide the barrels. They told officials they were raking for a giant cheese. They claimed the cheese was actually a reflection of the moon.

The climate in Wiltshire is temperate. It is generally milder and wetter than counties to the east. The annual mean temperature is approximately 10°C. July and August are the warmest months. In winter, mean minimum temperatures are often 1°C or -1°C. Rainfall is caused by Atlantic depressions or by convection. Most rain falls between October and March. The average annual rainfall is around 800mm. The predominant wind direction comes from the south-west.