ENGLISH CASTLE, MAGNA CARTA & STATELY HOME

I will collect you at 8:30am from your accommodation in Bath and will drive you to the small city of Salisbury, approx. 1 hour from Bath. I will take you on a private tour of the famous Salisbury Cathedral. Built in the 13th century, the cathedral was the inspiration behind the cathedral in Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth" novel and today it has the tallest spire in the country. The cathedral is also home to the world's oldest working clock and an original copy of the 1215 Magna Carta. There are only 4 remaining copies of the 1215 Magna Carta and the one at Salisbury is the best preserved. It is on display to the public in a special Magna Carta exhibition which we will visit during the tour.

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After lunch I will drive you to the village of Nunney where you can see the ruins of a small moated 14th century castle which was built by a knight who had fought in the wars in France. The castle saw action during the Civil War and remained inhabited until the end of the 18th century when it was abandoned leading to the picturesque ruins you see today. 

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From the castle we will continue to the magnificent Stately Home of Longleat House. Built in the late 1500s this grand country house has been home to 15 generations of the Thynne family who throughout the centuries have entertained Royalty at the house, including our current Queen. Today it remains the home for the family - lived in by the Marquess and Marchioness of Bath. I will take you on a tour of the house to see the rooms that are open to the public as well as the gardens.

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After visiting the house I will drive you back to Bath, arriving around 5pm depending on traffic.

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INSIDER TIP: Salisbury is only a 20 minute drive from Stonehenge. If you are interested in seeing Stonehenge it may be possible to customize this tour to include a visit to Stonehenge if the opening hours for the dates of your trip permit it. If this is of interest please contact me.