One train stop from the city of Salisbury and under 2 hours from London Waterloo. Tisbury is the only ‘dark skies’ friendly station in the UK and sits in the middle of the International Dark Sky Reserve of Cranborne Chase AONB. The station is a Stations in Bloom award winning station generating the following comments.
“Dedicated, skilful and creative planning has provided blooming good bee-friendly planters. Station staff go the extra mile forging great links with the local community. The pollinator friendly displays have really looked good the whole summer through, the small team have really done well.”
Tisbury is the largest village in the Nadder Valley and one of the prettiest villages in Wiltshire. Langleys Fine food Market Stall is held every Wednesday and Saturday morning at Tisbury station. As you alight from the train turn right at the station entrance and follow the pavement up to the High Street. Here you can discover the delights of the many independent family-run shops and great places to eat. There is a wide range of interestings shops, pubs and cafes where you can and enjoy locally sourced produce. Nearest public toliets, if the stations is closed, can be found off the High Street in the free car park off the Avenue.
Coffee Angels, London House, High Street, Tisbury offers local artisan coffee and delicious homemade cakes (Facebook Coffee Angels) Pop in for a drink in one of our two rail ale trail pubs The Benett Arms and The Boot. (Facebook – The Boot Inn, Tisbury and Facebook – The Benett Arms, Tisbury) Salisbury to Exeter Rail Ale Trail – Blackmore Vale Line Community Rail Partnership
Tisbury lies withing the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire downs Area of Outstanding Beauty and features a number of important environmental and historical sites. They include the Fonthill Lakes and the headwaters of the River Nadder. Also just to the east of the village Place Farm features the magnificent fifteenth century tithe barn which is the largest thatched barn in the country and home to Messums West. A leading multi-purpose gallery and arts centre Messums West is a 15 minute walk from the station and offers artists and collectors a unique environment to expereince and engage with creative endeavour. From the position that artisitc expressions started in our distant past, it provides the opportunity to reflect on the significance of the handmade across multiple art forms. www.messumscreative.com/west
Tisbury is an excellent base from which to explore the countryside of the Nadder Valley, offering fantastic walking trails and great cycling opportunities. Information about walks around Tisbury can be found at Tisbury Footpath Club. www.tisburyfootpathcub.org
Enjoy a lovely circular walk to Fonthill Lake returning via Hindon Lane. There’s much to enjoy with woodland trails, countryside views and waterside section along the pretty Fonthill Lake. From the station turn right up through Tisbury High Street. At the top of the hill turn right into Duck Street, halfway down proceed left onto the footpath. Continue down the hill and over the stile, walk up the hill and tunr left, follwing the edge of the field until you reach the track. Walk down and in front of you will see the cascades and Fonthill Lakes on your right. The large lake is 1.6km (1 mile) long and about 100m (328 ft) wide. It is a beautiful, peaceful spot with Mandarin ducks and swans to look out for on the water. Follow the track up the hill though the gate and aong. The the left id a track leading to a gate. Exit the gate and The Beckford Arms is in front of you. www.beckfordarms.com
Fonthill Lake – ‘the riverside where the despised ‘river rats’ led by Roux ( Johnyy Depp) moor their flotilla of little boats in the film ‘ Chocolat.’
Continue by Fonthill Lakes and through the The Fonthill Arch which would have been the gatehouse and entrance to the differnt manisons and abbey. Close by and well worth a visit is the Bird and Carter Farm Shop and Cafe. www.birdandcarter.com
Fonthill Abbey. ” William Beckford decided to build Fonthill Abbey on high ground a mile southwest of Fonthill House in deep woodland and away from public roads. He demolished large parts of Splendens to provide building materials for his new Abbey, set in 524 acres surrounded with a wall 12 feet high. He commissioned James Wyatt to build the Abbey in 1796 and it took many years to complete, housing his superb collection of funrniture and antiquites. ( The ruin of Fonthill Abbey os on private land)
Old Wardour Castle (English Heritage) is a ‘stunning fourteenth centure romantic ruin’ in the heart of the Witlshire countryside, 2.5 miles from Tisbury Station. ‘Children will love to explore the grotto and the castle rooms, climbing the circular stairs to the top where you can see for miles across the lake and surrounding countryside. There’s plenty of space for children to play or for picnics under he cover of the age old trees.’ Did you know? Old Wardour Castle was the film locations for ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’ starring Morgan Freeman, Alan Rickman and Kevin Costner.
HIGHLIGHTS.
Vibrant High Street.
Coffee Angels.
Messums West
Tisbury has a prominent twelth century church of St John the Baptist, with its own four thousand-year old yew tree. a thriteenth century cross on an eighteenth century stem. The partents of Rudyard Kipling are buried here.
Old Wardour Castle
Fonthill Lakes
