Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury is a town and civil parish in Dorset, England.
It is on the A30 road, 20 miles west of Salisbury and 23 miles north-northeast of Dorchester, near the border with Wiltshire. It is the only significant hilltop settlement in Dorset, being built about 215 metres above sea level on a greensand hill on the edge of Cranborne Chase.
Getting to Shaftesbury
On A30 between London and Exeter, and the A350 between Poole and Chippenham. The best way to get to Shaftesbury, if you don't have a car, is by train. Take Southwest Trains from London Waterloo to Gillingham, Dorset. There are friendly and cheap taxi drivers who can take you on to Shaftesbury, though prebooking is highly advised. In 2024, the taxi trip cost £15.
Worth seeing
- 01Gold Hill
It is famous for being featured in Hovis Bread advertisements.
- 02Gold Hill Museum
Gold Hill, SP7 8JW, enquiries@goldhillmuseum.org.uk.
- 03Shaftesbury Abbey Museum & Gardens
Park Walk, SP7 8JR, user@shaftesburyabbey.fsnet.co.uk.
- 04Old Wardour Castle
Nr Tisbury, SP3 6RR (7 miles east of Shaftesbury off A30 3 1⁄2 miles SW of Tisbury.),.
- 05Duncliffe Woods
An ancient woodland operated by the Woodland Trust.
Things to do
Shaftesbury snowdrops festival. Annually, 1 week in February. Visit the Heritage Collection of Snowdrops in Shaftesbury Abbey, join a Snowdrop walk through the town or participate in the festival events. The grand final is the Snowdrop Lantern Parade on Sunday evening. Gold Hill Fair. Usually occurs in the first weekend of July and has food stalls, arts stalls and local music that can be found in the abbey ruins.
Where to eat
- 01The Salt Cellar
Gold Hill Parade,.
- 02King Alfred's Kitchen
Offers a discount if you bring your own cup.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Dietmar Rabich (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.