20 Attractions to Explore Near National Trust - Ashdown

Wayland's Smithy is an atmospheric historic site about a mile's walk along the Ridgeway from the Uffington White Horse. This two-phase Neolithic tomb was a mortuary structure of stone and wood. After a short period of disuse, this was encased within a second, larger, barrow double its height, which remained in use for about 100 years. Archaeologists have established that the monument was built by pastoralist communities shortly after the introduction of agriculture to Britain from continental

The famous White Horse is the oldest chalk-cut hill figure in Britain, perhaps over 3,000 years old. Nearby Dragon Hill, a natural mound about 10 metres high, is named for its association with the legend of St George.

Uffington 'Castle', which occupies the summit of Whitehorse Hill, is a rare and outstanding example of a large Iron Age hillfort. It consists of a large enclosure, measuring about 220 metres by 160 metres, surrounded by a wide chalk-stone bank or inner rampart about 12 metres wide and 2.5 metres high, and formerly lined with sarsen stones. It covers about 32,000 square metres and is surrounded by two earth banks separated by a ditch with an entrance in the western end.

Uffington ‘Castle’, which occupies the summit of Whitehorse Hill, is a rare and outstanding example of a large Iron Age hillfort. The famous White Horse is the oldest chalk-cut hill figure in Britain, perhaps over 3,000 years old. It consists of a large enclosure, measuring about 220 metres by 160 metres, surrounded by a wide chalk-stone bank or inner rampart about 12 metres wide and 2.5 metres high, and formerly lined with sarsen stones.

Farmer Gow's is a small livestock farm in a beautiful Oxfordshire countryside setting in the Vale of White Horse. It is an Activity Farm with lots of indoor and outdoor farm activities for the kids, from chick handling and ferret walking to hay bale climbing and tractor rides. It was one of the iconic attraction in this area and also it will be a new experience for visitors.

Great Coxwell Barn is a Mediæval tithe barn at Great Coxwell, Oxfordshire, England. It is on the northern edge of the village of Great Coxwell, which is about 9 miles northeast of Swindon in neighbouring Wiltshire. The barn was built about 1292 for the Cistercian Beaulieu Abbey in Hampshire, which had held the manor of Great Coxwell since 1205. Since 1956 it has been in the care of the National Trust.

Badbury Hill is an area of woodland, well-loved for its bluebells, walking and cycling. The summit of the hill is the site of an Iron Age hill fort known as Badbury Camp. It is roughly circular in shape, most of which was levelled early in the 19th century. It is now a wooded area, known locally as Badbury Clump, of roughly nine acres, swathed in bluebells in May and is a well-frequented local recreation area, for walkers and dog-owners.

The Vale and Downland Museum is situated in the bustling market town of Wantage and has lots to offer for a fun, interactive family day out. It offers a wide range of services, including galleries interpreting the cultural heritage of the Vale of White Horse region, temporary exhibitions, a library, a gift shop, and a cafe with a delightful terrace and patio garden.

Faringdon Folly was the last folly to be built in England. It stands 100 feet high and dominates the landscape above the historic market town of Faringdon. The folly was built by Lord Berners of Faringdon House in 1935 and offers superb views over 5 counties on a clear day. It was Hailed as 'Britain's finest 20th century Folly Tower' and 'One of the most important follies in Britain'

Buscot Park is a country house at Buscot near the town of Faringdon in Oxfordshire within the historic boundaries of Berkshire. It was built in an austere neoclassical style between 1780 and 1783 for Edward Loveden Loveden. It remained in the family until sold in 1859 to Robert Tertius Campbell, an Australian. Campbell's daughter Florence would later be famous as Mrs Charles Bravo, the central character in a Victorian murder case that remains unsolved to this day.

The North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty have been described as “the cornerstone of southern England’s ancient chalk landscapes”. It’s England’s third-largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It includes the bright, bare uplands of the Marlborough, Berkshire and North Hampshire Downs and sweeps on its western edge to a crest above the White Horse Vale.

Welford Park is a private estate with a fabulous snowdrop collection. They thrive on chalky soil. Parkland and gardens surrounding an elegant Queen Anne manor. The gardens are best known for the Snowdrop Woods, with early flowering snowdrops in bloom through February and early March. The estate opens its grounds to the public every year for about four weeks to enable visitors to see the carpets of snowdrops that line the riverbanks and flow through the nearby woods.

The Ridgeway in Oxfordshire stretches 85 miles from Overton Hill near Avebury, Wiltshire, to Ivinghoe Beacon near Tring, Buckinghamshire. It has been used for 5000 years by many different groups of people; travelers, farmers, and armies. Today it is popular with walkers, runners, cyclists, horse riders, and disabled people using mobility scooters. One of the good trekking destinations and also a beautiful place flourished with natural beauty.

Savernake Forest is the only privately owned forest in England and is among the oldest woodland areas in the country. The forest stretches south from the historic market town of Marlborough, covering some 4500 acres. The history of the forest goes back for a thousand years or more! Its long history has left us with an outstanding legacy of old trees, rich landscapes and diverse habitats. One of the country's oldest trees, the Big Bellied Oak, is very noticeable on the side of the A346.

Hackpen White Horse is a chalk hill figure of a white horse on Hackpen Hill, located below The Ridgeway on the edge of the Marlborough Downs, two miles south east of Broad Hinton, Wiltshire, England. It is one of nine white horse hill figures located in Wiltshire. It is also known as the Broad Hinton White Horse due to its near location to Broad Hinton. Supposedly cut by local parish clerk Henry Eatwell in 1838 to commemorate the coronation of Queen Victoria, the horse is 90 square feet. The hor

Kelmscott Manor is a limestone manor house in the Cotswolds village of Kelmscott, in West Oxfordshire. Visitors today can still experience the beauty and seclusion that inspired many of William Morris’s most important designs and writings as well as influencing his ideas on conservation for both the built and natural environments. It includes furniture, original textiles, pictures and paintings, carpets, ceramics and metalwork. The estate also boasts a beautiful garden.

St John's Lock, is the highest lock on the River Thames at 76m above sea level. It is 1.85 km from Buscot Lock and was named after a nearby priory, established in 1250. The lock was built of stone in 1790 by the Thames Navigation Commission. The lock can be reached easily from St John's Bridge which is about a mile out of Lechlade on the A417 road.

Crofton Beam Engines, set in unspoiled Wiltshire countryside close to the old market town of Marlborough, is an ideal spot for exploring the Kennet and Avon Canal, with The Engineman’s Rest Café, picnic area and gift shop on site. The steam-powered pumping station is preserved and operates on selected weekends.

The only operating windmill in Wessex, set in a stunning location in the heart of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Wiltshire. Picnic area and site accessible all year round. Guided tours, refreshments and stone ground flour available during opening times. Fabulous walking and great views – a very special place.

The Cricklade Museum, originally erected as a Baptist Chapel in 1852, is one of 18 supported by Wiltshire County Council's Museum Service and houses more than 8,000 items. The aim of the Museum is to collect, conserve, research, interpret and provide public access to objects associated with the Cricklade district thereby encouraging people to acquire knowledge of local history.