Malmesbury is a beautiful hill top town, built in golden Cotswold stone and surrounded by the River Avon. Malmesbury sits at the southern entrance to the Cotswolds and makes the perfect location to get away to for a weekend or longer.
Malmesbury is a friendly place, with boutique shops, warm and cosy pubs, delightful cafes and restaurants, medaeval architecture, a fine abbey, delightful open gardens and a fascinating history. Malmesbury is a place to visit to escape the stresses and demands of urban life.
Malmesbury is rightly called the "Queen of Hilltop Towns" being England's oldest borough with a rich history over 1000 years. Set on a hill, circled by the River Avon, the skyline is dominated by the imposing Norman Abbey. St Aldhelm founded a monastery in the 7th century which became a place of pilgrimage and learning and in the 10th Century Athelstan, first King of all England, made Malmesbury his capital.
In 1010 Monk Eilmer made wings and "flew" from the abbey. He glided for 200 yards before landing and breaking his legs, blaming the lack of a tail for the short flight.
The town flourished in the 15th, 16th and 17th Centuries as a weaving centre and became known for its fine silk and lace.
More recently Malmesbury has become a centre of technical innovation and design in Britain, with Dyson establishing their design and development team at the Northern entrance to Malmesbury.
|
|
The Market Cross, built at the end of the 15th Century remains one of the finest examples of its kind in England. |
|
