80-637: The Wiltshire Army Cadet Force (Wiltshire ACF) is the county cadet force for Wiltshire , which operates as part of the Army Cadet Force . Since 2014, the county has been part of Headquarters South West and comprises three companies along with a county corps of drums . In 1863, along with the formation of the Volunteer Force , the first government sanctioned cadet groups were allowed to be formed. These groups would mostly be formed in connection with existing volunteer companies and battalions. Following
160-652: A centre at Corsham Court in Corsham , and Oxford Brookes University maintains a minor campus in Swindon (almost 50 km from Oxford). Swindon is the UK's second largest centre of population (after Milton Keynes ) without its own university. Service Children's Education has its headquarters in Trenchard Lines in Upavon , Wiltshire. The county registered a population of 680,137 in
240-428: A continuous floristic variation is seen. A widespread type on the plain is characterised by an abundance of red fescue ( Festuca rubra ), crested hair-grass ( Koeleria macrantha ), salad burnet ( Sanguisorba minor ), lady's bedstraw ( Galium verum ), rough hawkbit ( Leontodon hispidus ), common rock-rose ( Helianthemum nummularium ) and dropwort ( Filipendula vulgaris ). The high constancy of this last species
320-451: A diverse bryophyte flora with seven nationally scarce species which have seen a general decline in other chalk grassland sites, including Barbula acuta , Phascum curvicolle , Pleurochaete squarrosa , Thuidium abietinum and Weissia sterilis . Although there is some scrub development on the plain, it is remarkable that large expanses of the chalk grassland remain open with very little invasion of woody species. Of particular interest are
400-461: A golden great bustard , which had been extinct in England since 1832 but is now the subject of a breeding programme on Salisbury Plain . It is surrounded by a green and white circle, representing the stone circles at Stonehenge and Avebury and also the six surrounding counties. The field consists of alternating green and white stripes, which reference the banner of arms of the council but also represent
480-455: A grain-producing imperial estate . In the 6th century, Anglo-Saxon incomers built planned settlements in the valleys surrounded by strip lynchets , with the downland left as sheep pasture. To the south is the city of Salisbury , whose medieval cathedral is famous for having the tallest spire in the country, and the building was, for many centuries, the tallest building in Britain. The cathedral
560-727: A league record points tally of 103. After Salisbury City went into liquidation in 2014, a new club, Salisbury , was formed in 2015 and will play in the National League South for the 24/25 season. Wiltshire County Cricket Club play in the Minor Counties league. Swindon Robins Speedway team, who competed in the top national division, the SGB Premiership , had been at their track at the Blunsdon Abbey Stadium near Swindon since 1949. In 2020 they stopped racing due to
640-594: A lichen-rich turf ( Cladonia species) and the broom moss ( Dicranum scoparium ) is found in some stabilised missile-impaction craters on the central ranges. This vegetation type is found elsewhere only on Porton Down SSSI and on the Brecklands. Small areas of chalk-heath vegetation occur on superficial clay-with-flints deposits. Here chalk-loving plants such as salad burnet ( Sanguisorba minor ) and dropwort co-exist with plants typical of acid soils, including gorse ( Ulex europaeus ), heather ( Calluna vulgaris ) and
720-433: A proportion is caused orographically (uplift over hills). Autumn and winter are rainiest, caused by Atlantic depressions, which are then most active. Even so, any month can be the wettest or driest in a given year but the wettest is much more likely to be Oct-Mar, and the driest Apr-Sept. In summer, a greater proportion of the rainfall is caused by sun heating the ground leading to convection and to showers and thunderstorms. It
800-521: A result of elections held in 2021, Wiltshire Council comprises 61 Conservatives , 27 Liberal Democrats , seven Independents and three Labour members. Swindon Borough Council has 34 Conservative councillors and 23 Labour members. Until the 2009 structural changes to local government , Wiltshire (apart from Swindon) was a two-level county, divided into four local government districts – Kennet , North Wiltshire , Salisbury and West Wiltshire – which existed alongside Wiltshire County Council , covering
880-472: A site of international importance for birds. In addition to chalk downland, the plain supports scrub and woodland habitats, temporary and permanent pools and the River Bourne . A diversity of soil types, slope, aspect and past and present land-use has given rise to various grassland communities. Historical evidence suggests that large areas of grassland are of great antiquity, and areas which were cultivated at
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#1732876358750960-437: A village pond. When confronted by the excise men they raked the surface to conceal the submerged contraband with ripples, and claimed that they were trying to rake in a large round cheese visible in the pond, really a reflection of the full moon. The officials took them for simple yokels or mad and left them alone, allowing them to continue with their illegal activities. Many villages claim the tale for their own village pond, but
1040-472: Is a ceremonial county in South West England . It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to the west. The largest settlement is Swindon , and Trowbridge is the county town . The county has an area of 3,485 km (1,346 square miles) and a population of 720,060. The county
1120-514: Is a chalk plateau in southern England covering 300 square miles (780 km ). It is part of a system of chalk downlands throughout eastern and southern England formed by the rocks of the Chalk Group and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire , but stretches into Hampshire . The plain is famous for its rich archaeology , including Stonehenge , one of England's best known landmarks. Large areas are given over to military training; thus,
1200-488: Is a community in which dwarf sedge Carex humilis forms a conspicuous component. This type of grassland has its stronghold in Wiltshire and occurs on the less disturbed areas of the central ranges. Herb diversity is generally lower in the tall, upright brome-dominated swards, but wild parsnip ( Pastinaca sativa ), hogweed ( Heracleum sphondylium ) and greater knapweed ( Centaurea scabiosa ) are characteristic. Parasitic on
1280-714: Is a distinctive feature of the upright brome grasslands on Salisbury Plain and is otherwise only known from one other site in Hampshire. Where upright brome is less dominating, plants such as small scabiosa ( Scabiosa columbaria ), clustered bellflower ( Campanula glomerata ), dyer's greenweed ( Genista tinctoria ), kidney vetch ( Anthyllis vulneraria ), sainfoin ( Onobrychis viciifolia ) and horseshoe vetch ( Hippocrepis comosa ) are characteristic associates. The rare and notable plants which occur here include burnt-tip orchid ( Neotinea ustulata ), slender bedstraw ( Galium pumilum ), field fleawort ( Senecio integrifolius ) and
1360-425: Is abundant together with sheep's fescue ( Festuca ovina ) and wild thyme . Annuals are also characteristic of this habitat, including common whitlowgrass ( Erophila verna ), rue-leaved saxifrage ( Saxifraga tridactylites ,) hairy rock-cress ( Arabis hirsuta ) and the nationally scarce dwarf mouse-ear ( Cerastium pumilum ) and fine-leaved sandwort ( Minuartia hybrida ). A very local community characterised by
1440-554: Is also home to a University Technical College , UTC Swindon , specialising in engineering. A second UTC, South Wiltshire UTC , was based in Salisbury but closed in August 2020. Wiltshire is one of the few remaining English counties without a university or university college; the closest university to the county town of Trowbridge is the University of Bath . However, Bath Spa University has
1520-403: Is distinctive in having a significantly higher number of people in various forms of manufacturing (especially electrical equipment and apparatus, food products, and beverages, furniture, rubber, pharmaceuticals , and plastic goods) than the national average. In addition, there is higher-than-average employment in public administration and defence , due to the military establishments around
1600-415: Is evidence of the prosperity the wool and cloth trade brought to the area. In the mid-19th century the wool and cloth industry began to decline, leading to a decline in the population and change in land use from sheep farming to agriculture and military use. Wiltshire became one of the poorest counties in England during this period of decline. There are a number of chalk carvings on the plain, of which
1680-424: Is exceptionally diverse for a British dry grassland site. In winter the plain is an important area for foraging flocks of thrushes, finches and buntings. These, together with abundant small mammals are prey for wintering hen harrier , merlin and short-eared owl . Hen harriers occur in nationally significant numbers each winter, and the plain is an important winter roost for this species in southern England. In 2003
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#17328763587501760-493: Is frequent. In the summer the Azores high pressure affects south-west England; however, convective cloud sometimes forms inland, reducing the number of hours of sunshine. Annual sunshine rates are slightly less than the regional average of 1,600 hours. In December 1998, there were 20 days without sun recorded at Yeovilton (Somerset). Most of the rainfall in the south-west is caused by Atlantic depressions or by convection , though
1840-577: Is mainly the clays and limestones of the Blackmore Vale , Avon Vale and Vale of Wardour . The Mendip Hills rise to the west of Salisbury Plain, and the Cotswolds to the north west. Amesbury is considered the largest settlement on the plain (southern fringes), though there are a number of small villages, such as Tilshead , Chitterne and Shrewton in the middle of the plain, as well as various hamlets and army camps. The A303 road runs through
1920-527: Is mostly rural, and the centre and south-west are sparsely populated. After Swindon (183,638), the largest settlements are the city of Salisbury (41,820) and the towns of Chippenham (37,548) and Trowbridge (37,169). For local government purposes the county comprises two unitary authority areas, Swindon and Wiltshire . Undulating chalk downlands characterize much of the county. In the east are Marlborough Downs , which contain Savernake Forest . To
2000-532: Is often the northern half of the county that sees most of the showers with south-westerly winds in summer, whereas in the south of the county, the proximity of a relatively cold English Channel often inhibits showers. In autumn and winter, however, the sea is often relatively warm, compared with the air passing over it and can often lead to a higher rainfall in the south of the county (e.g. Salisbury recorded over 200mm of rain in Nov 2009 and January 2014). Average rainfall for
2080-615: Is present on East Salisbury Plain at one of its two Wiltshire localities. Strong populations of other downland species such as chalkhill blue ( Polyommatus coridon ) and dark green fritillary ( Argynnis aglaja ) are found, and of note here is the occurrence of grayling ( Hipparchia semele ), a butterfly rarely found away from the coast. An outstanding assemblage of two rare (RDB), 36 nationally scarce and two regionally notable moths are present, most of which are either chalk grassland specialists or are partly dependent on chalk grassland. The RDB species scarce forester ( Adscita globulariae )
2160-422: Is present, and amongst many species of nationally scarce moths are the cistus forester ( Adscita geryon ), six-belted clearwing ( Bembecia scopigera ), oblique striped ( Phibalapteryx virgata ), pimpernel pug ( Eupithecia pimpinellata ), shaded pug ( Eupithecia subumbrata ) and narrow-bordered bee hawk moth ( Hemaris tityus ). Larvae of these moths feed on the chalk grassland plants which are widespread on
2240-721: Is represented in the Football League by Swindon Town , who play at the County Ground stadium near Swindon town centre. They joined the Football League on the creation of the Third Division in 1920, and have remained in the league ever since. Their most notable achievements include winning the Football League Cup in 1969 and the Anglo-Italian Cup in 1970, two successive promotions in 1986 and 1987 (taking them from
2320-557: Is some difference of opinion as to its exact area. The river valleys surrounding it, and other downs and plains beyond them loosely define its boundaries. To the north the scarp of the downs overlooks the Vale of Pewsey , and to the northwest the Bristol Avon . The River Wylye runs along the southwest, and the Bourne runs to the east. The Hampshire Avon runs through the eastern half of
2400-408: The 2011 Census . Wiltshire (outside Swindon) has a low population density of 1.4 persons per hectare, when compared against 4.1 for England as a whole. Historical population of Wiltshire county: At the 2016 European Union membership referendum , Wiltshire voted in favour of Brexit . Wiltshire is represented by eight Parliamentary constituencies . Seven are entirely within the county, while
2480-652: The Dorset Downs in the west to Dover in the east. The largest area of chalk in Wiltshire is Salisbury Plain , which is used mainly for arable agriculture and by the British Army as training ranges. The highest point in the county is the Tan Hill – Milk Hill ridge in the Pewsey Vale , just to the north of Salisbury Plain, at 295 m (968 ft) above sea level. The chalk uplands run north-east into West Berkshire in
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2560-581: The Florentine and Flemish markets in the 13th and 14th centuries. In the 17th century, English Civil War Wiltshire was largely Parliamentarian . The Battle of Roundway Down , a Royalist victory, was fought near Devizes . In 1794, it was decided at a meeting at the Bear Inn in Devizes to raise a body of ten independent troops of Yeomanry for the county of Wiltshire, which formed the basis for what would become
2640-838: The Fourth Division to the Second ), promotion to the Premier League as Division One play-off winners in 1993 (as inaugural members), the Division Two title in 1996, and their promotion to League One in 2007 after finishing third in League Two . Chippenham Town is the area's highest-ranked non-league football club; they currently play in the National League South after winning the Southern Premier League in 2016/17, with
2720-724: The Gazette and Herald and Wiltshire Times . Places of interest in Wiltshire include: Areas of countryside in Wiltshire include: Roads running through Wiltshire include The Ridgeway , an ancient route, and Roman roads the Fosse Way , London to Bath road and Ermin Way . National Cycle Route 4 and the Thames Path , a modern long distance footpath , run through the county. Routes through Wiltshire include: Salisbury Plain Salisbury Plain
2800-598: The Marlborough Downs ridge, and south-west into Dorset as Cranborne Chase . Cranborne Chase, which straddles the border, has, like Salisbury Plain, yielded much Stone Age and Bronze Age archaeology . The Marlborough Downs are part of the North Wessex Downs AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), a 1,730 km (670-square-mile) conservation area. In the north-west of the county, on the border with South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset ,
2880-628: The Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets), Heteroptera (bugs) and Coleoptera (beetles), the latter group including a RDB soldier beetle , Cantharis fusca . The area as a whole is of national and international importance for breeding and wintering birds. It supports seven species listed on Annex 1 of the EC Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds, populations of six species of Red Data bird and several species of candidate Red Data bird. Amongst
2960-712: The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry , who served with distinction both at home and abroad, during the Boer War , World War I and World War II. The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry lives on as Y (RWY) Squadron, based in Swindon, and B (RWY) Squadron, based in Salisbury, of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry . Around 1800, the Kennet and Avon Canal was built through Wiltshire, providing a route for transporting cargoes from Bristol to London until
3040-709: The South Cotswolds constituency extends into southern parts of Gloucestershire. At the 2024 general election , the Conservatives won three seats ( East Wiltshire , Salisbury , and South West Wiltshire ); Labour two ( Swindon North and Swindon South ); and the Liberal Democrats three ( Chippenham , Melksham and Devizes , and South Cotswolds). The ceremonial county of Wiltshire consists of two unitary authority areas, Wiltshire and Swindon, governed respectively by Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council . As
3120-659: The Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 which organised the former Volunteer Force into a coherent organisation, known as the Territorial Force (TF), the cadets were expanded. Each company consisted of no less than 30 cadets, and four of these companies formed a "Cadet Battalion", the predecessors to the modern "Cadet County". Unlike their modern successors, the first cadet battalions were administered by their local County Territorial Force Associations, and rarely ever came under an "army command". However, following changes to
3200-506: The causewayed enclosure of Robin Hood's Ball . Large long barrows such as White Barrow and other earthworks were built across the plain. By 2500 BC areas around Durrington Walls and Stonehenge had become a focus for building, and the southern part of the plain continued to be settled into the Bronze Age . Around 600 BC, Iron Age hillforts came to be constructed around the boundaries of
3280-411: The cuckoo bee Nomada armata . This is a rare inland site for the nationally scarce brown-banded carder bee ( Bombus humilis ), and the only lowland English site for the broken-belted bumblebee ( Bombus soroeensis ). The Diptera (flies) include four RDB species which depend on chalk grassland, the picture-wing flies Chaetorellia loricata , Urophora solstitialis and Terellia vectensis and
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3360-646: The great bustard was reintroduced into Britain on Salisbury Plain. Other species of interest on Salisbury Plain include the great crested newt ( Triturus cristatus ). This newt occurs in dew ponds across the plain and in pools along the Bourne River, together with smooth newt ( Triturus vulgaris ), common frog ( Rana temporia ) and common toad ( Bufo bufo ). Barred grass snake ( Natrix helvetica ) are also often seen near pools, and common lizard ( Lacerta vivipara ), slowworm ( Anguis fragilis ) and adder ( Vipera berus ) are present. The folk song Roud 1487
3440-508: The hover fly Volucella inflata . Recent observations have shown that Salisbury Plain is an important site for the RDB crustacean, the fairy shrimp Chirocephalus diaphanus which is dependent on temporary pools, a rare and declining habitat. On the plain this habitat requirement is met by numerous pools created by repeated tank movements along the earth tracks which cross the chalk grassland. Other nationally scarce invertebrates occur within
3520-500: The " M4 corridor effect", which attracts business, and the attractiveness of its countryside, towns and villages. The northern part of the county is richer than the southern part, particularly since Swindon is home to national and international corporations such as Intel , Motorola , Patheon , Catalent (formerly known as Cardinal Health ), Becton-Dickinson , WHSmith , Early Learning Centre and Nationwide , with Dyson located in nearby Malmesbury . Wiltshire's employment structure
3600-581: The Avon; the northern Avon enters the county in the north-west and flows in a south-westerly direction before leaving it near Bradford-on-Avon , and the southern Avon rises on Salisbury Plain and flows through Salisbury, then into Hampshire. The far south-east contains part of the New Forest . Much of the county is protected: the Marlborough Downs; West Wiltshire Downs, Vale of Wardour, and Cranbourne Chase; and
3680-577: The Cotswolds are all part of designated national landscapes , and the New Forest is a national park . Salisbury Plain is noted for the Stonehenge and Avebury stone circles , which together are a UNESCO World Heritage Site , and other ancient landmarks. Much of the plain is a training area for the British Army . The city of Salisbury is notable for its medieval cathedral . Large country houses open to
3760-540: The Covid-19 Pandemic and subsequently announced in 2022 that they would not be returning. Swindon Wildcats compete in the English Premier Ice Hockey League , the second tier of British ice hockey, and play their home games at Swindon's Link Centre . A flag to represent Wiltshire, the "Bustard Flag", was approved by a full meeting of Wiltshire Council on 1 December 2009. It depicts in the centre
3840-874: The UK average in 1998, and was only marginally above the rate for South West England. Wiltshire has 30 county secondary schools, publicly funded, of which the largest is Warminster Kingdown , and eleven private secondaries, including Marlborough College , St Mary's Calne , Dauntsey's near Devizes , and Warminster School . The county schools are nearly all comprehensives , with the older pattern of education surviving only in Salisbury , which has two grammar schools ( South Wilts Grammar School and Bishop Wordsworth's School ) and three non-selective schools. There are four further education colleges, which also provide some higher education: New College (Swindon); Wiltshire College (Chippenham, Trowbridge and Salisbury); Salisbury Sixth Form College ; and Swindon College . Wiltshire
3920-470: The Wiltshire Army Cadet Force consists of appx. 700 cadets and 130 adult volunteers in 24 detachments. Each Army Cadet Force 'county' is in-fact a battalion, and each 'detachment' equivalent to that of a platoon. The county's is organised as follows: The Army Cadet Force is a national, voluntary, uniformed youth organisation. It is sponsored by the British Army but not part of it and neither
4000-424: The beginning of the 20th century have experienced nearly 100 years of chalk grassland re-colonisation. Parts of East Salisbury Plain and the periphery of Central and West comprise areas of grassland currently managed for grazing pasture and hay-cutting, whilst the middle of Centre and West are ungrazed. A large proportion of Salisbury Plain supports upright brome ( Bromus erectus ) species-rich grassland, within which
4080-634: The breeding birds three species are particularly noteworthy. Up to 20 pairs of stone-curlew representing 12% of the British population breed on the plain. The area accounts for approximately 20% of breeding records for quail in Britain each year, and numbers of breeding hobby are thought to exceed 1% of the British population on a regular basis. Other important breeding species include common buzzard , barn owl , long-eared owl , nightingale , stonechat , whinchat , wheatear , corn bunting and, on occasion, Montagu's harrier . The overall breeding assemblage
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#17328763587504160-660: The cadets nor the adult volunteer leaders are subject to military call-up. They offer a broad range of challenging adventurous and educational activities, some of them on a military theme. Their aim is to inspire young people to achieve success in life and develop in them the qualities of a good citizen. The ACF can be compared to their counterparts in the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (USA) , Hong Kong Adventure Corps , and Canadian Army Cadets , amongst others. Wiltshire Wiltshire ( / ˈ w ɪ l t . ʃ ər , - ʃ ɪr / ; abbreviated to Wilts )
4240-761: The chalk and grass of the county's downlands. The white can also represent peace, and the green joy, hope or safety. The flag has been registered in the flag registry of the vexillological charity the Flag Institute . Wiltshire has twenty-one towns and one city : A list of settlements is at List of places in Wiltshire . Local TV coverage is covered by BBC West and ITV West Country ; however, Swindon and Salisbury receive BBC South and ITV Meridian . The county's local radio stations are BBC Radio Wiltshire , Heart West , Greatest Hits Radio South West and Greatest Hits Radio South (covering Salisbury and surrounding areas). County-wide local newspapers are
4320-416: The chalk into Greensand and Oxford Clay in the centre of the county. In the south west of the county is the Vale of Wardour . The south-east of the county lies on the sandy soils of the northernmost area of the New Forest . Chalk is a porous rock, so the chalk hills have little surface water. The main settlements in the county are therefore situated at wet points. Notably, Salisbury is situated between
4400-484: The chalk of Salisbury Plain and marshy flood plains. The county has a green belt mainly along its western fringes as a part of the extensive Avon Green Belt . It reaches as far as the outskirts of Rudloe/ Corsham and Trowbridge, preventing urban sprawl particularly from the latter in the direction of Bradford-on-Avon , and affording further protection to surrounding villages and towns from Bath in Somerset. Along with
4480-506: The county is around 800 mm (31 in), drier parts averaging 700mm (28ins)and the wettest 900mm (around 35ins). About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, and June to August have the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west. This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added (GVA) of Wiltshire at current basic prices with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling. The Wiltshire economy benefits from
4560-732: The county, particularly around Amesbury and Corsham . There are sizeable British Army barracks at Tidworth , Bulford and Warminster , and the Royal School of Artillery is at Larkhill. Further north, RAF Lyneham was home to the RAF's Hercules C130 fleet until 2011; the MoD Lyneham site is now a centre for Army technical training. Wiltshire is also distinctive for the high proportion of its working-age population who are economically active (86.6% in 1999–2000) and its low unemployment rates . The gross domestic product (GDP) level in Wiltshire did not reach
4640-583: The county. Following the Norman Conquest in 1066, large areas of the country came into the possession of the crown and the church. At the time of the Domesday Survey , the industry of Wiltshire was largely agricultural; 390 mills are mentioned, and vineyards at Tollard and Lacock. In the succeeding centuries sheep-farming was vigorously pursued, and the Cistercian monastery of Stanley exported wool to
4720-542: The development of the Great Western Railway . Information on the 261 civil parishes of Wiltshire is available at Wiltshire Council's Wiltshire Community History website which has maps, demographic data, historic and modern pictures and short histories. The local nickname for Wiltshire natives is " Moonrakers ". This originated from a story of smugglers who managed to foil the local Excise men by hiding their alcohol, possibly French brandy in barrels or kegs, in
4800-505: The large area of habitat available to them is important in ensuring their survival. The plain is an important stronghold for declining downland butterflies. A high concentration of colonies of three nationally scarce species, the Adonis blue ( Polyommatus bellargus ), Duke of Burgundy ( Hamearis lucina ), and the largest population of marsh fritillary ( Euphydryas aurinia ) on the chalk, occur. A colony of brown hairstreak ( Thecla betulae )
4880-539: The large stands of juniper ( Juniperus communis ) on Bulford Downs and Beacon Hill. Both pyramidal and prostrate forms are present and this site, along with Porton Down SSSI to the south, supports the best remaining examples of the lowland type of juniper associated with chalk and mixed scrub in England. The botanically and structurally diverse grasslands support a large range of rare and uncommon chalk downland invertebrates. Where abundance has been assessed strong populations of national and local importance are present, and
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#17328763587504960-535: The large training areas inaccessible to the public, the plain is a wildlife haven, and home to two national nature reserves , but there is concern that the low level of grazing on the plain could allow scrub to encroach on the grassland . The plain supports the largest known expanse of unimproved chalk downland in north west Europe, and represents 41% of Britain's remaining area of this wildlife habitat. The plain supports 13 species of nationally rare and scarce plants, 67 species of rare and scarce invertebrates and forms
5040-451: The latter species is knapweed broomrape ( Orobanche elatior ), occurring in greater quantity on the plain than anywhere else in Britain. False-oat grass ( Arrhenatherum elatius ) grassland is also widespread, but is particularly a feature of the western ranges, often indicating areas of past cultivation. On anthills, and in the more disturbed turf that is especially a feature of the impact area, mouse-ear hawkweed ( Hieracium pilosella )
5120-504: The most famous Neolithic sites in the UK. In the 6th and 7th centuries Wiltshire was at the western edge of Saxon Britain, as Cranborne Chase and the Somerset Levels prevented the advance to the west. The Battle of Bedwyn was fought in 675 between Escuin , a West Saxon nobleman who had seized the throne of Queen Saxburga , and King Wulfhere of Mercia . In 878 the Danes invaded
5200-571: The most famous is the Westbury White Horse . The Kennet and Avon Canal was constructed to the north of the plain, through the Vale of Pewsey . In September 1896, George Kemp and Guglielmo Marconi experimented with wireless telegraphy on Salisbury Plain, and achieved good results over a distance of 1.25 miles (2.0 km). The British Army first conducted manoeuvres at what is now Salisbury Plain Training Area in 1898. Because of
5280-433: The nationally scarce bastard toadflax ( Thesium humifusum ) and purple milk-vetch ( Astragalus danicus ) in its most southerly British station. Devil's-bit scabious ( Succisa pratensis ), saw-wort ( Serratula tinctoria ) and betony ( Stachys officinalis ) are all abundant and exemplify the oceanic character of the chalk grassland on the plain, a feature which is confined to South West England . Similarly restricted
5360-400: The nationally scarce British endemic early gentian ( Gentianella anglica ). Particularly associated with long established turf on thin rendzina soils, and rabbit-grazed areas of the eastern and central ranges, are low-growing perennials including squinancy-wort ( Asperula cynanchica ), chalk milkwort ( Polygala calcarea ), dwarf thistle ( Cirsium acaule ), wild thyme ( Thymus praecox ),
5440-786: The organisation of the Cadets, in 1923 all cadet forces were taken under complete control of the County Associations. The first mention of the "Wiltshire Army Cadet Force" appears in a supplement to the London Gazette for 15 June 1954. The issue notes a chaplain 4th class, of the Royal Army Chaplains' Department transferring to the Dorset Army Cadet Force from the Wiltshire ACF effective 15 June 1954. As of December 2021,
5520-410: The plain, and to the south the plain peters out as the river valleys close together before meeting at Salisbury . From here the Avon continues south to the English Channel at Christchurch . The Hampshire Downs and the Berkshire Downs are chalk downland to the east and north of Salisbury Plain, and the Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase are to the southwest. In the west and north west the geology
5600-404: The plain, including Scratchbury Camp and Battlesbury Camp to the southwest, Bratton Camp to the northwest, Casterley Camp to the north, Yarnbury and Vespasian's Camp to the south, and Sidbury Hill to the east. Roman roads are visible features, probably serving a settlement near Old Sarum . Villas are sparse, however, and Anglo-Saxon place names suggest that the plain was mostly
5680-436: The plain. Other nationally scarce moths such as orange-tailed clearwing ( Synanthedon anthraciniformis ) depend on the associated scrub habitats. The bee fauna is particularly rich in species which depend on chalk grassland. One of only two British populations of the endangered (RDB) mining bee Melitta dimidiata is present on the plain, and two other RDB species which occur are Andrena hattorfiana and its nest parasite
5760-521: The public include Longleat , where there is also a safari park , and the National Trust 's Stourhead . The county, in the 9th century written as Wiltunscir , is named after the former county town of Wilton . Wiltshire is notable for its pre- Roman archaeology . The Mesolithic , Neolithic and Bronze Age people that occupied southern Britain built settlements on the hills and downland that cover Wiltshire. Stonehenge and Avebury are perhaps
5840-590: The rest of South West England , Wiltshire has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than counties further east. The annual mean temperature is approximately 10 °C (50.0 °F). Although there is a marked maritime influence, this is generally rather less pronounced than it is for other south-western counties, which are closer to the sea. July and August are the warmest months with mean daily maxima of approximately 22 °C (71.6 °F). In winter mean minimum temperatures of 1 °C (33.8 °F) or 2 °C (35.6 °F) are usual and air frost
5920-459: The same area and carrying out more strategic tasks, such as education and county roads. However, on 1 April 2009 these five local authorities were merged into a single unitary authority called Wiltshire Council. With the abolition of the District of Salisbury, a new Salisbury City Council was created at the same time to carry out several citywide functions and to hold the city's charter. The county
6000-468: The south is the Vale of Pewsey , which separates the downs from Salisbury Plain in the centre of the county. The south-west is also downland, and contains the West Wiltshire Downs , the Vale of Wardour to their south, and part of Cranborne Chase in the far south of the county. The north-west of Wiltshire is part of the Cotswolds , a limestone area. The county's two major rivers are both called
6080-576: The southern area of the plain, while the A345 and the A360 cut across the centre. 20,000 hectares are designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Special Areas of Conservation , and the entire Salisbury Plain is a Special Protection Area for birds. Salisbury Plain is famous for its history and archaeology . In the Neolithic period, Stone Age people began to settle on the plain, most likely centred around
6160-418: The sparsely populated plain is the biggest remaining area of calcareous grassland in northwest Europe. Additionally, the plain has arable land , and a few small areas of beech trees and coniferous woodland . Its highest point is Easton Hill. A large amount of land is set aside for military use as Salisbury Plain Training Area . The boundaries of Salisbury Plain have never been truly defined, and there
6240-450: The story is most commonly linked with The Crammer in Devizes . Two-thirds of Wiltshire, a mostly rural county, lies on chalk , a kind of soft, white, porous limestone that is resistant to erosion, giving it a high chalk downland landscape. This chalk is part of a system of chalk downlands throughout eastern and southern England formed by the rocks of the Chalk Group and stretching from
6320-467: The uncommon annual knawel ( Scleranthus annuus ). Two Red Data Book (RDB) plants occur on the plain. The largest population in Britain of tuberous thistle ( Cirsium tuberosum ) occurs on the western ranges and is notable for the low incidence of hybridisation with dwarf thistle, a contributory cause of its decline in other localities. Meadow clary ( Salvia pratensis ) persists as a small colony in tall upright brome grassland. Salisbury Plain supports
6400-569: The underlying rock is the resistant oolite limestone of the Cotswolds . Part of the Cotswolds AONB is also in Wiltshire, in the county's north-western corner. Between the areas of chalk and limestone downland are clay valleys and vales . The largest of these vales is the Avon Vale . The Avon cuts diagonally through the north of the county, flowing through Bradford-on-Avon and into Bath and Bristol . The Vale of Pewsey has been cut through
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