The ancient cobbles of Gold Hill Shaftsbury are one of the most photographed in England
and have been drawing visitors to this picturesque town in Dorset for many years,
thanks in some part to the 1970s bread advert. It was however even more famous 1000 years ago.
Join us for a walk around this lovely Saxon market town.
Shaftesbury is perched on a hill, high above Dorset's picturesque Blackmore Vale.
It has quite a commanding position some 215 meters above sea level
making it the highest town in Dorset with views as far as Somerset and Wiltshire.
It is a small town with a mix of stone and thatched buildings with a number of local shops,
cafes, churches, independent shops offering gifts and clothes and a lovely bakery.
I quite fancy that, raspberry and almond tart.
Olive and emmental breadstick
A trade route for hundreds of years there are still regular farmers markets held in the centre.
In front of the town hall is an information board highlighting the Shaftesbury heritage trail,
a walk around town to the most notable buildings. The narrow lanes on either side of the hall lead
you on to the top of Gold Hill for that famous view of the cottages and the scenery beyond.
You won't see any cars on the cobbles as it's a protected area. The owners of the properties
also need to ask permission before making any changes to the aesthetics of their homes.
The imposing grade one listed wall marks the perimeter of what were
the grounds of the Shaftesbury Abbey, dating back to the 1360s.
At the top of the cobbled street is the Gold Hill museum owned and run by
volunteers. Entry is free but donations are welcome to help them maintain the exhibits.
Various galleries on two floors tell the story of Shaftesbury and rural life in the area
all portrayed through artefacts, costumes, photos, ceramics, tools,
musical instruments, domestic items, even the town's first fire engine, a hand-drawn machine.
An artist's impression shows a busy market day on Gold Hill before the town hall was built. Notice
the cross and the abbey walls with Saint Peter's church at the top of the hill. Interesting to note
as well the sheep, the landowners of the cottages still have the right to keep animals to this day.
Hovis bread that made Gold Hill so famous in the 70s is featured in a special gallery
replaying the famous advert with a boy pushing a bicycle up Gold Hill to deliver a loaf of bread
before freewheeling back to the bakers along with that famous tune and catchphrase.
It also shares some of the Hovis factory history, you can even see the bicycle used in the advert.
Don't miss the secluded garden offering a magnificent view over Blackmore vale
before you leave.
For an additional scenic stroll head to park walk.
This will bring you to the entrance of the Shaftesbury Abbey Museum and Gardens.
The ruins of Shaftesbury Abbey lay on the hilltop overlooking Blackmore Vale
founded by King Alfred the Great in 888 AD. It was a very important Benedictine nunnery
that helped make the town prosperous for 650 years.
A new museum charts the history of the abbey with
some interesting Saxon carvings and artefacts recovered from the ruins in previous excavations.
It was the first religious house solely for women in England prior to that if
they wanted to pursue a religious life they would have done so by sharing with monks.
You can walk among the ruins and the gardens which are full of flowers and herbs in the
summer months. The remains of the abbey church foundations can be seen here. Henry VIII forced
the closure in 1539 as part of the dissolution of monasteries and swiftly after the buildings
were dismantled and the site abandoned, much of which has now been built on with houses.
A statue of King Alfred stands watch over the site. There is a shrine to Saint King Edward
the Martyr within the grounds. Pilgrims would come from afar to pray at his tomb.
He reigned over England in 975 to 978AD, just three short years before being murdered at Corfe
Castle. Initially buried at Wareham without royal honours his body was exhumed, where a miracle
apparently occurred. He was moved to Shaftesbury Abbey with a full royal burial and later became
a Saint. For more information on visiting, opening hours and tickets, visit this website.
We visited on a Sunday morning so it's a little quieter than it might be at other times.
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