Guide to Wiltshire

Wiltshire is a glowing rural county, populated with picture-perfect villages and idyllic market towns – most notably Salisbury, a wonderful medieval city surrounded by lush British countryside. 

Moving to Wiltshire 

Here you will find a breadth of stately homes, busy market towns, medieval architecture, traditional country pubs and beautiful manor houses. Its predominantly rural surroundings mean that these fixtures pop up out of the rolling hills as if by magic, creating a postcard ready picture around almost every corner. 

Notably, much of the county is defined as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: The Cotswolds, Cranborne Chase, the West Wiltshire Downs and North Wessex Downs. 

Wiltshire offers fantastic transport links, with the M4 providing access to London, Wales and the West and connecting the county to the national motorway network. Wiltshire is also well-served by rail, with lines operating through to Cardiff, Bristol, Exeter, London and various other significant locations across the country.  

Living in Wiltshire 

Wiltshire’s picture book aesthetic and natural beauty means it’s dotted all over with villages filled with wonderous charm. Those looking to experience the best English countryside will be hard pressed to look beyond Wiltshire. 

Currently, the average property value of homes is just over £310,000 in Wiltshire, however, inner areas of the county can be cheaper due to the remoteness of this rural county. Throughout Wiltshire you will find a variety of attractive properties, with each village having its own character, quirks and charm to suit every need. 

Swindon is one of Wiltshire’s biggest towns, with an abundance of popular shops and restaurants. It is also a popular place to climb the property ladder. Within its district it has many of the best schools in the county and for working professionals, London is just under an hour away by train, while the M4 connects Swindon to the rest of Southern England by road. Alongside its wealth of transport routes and urban amenities, the town is a stone’s throw away from the rolling countryside of Wiltshire.  

Salisbury is a medieval city with an iconic cathedral and its large common greens and open spaces make it a popular place to buy. In 2019, Halifax’s annual Quality of Life index declared it the number one place to live in the UK for its employment, affordability, population density and wellbeing. 

Nearby to the Cotswolds is the delightful, bustling town of Corsham. A friendly community, with a healthy atmosphere and wealth of good houses for anyone looking to join the property ladder can be found here. Filled with independent shops and lovely streets with plenty to do, Corsham is a hidden gem among the countryside. Additionally, Marlborough is another desirable location, rich in history and Tudor houses, carrying an air of modernity with plenty of amenities and restaurants for those looking for a little bit of everything. 

For those looking for the countryside experience but without cutting off from London in its entirety, you can find a variety of commutable villages in the rural heart of Wiltshire. Great Bedwyn is perfect – London Paddington is reachable in just over an hour, with trains running every half hour. Additionally, the M4 is not far away, offering a well-connected route to southern England.