24th March 2023
5 interesting nuggets of knowledge about Marlborough and Pewsey Vale
We caught up with Phil for a chat about the history of these parts. These were the top five facts he told us.
- Marlborough College, a prestigious public school located in Marlborough, has educated many notable alumni, including the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, Princess Eugenie of York, the musician Nick Drake, the poets Siegried Sassoon and John Betjemen and the author William Golding taught at the school.
- Marlborough is home to the second-widest high street in Britain, lined with historic buildings and independent shops. The high street is so wide that it was once used as a marketplace for sheep and cattle.
- Pewsey Vale is a picturesque valley located in Wiltshire. It stretches for approximately 20 miles and is surrounded by rolling hills and farmland with the Saxon village of Pewsey at its heart, the village and surrounding countryside formed part of the private estate of King Alfred.
- The Vale has a thriving agricultural industry, with many farmers producing crops such as wheat, barley, and rapeseed oil. The area is also home to a number of vineyards, producing award-winning wines from grapes grown on the chalky soil of the surrounding hills.
- Marlborough derives its name from Merlin’s Barrow, as the prehistoric mound in the grounds of Marlborough College is said to be the burial place of King Arthur’s wizard Merlin.
