See & Do

The Beckford is in the Fonthill Estate, a stunning area of natural beauty with many fabulous walks into the countryside. Slightly further afield we are surrounded by numerous attractions and activities. Explore the city of Salisbury, a thirty minute drive away from the pub and discover its cathedral with the tallest spire in the country.

EVENTS

Curious About Salisbury

23/03/2024

31 March - 26 October 2024 / Discover Salisbury with two self-guided heritage walks with a treasure hunt theme. Looping around the better-known sights, as well as some of the more unusual and quirky ones, you'll be given detailed directions, a map, clues (with answers in the back), and some snippets of history about the medieval city.

Old Fonthill Abbey Grounds

05/05/2024

5 May & 19 May 2024 / The grounds of Fonthill Old Abbey will be open on 5 and 19 May 2024 in aid of Parkinson’s Cure and local charities. Visitors (including dogs on leads) are invited to take a good hike or gentle stroll through the woods and around the lake while the bluebells are in bloom. *Unfortunately, in the event of high winds, if Stourhead (National Trust) closes, then the Fonthill grounds will also close. Please check the Stourhead website.

Vintage Nostalgia Festival

31/05/2024

Celebrating the great nostalgia before the turn of the century up to the 1980s - including vintage/classic cars, Heritage skills, Veteran Cycles, Old Tractors, Vintage Fashion, antiques, rusty automobiles, dance and music.

The Shaftesbury Feastival

05/05/2024

150 foodie traders take over High Street and Park Walk. Enjoy the annual Cheese Run on Gold Hill, cookery demonstrations, foraging walks with Masterchef winner Matt Follas, book signings, literary events and pop-up events in various locations across Shaftesbury.

explore

The Fonthill Estate

The Estate, which is ten thousand acres and right on our doorstep, consists of farmland, woodland and formal gardens. Whilst visiting you will not only be able to see the outstanding natural beauty of the Estate, but also its incredible history and all the activities that take place within it.

Salisbury

Salisbury is a medieval city, just nine miles south of Stonehenge. The City boasts stunning architecture, an array of independent shops and a thirteenth-century cathedral with the tallest spire in Britain. Salisbury is also home to the best-preserved of only four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta.

experience

Wellness

It's a 20-minute drive to The Bath Arms, but once you are there, relax body and mind, and reward your skin in our brand new Bramley Spa Treatment Cabin, nestled among the birds, bees and beautiful gardens. Appointments are available on Fridays and Saturdays, and from May, Monday to Saturday - email Lucy at [email protected] or call 01985 844308 to book.

Bramley Massage

Country Pursuits

The Beckford is at the heart of the British countryside and gives you the chance to live like a local with plenty of outdoor pursuits to keep you entertained. From famous Chalkstream fly fishing, with access to the best privately owned water in England, to deer stalking on nearby the Fonthill Estate.

Fly Fishing Deer Stalking Simulated Game Shooting

Landscape

There are many great walks in the surrounding landscape from romantic walks around the lakes to hikes for those slightly more advanced. Perhaps join local guide, Nick Cowen, for a guided walk through the Fonthill Estate or rent an electric bike from Cranks and Planks to explore the estate on two wheels.

Fonthill Estate Guided Walks with Nick Cowen E-bike Rental

Art

Portfolio Art Tours works with individuals and small groups to arrange bespoke tours on a timescale that suits you. Working principally in beautiful South-West England, they will arrange itineraries based on your preferences and showcase the best the region has to offer.

Messums Wiltshire Hauser & Wirth

History

For those with an interest in historic places and landmarks the Beckford is the perfect base to explore. Stonehenge is a short drive away, the Georgian city of Bath just forty-five minutes, The thirteenth century Salisbury Cathedral boasts both the tallest spire in Britain and the best preserved of only four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta is also a short drive away.

Bath Salisbury Stonehenge

Gardens

Explore the abundance of local gardens from those landscaped by Capability Brown on the Longleat Estate to The World-famous 18th-century landscape garden and Palladian mansion at Stourhead

Stourhead Longleat Hauser & Wirth