Lifestyle

Modern amenities sit comfortably alongside the older attractions

Situated approximately halfway between London and Bristol, Marlborough earned much of its prosperity over the centuries as a staging post on the coaching route. Today the town still wears an air of affluence and is renowned for its high quality shops.

Many picturesque red brick buildings line the High Street. It is dominated by the splendid Town Hall, which, dating from 1902 is one of the newer additions to the town. More ancient examples include the 15th century St Peter's Church and the 17th century Merchant's House. Other famous features include the prestigious Marlborough College, one of the country's leading public schools.

With this very 'English' character, Marlborough is a popular tourist destination. Yet, far from being a museum piece, it is also a thriving and attractive place to live. Modern amenities sit comfortably alongside the older attractions. You can go out for a pizza or a cappuccino, shop for food at Waitrose or Marks and Spencer, exercise at the Leisure Centre and browse at the twice-weekly market. And you don't have to be a tourist to indulge in the temptations of the famous Polly Tea Rooms, said to be the finest in England.

If you have a family, local education will naturally be a high priority. In addition to Marlborough College, there are many other schools, primary and secondary, within a few miles of St John's Park.

Miles of glorious countryside radiate from Marlborough. Just to the south is Savernake Forest, privately owned but open to public and a haven for wildlife. Running through the middle of the forest is Capability Brown's 'Grand Avenue' of beech trees. Dotted all over this ancient landscape are many other fascinating attractions, some natural and some man-made. They include Avebury Stone Circle, the Wiltshire Downs, the Vale of the White Horse, and the Ridgeway trail; as well as windmills, manor houses, castles and chapels. For connoisseurs of the English countryside, this area is truly outstanding.