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Town and civil parish in Dorset, England
Photo: michael clarke stuff, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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Shaftesbury's most notable site to see. It is famous for being featured in Hovis Bread advertisements.
A museum dedicated to Gold Hill displaying many artefacts that relate to the history of Shaftesbury and the surrounding area, including Dorset's oldest fire engine, dating from 1744. Well-behaved dogs are welcome, and there is a great view from the museum garden.
It tells the story of the abbey and also has a herb garden and medieval orchard. Dogs on leads are welcome..
Partially ruined, turreted, 14th-century, fortified residence with panoramic views.
An ancient woodland operated by the Woodland Trust. It is best accessed by car, as the roads to access to it have no pavements, and the nearest bus stop is several kilometres away.
Visit the Heritage Collection of Snowdrops in Shaftesbury Abbey, join a Snowdrop walk through the town or participate in the festival events. The grand final is the Snowdrop Lantern Parade on Sunday evening.
Usually occurs in the first weekend of July and has food stalls, arts stalls and local music that can be found in the abbey ruins.
Cafe, vegetarian-friendly
Cosy café with vegan options. Offers a discount if you bring your own cup.
Dog friendly pub with a terraced beer garden that catches the afternoon light and offers a very impressive view of Melbury Hill and Blackmore Vale.
Pleasant restaurant with rooms at north edge of town centre. No dogs.
Best Western
Excellent dog friendly hotel in an old coaching inn, gets great scores for comfort, service and cuisine.
Charming inn with six bedrooms (some distinctly cosy), good dining.
By train
The best way to get to Shaftesbury, if you don't have a car, is by train. Take Southwest Trains from London Waterloo to Gillingham, Dorset.
Shaftesbury is a pedestrian friendly town, and many things are within walking distance. However, once you get out of the centre of the town, the roads don't have pavements and there is a limited bus service.
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