Lacock Abbey

Muttering spells and incantations may not work during your visit but there’s a magic to Lacock Abbey which makes it arguably the best day out when it comes to activities in Chippenham. The building itself dates back to the 13th-century when it was a nunnery. From then it’s changed hands a few times but is most famous for being the home of William Henry Fox Talbot, one of the pioneers of photography.

Lacock Abbey is now owned by the National Trust, who do a fantastic job bringing its fascinating history to life. So make the short ten-minute drive from our Chippenham hotel and explore this fascinating country house for its myriad architectural styles, the magnificent array of films and television programmes its appeared in such as Harry Potter, Wolf Hall and Pride and Prejudice, and the pretty rose gardens of the house’s riverside grounds.

If you can, set aside the time to stroll into the village of Lacock. Fans of period dramas blessed with a keen eye will tell you lovely Lacock has been a filming location for Downton Abbey and Pride and Prejudice. Its historic buildings are a delight; some of which are older than the abbey itself. While its listed-status, along with the fact that much of it is owned by the National Trust, has ensured that the village remains untouched. It’s like taking a step back in time.

Part of the ground floor of Lacock Abbey has been set aside as The Fox Talbot Museum, dedicated to the former owner of the Abbey, who is famous for producing the oldest surviving photographic negative in history, and contributing world-changing breakthroughs in the field of photography.

The museum offers fascinating insights into the life and mind of one of Britain’s great polymaths of the 19th-century. It’ll inspire you to get your camera out and photograph the picturesque grounds of this wonderful National Trust Property.