Wiltshire Tourist Guide

Accommodation near Larkhill - Wiltshire

Whether on business, on holiday or visiting relatives accommodation near Larkhill can be found in the nearby towns of Amesbury, Salisbury and country villages.

Accommodation at Amesbury | Salisbury

There is a good selection of hotel accommodation, B&B; camping and even Volkswagen Campers available for hiring at the village of Mere

Larger villages are Shrewton to the west and Durrington and Netheravon to the east of Larkhill and just one mile north of the World Heritage Site of Stonehenge stone circle. There are many Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments including long and round barrows close to the garrison.



The origin of today’s modern garrison was Lark Hill which was part of Durrington Down within the Parish of Durrington. From the late 19th century there were tented camps for summer training on Salisbury Plain which became known as Larkhill range. Larkhill Range was specifically used for artillery practice and in 1914 permanent hutted accommodation was built. Although there were balloon operating units already attached to the military a flying school operated by The British & Colonial Aeroplane Co. was opened at Larkhill which attracted alot of millitary interest.



The very first flight hangars to be built at Larkhill are still standing. Larkhill continued to be the centre of aviation for several years with pupils coming from all over the world to train as pilots. Two major airfields were opened by the newly formed Royal Flying Corps in 1914 at Netheravon, which replaced Larkhill, and Upavon.



Five new Royal Flying Corps training airfields were opened on Salisbury Plain in 1917 including one next to Stonhenge to meet a shortfall of qualified pilots. A light military railway was also constructed linking Amesbury railway station with Bulford, three tented camps at Larkhill and the newly constructed Stonehenge aerodrome.

After the First World War ended Stonehenge aerodrome was closed and the railway line removed and Netheravon took over the operations.

Between the wars the garrison was expanded to include a military hospital and married quarters. Further expansion occurred during World War II mainly for Artillery units. The hutted accommodation was replaced by permanent buildings after the war ended and continues to be one of the largest garrisons on Salisbury Plain and home to the Royal School of Artillery. The School provides Phase 2 training for recruits to the Royal Artillery which includes gunnery, air defence, surveillance and signals.

The Royal Artillery is very proud of its equestrian heritage and is the only serving regiment with its own point-to-point racecourse and cross country course of this standard and events are run through the season.

When staying at accommodation near Larkhill you are in the midst of one of the most ancient historic landscapes of Wiltshire. The areas around Stonehenge and Larkhill, Amesbury and Durrington contain the most extensive prehistory network of Bronze Age sites in England of which the World Heritage site of Stonehenge is the most famous. Only now using the very latest electromagnetic ,radar, sonar and microwave techniques is this vast network of sites yielding its ancient secrets.

Accommodation near Stonehenge