Central Southern England

The counties in Central Southern England include Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Wiltshire. The region includes areas of outstanding beauty – the Chiltern Hills, the Cotswolds and the North Wessex Downs. The ‘Royal’ River Thames winds its way through Oxford, past traditional English villages, and then through London on its journey out to the sea. The New Forest in Hampshire is famous for its ponies and villages with thatched cottages. Portsmouth, the historic naval dockyard and flagship of maritime England, lies on the south coast in Hampshire.

HAMPSHIRE

Hampshire is a beautiful unspoilt county situated in the heart of southern England and only an hour from London. Ponies roam the heaths and woodlands of the New Forest, which is the largest original forest left in England. The magnificent Norman Cathedral at Winchester stands at the centre of the medieval city of Winchester. Portsmouth, the historic naval dockyard and flagship of maritime England lies on the south coast of Hampshire.

OXFORDSHIRE

Oxfordshire has gentle, rolling countryside with the River Thames running though the county. The wooded chalk Chiltern Hills lie to the south-east and the Cotswolds with its pretty towns and villages built with the local honey-coloured limestone lie to the west. The famous and historic city of Oxford is a popular tourist destination.

BERKSHIRE

‘Royal’ Berkshire lies in the heart of Southern England. The splendid Windsor Castle, residence of the Queen, stands in Windsor with Eton, a famous public school close by. ‘Royal Ascot’ a famous annual horse racing festival is held at Ascot. The county has become known as England’s Silicon Valley due to its computer industry.

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Buckinghamshire has many small market towns, villages with thatched cottages, friendly country pubs and pleasant walks. Chequers, the Prime Minister’s country residence, lies in the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, an area of outstanding beauty. Milton Keynes, Britain’s most famous New Town, lies in Buckinghamshire.

WILTSHIRE

Wiltshire is largely an agricultural county for wheat and cattle farming. The natural attractions include the Malborough Downs, Savernake Forest and the rivers Avon, Bourne and Wylye. Stonehenge is the most important prehistoric monument in Britain and the great stone circle at Stonehenge is a popular attraction The city of Salisbury has a magnificent Cathedral and fine Tudor buildings and the town of Wilton is famous for manufacturing Wilton carpets. The famous manor house and safari park of Longleat, and Stourhead House and Gardens in Mere, a Palladian house with landscaped garden and unusual plants, can be found in Wiltshire.