Marlborough city is located 16 km away from Swindon. The famous town on the Kennet River has the 2nd high street in the country, which is staked with attractive buildings from the XVII century. This makes it the main tourist attraction. Let’s discover its origins, outstanding events, and development of this beautiful city.
The Beginnings
Marlborough city’s origins date back to the year 2400 B.C. It has a mound known as Merlin’s Barrow. This is where Merlin wizard is buried, the one from the …
… famous Arthurian legend. From this legend comes the city’s motto Ubi nunc sapientis ossa Merlini which means where are the bones of the wise Merlin now?
Normand Invasion
One of the events that have marked Marlborough’s history was the Norman invasion. The colonizers Guillermo and Williams built a castle where they established a royal mint on Merlin’s Barrow mound.
Many monarchs stayed there, even King John, who made a great contribution granting Marlborough permission to place weekly markets and an annual fair. Those markets continue operating nowadays.
Civil War
During the Civil War, Marlborough sided with Parliament, which made it one of the least affected cities of the War. King Charles tried to take over Marlborough in 1642, forcing the people to bend the knee, but the townsfolk refused.
400 cavalrymen managed to infiltrate into the castle, but the town’s soldiers forced them to surrender by chaining more than 120 men.
The Fire
During 1653, a fire reduced the city to ashes. Marlborough decided to appeal to its alliances with The Parliament, requesting help to rebuild it. All stone castles and churches were replaced with brick, giving the city today’s distinctive look. The famous high street also became wider because of the reconstruction.
Marlborough’s School
Marlborough’s school was founded where the castle inn used to be, in 1843 by clerics from the English Church, making it the first prestigious boarding school in the country. Although it was originally made for the Anglican clergy’s children, today it takes all kinds of students, both male and female.
Marlborough is one of England’s iconic cities, thanks to its distinctive architecture and long high street. Be sure to reserve your parking lot when planning to visit the famous street, as it is quite busy on market days. Do not miss the opportunity to explore this beautiful city on your travels around the country.