Located just ten miles west of Newbury is the small market town of Hungerford. This small town has a population of less than eight thousand people. The town is located on the River Dun in the Kennet Valley and borders the county of Wiltshire. The town wasn't around during the Domesday area but did exist shortly thereafter in 1173. It had grown to the point of gaining borough status by 1241. It wasn't until a century later that the town was granted the lucrative fishing rights on the Kennet River. The town also has the unfortunate history of violence. It was the site of a violent massacre in 1987. The massacre is what led to the Firearms Act of 1988 which banned ownership of semi-automatic fire arms.
Located just outside of Hungerford is the Highclere Castle. This was once the home of the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon. It is considered one of the finest Victorian Houses still found in England. The home was created by Sir Charles Barry the man who also designed the houses of Parliament. Visitors can enjoy themselves by wandering the woodland and temple walks that cut through the grounds. Should you choose to enjoy the paths you should note the signposts that will help you clearly follow the path. A full tour of the grounds will take around one and a half to two and a half hours. You can bring your dogs but please remember they must be kept on a leash. You can also enjoy exploring the castle cellars which recreates the 5th Earl's discovery of 1922. You can also view the collection of 3,500 Egyptian antiquities that are found throughout the castle.
If you are looking for a day of fun then wander over to the Newbury Racecourse. The Newbury Racecourse is located near the town of Hungerford in the county of Berkshire. This racecourse has some of the best horse racing in England. You can see racing over both jumps and the flat races. This is the race of the Hennessy Gold Cup which is one of the premier races in the horse racing industry. While you are out enjoying the races be sure to take in the beautiful countryside that the racecourse is set in. The 360 acres that contain the racecourse is scenery for a post card.
If you are up for a little drive outside of town then you might want to head over to the Vale and Downland Museum in Wantage. This museum is housed in a 17th century cloth-merchant's home. It is a wonderful example of how the homes were built in the area back in that time period. Visitors can see a wide variety of artifacts that tell the story of the town and area as well as how rural life was lived during Victorian times.
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