Wantage

Wantage is a small market town 15 miles to the South of Oxford and owes its fame to being the birthplace of King Alfred The Great (AD849), the most celebrated Saxon King, whose statue dominates the market place.

The Vale and Down land Museum, housed in a 16th century merchant’s house, not only provides excellent information about Alfred and the surrounding area, but also serves as the local tourist office.

Wantage is a good starting point for the Vale of White Horse, which is six miles west. Here you will find the world famous White Horse, a breathtaking white chalk carving, measuring 374-feet long and 160-feet wide.

The White Horse is also a great place to join the Ridgeway, a national trail originally used by Iron Age Britons as a walkway. It stretches 85-miles to the northeast, and crosses the rural countryside of five counties.