VERDICT: WE GAVE 4 OUT OF 5 TICKETS AND HERE’S WHY!
This guide forms part of our complete UK Travel Guide, featuring scenic road trips, iconic destinations, practical travel advice and honest first-hand travel experiences from across the United Kingdom.
This article is part of our English Counties Travel Guide. We’ve explored some of England’s most popular counties and regions, from Cornwall and coastal Dorset to Somerset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Berkshire, Merseyside and Greater London. Along the way, we’ve discovered historic cities, royal landmarks, spectacular coastlines and unforgettable road trips. Explore our firsthand county travel guides to help plan a better, more informed English vacation.
Top places by county to visit:
- Cornwall – St Mawes
- Dorset – Lulworth Cove
- Hampshire – Portsmouth
- Somerset – Bath
- Wiltshire – Stonehenge
- Merseyside – Liverpool
- Berkshire – Windsor Castle
- Greater London – Westminster Abbey
Our Favourite Wiltshire Village for Medieval Streets, Historic Pubs, Harry Potter Locations and Magnificent Lacock Abbey
There are some places we visit once and feel we’ve seen them. Lacock isn’t one of them. Our tagline for our travel site is ‘One Visit Is Never Enough‘ and this says it all!
Lacock is not only incredibly popular with visitors to Wiltshire, it’s equally popular with us. We simply love returning to this wonderfully preserved medieval English village, wandering its old streets, browsing the little shops and inevitably finding ourselves inside one of its historic pubs for lunch.
And then, of course, there is magnificent Lacock Abbey. For us, the combination makes Lacock one of the must-see destinations in Wiltshire.
An Easy Day Trip From Bath
Lacock is also remarkably easy to reach from Bath, making it an excellent half-day or full-day excursion. The village is approximately 14 miles (22 km) from Bath, with the drive normally taking around 30–35 minutes, depending on traffic.
Once we arrive, we like to slow everything down. This isn’t somewhere we want to race through our visit. Lacock is tiny, essentially just a handful of historic streets, but that’s exactly what makes it special.
Walking Through Medieval England
One of our favourite things to do is simply wander. Lacock’s streets are lined with historic stone and timber-framed buildings, traditional inns and cottages. Modern intrusions are remarkably limited, which helps explain why the village has become such a favourite with film and television producers.
Sometimes we put the camera down and just enjoy looking around. It’s incredibly peaceful and picturesque, and if you arrive during a quieter period, there are moments when it really does feel as though you’ve stepped into another century.
Eventually, though, we always make our way towards the village’s centrepiece – Lacock Abbey.
Exploring Lacock Abbey
Lacock Abbey was founded in the early 13th century as an Augustinian nunnery by Ela, Countess of Salisbury.
Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII, the former abbey was converted into a country house. The result is an extraordinary combination of architectural periods. As we explore, we can move from atmospheric medieval cloisters into rooms reflecting centuries of later family life.
That’s what we find particularly fascinating about Lacock Abbey. It doesn’t represent just one period of English history. The medieval monastery, Tudor transformation and later country-house history are all layered together.
Walking Through Harry Potter History
Then there’s the magic. Quite literally. The medieval interiors and cloisters of Lacock Abbey became internationally famous after being used as filming locations for the Harry Potter movies.
Walking through those ancient corridors, it’s easy to understand why filmmakers chose them. Parts of the Abbey doubled for Hogwarts, with the cloisters and historic rooms appearing in scenes from the films. For Harry Potter fans, recognizing locations while walking through a genuinely medieval building adds another dimension to the visit.
What we like is that the movie connection hasn’t overwhelmed the real history.
You can visit because you love Harry Potter and leave fascinated by medieval England or arrive for the history and suddenly realize you’ve walked straight into Hogwarts.
Lacock on the Big and Small Screen
And Harry Potter is only part of Lacock’s screen history. The village’s beautifully preserved streets and historic cottages have made it one of England’s most recognizable filming locations.
Productions filmed in and around Lacock have included Downton Abbey, the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice and Cranford.
Scenes for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince were also filmed in the village itself, while The Wolfman used Lacock as another atmospheric period backdrop.
When we walk through the village, it’s sometimes entertaining trying to remember where we’ve seen a particular street or building before.
The Birthplace of Modern Photography
Lacock Abbey also has another extraordinary claim to fame that can easily be overshadowed by Harry Potter. It played an important role in the history of photography.
The Abbey became home to William Henry Fox Talbot, one of the pioneers of photography. In 1835, Fox Talbot created a tiny photographic negative of a window at Lacock Abbey, an image that became an important milestone in the development of photographic processes.
For anyone interested in photography, that makes Lacock particularly significant. Considering how many photographs we take whenever we visit, it seems rather appropriate!
Exploring the Gardens
We always recommend allowing time to explore the grounds and gardens surrounding Lacock Abbey. They’re a lovely contrast to the historic interiors.
We can wander through green spaces including the Botanic Garden, greenhouse, orchard and woodland, enjoying a considerably slower side of the visit. We’ve seen plenty of people simply walking, relaxing and photographing the grounds. Locals also walk their dogs across the surrounding countryside.
On a pleasant day, we could easily spend quite a while here.
Where We Stop for Lunch
After exploring the village and Abbey, we’re normally ready for something to eat. Fortunately, Lacock punches well above its weight when it comes to traditional pubs, cafés and food.
The Red Lion on High Street is one of the village’s best-known pubs, serving food and offering both indoor and outdoor seating. It also hosts seasonal activities and events.
The George Inn on West Street dates back to the 14th century, giving us the opportunity to have a drink or meal somewhere almost as historic as the village surrounding it.
Then there’s Sign of the Angel on Church Street, another historic inn with a highly regarded restaurant.
For us, a proper pub lunch in Lacock is part of the experience. We can vouch for The Red Lion and The George Inn. Both were fantastic and served wonderful food.
Tea, Cakes and Something From the Bakery
Naturally, we’re not restricted to pubs. Lacock Bakery on Church Street is difficult to walk past when the smell of freshly baked cakes and pastries starts drifting outside. There’s also the Lacock Village Shop & Deli on High Street, where we can find locally sourced produce and homemade sweet and savoury treats.
At Lacock Abbey, The Stables Café provides another convenient refreshment stop, while the village’s Courtyard Tea Room offers that essential English combination of tea and cake.
We’re rarely in danger of going hungry in Lacock.
Shopping Around the Village
Another reason we enjoy wandering rather than rushing directly to the Abbey is Lacock’s collection of small independent shops. We’ve found everything from locally produced crafts and handmade jewellery to chocolate, candles, home fragrances and environmentally conscious gifts.
Shops around the village have included Quintessentially English, Coco Chemistry, Barty’s Little Eco Shop, OLIV, Watling Goldsmiths and Wiltshire Crafts.
There’s even Aura Beauty on Church Street for beauty treatments. We also love the little second-hand bookshop associated with the National Trust, where purchases help support conservation work at Lacock.
Books and historic buildings? That’s always going to get our attention. I’ve always said that combining a business with books and a coffee shop would be heaven.
Annual & Seasonal Events
Lacock changes throughout the year, which gives us another excuse to return.
The National Trust runs seasonal activities and events at Lacock Abbey and around the estate, with programming changing throughout the year. Christmas can be particularly atmospheric, when the historic surroundings receive a festive transformation.
The village also hosts community and seasonal activities, while local establishments such as The Red Lion hold their own events.
Because programmes and dates change annually, we’d always check the National Trust Lacock events calendar before visiting.
Our Top 3 Things Not to Miss in Lacock
1. Lacock Abbey & Medieval Cloisters
This is our essential stop. Explore more than 800 years of history, walk through the atmospheric cloisters and look out for the locations transformed into Hogwarts for Harry Potter.
2. Walk the Historic Village Streets
Don’t simply drive in, visit the Abbey and leave. Give yourself time to wander Church Street, High Street, East Street and West Street, discovering historic cottages, filming locations, little shops and centuries-old pubs.
3. Have Lunch in a Historic Lacock Pub
We think this completes the experience. After exploring the Abbey and village, find a table at one of Lacock’s traditional inns, order lunch and enjoy the atmosphere rather than rushing on to the next attraction.
Why We Keep Returning to Lacock
We’ve visited plenty of historic villages around England, but Lacock remains one of our favourites. It manages to combine so many things we enjoy about travelling through England in one remarkably compact destination. There’s medieval history and magnificent architecture.
If you’re staying in Bath or travelling through Wiltshire, we’d absolutely put Lacock and Lacock Abbey on your must-see list.
Allow yourself several hours rather than treating it as a quick photo stop.
We’ve been before. We’ll undoubtedly go again.
And somehow, Lacock never seems to lose its magic.
Continue exploring Wiltshire
- Salisbury Cathedral
- Littlecote House
- Farleigh Hungerford Castle
- Lacock Abbey (Film location for Harry Potter)
- Bradford-on-Avon
Nearby attractions in southern England
- Explore Stonehenge
- Visit Castles: England & Wales
- St Michael’s Mount
- King Harry Ferry
- Land’s End
- Bodmin Jail
- Portsmouth Historic Harbour
- 24 Hours in London
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