THE RIFLES BERKSHIRE & WILTSHIRE MUSEUM - SALISBURY
The Wardrobe Regimental Museum
The breadth and depth of the history of the British military can be discovered and celebrated in assorted regimental museum spread in every county in the United Kingdom. In Salisbury, it is the Regimental Headquarters and museum of “The Rifles” the Royal Regiment of the Berkshire and Wilshire, formed by the uniting of two historic regiments into one the Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Regiment folded with the Gloucestershire Regiment to form the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment to consolidate in the historic building of the Salisbury Cathedral known as “The Wardrobe” (see Salisbury Cathedral).
With the joining of individual the regiments of long history the museum collection currently holds over 30,000 items of which only a portion can be on display at one time. There are over 16,000 photographs, 4,000 medals, 6,000 archive documents, and almost 1,000 elements of uniforms, 500 weapons, including swords, rifles, pistols, anti-tank weapons, with additional photographs, flags, ornaments and battlefield souvenirs. There is even a cannon ball from the colonial American War of Independence, in which the British regiments fought as the “red coats”.
The impressive collection is displayed in four rooms with the history dating from mid 1700s up to the 20th century with an emphasis on the infantry soldiers of Berkshire and Wiltshire who fought in the various wars, campaigns, and major battles mostly in chronological order. The first two rooms feature the history of American Revolutionary War, the Crimean War, and the wars in China, Afghanistan (the Battle of Maiwand 1880), the Sudan (Battle of Tofrek 1885), the Boer War, the First World War, the Second World War, and the modern Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Regiment’s involvement in the Cold War and Northern Ireland, leading to the formation of The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment, and “the Rifles”. The third room covers a variety of related non-military activities such as music, food, and travel, while the fourth room displays the medals, awards and ceremonial honors.
The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum also offers temporary exhibitions throughout the year, usually timed to anniversaries. The lovely garden area in the back of the Wardrobe building is used for social events and displays of outdoor military encampments, etc. The Museum has a book and gift shop in with souvenirs and items related the collection.
Visiting The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Regimental Museum
The museum is a short walk from the cathedral on the north east corner of Cathedral Close of Salisbury. Open hours are 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday and 12 noon to 4:30pm on Sunday in regular hours from March to October and 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday in February and November. Closed in December and January. Admission is £5 for adults, £4 for seniors and students and £2 for children under 16. The garden is a separate admission of £1.50. Limited parking is available in The Close for £6, with other parking lots surrounding the town center. © Bargain
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Wardrobe Rifles
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SEE ALSO:
STONEHENGE - NEOLITHIC MYSTERY OF WILTSHIRE
BERKELEY CASTLE - GLOUCESTERSHIRE
TANGMERE MILITARY AIR MUSEUM SOUTH ENGLAND
BEAULIEU NATIONAL MOTOR MUSEUM
SOE SPY SCHOOL EXHIBIT BEAULIEU
