'Home of Stonehenge' in UK Town of Culture bid

Amesbury - the oldest continually inhabited settlement in the British Isles - has thrown its hat in the ring in a bid to be crowned the UK's first Town of Culture.

Known as the "Home of Stonehenge", the Wiltshire town will be joining Mere - from the same county - which is also bidding to take the title in 2028.

Launched by the government in December, the winner of the competition will be awarded £3m and the chance to host cultural events during the year.

Danny Kruger, the Reform MP for East Wiltshire, said the award should be "about the history of our places" and there is "no place in these islands with a longer and - greater history than Amesbury".

The contest will run alongside the existing UK City of Culture competition.

Championing Amesbury in Westminster Hall last month, Kruger highlighted the town's rich heritage from the ancient monument of Stonehenge to the discovery of the grave of a Bronze Age man dubbed the "Amesbury Archer" in 2003.

"People were living there in 8,820BC," he said.

"And some thousands of years after the original settlement, Stonehenge was built, and of course this stands as the greatest monument to this now forgotten civilisation."

He said despite being "dissected from Stonehenge itself by the A303", the "very vibrant" town is part of the world heritage site.

"I think there's an enormous opportunity and a real importance for Wiltshire, that the town that hosts the museum for Stonehenge should be able to benefit from the millions who come through there every year."

Amesbury mayor Monica Devendran said the town council has established a working group and it was "really confident" about the bid.

"Winning would be transformational for Amesbury," she added.

"It would shine a national spotlight on our town - giving a community the confidence and a platform to tell our story on a much bigger stage.

"We have history that we are proud of [but] Amesbury is not just a town with an ancient past but a place with a vibrant, inclusive and ambitious cultural future."

Towns have until 31 March to enter expressions of interest.

The government aims to announce a shortlist in the spring, with a winner announced early next year.

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