Key facts
OS grid ref: East Grimstead SU226279
West Grimstead SU211267
What3words: East Grimstead: ///punctual.audit.succeed
West Grimstead: /// plums.belong.breeze
Postcode: SP5
Post town: Salisbury
Unitary Authority: Wiltshire
Parliamentary Constituency: Salisbury
The Grimsteads
The Grimsteads have a rich history and an enviable location, offering a quiet, rural lifestyle in the countryside within easy reach of Salisbury with all its amenities.
East and West Grimstead have a reading room and village hall, which are the focal points of their communities.
Both villages are home to several historic buildings, traditional cottages and old farmhouses, and the surrounding countryside offers beautiful walking routes.
The Grimsteads are secluded and tranquil, but still offer convenient access to the A36 and other major roads, making it easy to travel to Salisbury, which is just six miles away.
Families are well served by the Alderbury and West Grimstead Primary School, and older students typically head into Salisbury, where there is a good choice of state and independent secondary schools, as well as the highly respected Bishop Wordsworth and South Wilts Grammar Schools.
History
Both villages were mentioned in the Domesday Book and, historically, the Grimsteads were agricultural communities, with much of the surrounding land used for farming and grazing. The name Grimstead comes from the Old English meaning Grim’s Place – likely referring to an early settler or notable figure of the time. The villages started out as part of a larger manorial estate, and have developed into two distinct communities over time.
Walking and cycling
The Grimsteads are surrounded by beautiful countryside with easy access to numerous walking and cycling routes, making the villages a great choice for outdoor enthusiasts. The villages are close to the Clarendon Way, a long-distance footpath running from Salisbury to Winchester, and the nearby SSSI site of Bentley Wood is also popular with walkers and cyclists.