The Rifles (Berkshire and Wiltshire) Museum

Housed in one of the most historically significant medieval buildings in Salisbury Cathedral Close, The Rifles (Berkshire and Wiltshire) Museum offers visitors a compelling journey through more than 280 years of military service. The building known as The Wardrobe — a name reflecting its medieval use as a store for episcopal goods and records — dates from the thirteenth century and is itself a remarkable piece of living history, providing an architectural frame of exceptional quality for the regimental collections within.

The museum tells the story of the county regiments of Berkshire and Wiltshire from their formal establishment in 1743 through to the present day as part of The Rifles, the large infantry regiment formed in 2007 by the merger of several historic county regiments including the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment. This long continuity of service covers some of the most significant military campaigns in British history: from the American colonies and India to the Napoleonic Wars, the Crimea, both World Wars, and numerous post-war conflicts from Malaya and Korea to the Falklands and the Gulf.

The collections span uniforms from the mid-eighteenth century onwards, including dress uniforms of extraordinary elaboration and everyday service kit that communicates the physical reality of soldiering across the centuries. Medals tell stories of individual courage and collective sacrifice, with Victoria Crosses and other decorations for gallantry displayed alongside campaign medals whose clasps map the regiment's global service. Weapons, equipment, personal effects, letters, diaries, and photographs add texture and humanity to the institutional narrative.

Paintings and prints provide visual records of battles, parades, and notable officers that complement the material collections. Several portraits of commanding officers and regimental worthies hang in the medieval rooms, creating a succession of human faces to set against the abstractions of military history. The building itself forms an important part of the visitor experience — the thick stone walls, medieval timbers, and ancient fabric of The Wardrobe provide a physical encounter with deep history that no purpose-built gallery could replicate.

The museum occupies a unique position in Salisbury's rich cultural landscape, situated within the Cathedral Close alongside Mompesson House, The Salisbury Museum, and the Cathedral itself. For visitors interested in the military and social history of Berkshire and Wiltshire, it provides an essential complement to the wider story of these counties and their people. The garden alongside the building offers a peaceful outdoor space with views across to the Cathedral, providing a reflective setting for contemplating the human cost of the service documented within.