In this issue

Well, Wiltshire Life has reached the grand old age of 70 and exactly to the month of our first-ever issue, here is our celebratory souvenir issue – bigger, better and more beautiful than ever before. Inside we look back through 70 years with a special section called Seven Decades, Seven Stories. From the 'secret' underground city near Corsham to the reintroduction of the great bustard, we take you on a trip down memory lane. We also take a look at other Wiltshire landmark anniversaries. Stonehenge and Avebury celebrate 30 years of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while anthropologist Desmond Morris looks back at a painting he completed in August 1946 of his soon-to-be famous girlfriend from Swindon. Can you guess who it is? Elsewhere in the magazine, we investigate the issue of Avebury's wishing tree – magical or a blot on the landscape?, while Wiltshire Wildlife Trust informs us of the losses and gains in flora and fauna over 70 years. Plus Michael Marshman wanders through the Nadder Valley villages and Sue Long finds Devizes in celebratory mood. There's lots more to read, including an interview with Lord Joel Joffe, the defence counsel for Nelson Mandela, and a chat with a couple who choose to live in the 1940s. We hope you enjoy this issue. Here's to the next 70 years!