The station was opened by the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway on 5 September 1848, and was the initial terminus of their line from . This line was later extended to , which opened on 7 October 1850. The Salisbury branch opened on 30 June 1856, whilst the opening of the line to Patney & Chirton in 1900 (along with that further west from Castle Cary to Cogload Junction six years later) completed the GWR's new main line from London Paddington to and beyond.