Heritage
Lift history off the pages and explore historic England. With hundreds of award-winning heritage attractions, interactive museums and visitor centres, commemorative memorials and nearly 20 UNESCO World Heritage Sites all crammed into one small country, you’ll trip over history at every turn. It’s virtually impossible to ignore this country's mythical and fabled characters, horrible histories, legendary monarchs and influential leaders as you discover Neolithic mounds and Roman ruins, thatched Tudor houses and spacious Victorian squares, prehistoric remains, spooky medieval gaols and historic towns in England. Hire a Blue Badge guide for an in-depth tour of your area of interest.
Get lost in the picturesque Royal Botanic Gardens
Explore 300 acres of plants in one of the world's leading botanic gardens.
Location: Richmond, London
Discover UNESCO World Heritage site at Masson Mills
Experience what life was like to work in an 18th-century mill at this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Location: Matlock Bath, Derbyshire
Learn how to find fossils with a guided fossil walk
Take the family on a fossil hunting walk along Charmouth Beach and uncover prehistoric history while walking along a dramatic stretch of coastline.
Location: Charmouth, Dorset
Take a boat trip for the best view of the Jurassic Coast
Step aboard the Stuart Line Cruise, and see the stunning 250 million year old Jurassic Coast cliffs up close from the sea.
Location: Exmouth, Devon
Walk and picnic amongst the prehistoric landscape at Avebury
Step into the largest stone circle in the world, standing for over 4500 years, and the site of a host of archaeological excavations.
Location: Marlborough, Wiltshire
Life in Victorian Bradford
Founded by Sir Titus Salt in 1853, Saltaire is a UNESCO World Heritage site and remains a living, working 19th century village.
Location: Saltaire, West Yorkshire
Pop the question on a Palladian bridge
The Palladian Bridge, nestled in the beautifully landscaped gardens of Prior Park, offers a memorable spot for a proposal.
Location: Bath, Somerset
Visit the "most popular filming location in the world" in Greenwich, London
Explore the magnificent buildings of the Old Royal Naval College - a film set for major blockbusters including Les Misérables and Cinderella.
Location: Greenwich, London
Stand astride the Prime Meridian at the Royal Observatory Greenwich
Stand with one foot in the east and one in the west and feel on top of the world at this historic observatory.
Location: Greenwich, London
Take on the challenging Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail
Follow in the footsteps of an Emperor along the Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail.
Location: Wallsend, Tyne and Wear
Delve in to the past of Hadrian’s Wall
Home to the longest visible stretch of Hadrian’s Wall, Cumbria is one of the best places to start exploring Roman Britain.
Location: Cumbria
Take a trip back to where the Industrial Revolution began
Ironbridge Gorge has World Heritage status for its unique contribution to the birth of the global Industrial Revolution in the 18th century.
Location: Ironbridge, Shropshire
Camp next to Hadrian's Wall
This isn't just any wall, this is an impressive piece of roman architecture.
Location: Melkridge, Cumbria
Industry meets art at Salts Mill
Packed to its Victorian rafters with independent traders and the largest collection of David Hockney’s work.
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
Sit in Harry Potter's classroom at Durham Cathedral
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry came to life via a number of locations across the UK, one of which was the awe-inspiring Durham Cathedral.
Location: Durham City, Durham
Peel away the layers of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast
Trace a history that goes back millions of years as you meander Dorset’s famous Jurassic Coast, England’s first UNESCO Natural World Heritage site.
Location: Dorset
Watch history come to life at Morwellham Quay in Devon
Take a living history lesson from the team at Morwellham Quay, a beautifully preserved Victorian village in the Devon countryside.
Location: Morwellham Quay, Devon
Relive the past at Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal
Peel back 900 years of history at this UNESCO World Heritage Site of majestic monastic ruins, water gardens and medieval deer park.
Location: Near Ripon, North Yorkshire
Marvel at Durham’s UNESCO World Heritage Site
Be awestruck by Durham Cathedral and Castle, take a relaxing stroll on the banks of the River Wear, and soak up a city as beautiful as it is historic.
Location: Durham City, Durham
Enjoy a tranquil break in a renovated railway carriage
Stay in your own 1st Class carriage at Coalport Station in the stunning Ironbridge Gorge.
Location: Ironbridge Gorge, Shropshire
Discover murder, marvels and mojitos in Canterbury
Explore the vibrant city of Canterbury, with its intriguing mix of dramatic history and cosmopolitan culture.
Location: Canterbury, Kent