Britain, places to visit, attractions, heritage
Find places to visit in Britain by name, location, type of attraction, or other keyword.

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BRAMBLETYE HOUSE

Along a small private road to the south of East Grinstead are the ruins of what was once a fine Jacobean house.  This is Brambletye House.  There had been a Brambletye Manor at the time of the Domesday Survey, on a now deserted moated plot nearby.  This house was built in 1631 by Sir Henry Compton and allegedly destroyed during the civil wars by Parliamentary troops. Of course, there are stories…

The ruins can be viewed from the road, but there is nothing to actually visit – the old house is on private land.  That said, the listing on Historic England suggests the ruins might be viewed by appointment – contact details on their site.

Directions - off the A22 about 2 miles south of East Grinstead. There is very limited parking just inside the entrance to a westbound farm entrance and private road.  From there, you need to walk.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Brambletye Lane
Forest Row
County
East Sussex
Post Code
RH18 5EH
Main Historic Period
Stuart
Tip/Nearby
Ashdown Forest
Primary Management
Private - not open to the public
BRIDGE of SIGHS, Oxford

Oxford’s so-called Bridge of Sighs (Hertford Bridge) was completed in 1914 and links two halves of Hertford College.  It has become something of a landmark and is much-photographed. It was never intended to be a replica of the Venetian Bridge of Sighs, and looks more like a considerably smaller version of the Rialto Bridge.

It is not generally open to the public.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
New College Lane
Oxford
County
Oxfordshire
Post Code
OX1 3BW
Main Historic Period
Modern
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
It is opposite the entrance to Bodleian Library.
Primary Management
Educational establishment
BRIGHTLING

Brightling is a tiny village in the Weald, surrounded by lovely countryside and other tiny villages. There are two reasons you might want to visit. Firstly, it has an attractive church, dedicated to St Thomas à Becket, which was actually mentioned in the Domesday survey.  So, given that Thomas was murdered in 1170, the church was obviously originally dedicated to someone else, possibly St Nicholas.  The current building dates from the 13th century and among its features are some good brasses, 17th century wall paintings (biblical texts) and a rare barrel organ.  The second reason to visit Brightling is to see the large stone pyramid in the churchyard.  This was built as a mausoleum for John ‘Mad Jack’ Fuller (1757-1834), the local squire.  Fuller was an eccentric, drunk, Member of Parliament, plantation and slave owner, philanthropist, patron of the arts and science (he supported JMW Turner and Michael Faraday) and builder of follies.  Local legend was that he had been buried in his pyramid seated at a table in full evening dress with a bottle of claret but, sadly, that was shown to be untrue.  Among his other structures are a ‘temple’ in the grounds of his house, Rosehill (now Brightling Park) next door to the church, an observatory (now a private residence), an obelisk on a local hilltop, ‘sugar loaf’ (no idea, sorry) and a tower – which is easily accessible a short walk across fields south-east of the church.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
The Street
Brightling
County
East Sussex
Post Code
TN32 5HH
Main Historic Period
Georgian
Tip/Nearby
Bateman's, Bodiam
Primary Management
Local Authority
Britain's smallest police station?

Found in the south-west corner of Trafalgar Square, this former police observation post is often wrongly claimed to be Britain's - or the world's - smallest police station. It was never a police station - but it is an interesting curiosity!

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Trafalgar Square
County
London
Post Code
WC2N 5DN
Main Historic Period
Modern
Link to featured article
Tip/Nearby
Right in the middle of London...
Primary Management
Local Authority
BUCKINGHAM HOUSE, Portsmouth

Buckingham House, Portsmouth, is a former inn where George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, was murdered by a disgruntled naval lieutenant, John Felton, on 23 August 1628. It was on the market for £1.5M in March 2017 and as of October that year was being run as Ye Spotted Dogge guest house - a return to its past. The building possibly dates from the late 15th century and is certainly Tudor in origin. In 1523 it was Le Greyhound Inne. By the time of Buckingham's murder, it was known as Ye Spotted Dogge Inne and owned by a Captain John Mason. Mason was an explorer and credited with naming New Hampshire. Felton was executed in London - his body was brought back to Portsmouth and left to rot near Clarence Pier. The property was later owned by Dr William Smith, who died in 1732 and left a bequest to found Portsmouth Grammar School - now located next door.

Note - the building is not a tourist attraction or generally open to the public. See their website.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
11-12 High Street
Portsmouth
County
Hampshire
Post Code
PO1 2LP
Main Historic Period
Stuart
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Cathedral, Old Portsmouth, Naval Dockyard
Primary Management
Private - not open to the public
BUNNERS

Bunners describes itself as a traditional ironmonger, which it is; but it is so much more too.  In addition to the things you would expect, such as tools, brackets, hinges, paint and brushes, it sells toys, kitchenware and gifts.  It sells stoves and garden equipment.  Even fuel.  It has an enormous range.  Established in 1892, Bunners is still a family business and, inside, it is a little like stepping back in time.  There is a traditional shop counter with friendly, helpful, staff who know their stock.  You can still buy a single screw, rather than a pack of 10 or more.  Beyond the counter, the place is something of a rabbit warren and, frankly, worth exploring for the experience and education.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Arthur Street
Montgomery
County
Powys
Post Code
SY15 6RA
Main Historic Period
Edwardian
Link to featured article
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Old Bell Museum, Montgomery Castle
Primary Management
Private - open to the public
CARFAX TOWER

Carfax Tower is all that remains of the 12th century church of St Martin's Church, the official civic church for the city situated at the centre of the old medieval town. St Martins was demolished in 1820 after the building had become unstable, but the 13th century west tower was spared. The replacement church wasn’t around for long; it was pulled down in 1896 when the road was widened and, again, the tower was spared.

The name ‘Carfax’, or ‘carfoukes’ in older English, is said to be derived either from the French ‘carrefourges’, ‘carrefour’ – or ‘crossroads’ – or from the Latin ‘quatuor furcas’ - ‘four forks’. So ‘carfax’ refers to the location; technically, the tower is St Martin's Tower. A climb to the top (it is 74 feet high) provides wonderful views over the city. And no building in central Oxford is permitted to be built any higher than Carfax Tower. On its east side is a copy of the old church clock, with mechanical ‘quarterboys’ hammering out each quarter hour.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Junction of St Aldate's, Cornmarket, Queen Street, and High Street
Oxford
County
Oxfordshire
Post Code
OX1 1ET
Main Historic Period
Medieval
Tip/Nearby
Centre of Oxford
Primary Management
Local Authority
CHIDING STONE

The Chiding Stone is a block of smooth sandstone which allegedly (but probably not) gives the village of Chiddingstone in Kent its name and which has a mysterious past. One story is that it was used as a place of judgement in ancient times - hence 'chiding stone'. The village is a peach - most of the buildings are owned by the National Trust and are over 200 years old.

Chiddingstone is located on a minor road between Edenbridge and Tonbridge; the River Eden flows just to the north.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Chiddingstone
Nr Edenbridge
County
Kent
Post Code
TN8 7AH
Main Historic Period
Prehistory
Link to featured article
Tip/Nearby
Chiddingstone Castle, Penshurst Place, Hever Castle
Primary Management
National Trust

The Cork Stone is one of a number of natural stone pillars on Derbyshire’s Stanton Moor. It is a well-known landmark, a piece of weathered sandstone that has stood for thousands of years, eroded into a mushroom shape resembling an enormous cork.  It is covered in graffiti dating from at least the 19th century and has step holes cut out of one side to facilitate climbing to the top.  Metal rods were added later, possibly in Victorian times according to a nearby information board.  There is a hollow bowl on top of the stone.

There is no postcode.  The address is for guidance only.  The Cork Stone will be found a short distance from a lay-by and information board on the east side of Birchover Road.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Birchover Road
between Birchover and Stanton in Peak,
W of the A6
County
Derbyshire
Post Code
DE4 2BN
Main Historic Period
N/A
Primary Management
National Park
CROSSBONES GRAVEYARD

An urban garden of remembrance has been created on the site of Crossbones Graveyard, a burial place for paupers, prostitutes and the unwanted. It developed from a late medieval 'single women's churchyard' - a resting place for the 'Winchester Geese', prostitutes licensed by the Bishop of Winchester to work in London's pleasure quarter, outside the confines of the City of London. The graveyard was closed on health grounds in 1853. An estimated 15,000 people are buried there in unmarked graves.

Staffed by volunteers, limited opening.

The post code is for the Boot & Flogger wine bar opposite.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Redcross Way
Borough
County
London
Post Code
SE1 1TA
Main Historic Period
Georgian
Link to featured article
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Borough Market
Primary Management
Other

If your favourite attraction is not listed yet, and you have a good quality digital photograph of it that you are able to freely send, please get in touch. 

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