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This is the place to search for places and things of interest to visit in Britain, by name, location, type, keyword – or just have a browse. It is a growing directory – 700+ entries as of October 2019. Most entries have links for further information.
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A grand but much wrecked ruined 18th century folly, purpose unknown, commissioned by the 2nd Earl of Halifax. It is in a very poor state of repair and is favoured by ne'er do wells and ghost hunters.
The gentle chalk downlands of Hampshire and Sussex along the south coast of England are close to some of the most populous parts of the country. It is a rich area of mixed farming, woodland, pretty villages, good pubs and walking without much altitude. The slopes will still test the muscles, though. It is also a grand place to meander on bike or by car and there is a multitude of attractions to visit.
St Giles' Horsted Keynes is one of the most picture-perfect Norman -medieval churches you will ever see. Its wealth is evident from the stonework. The church actually has Saxon origins - though it is also thought to be built on a pagan site, and possibly within a stone circle. Among its many interesting features is the tomb of the 'Little Crusader' in the chancel; what looks like the effigy of a child is that of a crusader knight and it is thought this marks the burial place of a crusader's heart, brought home from the Holy Land. Famous burials include Robert Leighton (1611-84), Bishop of Dunblane and Archbishop of Glasgow, who retired to the village. Also in the churchyard are Harold and Dorothy Macmillan. Macmillan (1894-1986), later Lord Stockton, was Prime Minister from 1957-63.
The tiny church of St Nicholas at Bramber was originally the chapel of Bramber Castle, built by William de Braose in 1073 and eventually becoming Bramber's parish church. It is reputedly the oldest Norman church in the county. It was originally cruciform, but the transepts have long gone. There is a lovely 11th century chancel arch with decorated capitals and several other medieval features, including a 13th century font.
St Michael's Baddesley Clinton is a short walk from Baddesley Clinton Manor House, through woods packed with snowdrops, daffodils and bluebells. The church was originally dedicated to St James, but changed - probably in the 19th century. The present building dates from 1305, but it is generally thought that a church stood on or near the site before Domesday (though the latter makes no mention of one). Do not miss the beautiful east window, the interesting rustic oak screen - or the simple grave marker for Nicholas Broome, just inside the south door (under the mat!). Once lord of the manor, he murdered a priest and built the tower of the church as a penance.
The Ridgeway is thought to be Britain’s oldest road, in use for at least 5,000 years. It is one of the trackways that used to run along the dry higher ground in ancient times. The Ridgway, in its modern trail form, covers 87 miles from Avebury, Wiltshire, to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire. There are various prehistoric remains along its route. In its original form, it stretched from the Dorset coast to the Wash.
Monument celebrating the life of Vice-Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, born in Newcastle in 1748. An able officer who served in the American War of Independence and Napoleonic Wars, Collingwood was Nelson's 2IC at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 and took command when Nelson was fatally wounded. His statue looks out across the mouth of the Tyne. Four cannon flanking the steps of the monument were taken from his flagship, HMS Royal Sovereign.
Marsden Bay is part of a stunning limestone cliff coastline between South Shields and Sunderland. It is a favoured nesting place for seabirds, particularly cormorants, fulmars and kittiwakes, much frequented by families and dog-walkers and admired by geologists. There is a famous and historic cave bar and diner, Marsden Grotto, attached to the cliff, which gets mixed reviews.
An iconic symbol of Newcastle upon Tyne, the Tyne Bridge was designed by Mott, Hay and Anderson and built by the same company that later built Sydney Harbour Bridge, Dorman Long and Co. The Tyne Bridge was opened by King George V on 10th October 1928; it carries the A167 road across the river Tyne between Gateshead and Newcastle.
Antony Gormley's iconic steel sculpture near the A1 south of Gateshead. It weighs 200 tonnes, is 20 metres high and has a wingspan of 54 metres.