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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 – over 780 entries as of June 2020. Most entries have links for further information.
Industrial
Attractive garden and partially open 17th century red sandstone manor house. The estate at Acorn Bank dates back to the medieval order of the Knights Hospitaller. The main attraction now is the 17th century walled garden, with its fascinating medicinal herbs, pretty formal area, traditional orchard, woodland walks and industrial past complete with restored working watermill dating from the 16th century.
Victorian dock area, originally built of iron, stone and brick, now fully restored and claiming to be the largest group of Grade I listed buildings in the country. The complex includes car parking, hotels, shops, restaurants and several museums, including: Slavery Museum; Maritime Museum; Beatles Story; and Tate Liverpool. Albert Dock is about a 20-30 minute walk from Lime Street station.
Beamish is an astonishing open air museum, telling the story of life in North East England during the 1820s, 1900s & 1940s. It was the vision of Dr Frank Atkinson, the museum’s founder and first director, who could see the industrial heritage of the north east fading away and set out to preserve it. So, in 300 acres on the site of a Durham coalfield, you will find a town from the 1900s, a pit village, colliery, Edwardian railway, 1940s farm – and more. Many of the buildings have been painstakingly relocated from their original sites and rebuilt; others are faithful replicas. There are thousands of exhibits, many of them working, and the museum is further brought to life with the help of costumed re-enactors.
Blists Hill is an open air museum, recreating a Victorian town on an industrial site that included mines, blast furnaces and a section of the Shropshire Canal. Some of the buildings are original, others have been relocated and some are replicas. It's a 52 acre site. There's a fascinating range of things to see, from shops, a bank and public house, to industrial premises. Costumed staff keep the whole thing themed and there are various demonstrations and events etc. It's a good day out for all ages.
Blists Hill is one of 10 museums in the area run by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.
Tells the story of the greatest munitions factory on earth and the lives of the girls who worked thee. HM Factory Gretna opened in 1916 and manufactured RDB Cordite. Cordite was (or is) a powerful explosive, a mixture of guncotton and nitro-glycerine, which was said to resemble porridge. HM Factory Gretna stretched over 9 miles and at its height employed 30,000 people.
A unique and massive boat lift connecting the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal. Completed in 2002 at a cost of £84.5 million, the Falkirk Wheel raises boats 79 feet (24 metres), though there are still a couple of locks to negotiate as well. An engineering masterpiece, there are boat trips, walks, a play park, visitor centre and other activities.
They say whisky was distilled at Morangie Farm since at least 1703. Glenmorangie's best selling malts, include The Original and the rich Quinta Ruban, are matured in white oak casks from Missouri and used to mature bourbon for 4 years before being shipped to Scotland. Glenmorangie is famous for its products allegedly being 'Perfected by the Sixteen Men of Tain' and its logo is based on a design from Pictish stone, the Hilton of Cadboll Stone, discovered nearby on the Tarbet Peninsula, Easter Ross. Various tours of the distillery are available and it is always advisable to book.
Charming and now relatively peaceful Shropshire town at the heart of the Industrial Revolution, spanning the river Severn and a beautiful gorge with its famous 18th century iron bridge. There are many museums in the town and nearby, as well as walks.
Something for the petrol-heads - and a great rainy day option for the Lake District. 30,000 exhibits, including classic cars, bikes and what is claimed to be possibly the largest collection of motoring memorabilia in the world. There are displays, stories, a bit about South Lakeland's industrial past, period shops and a special 'Speed Kings' exhibition - a tribute to the racing Campbells, Malcolm and Donald.
It's also possible to travel to the museum via boat across Windermere and then steam train to Haverthwaite - check their website for details.
A heritage railway running steam and diesel locomotives on a former branch line of the Furness Railway. The line is just over 3 miles long, between Lakeside Station at the southern tip of Lake Windermere and Haverthwaite (journey time about 20 minutes). Steamers run to Lakeside from Windermere and Ambleside. At Haverthwaite Station are all things railway, including engine sheds where locos can be inspected. Thomas the Tank Engine has been known to visit sometimes.