Maritime

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

This listings directory of over 950 entries is being phased out.
It now excludes places and things of interest in the North of England, including Yorkshire.
These can be found in ABAB’s Places.
Places to visit in England’s East Midlands are currently being moved to ABAB’s Places.

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BUCKLER’S HARD

Buckler's Hard is a show village, built in the 18th century, on the Beaulieu river with a pub, hotel and museum. There is also a riverside walk to Beaulieu village. Buckler's Hard was at one time a busy port and shipbuilding community, where many of the Royal Navy's ships began life. It also had a role in the preparations for D-Day during the Second World War.  Buckler's Hard is part of the Beaulieu Estate.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Beaulieu
County
Hampshire
Post Code
SO42 7XB
Main Historic Period
Georgian
Link to featured article
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
You can easily walk to Buckler's Hard from Beaulieu village, but it's easier to drive and pay for a ticket which includes museum entry.
Primary Management
Private - open to the public
CUTTY SARK

Famous 19th century sailing ship, built in Dumbarton in 1869, which was the fastest ship of her time and is the world's only surviving tea-clipper. Carefully restored after a disastrous fire, Cutty Sark has been raised about 10 feet (3+ metres) so that you can walk right underneath her copper-bottomed hull. On deck and below are fascinating displays and accounts of the ship's history and life on board.

Managed by Royal Museums Greenwich, who are also responsible for the National Maritime Museum, Queen's House and Royal Observatory.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
King William Walk
Greenwich
County
London
Post Code
SE10 9HT
Main Historic Period
Victorian
Tip/Nearby
National Maritime Museum, Queen's House, Royal Observatory, Greenwich Park, Greenwich market. Travel by Docklands Light Railway.
Primary Management
Royal Museums Greenwich
GLENLEE

Berthed by Glasgow's Riverside Museum is the SV (sailing vessel) Glenlee, launched in 1896. Known locally as “The Tall Ship”, this is one of the last steel-hulled bulk cargo carriers in existence, one of only 5 Clyde-built sailing ships still afloat – and the only one in Britain. Extensively and lovingly restored, Glenlee can be seen at the same time as visiting the Riverside Museum and is also hired out for events (so check before making a special trip).

Region/Nation
Location/Address
150 Pointhouse Place
County
Glasgow
Post Code
G3 8RS
Main Historic Period
Edwardian
Link to featured article
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Riverside Museum
Primary Management
Other
HMS BELFAST

HMS Belfast is one of London's landmarks, a World War Two Royal Navy cruiser permanently moored by London Bridge and now a museum operated by the Imperial War Museum. Belfast saw service on the Arctic Convoys, during D-Day and the Korean War. Exploring the ship gives a unique insight into life on board during those dark days and up to 1963.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
The Queen's Walk
County
London
Post Code
SE1 2JH
Main Historic Period
Modern
Link to featured article
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Right by London Bridge station
Primary Management
Imperial War Museum
HMS M33

HMS M.33 was built as a Royal Navy monitor in 1915 and is one of just three surviving Royal Navy ships from the First World War. She served at Gallipoli and Salonika, and in 1919 was sent to northern Russia to support the anti-Bolshevik forces. In the 1920s, she was renamed 'Minerva' and given a mine-laying role and during the Second World War was a fuelling hulk renamed 'Hulk C23'. She has been restored and as of 2017 was moored next to HMS Victory in Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard as a visitor attraction.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Victory Gate
HM Naval Base
Portsmouth
County
Hampshire
Post Code
PO1 3QX
Main Historic Period
Modern
Link to featured article
Tip/Nearby
HMS Victory, Mary Rose - all other dockyard attractions
Primary Management
Military
HMS VICTORY

Launched in Chatham in 1765, HMS Victory served in the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic War. She is most famous as the flagship of Admiral Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, when the Royal Navy defeated a larger combined French and Spanish force. Nelson died on board. Victory has been in dry dock since 1922 and is the world's oldest naval ship still in commission.  Learn the origin of 'a square meal' and 'not enough room to swing a cat'.  Be amazed at the conditions in which sailors lived and fought in the early 19thC.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth
County
Hampshire
Post Code
PO1 3LJ
Main Historic Period
Georgian
Link to featured article
Useful Website Address
Primary Management
Military
HMS WARRIOR

HMS Warrior was world’s first armour-plated, iron-hulled warship, a 40-gun steam-powered frigate, albeit with sails too, launched in London in 1860. She rendered every other naval ship obsolete at the time, but was herself out of date by 1871. Warrior was rescued from use as an oil jetty and restored in Hartlepool to her 1860 condition over an 8 year period. She has been berthed in Portsmouth and open to the public since 1987.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Victory Gate
HM Naval Base
Portsmouth
County
Hampshire
Post Code
PO1 3QX
Main Historic Period
Victorian
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
HMS Victory, the Mary rose and the Historic Naval Dockyard
Primary Management
Other
MARY ROSE

The Mary Rose was a Tudor warship. She sank, inexplicably, under the very eyes of King Henry VIII as he watched a battle unfold between the English and French navies just outside Portsmouth Harbour on 19 July 1545. Only 35 out of the 500 people on board survived. For years, Mary Rose lay on her side, the exposed portion rotting away. In 1982, her remains were raised from the seabed - an astonishing achievement. The wreck was also like a Tudor time capsule, providing an insight into so many aspects of life 5 centuries ago. £39 million has been spent conserving and presenting Mary Rose and she is now stunningly displayed in a purpose-built exhibition building alongside the artefacts, and some of the human remains, found with her.

The illustration is from 'The Embarkation of Henry VIII at Dover' and shows vessels similar to the Mary Rose.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Victory Gate
HM Naval Base
Portsmouth
County
Hampshire
Post Code
PO1 3QX
Main Historic Period
Tudor
Link to featured article
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
HM Naval Base attractions, eg HMS Victory, RN Museum
Primary Management
Other
Museum of LONDON DOCKLANDS

The Museum of London Docklands (part of the Museum of London) tells the story (surprisingly) of London’s docks, how trade developed, the involvement of slavery, the time when London was the hub of a great empire and the world’s busiest port. You can also walk through 19th century ‘sailortown’.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
No 1 Warehouse
West India Quay
County
London
Post Code
E14 4AL
Main Historic Period
Victorian
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Canary Wharf
Primary Management
Local Authority
NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM

The National Maritime Museum is allegedly the world’s largest maritime museum with a collection that includes artwork, maps and charts, models, memorabilia and thousands of other objects - such as an impressive number of figureheads and items relating to Horatio Nelson and Captain Cook. The museum opened in 1937 and is part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Romney Road
Greenwich
County
London
Post Code
SE10 9NF
Main Historic Period
All
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Royal Observatory, Queen's House, Cutty Sark, Greenwich Park
Primary Management
Royal Museums Greenwich

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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