Maritime

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

Tap/Click ‘find listings’ for a detailed search – or just have a browse. 

ALBERT DOCK

Albert Dock is Liverpool's famous 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 and handy for the lively Cavern Quarter.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Liverpool Waterfront
Liverpool
County
Merseyside
Post Code
L3 4AA
Main Historic Period
Victorian
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
5 minutes from Mathew Street and the Cavern Quarter
Primary Management
Private - open to the public
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
FERRY CROSS THE MERSEY

The famous ferry 'cross the Mersey runs between Liverpool's Pier Head, Birkenhead (Woodside) and Wallasey (Seacombe). The company also offers cruises - eg up the Manchester Ship Canal and other excursions. In 2014, one of the ferries was painted in 'razzle-dazzle' style, designed by Sir Peter Blake, to mark the centenary of the First World War.

There has been a ferry across the Mersey since the 11th century, at least.  These days, passengers include commuters as well as tourists.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Pier Head
Georges Parade
Liverpool
County
Merseyside
Post Code
L3 1DP
Main Historic Period
Modern
Link to featured article
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
All Liverpool attractions
Primary Management
Local Authority
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
GRACE DARLING MUSEUM

The Grace Darling Museum is run by the RNLI and (surprisingly) dedicated to Grace Darling, who in 1838 helped her father rescue survivors of a shipwreck on the Farne Islands, where he was lighthouse keeper. The museum was established in 1938 and contains a collection of personal items relating to Grace, her family and the ship that was wrecked, the SS Forfarshire. The museum also houses the boat Grace and her father used in the rescue. Grace is buried in St Aidan's churchyard opposite, where there is also a memorial. She was born next door to the museum and died in a house in Front Street.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Radcliffe Road
Bamburgh
County
Northumberland
Post Code
NE69 7AE
Main Historic Period
Victorian
Link to featured article
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Bamburgh Castle, St Aiden's Church, beach
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

This is a growing listings directory – over 950 entries have been listed as of September 2022. 

Entries have links for further information, such as opening times and entry fees.

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

Scroll to Top
%d bloggers like this: