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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Regent’s Park – technically The Regent’s Park – was once owned by Barking Abbey, a nunnery. After the dissolution of the monasteries it became a chase – a royal hunting park – known as Marylebone Park. The architect John Nash developed it, creating a romantic and meandering lake and framing the park with elegant terraces. A summer palace for the Prince Regent, Nash’s friend, was planned, but never built. In 1835, the public were allowed into sections of the park on two days a week. These days, Regent’s Park offers memorials, fountains, open spaces, formal gardens, sports facilities, boating, playgrounds, an open air theatre and, of course, the famous zoo. It is also home to a variety of wildlife in its own right.
Rutland Water is a reservoir, formed by damming the Gwash valley, which was completed in 1975. It is mainly fed by the rivers Welland and Nene and is the largest manmade lake (by surface water) in England. It not only supplies water, but is also surrounded by lovely countryside and parkland, offering walking, cycling, fishing and a whole variety of water sports. In fact, it has been described as ‘the playground of the East Midlands.’ There is also a nature reserve that, among other things, is home to the Rutland Osprey Project.
In 2021, the fossilised remains of Britain’s largest ichthyosaur, colloquially known as a ‘Sea Dragon’, were discovered at the Rutland Water Nature Reserve. The ichthyosaur is approximately 180 million years old and around 10 metres long, the biggest and most complete skeleton of its kind found so far in the UK.
There are several access points to Rutland Water. The postcode given is for the car park closest to Normanton Church. Check out the website link for more information.
The Shugborough Estate in Staffordshire has been the seat of the Earls of Lichfield (family name Anson) since 1831 – the 6th Earl still has apartments there. Arguably, Shugborough’s most famous son was the 5th Earl, the internationally renowned photographer Patrick Lichfield, who died in 2005. His private apartments can be visited as part of a tour of the house. The mansion is set in 900 acres of idyllic parkland, there's a historic farm with rare breeds - and the garden is a peach. If you're a conspiracy lover, Shugborough is also famous for alleged associations with the Holy Grail. The property has been owned by the National Trust since the 1960s but leased to and managed by Staffordshire County Council. In 2016, the Council handed the property back to the National Trust, who decided to close it until March 2017 to enable upgrading works to take place.
Nr Stafford
One of the Royal Parks. Bordered by The Mall, Horse Guards and Birdcage Walk, and with fairy-tale views of Buckingham Palace and the Government Buildings along Whitehall, St James’s Park will be familiar to many from its appearances over the years on TV and in films. It is a buzzy, colourful, place, handy for events like Changing of the Guard, famous for its water birds – especially the pelicans that have resided there since being a Russian gift to Charles II in 1664. It also has extremely tame grey squirrels – and keep an eye out for owls, woodpeckers and bats.
Post code is approximate.
Stansted Park is a grand house and estate of 1800 acres with formal gardens, an arboretum, maze, light railway and other attractions. Originally part of the medieval Royal Forest of Bere, a house was built here in 1327 - a fragment survives as part of the chapel. A house was built in the 17th century on the site of the present one by the Earl of Scarborough, The estate was inherited by the 2nd Earl of Halifax in the 18th century, passing through various hands. A fire in 1900 destroyed the house, which was rebuilt in 1902. It came into the hands of the Earl of Bessborough in 1924 and is now run as a charitable trust.
Photo: Simon Burchell via Wikimedia.
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