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.
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The Roman theatre at Verulamium is unique in Britain, because it's a theatre with a stage, rather than an amphitheatre. It was built in about 140AD, later redeveloped and by the 4th century it is estimated it could seat an audience of some 2,000. Close to the ruins are the foundations of shops and a temple. There is not a great deal to see, but it is opposite the Roman Museum - so park near the latter and combine the two.
Part of the Gorhambury Estate.
St Albans
Sandringham is the private Norfolk home of the Royal Family. The late HM Queen Elizabeth II inherited it from her father, George VI. George loved the place and died there on 6 February 1952. The house is perhaps the most famous stately home in Norfolk and is at the heart of the large Sandringham Estate, which includes Sandringham Royal Park, open to the public free of charge, and extensive private gardens.
There is evidence of prehistoric and Roman activity nearby and Sandringham itself is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as “Sant Dersingham”, the sandy part of Dersingham. The royal connection came via Queen Victoria’s son, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, who bought the then 18th century house and estate in 1862, aged 21. Edward demolished the house and, between 1870 and the 1890s, replaced it with the current one. It passed to his son, King George V, and then to his son Edward VIII who, following his abdication, sold it to his brother, George VI. All monarchs appear to have had a special affection for Sandringham.
The gardens were first opened to the public by King Edward VII in 1908, and in 1930 the Museum was opened with an admission charge of 3d (1.25p). Queen Elizabeth opened the House itself to the public in her Silver Jubilee year, 1977.
The Scallop is a 12 foot (4 metre) high sculpture by Suffolk artist Maggi Hambling controversially situated on the beach just to the north of Aldeburgh. It is made of 10mm thick stainless steel and designed to withstand 100mph winds. The installation is a monument to past Aldeburgh resident Benjamin Britten. Cut into the rim of the scallop are the words "I hear those voices that will not be drowned" from Britten's opera Peter Grimes.
Post code is approximate - walk north along the beach from Aldeburgh.
Aldeburgh
One of Britain's largest colonies of common and grey seals is at Blakeney Pont, a 4 mile spit that sticks out into the North Sea. It is a national nature reserve, and a favourite spot for birds, native and foreign, as well as seals. Various companies run boat trips to see the seals. The trips last about an hour and tend to depart from Morston Quay.
The link below will take you to one operator - but there are others - no recommendation is implied.
Nr Blakeney
Snape maltings is a complex of shops, holiday accommodation, café and pub centred around the world famous concert hall. The buildings are mainly converted Victorian industrial buildings, originally used for the malting of barley. The venue was created by composer Benjamin Britten and his partner, singer Peter Pears, reclaiming the old buildings. A programme of music runs all year.
A charming, small, seaside town, famous for its colourful beach huts and home to Adnams Brewery. It has a pier, with some quirky slot machines, a boating lake and putting green. Most importantly, there's a decent beach, a mixture of shingle and sand. There's also a lighthouse, museum, other attractions and associations with George Orwell, whose parents lived in the town. he Battle of Solebay took place off-shore in 1672.
St Albans Cathedral is known as the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain and stands over the place where Alban, Britain's first saint, was buried after the Roman gave his life for his faith more than 1700 years ago. A church was built over the grave and it became a place of pilgrimage. King Offa of Mercia is said to have founded a monastery here in 793 AD.
William the Conqueror appointed Paul of Caen as the first Norman abbot of St Albans and Paul set about building a new church, using material from the Roman city of Verulamium. Today, St Albans is the only cathedral in Britain with a Norman crossing tower that is still standing – and built of Roman bricks. It also has the longest nave in England, with medieval paintings on its pillars and wonderful stained glass in its windows. St Albans Abbey was dissolved in December 1539, most of its buildings were destroyed and its valuables disappeared – along with St Alban’s relics. In 1553, the people of St Albans bought the church for their own use. However, the upkeep was expensive and by 1832, the Abbey was in a poor condition. Wealthy Victorian benefactors paid for the building to be repaired, which included remodelling the West End, removing medieval features and replacing the statues in the High Altar Screen. In 1877 what had previously been a local parish church became a cathedral and the seat of the Bishop of St Albans.
St Albans
St Andrews, Blickling, is a 15th century church on an older site, significantly restored in the mid-19th century. The interior contains some significant medieval brasses, a medieval font, wonderful stained glass and, perhaps its crowning glory, the astonishing marble memorial to William Schomberg Robert Kerr, 8th Marquess of Lothian (1832 - 1870). William Kerr inherited the Blickling Estate when he was just nine years old and made many changes to the hall. He died at the age of just 38.
Blickling
St Andrews, Greensted, known as 'Greensted Log Church', or simply, 'Log Church', is reputedly the oldest surviving wooden church in the world, constructed c1060 using split oak logs. There are some interesting graves, including one thought to be of a crusader, and it is believed that an earlier church stood on the same site. The church is also famous as a resting place for the body of St Edmund, on its way from London to be finally interred in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, in 1013.
When visiting, bear in mind this is not just a historic building of considerable interest, but also a fully functioning place of worship.
Greensted
Ongar
St Bartholomew's, Orford's parish church was originally built in the 12th century - and its grand, but ruined, chancel can still be seen in the churchyard. The surviving building is still large, dates from 14th century and has been much restored. Amongst its treasures are a number of surviving 15th and 16th century brasses and a remarkable font. Benjamin Britten loved the church; some of the composer's works premiered here and concerts are regularly held.
Orford
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