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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, to be replaced with ‘Places to Visit’.  You may find what you are looking for there. Tap/Click ‘find listings’ for a detailed search – or just have a browse.  […]

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, to be replaced with ‘Places to Visit’.  You may find what you are looking for there.

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

St Giles', Horsted Keynes

St Giles' Horsted Keynes is one of the most picture-perfect Norman -medieval churches you will ever see. Its wealth is evident from the stonework. The church actually has Saxon origins - though it is also thought to be built on a pagan site, and possibly within a stone circle. Among its many interesting features is the tomb of the 'Little Crusader' in the chancel; what looks like the effigy of a child is that of a crusader knight and it is thought this marks the burial place of a crusader's heart, brought home from the Holy Land. Famous burials include Robert Leighton (1611-84), Bishop of Dunblane and Archbishop of Glasgow, who retired to the village. Also in the churchyard are Harold and Dorothy Macmillan. Macmillan (1894-1986), later Lord Stockton, was Prime Minister from 1957-63.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Church Lane
Horsted Keynes
County
West Sussex
Post Code
RH17 7AY
Main Historic Period
Norman
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Bluebell Railway, Sheffield Park
Primary Management
Church authorities
STILL & WEST

The Still & West is an iconic early 19th century pub (greatly restored) in Old Portsmouth, right on the harbourside where you can sit and watch the ships go by while enjoying a drink and fish 'n' chips. At time of writing (2017) it is a Fuller's pub serving their version of HSB, the Horndean Special Bitter once brewed by the defunct Gales brewery.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
2 Bath Square
Portsmouth
County
Hampshire
Post Code
PO1 2JI
Main Historic Period
Modern
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Spice Island Inn opposite
Primary Management
Other
St JAMES, Shere

The Church of St James, Shere, dates from the late 12th century but is thought to be built on an earlier Saxon church. It is mostly 12th - 14th century, restored in the 20th, with some fine features, including the Norman west doorway and 13th century font and chest – probably used to hold money collected for the crusades. The church has some medieval stained glass and some interesting memorials, but is possibly best known for the Anchoress of Shere, Christine Carpenter, who asked to be walled up in the church forever and, in 1379, got her wish. Her cell is in the north wall of the church, where there is a quatrefoil squint enabling her to take part in Mass and through which food could be passed. The handsome lych gate is by Lutyens and there's an attractive path and bridge over a stream on the north side of the church.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
The Square
Shere
County
Surrey
Post Code
GU5 9HG
Main Historic Period
Medieval
Useful Website Address
Primary Management
Church Authorities
St JOHN’S COLLEGE, Oxford

St John's College was founded in 1555 by the Master of the Merchant Taylors' Company in London, Sir Thomas White, using the premises of St Bernard's College, itself founded in 1437 by Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury, for Cistercian monks studying at Oxford University. The Cistercian college was suppressed in 1536. St John's was the first Oxford college to be founded by a merchant. Alumni include Archbishop Laud, Jane Austen's father, A E Housman, Robert Graves, Kingsley Amis, Philip Larkin and former Prime Minister, Tony Blair. The buildings date from the 15th century. The Chapel was originally consecrated in 1530. The Library dates from the 16th century and holds over 200 medieval manuscripts, 20,000 books printed before 1850, several Middle Eastern manuscripts dating back to the 14th century, 200 modern manuscripts, and important collections of papers and books owned by figures such as Robert Graves, A E Housman and Spike Milligan.

Parts of the college are open to the public at particular times. Check the college website for details.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
St Giles
Oxford
County
Oxfordshire
Main Historic Period
Stuart
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Oxford City Centre.
Primary Management
Educational establisment
St Martin's, Bladon

St Martin's, Bladon, is most famous as the burial place of Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (1874-1965), Britain's wartime Prime Minister, who was born at nearby Blenheim Palace. Churchill is buried with his wife, Clementine Ogilvy Spencer Churchill and close by are the graves of Churchill's parents, brother and three of his children.  Bladon's original parish church probably dated from 11th or 12th centuries; current building is 19th century and has some attractive glass.

Bladon is on the A4095 between the A44 (Woodstock) and Witney. Parking is limited – if you do travel by car, please consider local residents. You can walk to Bladon if you are visiting Blenheim Palace, about a mile to the north.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Church Street
Bladon
Nr Woodstock
County
Oxfordshire
Post Code
OX20 1RS
Main Historic Period
Victorian
Link to featured article
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Blenheim Palace
Primary Management
Church Authorities
St MARTIN’S, Canterbury

St Martin's is the oldest ecclesiastical building in Britain still used as a church. It was the private chapel of Queen Bertha of Kent, the Christian Queen of the pagan King Ethelbert of Kent in the 6th century. This was before the arrival of St Augustine to convert the southern English to Christianity; St Augustine is said to have used St Martin's as a base before founding the nearby abbey and cathedral. The church, by tradition, is thought to be a renovated Roman building. It was enlarged in the 7th century, extended in the 11th century and the tower was added in the 14th century. The creator of Rupert Bear, Mary Tourtel, is buried in the graveyard.

St Martin's is part of the World Heritage Site that includes Canterbury Cathedral and the ruins of St Augustine's Abbey. The church has limited opening and depends on volunteers; check the website before making a special journey.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
North Homes Road
Canterbury
County
Kent
Post Code
CT1 1QJ
Main Historic Period
Saxon
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
St Augustine's Abbey is nearby. It is at least a 30 minute walk from the Cathedral and there is very limited parking.
Primary Management
Church Authorities
St MARY’S, Swinbrook

St Mary's, Swinbrook, is a 12th century parish church most famous for its Fettiplace memorials, two ornate carved 17th century monuments each featuring three recumbent effigies of members of the local Fettiplace family. The churchyard also contains the graves of four of the Mitford sisters, Nancy, Unity, Diana and Pamela and their parents. A further notable memorial is to HMS P514. If that's not enough, the church also contains 15th century misericords and is in a charming location.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Pebble Court
Swinbrook
County
Oxfordshire
Post Code
OX18 4DY
Main Historic Period
Medieval
Link to featured article
St MARY MAGDALEN, Oxford

Oxford’s historic church of St Mary Magdalen stands on a traffic island near the Martyr’s Memorial, surrounded by an unruly churchyard. It looks like a rural oasis amidst the chaos of a city centre. The church is built on the site of a Saxon timber church that stood outside the city walls and which was destroyed by Vikings in the early 11th century. A new stone chapel was built in 1074 but the current building dates from the 12th century and was considerably rebuilt in the Victorian period. There is an ornate 14th century font and the tower is 16th century. Parliamentary troops were held prisoner in the church during the English Civil War, when Oxford was Charles I’s capital.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
9 Magdalen Street
Oxford
County
Oxfordshire
Post Code
OX1 3AE
Main Historic Period
Medieval
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Oxford City Centre, colleges and museums
Primary Management
Church authorities
St MARY the VIRGIN, Ewelme

Exceptionally interesting and beautiful 15th century church built on an ancient site in an unusual, and historic, village. The church is best known for the elaborate tomb of Alice de la Pole, Duchess of Suffolk and granddaughter of the poet, Geoffrey Chaucer. Her father, Thomas, is also buried in the church. The author Jerome K Jerome is buried in the churchyard.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Parson's Lane
Ewelme
County
Oxfordshire
Post Code
OX10 6HS
Main Historic Period
Medieval
Link to featured article
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Wallingford Castle, Oxford
Primary Management
Church authorities
St  MICHAEL and ALL ANGELS, Lyndhurst

Victorian Gothic, largely brick-built, church constructed between 1858-69. It stands on a prehistoric man-made mound and, externally, is not much to look at; the interior is breathtaking, however. Alice Hargreaves, who inspired the Alice of Lewis Carroll's Wonderland and Looking-Glass, is buried in the churchyard.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
High Street
Lyndhurst
County
Hampshire
Post Code
SO43 7BD
Main Historic Period
Victorian
Tip/Nearby
New Forest National Park
Primary Management
Church authorities

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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