The South
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The South - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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21. Alexander Keiller Museum and Avebury Manor
The Avebury Stone Circles are put into context by this collection of Neolithic and Bronze Age artifacts from the site, one of the most important prehistoric archaeological collections in Britain. The museum contains charts, photos, models, and home movies taken by its namesake, archaeologist Alexander Keiller. It has been suggested that Keiller, responsible for the excavation of Avebury in the 1930s, may have adapted the site's layout to highlight presentation more than authenticity. The exhibits are divided between the 17th-century Stables Gallery, which displays finds from Keiller's excavations, the child-friendly Barn Gallery, where you find interactive exhibits about the history of Avebury, and an activity area where kids can dress up in Bronze Age clothes. You can also visit the Manor House, where Keiller lived, and its surrounding gardens. The Tudor-era building received several subsequent (Queen Anne, Regency, and art deco) additions, and the rooms have been filled with acquired or commissioned period-appropriate furniture to illustrate how previous occupants lived.
High St., Avebury, Wiltshire, SN8 1RF, England01672-539250Sight Details
Rate Includes: Museum £5; manor house and gardens £11; gardens only £5, Manor House closed Jan.–Apr., Wed. May–early Sept, and Mon.–Wed. early Sept.–late Dec.; gardens closed Jan.–mid-Feb. and Mon.–Wed. late Oct.–Dec. -
22. Alum Bay Glass
In addition to being famous for sailing and its connections to Queen Victoria, the Isle of Wight is also renowned for its glassmaking. Local craftspeople have given live demonstrations of glassblowing here since 1972. The perfume bottles, vases, bowls, doorknobs, ornaments, and other items they create are available for sale in the showroom.
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23. Athelhampton House and Gardens
Largely unchanged since it was built in 1485, this outstandingly well-preserved example of domestic Tudor architecture (with 16th- and 20th-century additions) turns up as "Athelhall" in some of Thomas Hardy's writings (Hardy was a frequent visitor and his father, a stonemason, worked on roof repairs here). Don't miss the Tudor-era Great Hall, still with its original linenfold paneling, heraldic stained glass, and vaulted "hammer-beam" timber roof. The paneled Library contains more than 3,000 books. Outside, 20 acres of grounds include eight formal walled gardens created in the 19th century and 12 yew pyramids, each 30 feet high.
Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 7LG, England01305-848363Sight Details
Rate Includes: House and garden £16; garden only £11 -
24. Beaulieu
With a ruined 13th-century abbey, a stately home, and an automobile museum, Beaulieu appeals to several different interests. Beaulieu Abbey was founded in 1204 by Cistercian monks on land given to them by King John (the name means "beautiful place" in French). You can still see the ruins of the cloister and the herb garden, as well as two remaining buildings, one containing an exhibition re-creating daily life in the monastery. Palace House and Gardens incorporates the abbey's original 14th-century gatehouse and has been the home of the Montagu family since they purchased it in 1538, after the dissolution of the monasteries when the abbey was badly damaged. You can explore the drawing rooms, dining halls, fine family portraits, and the beautiful grounds. The father of the present Lord Montagu established the National Motor Museum, which traces the history of British motoring. The collection contains more than 280 classic cars and motorcycles, from late-19th-century vehicles to futuristic F1 racing cars, rally cars, and luxury cars, plus famous film cars like the flying Ford Anglia from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and James Bond's Aston Martin from No Time to Die. Other museum attractions include interactive experiences, audiovisual displays, the World of Top Gear exhibit devoted to the popular British TV show, and rides in vehicles ranging from a monorail to a 1912 London bus. Admission is by pre-booked time slot only.
Beaulieu, Hampshire, SO42 7ZN, England01590-612345Sight Details
Rate Includes: Abbey, Palace House, Gardens, World of Top Gear, and Motor Museum £23 -
25. Bournemouth Beach
With seven miles of clean sandy beaches tucked beneath its cliffs, Bournemouth is said to enjoy some of the country's warmest sea temperatures. You can descend to the seafront either by taking the zigzag paths through the public gardens near Bournemouth Pier (where there's a family-friendly amusement arcade) or by taking the three outdoor elevators from the cliffs. A handy Beach Check live map website tells you how crowded different areas are at any given time. If you're not tempted to swim, you can stroll along the nearby promenade. Windsurfing, sailing, and other water sports are also big here. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (from £1.90 an hour, varies seasonally); water sports. Best for: walking.
Westover Rd., Bournemouth, BH1 2BU, England01212-123800 -
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26. Brading Roman Villa
Housed within a striking wooden-walled, glass-roofed building one mile south of Brading are the remains of this substantial 3rd-century Roman villa, with original walls, splendid mosaic floors, and a well-preserved heating system. The mosaics, depicting peacocks (symbolizing eternal life), gods, gladiators, sea beasts, and reclining nymphs, are a rare example of this type of floor preserved in situ in a domestic building. A dedicated space hosts related temporary exhibitions, and there's also a café on-site.
Morton Old Rd., Brading, Isle of Wight, PO36 0PH, England01983-406223Sight Details
Rate Includes: £9.50 -
27. Broadlands
This 60-room Palladian mansion located on 5,000 acres near the town of Romsey was home to 19th-century British Prime Minister Lord Palmerston and later Earl Mountbatten of Burma (1900–79), uncle of Prince Philip (who spent his honeymoon here with Queen Elizabeth II) and mentor to King Charles III. As the last viceroy of India, Mountbatten was in charge of that country's transition to independence before being killed by the IRA. One of the grandest houses in Hampshire, Broadlands dates back to the 18th century and holds a large collection of antiques, Greek and Roman marbles, and Old Master paintings, including three van Dycks. Landscape designer Capability Brown laid out the grounds, which include wide lawns sweeping down to the banks of the River Test. The only way to see the house is through a one-hour guided tour. There are also regular outdoor concerts on the grounds featuring artists ranging from Elton John to Katie Melua and UB40.
Broadlands Park, Romsey, Hampshire, SO51 9ZD, England01794-505058Sight Details
Rate Includes: £12, Closed Sept.–mid-Apr. and June–mid-Aug. -
28. Buckler's Hard Maritime Museum
This restored 18th-century shipbuilding village, two miles south of Beaulieu, is home to a re-created Shipwright's Cottage along with a Shipwright School in a replica 18th-century timber workshop, where courses are given in traditional shipbuilding techniques. There's also a fascinating Maritime Museum, which traces the village's role in British history, including the building of Nelson's warships (the New Forest lost many of its trees from the 16th to 18th centuries, when it served as the principal source of timber for British Navy ships). From Easter through October, you can cruise down the privately owned Beaulieu River. The Master Builder's House Hotel has a bar and restaurant.
Off B3056, Beaulieu, Hampshire, SO42 7XB, England01590-616203Sight Details
Rate Includes: Village free; museum £5.90; river cruise £7 -
29. Carisbrooke Castle
Built more than a thousand years ago, this Norman castle was remodeled extensively during the Middle Ages and surrounded by a mile of artillery fortifications in 1600 to defend against the threat of the Spanish Armada. During the English Civil War, Carisbrooke served as a prison for Royalists, most notably King Charles I, who tried (unsuccessfully) to escape through a still-visible tiny window in the north curtain wall. (The small museum has memorabilia relating to the imprisoned king.) The castle was restored during Victoria's reign and served as the residence of her daughter, Princess Beatrice, memorialized in a namesake Edwardian-style garden here. There are excellent views from the top of the Norman keep and battlements. Children love meeting the donkeys who still pull the wheel that draws water from the castle well along with the medieval joust recreations in August. The castle is about a mile southwest of the Isle of Wight's capital, Newport. From Cowes, take Bus 1 or 52 (1 from West Cowes, near Holmwood Hotel; 5 from East Cowes, near Osborne House) to Newport, from where it's a 30-minute walk or a short ride on Bus 6, 7, 12, or 38 to The Mall in Carisbrooke, ¼ mile away.
Castle Hill, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 1XY, England01983-522107Sight Details
Rate Includes: £11.60, Closed weekdays Nov.–mid-Feb. and Mon. and Tues. late Feb.–Mar. -
30. Cathedral Close
Eighty acres of rolling lawns and splendid period architecture provide one of Britain's finest settings for a cathedral, the largest cathedral close in the country. Laid out in 1220, it is bordered by 21 historic buildings and contains three museums: the Mompesson House, the Salisbury Museum, and the Rifles Museum devoted to the county's infantry regiments.
The Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2EN, England -
31. Cerne Abbas Giant
This colossal and unblushingly priapic figure, 180 feet long, dominates a hillside overlooking the village of Cerne Abbas. The giant carries a huge club and may have originated as a pre-Roman tribal fertility symbol. Alternatively, historians have tended to believe he is a representation of Hercules dating back to the 2nd century AD. Recent research suggests he may be a 17th-century gibe at Oliver Cromwell as there is nothing in the historical record before 1694 that mentions the figure, but other recent studies suggest the giant was first made by the Saxons between AD 700 and 1100. The figure's outlines are formed by 1-foot-wide trenches cut into the ground to reveal the chalk beneath. The best place to view the figure is from the A352 itself, where you can park in one of the numerous nearby turnouts.
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32. Cerne Abbey
Little remains of this 10th-century Benedictine abbey. However, the grounds of the South Gate House (a private residence constructed in the 16th and 18th centuries using materials from the abbey, including its original Saxon doorway) has some later remnants. The Abbot's Porch, built in 1509, was once the entrance to the abbot's quarters and is notable for its double oriel window with carvings of small animals; the 15th-century guesthouse is one of the few surviving monastic hospices in the United Kingdom. At the other end of the village is the monastery's original Tithe Barn. You are welcome to look around the grounds at the owner's discretion for a small donation. There is also a cottage available for short-term vacation rentals on the grounds.
A352, Cerne Abbas, Dorset, DT2, EnglandSight Details
Rate Includes: Suggested donation £1 -
33. Cherhill Down
Four miles west of Avebury, Cherhill Down is a prominent hill carved with a vivid white horse and topped with a towering obelisk. The horse, the second oldest chalk "white horse" in Wiltshire, is one of a number of hillside etchings in the county, all but two of which date back no further than the late 18th century. This one was put there in 1780 to indicate the highest point of the downs between London and Bath. The views from the top are well worth the half-hour climb. The best view of the horse is from A4, on the approach from Calne.
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34. City Mill
Set over the River Itchen at the east end of the High Street, this rare surviving example of an 18th-century urban water mill, complete with small island garden, is probably the oldest working water mill in Britain, with timbers dating back to the 11th century. The medieval corn mill on the site was rebuilt in 1744 and remained in use until the early 20th century. Restored by the National Trust in 2004, it still operates as a working mill on weekends, and you can purchase stone-ground flour produced here in the gift shop.
Bridge St., Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 0EJ, England01962-870057Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Mon. and Tues. -
35. City Museum
This museum reflects Winchester's history, from the Iron Age to the present. One gallery covers the 1,000 years of the Anglo-Saxon and Medieval eras, which includes displays of potters and jewelry as well as coins from the former period and agricultural tools from the latter (45-minute guided tours of the gallery are offered at 10:30 am, noon, 1:45 pm, and 3:15 pm daily). Other collections feature two of Jane Austen's purses and a detailed scale model of the city in Victorian times. It's an imaginative, well-presented collection that appeals to children and adults alike. The hands-on activities include a history detective quiz and costumes for kids of every time period starting with the Romans. On the top floor are some well-restored Roman mosaics. Pick up an audio guide at the entrance (£2) to get the most out of the museum.
The Square, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 9ES, England01962-863064Sight Details
Rate Includes: £5.50; joint ticket with Westgate museum £7, Closed Mon. in Jan.–Mar. -
36. Clouds Hill
This brick-and-tile cottage served as the retreat of T. E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, before he was killed in a motorcycle accident on the road from Bovington in 1935. The house remains very much as he left it, with photos and memorabilia from his time in the Middle East. It's particularly atmospheric on a gloomy day, as there's no electric light. Clouds Hill is 8 miles northwest of Corfe. Admission is by pre-booked guided tour only.
King George V Rd., Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7NQ, England0344-2491895Sight Details
Rate Includes: £8, Closed Nov.–Feb., Mon., and Tues. -
37. Corfe Castle
One of the most dramatic ruins in Britain, Corfe Castle overlooks the picturesque gray limestone village of the same name. The present ruins are what's left of a castle begun by Henry I, son of William the Conqueror, who erected the great central keep in the early 12th century to guard the principal route through the surrounding Purbeck Hills. The outer walls and towers were added in the 1270s. Cromwell's Parliament ordered the castle to be blown up in 1646 during the Civil War, after a long siege during which its Royalist chatelaine, Lady Bankes, led its defense.
The Square, Corfe Castle, Dorset, BH20 5EZ, England01929-481294Sight Details
Rate Includes: £11 -
38. Dimbola Museum and Galleries
Freshwater BayThis was the home of Julia Margaret Cameron (1815–79), the eminent Victorian portrait photographer and friend of Lord Tennyson. A gallery includes more than 60 examples of her work, including striking images of Carlyle, Tennyson, and Browning. In addition, there's much here that will appeal to fans of decorative textiles and wall coverings. There's also a room devoted to the various Isle of Wight rock festivals, most famously the five-day event in 1970 that featured the Who, the Doors, Joni Mitchell, and Jimi Hendrix. On the ground floor is a shop and a good Alice in Wonderland–themed tearoom for snacks, hot lunches, and a traditional cream tea.
Terrace La., Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, PO40 9QE, England01983-756814Sight Details
Rate Includes: £5.45, Closed Mon. and Jan. -
39. Dinosaurland Fossil Museum
Located in a former church, this compact private museum run by a paleontologist has an excellent collection of local fossils with more than 16,000 specimens dating back 200 million years. It also provides information on regional geology, how fossils develop, and guided fossil-hunting walks. There are more fossils for sale in the shop on the ground floor along with minerals.
Coombe St., Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3PY, England01297-443541Sight Details
Rate Includes: £6, Closed mid-Oct.–mid-Feb. -
40. Dorset County Museum
This labyrinthine museum contains eclectic collections devoted to nearby Roman and Celtic archaeological finds, Jurassic Coast geology, social history (especially rural crafts and agriculture), decorative arts, regional costumes, and local literary luminaries, primarily Hardy but also T.E. Lawrence and others.
High West St., Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1XA, England01305-262735Sight Details
Rate Includes: £12
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