871 Best Sights in England

A pretty pedestrian thoroughfare just off Upper Street, Camden Passage is famous for its many antique shops selling everything from vintage furniture to period jewelry to timeless timepieces. In recent years, a sprinkling of independent boutiques, delis, and cafés has given the passage an eclectic, vibrant feel. There are stalls here every day except for Monday and Tuesday, but the best, busiest days to come are Wednesday and Saturday.

These 2 acres of splendid calm are bang in the middle of the King's Cross hustle and bustle. This nature reserve, just across the road from the concrete and glass of the Eurostar terminal, provides a habitat for birds, butterflies, bats, and a wide variety of plant and pond life. Complete with a visitor's center and café, this delightful urban oasis is popular with schoolchildren and office workers on lunch break, but chances are you could have the whole place to yourself.

Below ground, at the level of the remnants of Roman Canterbury, this small but informative museum tells the story of the area's distant Roman past. Highlights of the collection include a hypocaust (the Roman version of central heating) and two colorful floor mosaics dating from around the year 270 that were unearthed in the aftermaths of the bombs that fell on Canterbury during World War II. Displays of excavated objects—some of which you can hold in the Touch the Past area—and computer-generated reconstructions of Roman buildings and the marketplace help re-create the past.

Passing through Carfax, the center of Oxford and where four roads meet, you can spot this tower. It's all that remains of St. Martin's Church, where Shakespeare stood as godfather for William Davenant, who himself became a playwright. Every 15 minutes, little mechanical "quarter boys" mark the passage of time on the tower front. Climb up the 99 steps of the dark stairwell for a good view of the town center.

Built more than a thousand years ago, this Norman castle was remodeled extensively during the Middle Ages and in 1600 was surrounded by a mile of artillery fortifications 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 re-creations in August. The castle is about a mile southwest of the Isle of Wight's capital, Newport, and 5 miles from Cowes. From Cowes, take Bus 1 or 5 (1 from West Cowes, near Holmwood Hotel; 5 from East Cowes, near Osborne House) to Newport Bus Station, then change to Bus 7, which takes you to Carisbrooke High Street, a seven-minute walk from the castle.

Architect John Nash designed Carlton House, a glorious example of the Regency style, under the patronage of the Prince Regent (later George IV), who ruled in place of George III while the "mad king" was considered too unstable to rule. Carlton House was considered a most extravagant building for its time; it was demolished after the prince's accession to the throne in 1820. In its place Nash built Carlton House Terrace—no less imposing, with white-stucco facades and massive Corinthian columns. Carlton Terrace was a smart address, home to a number of the 19th-century's greatest luminaries—including two prime ministers, William Gladstone (1856) and Lord Palmerston (1840–46). Today Carlton House Terrace houses the Royal Society (No. 6–9), Britain's most prestigious society of scientific minds; still active, its previous members have included Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.

Founded in 1190, the huge Cartmel Priory survived the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th century because it was also the village church. Four monks and 10 villagers were hanged, however. The 25 wooden misericords are from 1440 and include a carved depiction of the Green Man, with a face made of leaves. Guided tours usually take place every Wednesday from April to October at 11 am and 2 pm.

A coffee shop owned by original drummer Pete Best's mother, this is where The Beatles played some of their earliest gigs. Decorated by the band themselves, it's now a museum offering an authentic taste of those exciting early days. Entry is by guided tour only.

Although this castle northeast of Chagford looks like a stout medieval fortress, complete with battlements, it was actually built between 1911 and 1931. Designed by noted architect Sir Edwin Lutyens for Julius Drewe, a wealthy grocer, and constructed entirely of local granite, the castle combines medieval grandeur with early-20th-century comforts and includes a collection of Flemish and French tapestries—most notably one made for Louis XIV. There are fantastic views over Dartmoor's Teign Valley, and the grounds are well worth a prolonged wander, with paths leading down to the river at Fingle Bridge. Open-air theater and other events are occasionally held here in summer. Turn off the A30 Exeter–Okehampton road at Whiddon Down to reach the castle.

In an 18th-century building whose elegance belies its former role as a debtors' prison, this quirky museum includes a replica York street that re-creates the Victorian shopping experience, notable domestic interiors, more than 100 historic patchwork quilts, a toy gallery, and Christmas cards sent during World War I. You can also view an exhibition covering 400 years of fashion, as well as visit the cell where Dick Turpin, the 18th-century highwayman and folk hero, spent the night before his execution.

Site of an early Roman fort, the district of Castlefield was later the center of the city's industrial boom, which resulted in the building of Britain's first modern canal in 1764 and the world's first railway station in 1830. It has been beautifully restored into an urban park with canal-side walks, landscaped open spaces, and refurbished warehouses. The 7-acre site contains the reconstructed gate to the Roman fort of Mamucium, the buildings of the Museum of Science and Industry, and several bars and restaurants, many with outdoor terraces. You can easily spend a day here. The site is also currently home to the Castlefield Viaduct Sky Park, inspired by New York City's High Line. This green oasis with more than 3,000 plants is open throughout summer.

Although built between 1880 and 1910, this cathedral evokes a medieval church, with an exterior in Early English Gothic style. The interior is filled with relics from the 16th-century parish church that stood on this site, part of which has been incorporated into a side chapel. Free cathedral tours are usually available Monday–Thursday at 11 am (no booking required), and 45-minute roof tours (£15) are offered on some Saturdays—consult the website to check availability and book. Free lunchtime classical concerts take place on most Tuesdays and organ recitals on most Thursdays between March and October. An open, cobbled area called High Cross lies in front of the west porch, and the city's main shopping streets fan out from here.

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, which is devoted to the county's infantry regiments.

The home of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, this spacious Moderne-style building from 1930 has hosted concerts by artists ranging from Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling to the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. It also offers céilidhs (Irish barn dances), workshops where you can learn to play folk songs, and an open-mike folk club night. Meet the locals at one of the drop-in dance classes offering English and Irish folk dancing as well as international traditional dances. There are also temporary exhibitions on British folk art, a café and bar, and an outstanding specialist library with an extensive collection of recordings, manuscripts, sheet music, and images relating to British folk songs, dances, and regional cultures in general.

Colossal and unblushingly priapic, this 180-foot-long figure 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.

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) have 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 and the panoramic views from the roof; 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. A cottage on the grounds is available for short-term vacation rentals.

After decades—centuries, even—as the butt of jokes, the English wine industry is now being taken more seriously, with English wines winning some prestigious international awards. Drop in at Chapel Down Winery, one of Britain's leading wine producers, to see for yourself. You can visit the wine shop and explore the herb gardens for free, or pay for a two-hour-long guided tour of the rest of the grounds with tasting—advanced booking is advisable in summer. Other themed tour experiences are available, too. The winery is 6½ miles north of Rye.

For a glimpse of what Islington used to be like, make your way to Chapel Market: an unpretentious, working-class enclave. Like lots of areas in London, gentrification continues apace, but there's still a lively food market that runs for half the length of the street every day except Monday—just listening to the stallholders advertising their wares can be entertainment enough. 

One of the prettiest thoroughfares in Penzance winds down from Market House to the harbor. Its predominantly Georgian and Regency houses suddenly give way to the extraordinary Egyptian House, whose facade recalls the Middle East. Built around 1830 as a geological museum, today it houses vacation apartments. Across Chapel Street is the 17th-century Union Hotel, where, in 1805, the death of Lord Nelson and the victory of Trafalgar were first announced. Near the Union Hotel on Chapel Street is the Turk's Head, an inn said to date from the 13th century.

A celebrated house in the village of Hampton Lucy just outside Stratford, Charlecote Park is a prodigy house (a substantial and elaborate manor), built in 1558 by Sir Thomas Lucy to impress Queen Elizabeth I; the house is even shaped like the letter "E" in her honor. Shakespeare knew the house—he was supposedly even caught poaching deer here. Overlooking the River Avon, the redbrick manor is striking and sprawling. It was renovated in neo-Elizabethan style by the Lucy family, represented here by numerous portraits, during the mid-19th century. A carved ebony bed is one of many spectacular pieces of furniture. The Tudor gatehouse is unchanged since Shakespeare’s day, and a collection of carriages, a Victorian kitchen, and a small brewery occupy the outbuildings. Indulge in a game of croquet near the quirky, thatched, Victorian-era summer hut, or explore the deer park landscaped by Capability Brown. Interesting themed tours and walks take place in summer—call in advance to find out what's on offer. The house is 5 miles northeast of Stratford; by car it is reached via the B4086, or it costs around £20 in a taxi from Stratford-upon-Avon.

This is one of the few London houses Charles Dickens (1812–70) inhabited that is still standing, and it's the place where he wrote Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby. The five-story Georgian house looks exactly as it would have in Dickens's day, complete with first editions, letters, and a tall clerk's desk (Dickens wrote standing up). Catch the once-a-month fascinating Housemaid's Tour (£15) in which you're taken back in time to 1839 by Dickens's housemaid, who reveals the private lives of the great author and his family; note that it must be booked in advance. The Artful Tea Room—named after Oliver Twist's iconic Artful Dodger—serves up cream teas, soups, and delicious quiche.

Seven miles west of Fowey, Charlestown has a Georgian harbor so well preserved that it often appears in period film and television productions (antique-looking square-riggers are usually moored here). This port was built by a local merchant in 1791 to export the huge reserves of china clay from nearby St. Austell. It was also one of the ports from which 19th-century emigrants left for North America.

A grand Victorian mansion with a pond-dotted estate offering views over the surrounding countryside, Chartwell was the beloved private home of Sir Winston Churchill from 1924 until his death in 1965. Virtually everything has been kept as it was when he lived here, with his pictures, books, photos, and maps. There's even a half-smoked cigar that the World War II prime minister never finished. Churchill was an amateur artist, and his paintings show a softer side of the stiff-upper-lipped statesman; outdoor art trails show his work displayed at the points where he likely sat to paint them. Admission to the house is by timed ticket available only the day of your visit. To get here from Hever, head north on the B2027 and follow signs. Be sure to explore the rose gardens and take a walk in the surrounding countryside.

One of the most complete Jacobean properties in Britain opts for a beguilingly lived-in appearance, taking advantage of almost 400 years' worth of furniture and trappings accumulated by many generations of the single family that owned it until 1991. The house was built between 1605 and 1612 for William Jones, a wealthy wool merchant, and has an appealing authenticity: bric-a-brac is strewn around, wood and pewter are unpolished, upholstery is uncleaned. The top floor is a glorious, barrel-vaulted long gallery, and throughout the house you can see exquisite plasterwork, paneling, and tapestries. The gardens include rotund topiaries and the first croquet lawn (the rules of croquet were codified here in 1865). During busy periods, admission is by timed ticket on a first-come, first-served basis. Note that there is no tearoom or shop, but the church next door sells tea and snacks when the house is open. Chastleton is 6 miles northeast of Stow, signposted off A436 between Stow and A44.

The remains of a mile of walls are what's left of one of the largest Roman villas in England, beautifully set in a wooded valley on the eastern fringe of the Cotswolds. Thirty-two rooms, including two complete bath suites, have been identified, and covered walkways take you over the colorful mosaics, some of the most complete in England. Audio guides are available, and there's a small museum. Look out for the rare large snails, fattened on milk and herbs during Roman times, in the grounds; they come out on warm, wet days. There's a café here, but it's also an ideal place for a picnic. Look carefully for the signs for the villa: from Bibury, go across A429 to Yanworth and Chedworth. The villa is also signposted from A40. Roads are narrow. The site is 6 miles northwest of Bibury and 10 miles southeast of Cheltenham.

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 worth the half-hour climb. The best view of the horse is from A4, on the approach from Calne (from the west).

Chester’s unique Rows, dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries, are essentially double rows of stores, one at street level and the other on the second floor, with galleries overlooking the street. Whether you want to shop or simply ogle them, the Rows should not be missed. They line the junction of the four main streets in the old town and have medieval crypts below them, some of which reveal Roman foundations.

Well-landscaped grounds and natural enclosures make the 128-acre zoo one of the country's most popular and also one of its largest. Highlights include the Realm of the Red Ape (where you can see orangutans), the jaguar enclosure, and the Dragons in Danger habitat (home to the Komodo dragon). Eleven miles of paths wind through the zoo, and there's a Lazy River boat trip. Baby animals are often on display, and 10-minute animal talks, aimed at kids, take place at various locations throughout the day; little ones will especially love the Madagascar PLAY zone.

In a wooded valley on the banks of the North Tyne River, 4 miles north of Hexham, this cavalry fort was known as Cilurnum in Roman times, when it protected the point where Hadrian's Wall crossed the river. Although the setting is not as dramatic as the nearby Housesteads Roman Fort, the mazelike layout of surviving fortifications is said to be Britain's most complete Roman cavalry fort, while the military bathhouse by the river is the best-preserved Roman structure of its kind in the British Isles. The museum includes a fascinating array of artifacts, including jewelry and statues of river gods. Regular Roman-themed events are held here throughout the summer, from falconry to battle reenactments.

The oldest public library in the English-speaking world (founded in 1653), as well as the meeting place of Marx and Engels when the former visited Manchester, is now an accredited museum. Among its collection of over 100,000 printed works—including some 16th- and 17th-century books and journals—are the economics books that Marx read here.  Tours are available at 11 am and 1:30 pm Monday to Wednesday and 11 am, 1:30 pm, and 3 pm Thursday to Saturday via advance booking.