871 Best Sights in England

The one place in Bath that gives Austen any space provides a briefly diverting exhibition about the influence of Bath on her writings; Northanger Abbey and Persuasion are both set primarily in the city. The center is brought to life by characters in costume, and displays and a short film give a pictorial overview of life in Bath around 1800. Immerse yourself further by dressing up in costume; assistants are on hand to take your photo. The cozy Georgian house, a few doors up from where the writer lived in 1805 (one of several addresses she had in Bath), also includes the Austen-themed Regency Tea Rooms, open to the public. Check the website for special programming throughout 2025, the 250th anniversary of Austen's birth, including updates on the Jane Austen Festival in September.

Located 5 miles east of the city center, this fascinating site is home to a host of attractions, including the reconstructed Anglo-Saxon Village, 18th-century Jarrow Hall House, and intriguing Bede Museum. The latter reflects the long tradition of religion and learning that began here in AD 681, when the first Saxon church was established on the site. The Venerable Bede (672–735), deemed to be England's earliest historian, moved into the monastery as a child and remained until his death. The 11-acre Anglo-Saxon Village, re-created by modern historians using traditional methods, includes a farm with rare breeds of pigs and cattle. Jarrow Hall House is home to an excellent Hive Coffee Company café and a relaxing herb garden.

Overshadowed by the big-ticket attractions of Parliament to one side and Westminster Abbey to the other, this is the only significant portion of the Palace of Westminster complex to have survived intact from medieval times. Built in the 1360s to contain treasures belonging to Edward III, it once formed part of the palace's defensive walls—hence the fortresslike appearance. Check out the original ribbed stone ceiling on the ground floor; look up to see the carved stone images of men and beasts. The Jewel Tower was later used as a records office for the House of Lords, but hasn't served any official function since the rest of the old palace was destroyed by fire in 1834 and the ancient documents were moved to the greater safety of the Tower of London. Today it contains an exhibition on the history of the building. This is a great option for those looking for a slice of British political history on days Parliament tours are sold out.

John and Charles Wesley were among the Dissenters from the Church of England who found a home in Bristol, and, in 1739, they built the New Room, a meeting place that became the first Methodist chapel. Its simplicity contrasts with the style of Anglican churches and with the modern shopping center hemming it in. Upstairs you can visit the Preachers' Rooms, now containing a small museum. Charles Wesley's house, situated nearby, is also visitable (online bookings only).

Based on extensive research, this re-creation of a 10th-century Viking village has everything from a blind storyteller to a slaughter yard awash in offal. The olfactory special effects (even those from an open sewer) are especially popular with children, as is the Disneyesque "travel through time" machine that propels you above dioramas of straw huts and mannequins wearing Viking dress. Commentary is provided in six languages. Kids get a lot out of it, but adults are unlikely to learn anything new, though there is a small display of Viking-era artifacts. Admission is by pre-booked, one-hour time slots only.

Haworth is one stop along the route of this scenic 5-mile heritage railway between Keighley and Oxenhope through the picturesque Worth Valley, as seen in numerous film and television shows including The Railway Children and Peaky Blinders. Many of the trains are pulled by handsome steam engines. Frequent themed special events add to the fun.

Focusing on natural history and archaeology, this grand, old-fashioned museum is a cabinet of curiosities from near and far. The Kendal and Westmorland Gallery includes everything from Mesolithic tools to a Viking boat from near Kentmere tarn. The World Wildlife gallery has a reconstruction of the now-extinct dodo. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions and workshops with local artists.

A wide moat surrounds this redbrick Tudor manor house with tall chimneys and domed turrets. Built between 1520 and 1550, it was heavily restored inside after a fire in the early 19th century. On some weekends, costumed "servants" and "farmworkers" perform reenactments of Tudor life or life during World War II. There are also evening events, such as open-air theater performances. Check the website for notice of the spring lambing days. The house and farm are a half mile north of Long Melford Green. Always call ahead, as this place has notoriously variable opening times and sometimes contradictory listings.

While not as spectacular as Hidcote, this intimate, privately owned garden, just a five-minute stroll away, still captivates with spaces created by three generations of female gardeners. It's skipped by the majority of visitors to Hidcote, so you won't be jostled by the crowds. The interconnecting flower beds present harmonious arrays of color, and the contemporary formal water garden adds an elegant contrast. Don't miss the prized Kiftsgate rose, supposed to be the largest in England, flowering gloriously in mid-July. There are three properties to rent on the estate, sleeping 4–14 guests.

A chain-drawn car ferry, the King Harry runs to the scenically splendid Roseland Peninsula each day three times an hour. From its decks you can see up and down the Fal, a deep, narrow river with steep, wooded banks. The river's great depth provides mooring for old ships waiting to be sold; these mammoth shapes often lend a surreal touch to the riverscape. On very rare occasions, you may even spot deer swimming across.

Founded in 1441 by Henry VI, King's College has a magnificent late-15th-century chapel that is its most famous landmark. Other notable architecture includes the neo-Gothic Porters' Lodge, facing King's Parade, which was a comparatively recent addition in the 1830s, and the classical Gibbs Building. Head down to the river, from where the panorama of college and chapel is one of the university's most photographed views.

Past students of King's College include the novelist E. M. Forster, the economist John Maynard Keynes, and the World War I poet Rupert Brooke.

One of two surviving gateways in the city's original ancient walls, this structure to the south of the Close is thought to have been built in the 12th century as a remodeling of a Roman gate on the site. The tiny 13th-century church of St. Swithun-upon-Kingsgate, a rare surviving example of a "gateway church" (built into the walls of medieval cities), is on the upper floor. Nearby, 8 College Street is the house where Jane Austen died on July 18, 1817, three days after writing a comic poem about the legend of St. Swithun's Day (copies are usually available in the cathedral).

A path a short distance west of the tip of the peninsula plunges down 200-foot cliffs to this tiny cove dotted with a handful of pint-size islands. The sands here are reachable only during the 2½ hours before and after low tide (be aware of the risk of being cut off by the rapidly advancing high tide). The area is managed by the National Trust.

The 16-sided, nearly circular A la Ronde was built in 1798 by two cousins inspired by the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. Among the 18th- and 19th-century curiosities here are elaborate displays of feathers and shells. The house is 5 miles south of Topsham.

Well-preserved Lacock Abbey reflects the fate of many religious establishments in England—a spiritual center became a home. The abbey, at the town's center, was founded in the 13th century and closed down during the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539, when its new owner, Sir William Sharington, demolished the church and converted the cloisters, sacristy, chapter house, and monastic quarters into a private dwelling. The house passed to the Talbot family, the most notable descendant of whom was William Henry Fox Talbot (1800–77), who developed the world's first photographic negative. You can see the oriel window, the subject of this photograph, in the upper rooms of the abbey, along with a rare 16th-century purpose-built strong room in the octagonal tower. The last descendant, Matilda Talbot, donated the property as well as Lacock itself to the National Trust in the 1940s. The abbey's grounds and Victorian woodland are also worth a wander. Harry Potter fans, take note: Lacock Abbey was used for some scenes at Hogwarts School in the film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

The Fox Talbot Museum, in a 16th-century barn at the gates of Lacock Abbey, commemorates the work of Fox Talbot as well as other pioneers and contemporary artists in this field.

One of the Northeast's finest art museums merits at least an hour's visit for its selection of 19th- and 20th-century British art, including works by the Pre-Raphaelites and sculptures by Henry Moore. The Northern Spirit gallery on the ground floor showcases some of the great artists from the region, such as John Martin (1759–1854), who produced dramatic biblical landscapes, and siblings William and Mary Beilby, whose enameled-glass creations became highly prized in their 1770s heyday.

Vintage steam trains chug along on the 18-minute, 4-mile branch line between Lakeside and Haverthwaite, giving you a great view of Windermere's southern tip. You can add on a lake cruise for another perspective on the region's natural beauty. Departures from Lakeside coincide with ferry arrivals from Bowness and Ambleside. See the website for timetables; tickets can only be purchased from the station on the day of travel.

There's something about Lamb House, an early-18th-century dwelling in the heart of Rye, that attracts writers. The novelist Henry James lived here from 1898 to 1916, while E. F. Benson, onetime mayor of Rye and author of the witty Mapp and Lucia novels (written in the 1920s and 1930s), was a later resident. The ground-floor rooms contain some of James's furniture and personal belongings.

If you think Bloomsbury is about all things intellectual, then think again. Lamb's Conduit Street, a pedestrian-only street of gorgeous Georgian town houses nestled to the east of Russell Square, is building a reputation as one of the capital's most charming shopping —and culinary—thoroughfares. Avail yourself of what the boutiques have to offer, from fashion, flowers, and cheese to umbrellas, fine art, and fine wine; there's even an excellent run-by-locals food cooperative called The People's Supermarket. Alternatively, you could just window-shop your way down to The Lamb, a Victorian-era pub whose patrons have included Ted Hughes, Sylvia Plath, and Mr. Dickens himself.

The sea crashes against the rocks at Land's End and lashes ships battling their way around the point. Approach from one of the coastal footpaths for the best panoramic view.

Over the years, sightseers have caused some erosion of the paths, but new ones are constantly being built, and Cornish "hedges" (granite walls covered with turf) have been constructed to prevent erosion. The scenic grandeur of Land's End remains undiminished. The Land's End Hotel here is undistinguished, though the restaurant has good views.

This maze of tiny alleys and passageways was once the home of fishermen and their families. Bordered by (clockwise) North, Market, Prince Albert, and Ship Streets, the area is closed to vehicular traffic, with its narrow cobbled streets filled with interesting restaurants, boutiques, and antiques shops. Fish and seafood restaurants line the heart of the Lanes, at Market Street and Market Square.

For a superb view of the surrounding countryside, climb to the hilltop ruins of this 13th-century castle. George Fox, founder of the Quakers, was imprisoned here in 1656.

Also known as the Guildhall of Corpus Christi, this higgledy-piggledy timber-frame building dating from 1529 dominates Market Place, an almost flawlessly preserved medieval square. Upstairs, exhibitions cover the lives of the historical figures who worked in the local agriculture, the wool trade, and Lavenham's old prison, although just looking around the building itself is worth the admission charge.

In the old grammar school, this museum traces the history of the building, town, railroad, and canal, mostly through local postcards. It also has displays on two literary celebrities linked to the area, the poets John Masefield and Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Next door to the Victorian Town Hall, this impressive art museum has a strong core collection of works by Courbet, Sisley, Constable, and Crome; multiple 20th-century British masters; and the internationally acclaimed Yorkshire sculptor Henry Moore, who studied at the Leeds School of Art. The graceful statue on the steps outside the gallery is Moore's Reclining Woman. More works by Moore are at the adjacent Henry Moore Institute, which also has regular exhibitions of modern sculpture. The Craft Centre and Design Gallery, underneath the gallery, exhibits and sells fine contemporary crafts.

This Augustinian abbey, founded in 1186, was one of the area's most important religious orders until it fell victim to Henry VIII's troops during the dissolution of the monasteries. It has a highly unusual feature—a 17th-century church built inside (and partially out of) the abbey ruins, effectively making it a church-within-a-church. Just opposite the row of little cottages leading up to the abbey, you'll see a small sign for a walking path to Leiston Beach. The track starts rather unpromisingly by crossing a pig farm, but persevere, because the ¼-mile trail across fields, woods, and cliffs is the only way to access this beautiful sandy beach, one of the area's best-kept secrets. The water here is good for swimming, and the seclusion can be heavenly. There are no facilities whatsoever, but plenty of locals make the trek on a sunny day. Look out for the scattered remains of a few brick houses on your way down. These are all that's left of a village that was completely destroyed by coastal erosion in the 1960s. Leiston Abbey is 5½ miles north of Aldeburgh.

An Elizabethan house and the home of the Bagot family since 1590, Levens Hall is famous for its topiary garden, probably the most distinctive in the world. Laid out in 1694, the garden retains its original design, and the yew and beech hedges, cut into complex shapes that resemble enormous chess pieces, rise among a profusion of flowers. The house contains a stunning medieval hall with oak paneling, ornate plasterwork, Jacobean furniture, and Cordova goat-leather wallpaper. You can easily spend a couple of hours here admiring the place or getting lost in the living willow labyrinth. There's a play area for children. Levens Hall is 4 miles south of Kendal.

High above the valley of the River Ouse stand the majestic ruins of Lewes Castle, begun in 1100 by one of the country's Norman conquerors and completed 300 years later. Start your visit at the Barbican House for an introduction to the castle's history through audiovisual displays, town models, tapestries, and archaeology collections before heading up the hill to see the castle itself. It's a bit of a climb to the keep, plus several more steps to the very top of the West and South Towers, but it's worth it for the panoramic views of the town and countryside. The Barbican also has a dress-up room for kids.

It’s worth a detour 15 miles northeast of Birmingham to explore the only medieval English cathedral with three spires. The sandstone building, beautifully sited by a tree-fringed pool, dates mainly from the 12th and 13th centuries, and the Lady Chapel glows with some 16th-century stained glass from the Cistercian abbey of Herkenrode, near Liège, in Belgium. Half-timber houses surround the peaceful grounds, and the town itself has Georgian buildings as well as the birthplace (now a museum) of lexicographer Dr. Samuel Johnson. Highlights Tours (45 minutes) run Monday through Saturday at 11 am and 2 pm. Visitors can also pay to tour the restored historic library, accessed up 35 spiral steps, which includes many early books, including 15th-century manuscripts of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, or join a Tower Tour to go into the cathedral's vaulted roof spaces and enjoy rooftop views of the town. Frequent trains from Birmingham New Street take 45 minutes.

Bringing science to life with hundreds of kid-oriented exhibits divided into themed "zones" that highlight everything from research on genes to travel to Mars, this is one of Newcastle's best family attractions. Highlights include the "Space Zone," which shows how space technology is now a part of people's everyday lives, and the extra-interactive "Experiment Zone," which is full of hands-on scientific gizmos and fun experiments that make science learning feel more like a trip to the playground. There's also a giant 3-D replica of Earth with detailed NASA imagery, a 360-degree alien-hunting planetarium show, and a host of seasonal events and activities, among them an ice-skating rink in winter.