871 Best Sights in England

Acclaimed writer Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein (published in 1818), the world's first science fiction novel, while living in Bath, and this spot—although it's not the original house she lived in—has become one of Bath's spookiest attractions, combining a museum and an immersive experience in a historic house. Inside you'll find a Frankenstein-themed escape room (extra charge), a gruesome mystery to solve, and plenty of unusual artifacts and vintage items. It's not suitable for younger children.

This large Neolithic henge, a ring-shaped earthwork 278 feet in diameter, is the oldest monument in Dorchester itself and has survived by adapting. In the 1st century AD, some 2,500 years after its construction, it became one of the largest Roman amphitheaters in Britain, used for gladiatorial contests and executions. In the Middle Ages, it was used for jousting tournaments, while during the English Civil War it was converted into an artillery fort. After the Restoration, it once again became a place of public execution; 80 rebels condemned by the infamous Judge Jeffreys met their fate here. Vividly evoked in Hardy's Mayor of Casterbridge, it's now used for public events.

Inspired by the DIY punk aesthetic and the funky galleries of New York City's Lower East Side, Maureen Paley started putting on exhibitions in her East End home back in 1984, when it was virtually the only gallery in the area. Since then, this American artist and gallerist has shown such respected contemporary artists as Gillian Wearing, Helen Chadwick, Jenny Holzer, Peter Fischli, and Wolfgang Tillmans, and today she is considered the doyenne of East End gallerists. Paley now has two London spaces, one in the midst of a cluster of galleries in Bethnal Green and another in a former school building in Shoreditch. 

Thomas Hardy lived in Max Gate from 1885 until his death in 1928. An architect by profession, Hardy designed the handsome Victorian house himself, and visitors can see the study where he wrote Tess of the d'Urbervilles, The Mayor of Casterbridge, and Jude the Obscure. The dining room, the drawing room, and the garden (complete with a small cemetery for the family pets, some with headstones carved by Hardy himself) are open to the public. Admission is by one-hour prebooked guided tour only.

On three floors, this interactive exhibition narrates the story of Plymouth, from its beginnings as a fishing and trading port to the modern industrial city it is today. Along the way, you'll take in the stories of various expeditions that embarked from here to the New World, including the Mayflower itself. Great harbor views can be enjoyed from the top-floor balcony, and the city's tourist office is also in this building.

Built in 1913, this memorial commemorates the departure of the Mayflower and the Speedwell from Southampton Quay bearing Pilgrims and others bound for North America on August 15, 1620. After taking on water, the Speedwell, which had been repaired here, was declared unseaworthy and abandoned a month later in Plymouth, Devon. Several of the original 200 passengers abandoned the journey. The rest were crammed onto the Mayflower, which finally set sail from Plymouth in September with 102 people aboard. A plaque also honors the 2 million U.S. troops who embarked from Southampton for occupied Europe during World War II.

For an essential Canterbury experience, follow the circuit of the 13th- and 14th-century walls, built on the line of the Roman walls. Roughly half survive; those to the east are intact, towering some 20 feet high and offering a sweeping view of the town. You can access these from a number of places, including Castle Street and Broad Street, but perhaps the most photo-worthy section is by Canterbury East Station Bridge.

Distinguished from the outside by its turrets and topiaries, Melford Hall is an Elizabethan house with its original banqueting room, a fair number of 18th-century additions, and pleasant gardens. Much of the porcelain and other fine pieces here come from the Santisima Trinidad, a ship loaded with gifts from the emperor of China and bound for Spain that was captured in the 18th century. Children's writer Beatrix Potter, related to the owners, visited often; there's a small collection of Potter memorabilia.

Built between 1357 and 1361 by a wealthy medieval guild, the largest half-timbered hall in York has fine collections of silver and furniture, along with paintings that provide insight into the history of the hall and its founders. A riverfront garden lies behind it.

This is one of the town's original cobbled streets, and perhaps its most quintessential view, which heads steeply from the top of the hill to the former harbor. Its name supposedly came from the night a drunken sailor swore he heard a mermaid call him down to the sea (back when Rye was still a seaside town). The houses here date from between the medieval and Georgian periods; a much-photographed pair have the delightfully fanciful names "The House with Two Front Doors" and "The House Opposite." Be careful on your feet—the cobbles are very uneven.

Hop on a 50-minute River Explorer Cruise along the River Mersey for fine views of the city—a journey celebrated in "Ferry 'Cross the Mersey," Gerry and the Pacemakers' 1964 hit song. It was from Pier Head that 9 million British, Irish, and other European emigrants set sail between 1830 and 1930 for new lives in North America, Australia, and Africa.

Consecrated in 1967, this Roman Catholic cathedral is a modernistic, funnel-like structure of concrete, stone, and mosaic, topped with a glass lantern. Long, narrow, blue-glass windows separate chapels, each with modern works of art. An earlier design by classically inspired architect Edwin Lutyens was abandoned when World War II began (the current design is by Frederick Gibberd), but you can still take a look at Lutyens's vast brick-and-granite crypt and barrel-vaulted ceilings.

Starting at the Spur Redoubt (supposedly the point from which Nelson set sail for Trafalgar) near Henry VIII's Southsea Castle, the Millennium Promenade follows the waterfront through Old Portsmouth and Gunwharf Quays, ending up at the Hard near Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. The 2½-mile self-guided walk, marked by a rope pattern on the sidewalk, passes a variety of fortifications built in the 15th century, the early 20th century, and the centuries in between.

Surrounding the Lincoln Cathedral on three sides, Minster Yard contains buildings of different periods, including graceful Georgian architecture. A statue of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, who was born in Lincolnshire, stands on the green near the chapter house.

Built in 1937, this knee-high model of Bourton-on-the-Water took five years to complete and is the only model village to have been given special historical status by English Heritage. It's a one-ninth scale model, and as you walk down its tiny lanes, you'll see how little has changed over the past decades. The small exhibition at Miniature World shows miniature scenes and rooms; some you can make come to life. Particularly entertaining is the model village within the model village, which, much like an infinity mirror, is perpetuated to an increasingly smaller scale. The Old New Inn owns the Model Village.

A perfect example of Queen Anne architecture, this family home built in 1701 sits on the north side of Cathedral Close. It's notable for magnificent plasterwork, an exceptional carved oak staircase, fine period furniture, and a superb collection of 18th-century drinking glasses. Tea and refreshments are served in a walled garden. Admission is by pre-booked tour only.

Two miles north of Coniston on the A593, just past Beatrix Potter's beautifully situated Yew Tree Farm, is a small National Trust parking lot that leads to paths through oak woods beside the tumbling stream of Tom Gill to Tarn Hows, a celebrated Lake District beauty spot. This man-made site was created when the gill was dammed in the mid-19th century. The paths are steep in places, but two waterfalls make it well worth the effort. Walking the circular route takes two to three hours.

Of particular interest to Bloomsbury Group fans, this property 3½ miles south of Lewes was the home of novelist Virginia Woolf and her husband, writer Leonard Woolf, who bought it in 1919. Leonard lived here until his death in 1969. Rooms in the small cottage include Virginia's study and her bedroom. Artists Vanessa Bell (Virginia's sister) and Duncan Grant helped decorate the house. Prebooking online is essential. 

Designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Dr. Robert Hooke to commemorate 1666's "dreadful visitation" of the Great Fire of London (note the gilded orb of flame at the column's pinnacle), the world's tallest isolated stone column offers spectacular views of the city from the viewing platform 160 feet up. The two architects were asked to erect the monument as close as possible to where the fire began, and so it's located exactly 202 feet from the alleged point of origin, Farrier's baking house on Pudding Lane. Built between 1671 and 1677, the fluted Doric column also stands 202 feet tall, so if climbing the 311 steps of the beautiful spiral staircase to the public balcony seems too arduous, you can watch a live view from the platform played on a screen at the entrance.

This flagship visitor center of the North York Moors National Park sits on the banks of the River Esk, near Danby. There's an exhibition with interactive displays about the history, wildlife, and landscapes of the Moors, as well as a gallery with work by local artists and artisans. While parents relax in the café. children can scramble up the kids-only climbing wall or enjoy the beautiful outdoor play area. Opening hours are more limited from November through March; check the website for details.

The handsome 19th-century Moot Hall, with its one-handed clock, has served as both the town hall and the local prison. Now it houses an information center for the region. It's also the place to get fishing permits for Derwentwater and Bassenthwaite.

Moot Hall was the place where local elders met to debate and make decisions about the locality. Built of flint and timber, the 16th-century building once stood in the center of a thriving town; the fact that it's now just a few steps from the beach is testament to the erosive powers of the North Sea. Today, it contains the Aldeburgh Museum, a low-key collection that includes finds from an Anglo-Saxon ship burial.

In the 19th century, Morwellham (pronounced More-wel-ham) was England's main copper-exporting port, and it has been carefully restored as a working museum, with quay workers and coachmen in costume. Visitors can board a special train that goes along the River Tamar and into the George and Charlotte Copper Mine. Fairs and other special events take place throughout the year. The site lies 2 miles east of Cotehele House and 5 miles southwest of Tavistock.

Tucked away in beautiful woodland across the river from the center of town is the birthplace (according to local lore) of the titular 16th-century prophetess who supposedly foretold events such as the defeat of the Spanish Armada and the Great Fire of 1666. Next to the cave is the mineral-rich Petrifying Well, England's oldest entrance-charging tourist attraction (it's been selling tickets since 1630), famously able to petrify soft objects in three to five months.

This 12th-century building, probably the oldest extant building in East Anglia, is a rare surviving example of a Norman house. The rooms hold exhibitions on Suffolk throughout the ages. One macabre display relates to the Red Barn Murder, a grisly local case that gained notoriety in a 19th-century play.

The core of this industrial-history collection, which gives a novel perspective on the city, is an engineering works and fizzy drinks factory. This building once belonged to Bath entrepreneur Jonathan Bowler, who started his many businesses in 1872. The collection includes the original clanking machinery and offers glimpses into Bath's stone industry and cabinetmaking. Look out for the temporary exhibitions, which often showcase the lives and experiences of local people.

A short stroll from Portobello Road, this quirky museum is a fascinating cabinet of curiosities that explores how advertising and marketing has pervaded our lives for the last 200 years. There's much to catch and delight the eyes, from branded toys, clothes, snacks, and spin-off TV show board games to the world's first portable gramophone and World War II–era products, such as a toilet paper roll that has Hitler's face on every sheet.

A farm’s cider house (the alcoholic kind) and a cooper’s workshop have been re-created at the museum, where you can tour ancient cellars with huge oak vats and celebrate the drink for which the region is renowned. Cider brandy is made here, and the museum sells its own brand, along with other cider items.

The three floors of this informative museum contain historical artifacts, domestic knickknacks, traditional agricultural and mining tools, and fascinating insights into the lives of ordinary folk living on the moor. The museum has its own (free) car park and also provides tourist information for Dartmoor and the Okehampton area.

Intimate galleries on three floors display ancient and modern pieces, mostly from China but with other exhibits from Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Highlights are the Chinese jade figures, especially the animals, both mythical and real, Buddhist objects, and Japanese lacquerware and prints. Don't miss the charming netsuke (toggles used as fasteners) and inro (containers to hold small objects) on the staircase to the lower ground floor.