871 Best Sights in England

With a 16th-century "checkerboard" tower, St. Mary's is a stone's throw from the bridge over the Thames. The adjacent, yellow-washed Chantry House, built in 1420, is one of England's few remaining merchant houses from the period. It's an unspoiled example of the rare timber-frame design, with upper floors jutting out. You can enjoy tea here on Sunday afternoons in the summer.

Many visitors to this small but still very active parish church near the castle are attracted by the churchyard's most famous occupant: Anne, the youngest Brontë sister. Employed as a governess by the Robinson family, Anne accompanied her charges to Scarborough for five summers, returning again in 1849 shortly before her death from tuberculosis in the hope that the sea air would be curative. Her sister Charlotte decided to "lay the flower where it had fallen" and buried Anne above the bay she loved. The church itself was originally erected in 1150 and rebuilt in the 17th century.

Founded around 1080 as the Archbishop of Canterbury's London seat, this church is a survivor; it collapsed and was rebuilt three times before being completely destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. Once again, Sir Christopher Wren was called in, creating a new building that was completed in 1673, but sadly this, too, was destroyed, during the Blitz. The version you see today is a re-creation of Wren's design that was reconsecrated in 1965. According to tradition, only Londoners born within earshot of the church's famous "Bow Bells" (which used to echo more widely than they do now) can be considered true Cockneys, a concept that may date back to the 9 pm curfew bells rung during the 14th century.

The Norman crypt is the oldest parochial building in London still in use, and you can see the bow-shaped arches from which the church takes its name. The garden contains a statue of former parishioner Captain John Smith, the founder of the Virginia Colony. Opening times on weekends and holidays are irregular, so calling ahead is advised. Guided tours are available by arrangement. Classical music concerts are held here regularly; check the website for listings.

Outside the village, the well-preserved Tudor-era St. Mawes Castle has a cloverleaf shape that makes it seemingly impregnable, yet during the Civil War its Royalist commander surrendered without firing a shot. (In contrast, Pendennis Castle in Falmouth held out at this time for 23 weeks before submitting to a siege.) Outdoor theater productions occasionally take place here in summer.

Lyndhurst's High Street is dominated by this imposing redbrick Victorian Gothic church, notable for its stained-glass windows designed by Pre-Raphaelites William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones, as well as Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, a large fresco by Frederick Leighton. Fans of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland should note that Alice Hargreaves (née Liddell), the inspiration for the fictional Alice, is buried in the churchyard.

Rising out of Mount's Bay just off the coast, this spectacular granite-and-slate island is one of Cornwall's greatest natural attractions. The 14th-century castle perched at the highest point—200 feet above the sea—was built on the site of a Benedictine chapel founded by Edward the Confessor and has served as a church (Brittany's island abbey of Mont St. Michel was an inspiration), a fortress, and a private residence. The castle rooms you can tour include the Chevy Chase Room—a name probably associated with the Cheviot Hills, from the French word chevaux (horses), after the hunting frieze that decorates the walls of this former monks' refectory. Family portraits include works by Reynolds and Gainsborough.

Don't miss the wonderful views from the castle battlements. Around the base of the rock are buildings from medieval to Victorian times, but they appear harmonious. Fascinating gardens surround the Mount, and many kinds of plants flourish in its microclimate.

To get to the island, walk the cobbled causeway from the village of Marazion or, when the tide is in, take the £2.80 ferry (summer only). There are pubs and restaurants in the village, but the island also has a café and restaurant. Wear good walking shoes for your visit, which requires a steep climb. Visits may be canceled in severe weather.

William Wordsworth, his wife Mary, his sister Dorothy, and four of the Wordsworths' children are buried in the churchyard of this historical church with a curious split interior on the River Rothay. The poet planted eight of the yew trees here, including the one under which he was interred. As you leave the churchyard, stop at the Gingerbread Shop, in a tiny cottage, for a special local treat.

If you want to commune with the spirits of legendary actors like Vivien Leigh, Noël Coward, Gracie Fields, and Charlie Chaplin, this is the place. Memorials to them and myriad other theater and movie greats are found in this 1633 work of the renowned architect Inigo Jones, who, as Surveyor of the King's Works, designed the whole of Covent Garden piazza. St. Paul's Church has been known as "the Actors' Church" since the Restoration, thanks to the bawdy neighboring theater district and St. Paul's prominent parishioners (well-known actors often read the lessons at services, and the church still hosts concerts and small scale productions). Fittingly, the opening scene of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion takes place under its Tuscan portico. Today, the western end of the piazza is a prime pitch for street entertainers, but if they're not to your liking, you can repair to the serenity of the walled garden, entered from King or Bedford streets. Enchanting open-air performances of Shakespeare plays and other works are staged here in summertime.

Besides its soaring pillars and clerestory windows, this light-filled 15th-century church, known as the cathedral of the Cotswolds, contains notable memorial brasses, monuments to the merchants who endowed the church. Each merchant has a wool sack and sheep at his feet.

Almost 40 outlandish gargoyles adorn this mid-15th-century Perpendicular-style building, a typical Cotswold wool church full of light. The interior displays an embroidered altar frontal said to have been worked by Catherine of Aragon, first wife of King Henry VIII. Look for the Winchcombe Imp, an unusual figure for a rood screen, now at the back of the church.

It's easy to recognize this parish church by its 200-foot-high tower and spire. Lewis Tregonwell, founder and developer of Bournemouth, is buried in the churchyard. Also buried here is Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein and wife of the great Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, whose heart is interred with her in the elaborate Shelley family vault. Mary Shelley's mother, the feminist philosopher and writer Mary Wollstonecraft, is buried in the Shelley vault, too.

Dating back to 1226 and initially built as a chapel for the workmen who would go on to construct the cathedral, this still-active church contains a rare medieval Doom painting (a term for paintings in medieval churches of Judgment Day), a fresco that is considered to be the best preserved of the few such works left in Britain; it's also the largest. Created around 1470 and covering the chancel arch, the scenes of heaven and hell served to instill the fear of damnation into the congregation. Restored in 2019, it's best seen on a spring or summer evening when the light through the west window illuminates the details.

A well-preserved family country house dating from the 1890s and set in a beautiful hillside garden, Standen typifies the Arts and Crafts movement. Designed by the influential architect Philip Webb (1831–1913), it contains a wealth of William Morris carpets, wallpapers, fabrics, and even original electric-light fittings. Look out for the particularly beautiful mother-of-pearl cabinet. The house is 2 miles south of East Grinstead.

Three rings, two avenues of standing stones, and a burial chamber make up the Stanton Drew Circles, one of the largest and most mysterious monuments in Britain, dating from 3000 to 2000 BC. The size of the circles suggests that the site was once as important as Stonehenge for its ceremonial functions, although little of great visual impact remains, and Stanton Drew is far less well known than Stonehenge and other circles. English Heritage supervises the stones, which stand on private farmland. Access is permitted at any reasonable time, and a donation of £1 is requested. The site lies in a field often used by cows, so wear sturdy shoes.

To get here from Bristol, head south on the A37 and turn right after about 5 miles onto the B3130, marked Stanton Drew. The circles are just east of the village, where more of the stones may be seen in the garden of the Druid's Arms pub.

A perfect Cotswold manor of glowing limestone, Stanway House dates from the late 16th and early 17th century. Its triple-gabled gatehouse is a Cotswold landmark, and towering windows dominate the house's Great Hall. They illuminate a 22-foot-long shuffleboard table from 1620 and an 18th-century bouncing exercise machine. The other well-worn rooms are adorned with family portraits, tattered tapestries, vintage armchairs, and, at times, Lord or Lady Neidpath themselves, the current owners. The partly restored baroque water garden has a modern, single-jet fountain that shoots up 300 feet. The tallest in Britain, it shoots at 2:45 pm and 4 pm. Note that the house is only open in June through August, on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, and admission is cash-only. To get to Stanway, about 5 miles south of Broadway, take B4632 south from town, turning left at B4077.

This charming, narrow, pedestrian-only street is lined with Tudor and 18th-century storefronts that house upscale boutiques, jewelers, and quirky independent shops. First paved during Roman times (the original road lies 6 feet below), Stonegate has been a central thoroughfare for almost 2,000 years. At No. 33, look for the little red "printer's devil," a medieval symbol of a printer's premises. Above the doorway of No. 35, at the intersection of Stonegate and High Petergate, Minerva reclines on a stack of books, indicating they were once sold within. A passage just off Stonegate, at 52A, leads to the remains of a 12th-century Norman stone house attached to a more recent structure. You can still see the old Norman wall and window.

The United Kingdom’s largest exotic butterfly collection is housed in a tropical greenhouse, a two-minute walk past the Bridgefoot bridge (spiders, caterpillars, and insects from all over the world also make their home here). Kids can watch as butterflies emerge from pupae, search for caterpillars among the plants, or take a look at a toxic black widow spider. The ant colony is another highlight. There is also a fantastic shop, plus places to picnic in the lovely garden.

These 200 acres of grassy parkland wrapped around Harrogate's Old Town become a riot of color in spring. Many of the mineral springs that made the town famous bubble below.

This handsome 19th-century mansion contains the extraordinary art collection amassed by shipping magnate George Holt (1825–96), including paintings by J. M. W. Turner, Thomas Gainsborough, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and Joshua Reynolds. The interior is an immaculately maintained example of high Victorian domestic style. Sudley House is about 5 miles southeast of the city center; if you're not driving, take a train to Mossley Hill and then it's an 11-minute walk.

The highest court of appeal in the United Kingdom is a surprisingly young institution, only having heard its first cases in 2009. Visitors are welcome to drop by and look at the three courtrooms, housed in the carefully restored Middlesex Guildhall, including the impressive Court Room 1, with its magnificent carved wood ceiling. Court is usually in session Monday through Thursday, and since space in the public galleries is limited, you'll want to arrive early. The Court's art collection, on permanent display, includes portraits by Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds. Guided tours are available on Friday at 2 pm. There is a café downstairs.

Built by a courtier to King Henry VIII, this Tudor mansion has since been home to merchants, Huguenot silk weavers, and, in the 1980s, a group of arty squatters. The house dates back to 1535, when Hackney was a village on the outskirts of London surrounded by fields. Later, in 1751, it was split into two self-contained houses. Its oak-paneled rooms, tranquil courtyard, and award-winning community garden are an unexpected treat in an area that's yet to entirely shake off its grit. Visits to the house are self-led during open hours or guided tours can be prebooked online. They take place on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday at 11 am and 2 pm, plus 3:30 pm on Sunday.

This traditional event, which dates back 800 years, takes place in Marlow during the third week of July. By bizarre ancient laws, King Charles owns every single one of the country's swans (just as his mother did before him). Each year, swan-markers in skiffs start from Sunbury-on-Thames, catching the new cygnets and marking their beaks to establish ownership. The King's Swan Marker, dressed in scarlet livery, presides over this colorful ceremony.

Train enthusiasts love this largely volunteer-run railroad that makes 25-minute, 6-mile scenic trips, with steam (and some diesel) locomotives pulling vintage train carriages across the Isle of Purbeck—actually a peninsula. Trips begin from Norden in the center and go to the seaside town of Swanage via Corfe Castle. Small, pretty stations with flower baskets, painted signs, and water bowls for dogs add to the excursion's charm. Trains leave approximately every 80 minutes in low season (steam only), and every 45 minutes in high season (alternating steam and diesel).

Six miles south of Ross-on-Wye, outside the village of Symonds Yat (a local dialect word for "gate"), the 473-foot-high Yat Rock commands superb views of the River Wye as it winds through a narrow gorge in a great 5-mile loop. It's best approached from the south on B4432, and from there it's a short walk. A small, hand-pulled ferry takes passengers across the river from the Saracens Head pub. About a mile southwest of Symonds Yat is King Arthur’s Cave, although any link to the legendary monarch is, well, just a legend. Several important Paleolithic finds have been made in the cave, including flint tools and the bones of a woolly mammoth and a saber-toothed cat. Today, it is home to a colony of bats. To find the cave, take the exit marked Symonds Yat West from the A40. Park at the rest area just before Doward Park Campsite, and follow the path a short way into the woods.

As featured in The Da Vinci Code, this church was built by the Knights Templar in the late 12th century. The Red Knights held their secret initiation rites in the crypt here. Having started poor, holy, and dedicated to the protection of pilgrims, they grew rich from showers of royal gifts until, in the 14th century, they were stripped of their wealth, charged with blasphemy and sodomy, and thrown into the Tower.

A grand country estate in the middle of a city, this huge Elizabethan and Jacobean building—built around 1500 and remodeled in the 16th and 17th centuries––was at one point the family home and birthplace of Lord Darnley (1545–67), the notorious husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. It contains one of Britain's most important collections of fine and decorative arts, including furniture, paintings, and ceramics. Surrounding the house are 1,500 acres of parkland, lakes, gardens, miles of woodland walks, as well as a working rare breeds farm, where kids can enjoy a petting zoo. The park and gardens were created by noted 18th-century landscape designer, Capability Brown. Temple Newsam is 4 miles east of Leeds on A63; Bus 10 runs directly from Leeds Central Bus station from Easter to mid-September.

Even the squeamish won't balk at the exhibits in this museum devoted to presenting social and medical history in a kid-friendly way. Educational but entertaining interactive displays take you back to the disease-ridden Leeds slums of the 1840s, reveal the realities of surgery without anesthetics, and explore the history of childbirth. The museum is popular with school groups on field trips. It's a mile east of the city center and accessible by Buses 16, 42, 49, and 50.

Built in 1819, the Theatre Royal is an outstanding example of Regency design. Guided tours lasting 90 minutes can be booked at the box office.

A foreboding ruined mansion perched on a bleak hilltop 4 miles from Haworth, Top Withens is often assumed to be the inspiration for the fictional Wuthering Heights. Brontë scholars say it probably isn't; even in its heyday, the house never fit the book's description of Heathcliff's domain (a more likely candidate was a grander manor near Halifax). Getting here and back from Haworth involves an inspirational, 3½-hour walk across the moors along a well-marked footpath that passes the Brontë Waterfall. If you've read Wuthering Heights, you don't need to be reminded to wear sturdy shoes and protective clothing.

Occupying a riverside, 17th-century, Dutch-style merchant's house, this museum has period-furnished rooms and displays on local and maritime history. One room has memorabilia belonging to the late actress Vivien Leigh, who spent much time in the region. Just note that the museum opens at 2 pm and closes at 5 pm.