As well as information about the area, here are some tourist attractions and places of interest to visit with direct links to their websites. Useful websites for a full selection are:
THE NATIONAL TRUST HISTORIC HOUSES ASSOCIATION
ENGLISH HERITAGE HERITAGE TRAIL THE NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEME
Or for more specific places:
CASTLES AND HISTORIC HOMES/SITESBack to top
BLENHEIM PALACE, OXFORDSHIRE – This English Baroque masterpiece was the birthplace of Winston Churchill and is set in a 2,100 acre park, landscaped by Capability Brown
OXFORD – The City of Dreaming Spires is famous the world over for its University and place in history
ROCKINGHAM CASTLE, NORTHANTS – A former royal castle and hunting lodge in Rockingham Forest
STRATFORD UPON AVON, WARKS – The birthplace of William Shakespeare, steeped in culture and history
VERULAMIUM MUSEUM, HERTS - The site of one of Roman Britain’s major cities
WARWICK CASTLE, WARKS – Dramatic medieval fortress on the banks of the River Avon
ALTHORP HOUSE, NORTHANTS – The memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales
CLIVEDEN, BUCKS – This spectacular country estate overlooks the River Thames
HATFIELD HOUSE, HERTS – A stunning Jacobean house within its own park
KNEBWORTH HOUSE, HERTS – A beautiful gothic mansion in 25 acres of gardens
STOWE LANDSCAPED GARDENS, BUCKS – One of the most remarkable creations of Georgian England
WITLEY COURT, WORCS – A palatial mansion surrounded by magnificent landscaped gardens
WREST PARK, BEDS – A fascinating history of gardening styles inspired by the great gardens of Versailles in France
COTSWOLD FARM PARK, GLOS – An unrivalled collection of rare breeds of British farm animals
WHIPSNADE ZOO, BEDS – Get up close to some of the biggest, rarest and most majestic animals alive
WOBURN ABBEY SAFARI PARK, BEDS – Where you can drive your own vehicle through the reserves
Chalk hills, limestone wolds and granite heights. Villages of stone, timber and thatch. Abbeys, castles and great houses. Ancient forests, pastoral beauty and tranquil rivers.
It’s difficult to know where to start in this part of England. So let’s turn to Old Father Thames…the highway of history. We’ll embark at Windsor, where William the Conqueror built a wooden castle to guard the western approaches to London. In the 12th century, Henry II built stone walls and towers, beginning alterations by successive monarchs that make Windsor a massive monument to royalty’s changing tastes.
Nearby is Runnymede, one of England’s most historic sites. It was here the rebellious barons took on King John and forced him to sign the Magna Carta, which limited his royal powers and established England’s independent legal and taxation system.
If it’s jolly boating weather take a river trip from Windsor and Eton to Henley, the home of the world famous regatta. It’s the best way to appreciate this stunning river.
There’s a name change for the Thames as it flows past Oxford…the Isis. This probably came from a misinterpretation of the Roman name for the river, Tamesis.
Matthew Arnold called Oxford “that sweet city with her dreaming spires”. Its university was established by English scholars expelled from France in the 12th century. The city’s wealth of magnificent buildings are dominated by the Radcliffe Camera, Christ Church College and the Sheldonian Theatre…but arguments rage over which is the finest. Don’t even consider asking which of Oxford’s 36 colleges is the best! The city’s Ashmolean Museum is certainly one of the best outside London.
West into the Vale of the White Horse with its stylised pre-historic horse carved into the chalk at Uffington. It’s bound forever to gallop the hills. Stand in its eye and have your wishes granted.
On into the Cotswolds, the source of the honey-coloured limestone used to build its famous ‘chocolate box villages’ including Broadway, Chipping Campden, Upper Slaughter and Lower Slaughter. Did you know Cirencester – the ‘capital’ of the Cotswolds – is said to have the tallest yew hedge in the world?
Gloucester was popular with Norman monarchs and it was here, in 1086, that William the Conqueror ordered the survey of his kingdom…to be known as the Domesday Book. Three years later, work started on the city’s magnificent cathedral.
Not far away is the Forest of Dean, one of England’s largest ancient forests, and the glorious River Wye. At Symonds Yat the river flows through a narrow, deeply wooded gorge, making a five-mile loop around Huntsham Hill, leaving it a near island. The poet, Thomas Gray, described the river as ‘a succession of nameless beauties’.
The Malvern Hills rise sharply from the plain of the River Severn around Hereford and Worcester. Their ancient granite and glorious scenery inspired some of Sir Edward Elgar’s, finest compositions.
From music to literature…and the Bard. William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon on St George’s Day, April 23, 1564. As a result, the town has become a shrine to Britain’s greatest dramatist and the most visited tourist attraction outside London. His birthplace, in Henley Street, was bought for the nation in 1847. Stratford is also home to the Royal Shakespeare Company, whose theatre dominates the west bank of the Avon.
We turn back towards the Chilterns to Blenheim Palace. This Baroque masterpiece was built for the Duke of Marlborough in gratitude for his defeat of the French at the Battle of Blenheim, in 1704. Winston Churchill, Britain’s World War II leader, was born here in 1874. The palace’s amazing interior is matched by its park and gardens.
To the most ambitious and important landscaped garden in Britain…Stowe. Over a hundred years, leading designers and architects transformed the original garden of 1680. Landscaper, Capability Brown, began his career here.
On to Woburn Abbey, home to the Dukes of Bedford for nearly 400 years. Although better known for its safari park, Woburn’s fine state apartments house art works by Reynolds and Canaletto.
On the slopes of the chalk hills is Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, the rural branch of London Zoo. As the name suggests, there’s minimal use of cages for the 2,500 species kept here in its 600 acres.
Earlier, we visited Runnymede where King John was forced to sign Magna Carta. The barons who challenged the king drew up the charter at St Albans Cathedral. And it’s this ancient city we visit now. The cathedal is the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain. Work started on it in 793 in honour of St Alban, Britain’s first Christian martyr. The cathedral has England’s longest nave – 276 feet – and is an amazing mixture of architectural styles. Just outside the city centre is Verulamium, one of the first Roman cities built after the invasion of AD 43. The fascinating museum is just across the road from the Roman theatre.
Just outside St Albans are the Gardens of the Rose, belonging to The Royal National Rose Society. Its 12 acres of gardens, with more than 30,000 blooms, are at their peak in late June.
East to Hatfield, and one of England’s finest Jacobean houses. It was built from 1607 for the powerful statesman, Robert Cecil, although its main historical interest lies in the surviving wing of the original Tudor Hatfield Palace. Queen Elizabeth I spent much of her childhood here and she held her first Council of State here after her coronation in 1558. The gardens have been restored to reflect their Jacobean origins.
Enjoy the heartbeat of history
HEART OF ENGLAND
FIND A B&B IN THIS AREA
As well as information about the area, here are some tourist attractions and places of interest to visit with direct links to their websites. Useful websites for a full selection are:
THE NATIONAL TRUST HISTORIC HOUSES ASSOCIATION
ENGLISH HERITAGE HERITAGE TRAIL THE NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEME
Or for more specific places:
CASTLES AND HISTORIC HOMES/SITESBack to top
BLENHEIM PALACE, OXFORDSHIRE – This English Baroque masterpiece was the birthplace of Winston Churchill and is set in a 2,100 acre park, landscaped by Capability Brown
OXFORD – The City of Dreaming Spires is famous the world over for its University and place in history
ROCKINGHAM CASTLE, NORTHANTS – A former royal castle and hunting lodge in Rockingham Forest
STRATFORD UPON AVON, WARKS – The birthplace of William Shakespeare, steeped in culture and history
VERULAMIUM MUSEUM, HERTS - The site of one of Roman Britain’s major cities
WARWICK CASTLE, WARKS – Dramatic medieval fortress on the banks of the River Avon
GARDENSBack to top
ALTHORP HOUSE, NORTHANTS – The memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales
CLIVEDEN, BUCKS – This spectacular country estate overlooks the River Thames
HATFIELD HOUSE, HERTS – A stunning Jacobean house within its own park
KNEBWORTH HOUSE, HERTS – A beautiful gothic mansion in 25 acres of gardens
STOWE LANDSCAPED GARDENS, BUCKS – One of the most remarkable creations of Georgian England
WITLEY COURT, WORCS – A palatial mansion surrounded by magnificent landscaped gardens
WREST PARK, BEDS – A fascinating history of gardening styles inspired by the great gardens of Versailles in France
FAMILY ATTRACTIONSBack to top
COTSWOLD FARM PARK, GLOS – An unrivalled collection of rare breeds of British farm animals
WHIPSNADE ZOO, BEDS – Get up close to some of the biggest, rarest and most majestic animals alive
WOBURN ABBEY SAFARI PARK, BEDS – Where you can drive your own vehicle through the reserves
INFORMATION ABOUT THE AREABack to top
Chalk hills, limestone wolds and granite heights. Villages of stone, timber and thatch. Abbeys, castles and great houses. Ancient forests, pastoral beauty and tranquil rivers.
It’s difficult to know where to start in this part of England. So let’s turn to Old Father Thames…the highway of history. We’ll embark at Windsor, where William the Conqueror built a wooden castle to guard the western approaches to London. In the 12th century, Henry II built stone walls and towers, beginning alterations by successive monarchs that make Windsor a massive monument to royalty’s changing tastes.
Nearby is Runnymede, one of England’s most historic sites. It was here the rebellious barons took on King John and forced him to sign the Magna Carta, which limited his royal powers and established England’s independent legal and taxation system.
If it’s jolly boating weather take a river trip from Windsor and Eton to Henley, the home of the world famous regatta. It’s the best way to appreciate this stunning river.
There’s a name change for the Thames as it flows past Oxford…the Isis. This probably came from a misinterpretation of the Roman name for the river, Tamesis.
Matthew Arnold called Oxford “that sweet city with her dreaming spires”. Its university was established by English scholars expelled from France in the 12th century. The city’s wealth of magnificent buildings are dominated by the Radcliffe Camera, Christ Church College and the Sheldonian Theatre…but arguments rage over which is the finest. Don’t even consider asking which of Oxford’s 36 colleges is the best! The city’s Ashmolean Museum is certainly one of the best outside London.
West into the Vale of the White Horse with its stylised pre-historic horse carved into the chalk at Uffington. It’s bound forever to gallop the hills. Stand in its eye and have your wishes granted.
On into the Cotswolds, the source of the honey-coloured limestone used to build its famous ‘chocolate box villages’ including Broadway, Chipping Campden, Upper Slaughter and Lower Slaughter. Did you know Cirencester – the ‘capital’ of the Cotswolds – is said to have the tallest yew hedge in the world?
Gloucester was popular with Norman monarchs and it was here, in 1086, that William the Conqueror ordered the survey of his kingdom…to be known as the Domesday Book. Three years later, work started on the city’s magnificent cathedral.
Not far away is the Forest of Dean, one of England’s largest ancient forests, and the glorious River Wye. At Symonds Yat the river flows through a narrow, deeply wooded gorge, making a five-mile loop around Huntsham Hill, leaving it a near island. The poet, Thomas Gray, described the river as ‘a succession of nameless beauties’.
The Malvern Hills rise sharply from the plain of the River Severn around Hereford and Worcester. Their ancient granite and glorious scenery inspired some of Sir Edward Elgar’s, finest compositions.
From music to literature…and the Bard. William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon on St George’s Day, April 23, 1564. As a result, the town has become a shrine to Britain’s greatest dramatist and the most visited tourist attraction outside London. His birthplace, in Henley Street, was bought for the nation in 1847. Stratford is also home to the Royal Shakespeare Company, whose theatre dominates the west bank of the Avon.
We turn back towards the Chilterns to Blenheim Palace. This Baroque masterpiece was built for the Duke of Marlborough in gratitude for his defeat of the French at the Battle of Blenheim, in 1704. Winston Churchill, Britain’s World War II leader, was born here in 1874. The palace’s amazing interior is matched by its park and gardens.
To the most ambitious and important landscaped garden in Britain…Stowe. Over a hundred years, leading designers and architects transformed the original garden of 1680. Landscaper, Capability Brown, began his career here.
On to Woburn Abbey, home to the Dukes of Bedford for nearly 400 years. Although better known for its safari park, Woburn’s fine state apartments house art works by Reynolds and Canaletto.
On the slopes of the chalk hills is Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, the rural branch of London Zoo. As the name suggests, there’s minimal use of cages for the 2,500 species kept here in its 600 acres.
Earlier, we visited Runnymede where King John was forced to sign Magna Carta. The barons who challenged the king drew up the charter at St Albans Cathedral. And it’s this ancient city we visit now. The cathedal is the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain. Work started on it in 793 in honour of St Alban, Britain’s first Christian martyr. The cathedral has England’s longest nave – 276 feet – and is an amazing mixture of architectural styles. Just outside the city centre is Verulamium, one of the first Roman cities built after the invasion of AD 43. The fascinating museum is just across the road from the Roman theatre.
Just outside St Albans are the Gardens of the Rose, belonging to The Royal National Rose Society. Its 12 acres of gardens, with more than 30,000 blooms, are at their peak in late June.
East to Hatfield, and one of England’s finest Jacobean houses. It was built from 1607 for the powerful statesman, Robert Cecil, although its main historical interest lies in the surviving wing of the original Tudor Hatfield Palace. Queen Elizabeth I spent much of her childhood here and she held her first Council of State here after her coronation in 1558. The gardens have been restored to reflect their Jacobean origins.
Enjoy the heartbeat of history