Sights in Southeast England
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HMS Victory
As resplendent as she is venerable, the dockyard's star attraction is HMS Victory, Lord Nelson's flagship at the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar and the site of his infamous 'Kiss me Hardy...' dying words when victory over the French had been secured. This remarkable ship is topped by a forest of ropes and masts, and weighted by a swollen belly filled with cannon and paraphernalia for an 850-strong crew.
Clambering through its numerous decks is a stirring experience, though these days cannon fire is replaced with the dull thuds of visitors so in thrall that they forget the low overhead beams. There are excellent 40-minute tours.
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Great Hall
Winchester's other showpiece is at the cavernous Great Hall, the only part of 11th-century Winchester Castle that Oliver Cromwell spared from destruction. This hall was the stage for several dramatic English courtroom dramas, including the trial of adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh in 1603, who was sentenced to death but reprieved at the last minute. Outside, near the hall's entrance, there's also a section of the old Roman wall, built around AD 200.
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Brighton Pier
This grand old centenarian pier, full of glorious gaudiness, is the place to experience the tackier side of Brighton. There are plenty of stomach-churning fairground rides and dingy amusement arcades to keep you amused, and candy floss and Brighton rock to chomp on while you're doing so.
Look west and you'll see the sad remains of the West Pier, a skeletal iron hulk that attracts flocks of birds at sunset. It's a sad end for a Victorian marvel upon which the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel once performed.
So far there's no sign of the i360 observation tower ('Hurray!' some may cry), a spectacularly space-age piece of architecture from the creators of the London Eye…
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Mermaid St
From the tourist office, turn away from the water through Strand Quay, and clamber up the famous cobbled Mermaid St, thick with 15th-century timber-framed houses with quirky house names like 'The House with Two Front Doors', 'The House Opposite' and more.
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Royal Pavilion
The city's must-see attraction is the Royal Pavilion, the glittering party-pad and palace of Prince George, later Prince Regent then King George IV. It's one of the most decadent buildings in England and an apt symbol of Brighton's reputation for hedonism. The Indian-style domes and Moorish minarets outside are only a prelude to the palace's lavish oriental-themed interior, where no colour is deemed too strong, dragons swoop and snarl from gilt-smothered ceilings, gem-encrusted snakes slither down pillars, and crystal chandeliers seem ordered by the tonne. While gawping is the main activity, you can pick up an audiotour (included in the admission price) to learn more abou…
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Winchester Cathedral
Almost a thousand years of history are crammed into Winchester's cathedral, which is not only the city's star attraction but also one of southern England's most awe-inspiring buildings. The exterior, with a squat tower and a slightly sunken rear, isn't at first glance appealing, despite a fine Gothic facade. But the interior contains one of the longest medieval naves (164m) in Europe, and a fascinating jumble of features from all eras.
The cathedral sits beside foundations that mark the town's original 7th-century minster church. The cathedral was begun in 1070 and completed in 1093, and was subsequently entrusted with the bones of its patron saint, St Swithin (bishop of W…
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Dover Castle
The almost impenetrable Dover Castle, one of the most impressive in England, was built to bolster the country's weakest point at this, the shortest sea-crossing to mainland Europe. It sprawls across the city's hilltop, commanding a tremendous view of the English Channel as far as the French coastline.
The site has been in use for as many as 2000 years. On the vast grounds are the remains of a Roman lighthouse, which date from AD 50 and may be the oldest standing building in Britain. Beside it lies a restored Saxon church.
The robust 12th-century Great Tower, with walls up to 7m thick, is filled with interactive exhibits and light-and-sound shows that take visitors back to t…
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New Forest
Less than 30 minutes from Southampton is an ancient swathe of wild heath and woodland grazed upon by wild ponies, donkeys and deer. A unique place, the not-so-New Forest has an even more singular history and fascinating archaic traditions that date back almost 1000 years.
Wild ponies mooch around its picturesque scrubland, paying no attention to the walkers and cyclists that pant past. Deer flicker in the distance and rare birds flit among the foliage. A scattering of genteel villages dot the landscape and a web of walking and cycling trails connects them.
The New Forest is the only area of England to remain relatively untouched since Norman times, thanks in large part to…
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St Albans Cathedral
Set in tranquil grounds away from the din of the main streets, St Albans' magnificent cathedral is a lesson in architectural history. The church began life as a Benedictine monastery in 793, built by King Offa of Mercia around the tomb of St Alban. In Norman times, it was completely rebuilt using material from the old Roman town of Verulamium, and then, in the 12th and 13th centuries, Gothic extensions and decorations were added.
The deceptively simple nave gives way to stunningly ornate ceilings, semi-lost wall paintings, an elaborate nave screen and, of course, the shrine of St Alban. There's also a luminescent rose window from the 20th century. The best way to appreciat…
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Leeds Castle
This immense moated pile is for many the world's most romantic castle , and it's certainly one of the most visited in Britain. While it looks formidable enough from the outside – a hefty structure balancing on two islands amid a large lake and sprawling estate – it's actually known as something of a 'ladies castle'. This stems from the fact that in its more than 1000 years of history, it has been home to a who's who of medieval queens, most famously Henry VIII's first wife, Catherine of Aragon.
The castle was transformed from fortress to lavish palace over the centuries, and its last owner, the high-society hostess Lady Baillie, used it as a princely family home and p…
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West Pier
The historic West Pier, which closed in 1975, began to collapse into the sea in December 2002 and, having since caught fire twice, is just a dark shadow on the water. It’s still quite an arresting, beautiful sight and many visitors – including thousands of starlings in November and December – flock to see it. There are plans to mark the spot on shore with a controversial 176m-tall observation mast called the Brighton i360 designed by the same husband-and-wife team of architects behind the London Eye. For details, see the West Pier website or visit the quirky Brighton Fishing Museum on the seafront.
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Verulamium Museum & Roman Ruins
A fantastic exposé of everyday life under the Romans, the Verulamium Museum is home to a large collection of arrowheads, glassware and grave goods. Its centrepiece, however, is the Mosaic Room, where five superb mosaic floors, uncovered between 1930 and 1955, are laid out. You can also see re-creations of Roman rooms, and learn about life in the settlement through interactive and audiovisual displays. Every second weekend, the museum is 'invaded' by Roman soldiers who demonstrate the tactics and tools of the Roman army.
Adjacent Verulamium Park has remains of a basilica, bathhouse and parts of the city wall. You can pick up a map of the area with information on the site f…
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Mary Rose Museum
The remains of 16th-century warship and darling of Henry VIII, the Mary Rose, is the only such ship on display in the world - it's adjacent, and equally thrilling, to HMS Victory. This 700-tonne floating fortress sank off Portsmouth after a mysterious incident of 'human folly and bad luck' in 1545. In an astoundingly ambitious piece of marine archaeology, the ship was raised from its watery grave in 1982.
It now presents a ghostly image that could teach Hollywood a few tricks, its vast flank preserved in dim lighting, dripping and glistening in a constant mist of sea water.
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Wolvesey Castle
The fantastic, crumbling remains of early 12th-century Wolvesey Castle huddle in the protective embrace of the city's walls, despite the building having been largely demolished in the 1680s. It was completed by Henry de Blois, and it served as the Bishop of Winchester's residence throughout the medieval era. Queen Mary I and Philip II of Spain celebrated their wedding feast here in 1554. According to legend, its odd name comes from a Saxon king's demand for an annual payment of 300 wolves' heads. Access is via College St. Today the bishop lives in the (private) Wolvesey Palace next door.
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Sissinghurst Castle Garden
Sissinghurst Castle Garden is one of the most famous 20th-century gardens in the world, legendary among writers and the green-fingered. The creation of poet Vita Sackville-West and husband Harold Nicolson, it innovatively grouped similarly coloured plants to create 10 distinct garden ‘rooms’. The famous White Garden, with its shades of white, grey and green, was a source of inspiration for Sackville-West as she gazed upon it from her study, also open to visitors.
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Chichester Cathedral
This understated cathedral was begun in 1075 and largely rebuilt in the 13th century. The freestanding church tower, now in fairly bad shape, was built in the 15th century and the spire dates from the 19th century when its predecessor famously toppled over. Inside, three storeys of beautiful arches sweep upwards, and Romanesque carvings are dotted around. Interesting features to track down include a smudgy stained-glass window added by Marc Chagall in 1978 and a glassed-over section of Roman mosaic flooring about a metre below ground level.
Guided tours operate at 11.15am and 2.30pm Monday to Saturday, Easter to October, and the excellent cathedral choir is guaranteed to …
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Brighton Museum & Art Gallery
Across the Royal Pavilion Gardens is the surprisingly captivating Brighton Museum & Art Gallery. Of the half-dozen galleries here our favourites are World Art, which effectively displays the spoils and souvenirs brought home by 19th-century colonialists; the excellent Brighton History gallery, with its ‘naughty-but-nice’ displays; and the new Ancient Egypt collection. Other galleries show ceramics, fashion and costumes and fine arts from the 15th to 20th centuries.
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Mary Rose Museum
You can bear witness to the Herculean salvage operation that raised the 16th-century Mary Rose and see many of its recovered treasures at this fascinating museum, which is filled with fascinating facts and audiovisual insights. Every half an hour there's a 15-minute film about the raising of the ship, which is a must for all who didn't see coverage of the astonishing event in 1982. Purchasing a single-attraction ticket to this museum includes admission to the ship itself.
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Pier
Other than mile upon mile of tawny imported-sand and shingle beaches, Southend's main attraction is the world's longest pier, built in 1830. At a staggering 1.33 miles long it's an impressive edifice and a magnet for boat crashes, storms and fires, the last of which ravaged its tip in 2005. The surprisingly peaceful stroll to its tip will help burn off those rock-candy calories, and a wheezy Pier Railway (included in admission price) can save you the long slog back.
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Hever Castle
The idyllic little Hever Castle seems to have leapt right out of a film set. It's encircled by a narrow moat and surrounded by family-friendly gardens, complete with cute topiary of woodland creatures and wandering ducks and swans.
The castle is famous for being the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, mistress to Henry VIII and then his doomed queen. It dates from 1270, with a Tudor house added in 1505 by the Bullen (Boleyn) family. The castle later fell into disrepair until 1903, when American multimillionaire William Waldorf Astor bought it, pouring obscene amounts of money into a massive refurbishment. The exterior is unchanged from Tudor times, but the interior is thick wit…
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King Arthur's Round Table
Crowning the wall of the Great Hall like a giant-sized dartboard of green and cream spokes is what centuries of mythology have called King Arthur's Round Table . Before you get too excited, it's a 700-year-old fake, but a fascinating one nonetheless. It's thought to have been constructed in the late 13th century and later painted in the reign of Henry VIII (King Arthur's image is strangely reminiscent of Henry's youthful face).
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Palace Pier
A grand old centenarian, Palace Pier is Brighton beach's centrepiece and the place to shake off the city's cosmopolitan gloss and embrace its tackier seaside soul. Start by dizzying yourself on a few stomach-churning fairground rides, whiz around the Helter Skelter made famous by the Beatles song, buy a few souvenir sticks of Brighton Rock, then flop into a candy-striped deck chair and scoff candyfloss to your heart's content.
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Pallant House
Based in a wonderful Queen Anne town house once owned by a wealthy wine merchant, Pallant House is now an outstanding art gallery. Reopened with a swish new wing in 2006, it houses a superb collection of 20th-century British art, with names such as Caulfield, Freud, Sutherland and Moore represented. There are also historic works from British and international artists, from Picasso to Cézanne, Gainsborough to Rembrandt.
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Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower
If its things that go bang that float your boat, head straight to Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower, 1.5 miles from the ferry in the opposite direction. An old gunpowder magazine built in 1771 houses this museum of munitions and ordinance.
It's in Gosport, on the other side of Portsmouth Harbour, which is easily reached by ferry from The Hard, and taxis and buses wait on the other side to whisk you around.
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Roman Painted House
A crumbling 1960s bunker is the unlikely setting for some of the most extensive, if stunted, Roman wall paintings north of the Alps. Several scenes depict Bacchus (the god of wine and revelry), which makes perfect sense as this large villa was built around AD 200 as a mansio (hotel) for travellers in need of a little lubrication to unwind.
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