Warwickshire
Founded in 1068 by William the Conqueror, stunningly preserved Warwick Castle is Warwick's main attraction.
Must-see attractions in The Midlands & the Marches
Peak District
Known as the 'Palace of the Peak', this vast edifice 3 miles northeast of Bakewell has been occupied by the earls and dukes of Devonshire for centuries…
Lincolnshire
Towering over the city like a medieval skyscraper, Lincoln's magnificent cathedral is a breathtaking representation of divine power on earth. The great…
The Midlands & the Marches
After Welsh marauders torched the original Saxon cathedral, the Norman rulers of Hereford erected a larger, grander cathedral on the same site. The…
Lincolnshire
One of the first castles erected by the victorious William the Conqueror, in 1068, to keep his new kingdom in line, Lincoln Castle offers awesome views…
King Richard III: Dynasty, Death & Discovery
The Midlands & the Marches
Built following the incredible 2012 discovery and 2013 DNA testing of King Richard III's remains, Leicester's high-tech King Richard III visitor centre…
The Midlands & the Marches
Morgan has been handcrafting elegant sports cars since 1909. You can see the mechanics at work on two-hour guided tours of the unassuming shedlike…
Warwickshire
The evocative ruins of St Michael's Cathedral, built around 1300 but destroyed by Nazi incendiary bombs in the Blitz, stand as a memorial to Coventry's…
Birmingham
Resembling a glittering stack of gift-wrapped presents, the Francine Houben–designed Library of Birmingham is an architectural triumph. The 2013-opened…
Warwickshire
This stupendous museum has hundreds of vehicles, from horseless carriages to jet-powered, land-speed-record breakers. There's a brushed-stainless-steel…
Stratford-upon-Avon
When Shakespeare retired, he swapped the bright lights of London for a comfortable town house at New Place, where he died of unknown causes in April 1616…
Stratford-upon-Avon
Start your Shakespeare quest at the house where the renowned playwright was born in 1564 and spent his childhood days. John Shakespeare owned the house…
Birmingham
At the University of Birmingham, 3 miles south of the city centre, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts has an astonishing collection of Renaissance…
The Midlands & the Marches
Crowned by three dramatic towers, Lichfield Cathedral is a Gothic fantasy, constructed in stages from 1200 to 1350. The enormous vaulted nave is set…
The Midlands & the Marches
Burton-upon-Trent grew up around its 7th-century abbey, which was famed for its healing spring waters. Brewing began here around 1700 and in the early…
Cosford Royal Air Force Museum
Shropshire
This famous aerospace museum 13 miles east of Ironbridge is run by the Royal Air Force, whose pilots steered many of these winged wonders across the skies…
The Midlands & the Marches
Rising above the River Severn, Worcester's majestic cathedral is the final resting place of Magna Carta signatory King John. The strong-legged can scale…
Lincolnshire
Set in more than 810 hectares of grounds, landscaped by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown, opulent Burghley House (bur-lee) was built by Queen Elizabeth's chief…
The Midlands & the Marches
Pride of place at this substantial medieval cathedral goes to the contemporary limestone tomb atop the vault where the remains of King Richard III were…
Shropshire
The arching Iron Bridge, which gives the area its name, was built to flaunt the new technology invented by the pioneering Darby family. At the time of its…
Shropshire
More than 6000 vines are now planted over 2.4 hectares of the former Pentreheyling Roman Fort, where pottery and metalwork have been uncovered and are…
Lincolnshire
Sir Isaac Newton fans may feel the gravitational pull of the great man's birthplace, about 8 miles south of Grantham. The humble 17th-century house…
The Midlands & the Marches
Rising from the village centre, the awe-inspiring Southwell Minster, built over Saxon and Roman foundations, blends 12th- and 13th-century features,…
Peak District
Adjoining Buxton's opulent opera house are the equally flamboyant Pavilion Gardens. These 9.3 hectares are dotted with domed pavilions; concerts take…
Shropshire
An ideal place to kick off your Ironbridge Gorge visit is the Museum of the Gorge. Occupying a Gothic riverside warehouse, it offers an overview of the…
Nottingham
Nottingham's castle crowns a sandstone outcrop worm-holed with caves and tunnels. Founded by William the Conqueror, the original castle was held by a…
Warwickshire
This spine-tingling ruin sprawls among fields and hedges on Kenilworth's outskirts. Built in the 1120s, the castle survived the longest siege in English…
Stratford-upon-Avon
The final resting place of the Bard, where he was also baptised and where he worshipped, is said to be the most visited parish church in England. Inside…
The Midlands & the Marches
One of the most complete Elizabethan mansions in the country, Hardwick Hall was designed by eminent architect Robert Smythson. The hall featured all the…
Lincolnshire
Amid 14.2 hectares of elegant formal gardens, Belton House is a dream filming location for English period dramas, Jane Eyre, Tom Jones and the Colin Firth…
Peak District
With stone turrets, time-worn timbers and walled gardens, Haddon Hall, 2 miles south of Bakewell on the A6, looks exactly like a medieval manor house…
Nottingham
Built in 1588 for coal mogul Sir Francis Willoughby by avant-garde architect Robert Smythson, Wollaton Hall sits within 200 hectares of grounds roamed by…
The Midlands & the Marches
Although British space missions usually launch from French Guiana or Kazakhstan, Leicester's space museum is a fascinating introduction to the mysteries…
The Midlands & the Marches
After turning down the job of royal physician to King George III, Erasmus Darwin became a leading light in the Lunar Society, debating the origins of life…
International Bomber Command Centre
Lincolnshire
Opened in 2018, this 4.5-hectare site 1.5 miles south of Lincoln centres on a 31m-high metallic spire (at 102ft, the exact length of the wingspan of a…
Peak District
A pleasant mile-long stroll southwest from the town centre brings you to Poole's Cavern. This magnificent natural limestone cavern is reached by…
The Midlands & the Marches
Chesterfield is worth a visit to see the astonishing crooked spire that rises atop St Mary and All Saints Church. Dating from 1360, the 68m-high spire is…
The Midlands & the Marches
The 11th-century Great Malvern Priory is packed with remarkable features, from original Norman pillars to surreal modernist stained glass. The choir is…
The Midlands & the Marches
Derby's historic potteries still turn out some of the finest bone china in England, from edgy Asian-inspired designs to the kind of stuff your grandma…
Shropshire
Kids will love this levers-and-pulleys science centre where they can control robots, move a steam locomotive with their bare hands (and a little…
