Southwell Minster

Top choice in 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, including zigzag door frames and curved arches. Its chapterhouse features some unusual stained glass and detailed carvings of faces, animals and leaves of forest trees.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Midlands & the Marches attractions

1. Southwell Workhouse

0.7 MILES

On the road to Newark, 1 mile east of the village centre, the Southwell Workhouse is a sobering reminder of the tough life faced by paupers in the 19th…

2. Newark Castle

5.91 MILES

In a pretty park overlooking the River Trent, the ruins of Newark Castle include an impressive Norman gate and a series of underground passages and…

3. Newark Air Museum

8.28 MILES

Situated 2 miles east of Newark by the Winthorpe Showground, this aviation museum has over 100 aircraft, including a fearsome Vulcan bomber, a Vampire T11…

4. Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre

9.59 MILES

Sherwood Forest's 2018-opened curved timber visitor centre provides information about the forest's wildlife, walking trails and Robin Hood legends –…

5. Newstead Abbey

9.91 MILES

Founded as an Augustinian priory in around 1170, this evocative lakeside property was converted into a residence in 1539. It's inextricably associated…

6. St Mary's Church

11.72 MILES

The most atmospheric time to visit this beautiful stone church with a history stretching back to Saxon times is during evensong (6.15pm Wednesday during…

7. National Justice Museum

11.77 MILES

In the grand Georgian Shire Hall, the National Justice Museum offers a ghoulish stroll through centuries of British justice, including medieval trials by…

8. Nottingham Contemporary

11.79 MILES

Behind its lace-patterned concrete facade, Nottingham Contemporary holds edgy, design-driven exhibitions of paintings, prints, photography and sculpture.