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…
Must-see attractions in The Midlands & the Marches
Birmingham
Resembling a glittering stack of gift-wrapped presents, the Francine Houben–designed Library of Birmingham is an architectural triumph. The 2013-opened…
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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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…
Birmingham
The next best thing to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory is Cadbury World, 4 miles south of Birmingham. It educates visitors about the history of cocoa and…
Stratford-upon-Avon
Shakespeare genealogists can trace the family tree to the childhood home of the Bard's mother at Wilmcote, 3 miles west of Stratford. Aimed squarely at…
Stratford-upon-Avon
Aristocratic sculptor Lord Ronald Gower is the master behind this multisculpture homage to Shakespeare, which features the characters of Hamlet …
Birmingham
Exotic marine creatures including otters, jellyfish, piranhas and razor-jawed hammerhead sharks swim in the Sir Norman Foster–designed National Sea Life…
Stratford-upon-Avon
Gifted by American publisher George W Childs in 1887 to mark Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, and designed by Birmingham architect Jethro Cossins, this…
Birmingham
Quirky tours of this cluster of restored back-to-back terraced houses take you through four working-class homes, telling the stories of those who lived…
Stratford-upon-Avon
Before tying the knot with Shakespeare, Anne Hathaway lived in Shottery, 1 mile west of the centre of Stratford, in this delightful thatched farmhouse. As…
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…
Stratford-upon-Avon
The handsome Jacobean town house belonging to Shakespeare's daughter Susanna and her husband, respected doctor John Hall, stands south of Stratford's…
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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…
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The Midlands & the Marches
Sitting pretty in vast landscaped grounds, this neoclassical mansion is a must for fans of stately homes. Entering the house through a grand portico, you…
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Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre
The Midlands & the Marches
Given a few hundred years, every battlefield ends up simply a field, but the site of the Battle of Bosworth – where Richard III met his maker in 1485 – is…
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The Midlands & the Marches
Phenomenally popular Alton Towers, 4 miles east of Cheadle off the B5032, offers maximum G-force for your buck. Wild rides include the Th13teen, Nemesis,…
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The Midlands & the Marches
Built around 1703, quirky Calke Abbey was occupied by a dynasty of eccentric and reclusive baronets, resulting in a ramshackle maze of rooms crammed with…
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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…
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The Midlands & the Marches
Founded as an Augustinian priory in around 1170, this evocative lakeside property was converted into a residence in 1539. It's inextricably associated…
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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…
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The Midlands & the Marches
Scattered around the Newarke Houses Museum are the ruins of Leicester's medieval castle, where Richard III spent his final days before the Battle of…
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Peak District
Dominating the former lead-mining village of Tideswell, the massive parish church of St John the Baptist – aka the Cathedral of the Peak – has stood here…
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Museum of Nottingham Life at Brewhouse Yard
Nottingham
The underground passageway Mortimer's Hole, at Nottingham Castle, emerges at Brewhouse Yard, where five atmospheric 17th-century cottages house the Museum…
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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…
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The Midlands & the Marches
Drayton has been serving up screams since 1949. Crowd-pleasers include the heart-in-mouth Apocalypse free-fall tower and Shockwave, Europe's first stand…
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Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre
The Midlands & the Marches
Sherwood Forest's 2018-opened curved timber visitor centre provides information about the forest's wildlife, walking trails and Robin Hood legends –…
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Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
The Midlands & the Marches
For a thorough overview of the Potteries area's history, this museum and gallery houses an extensive ceramics display, from Toby jugs and jasperware to…
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The Midlands & the Marches
Founded in AD 943 and reconstructed in the 18th century, Derby Cathedral's vaulted ceiling towers above a fine collection of medieval tombs, including the…
