The very word “Windsor”, instantly calls to mind the British Royal Family, as the name of the Royal House currently on the throne. Thirty-nine monarchs have lived at the enormous Windsor Castle since it was raised as a royal palace by Henry I more than 900 years ago. Step into this storied palace for an …
A youthful city with two universities, Nottingham is known around the world for the Robin Hood legend. In 2015 it was named a City of Literature, and giants of the English language, Lord Byron and D. H. Lawrence lived or grew up in the city in the 19th century. The big-hitting monument in the city …
Where the sandstone ridge of the High Weald tumbles to the English Channel, Hastings is a working fishing port, Victorian resort and a historic settlement. Hastings was one of a Medieval alliance of coastal towns known as the Cinque Ports, and has a gorgeous old town in a valley against the rocky East and West …
Amid the ageless beauty of the Peak District, Buxton is the highest market town in England, at 300 metres above sea level. Travellers came to Buxton to drink its spring water for hundreds of years before the 5th Duke of Devonshire, William Cavendish set out bold plans for a spa resort in the 18th century. …
Cumbria’s only city, Carlisle is rooted in the 2nd century as a Roman settlement tied to Hadrian’s Wall, the northernmost boundary of the Roman Empire. That enormous defence is the largest Roman artefact in the world, and there are forts and long portions of the wall in touching distance of Carlisle. This city was on …
There are a few things that spring to mind when you hear the name “Worcester”. It might be the sumptuous Gothic cathedral tower, the tangy sauce that goes into Bloody Marys or the fine brand of soft paste porcelain. You can pull on all these threads in Worcester and dive into with the city’s storied …
A genteel Victorian seaside resort on the South Coast of England, Bournemouth cultivates a polished, stately image. This has much to do with its many gardens, planted with sub-tropical species like palms and ferns that thrive in the town’s warmer microclimate. Bournemouth has some of the warmest sea temperatures in England, on seven miles of …
When people picture domestic seaside holidays in the UK, the Victorian resort of Blackpool is still the first destination that comes to mind. Never mind that the weather can be erratic and the Irish Sea a bit nippy, Blackpool pulls in millions of holidaymakers a year, seeking light entertainment, old-time amusements and the timeless fun …
The county of Hampshire’s largest city, Southampton is a historic port where many of the world’s largest cruise liners continue to dock. One such ship, the Titanic departed from Southampton on its ill-fated maiden voyage. The city also has an aviation background as the place where the Spitfire fighter plane was assembled in the 1930s. …
Until the steam age the university city of Exeter was a thriving port for the wool trade, bolstered by one of the UK’s oldest ship canals. Exeter escaped heavy industry in the 19th century because it was set too far from fuel sources, and this has helped it keep some of its Tudor character. This …