Now within Greater Manchester, Rochdale has been around since at least the 11th century when it was mentioned in the Domesday Book. The town rose to prominence through the woollen trade in the 18th century and then went into overdrive as a textile manufacturing mill town in the 19th century. A striking monument to the …
Across the River Irwell from Manchester, the City of Salford has its own tale to tell. After being granted a charter in 1230, Salford had a thriving economy, and was more successful than its famous neighbour. During the textile boom in the 18th and 19th centuries Salford became a key inland port on the Manchester …
A fast growing town on the Severn Estuary near Bristol, Portishead is an old fishing and deep-water port that has gone through a big transformation since the 2000s. The deep-water port and accompanying industry has disappeared, to be replaced by a swish residential development at the Portishead Marina. Whopping container ships now pass Portishead by …
A seaside resort amid brooding coastal scenery, Perranporth is home to one of the best beaches, not just in Cornwall but the entire country. Perranporth Beach is swarmed by surfers, but there’s ample room for everyone on these golden sands that seem limitless when the tide goes out. The South West Coast Path beckons you …
Just five miles from the Welsh border, Oswestry is an amiable market town in beautiful countryside. In Medieval times the Welsh Marches were fortified with hundreds of castles in what was then a bloody region prone to raids and rebellion. From that period, Chirk Castle and Whittington Castle are within striking distance of Oswestry, while …
At the northern boundary of Dartmoor, Okehampton is an agreeable town built from the local granite and defended by a once mighty castle. The ruins of Okehampton Castle may be 500 years old, but still hold the allure that attracted painters like J. M. W. Turner in the early 19th century. The arrival of the …
The county town for Rutland, England’s smallest county, is appropriately dinky, but has plenty for visitors to get stuck into. Take for instance the great hall of Oakham Castle, which looks a lot like it did when it was built in the 12th century. The parish church next door is a Medieval wonder, with rare …
The birthplace of the Victorian writer George Eliot, Nuneaton is the largest town in Warwickshire and only a brief drive from Birmingham, Coventry and Leicester. Eliot was born on the Arbury Estate, which opens for public tours on Bank Holiday weekends, and appears in detail in Scenes from Clerical Life. There’s a superb exhibition for …
Resting in a meander on the River Wansbeck, Morpeth is a historic market town that grew up around two Medieval castles built to defend the crossing. Morpeth will be right up your street if you like towns with a bit of personality and healthy local businesses like the independent food shops, boutiques, cafes and design …
In the rolling chalk hills of the North Wessex Downs, Marlborough is a picture perfect town on the historic road from London to Bath. Marlborough’s High Street along this old road is broader than almost any in the country, and blends centuries old listed buildings, shops to pique your curiosity, as well as lots of …