Hampshire

3 miles from Highcliffe Castle

Highcliffe Castle is a Grade I listed Gothic mansion on a cliff top in Dorset, offering restored historic interiors with exhibitions and beach access. Visitors can explore the house, enjoy the scenic grounds, and use the on-site cafe and picnic areas.

2 miles from Portchester Castle

Portchester Castle is a historic medieval fortress built within a Roman Saxon Shore fort in Hampshire, England. Visitors can explore both the extensive outdoor castle grounds and inner bailey as well as indoor ruins and exhibits, experiencing rich history from Roman times to the Napoleonic Wars. The site features Norman architecture, royal apartments, and is managed by English Heritage.

2 miles from New Forest Northern Commons

New Forest Northern Commons is a vast open landscape in Hampshire featuring walking trails through heathland and ancient woodland pasture, home to rare wildlife and shaped by traditional commoning livestock grazing. Visitors can explore diverse habitats and enjoy a natural, historic environment outdoors.

Located in Ringwood

Ringwood is a historic market town in Hampshire by the River Avon, known for its weekly market, rich medieval history, and cultural heritage including a notable brewery and filming locations.

Located in Lymington

Lymington is a charming coastal port town in Hampshire known for its rich maritime history, yachting culture, Victorian and Georgian architecture, and vibrant tourist amenities including markets, marinas, and cultural venues.

Near Westquay

Westquay is a major shopping centre in Southampton, offering over 130 retail stores including major brands, a wide range of dining options, a cinema, and leisure facilities all within a large indoor complex heated by geothermal energy.

3 miles from Houghton Lodge Gardens

Houghton Lodge Gardens is a historic 18th-century garden featuring formal and informal landscapes, a new Oriental Garden, champion trees, and riverside walks with alpine and sheep sightings. It offers a picturesque outdoor experience with plant sales and refreshments available.

2 miles from Selborne Common

Selborne Common is a protected biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Hampshire, featuring ancient beechwood, diverse wildlife including rare butterflies and birds, wildflowers, and historic field systems. It offers outdoor exploration within a nationally managed nature reserve accessible via public footpaths.

3 miles from Domus Dei

Domus Dei, also known as the Royal Garrison Church in Old Portsmouth, Hampshire, is a historic Early English period church dating back to around 1212. It is a partially roofless church due to WWII bomb damage, restored as a Garrison church and holds significant historical events, including royal connections. Managed by English Heritage, it is a Grade II listed building.

3 miles from Gilbert White’s House & Gardens

Gilbert White’s House and Gardens is a 30-acre garden inspired by the English Landscape Movement and the naturalist's work of Gilbert White, featuring wildflower meadows, a wildlife pond, orchards, and herb gardens with sustainable organic management and onsite honey sales.

3 miles from Marden Henge

Marden Henge is the UK's largest Neolithic henge enclosure, featuring a vast oval earthwork bordered partly by the River Avon. It is an archaeological site of great significance with timber structures and ancient artifacts, reflecting ceremonial uses during the Neolithic period, located near the villages of Marden in Wiltshire.

3 miles from Christchurch Castle

Christchurch Castle in Dorset is a historic Norman motte and bailey castle featuring ruins of a stone keep and the Constable's House, a rare Norman domestic dwelling. The site offers outdoor exploration of the castle grounds and gardens, as well as indoor experience of the preserved Constable's House, managed by English Heritage.

Located in Bournemouth

Bournemouth is a vibrant coastal resort town in Dorset, England, famous for its seven-mile sandy beaches, Victorian architecture, lively nightlife, cultural venues, and tourism. It combines historic charm with modern attractions and hosts various festivals and events.

Near Rosetta Cottage

Rosetta Cottage is a Victorian manor house in Cowes, Isle of Wight, known for its connection to Winston Churchill's parents' marriage proposal. It comprises two holiday cottages managed by the National Trust and is part of the island's Churchill Trail.

Located in Cowes

Cowes is a historic English port town on the Isle of Wight known globally for its maritime heritage, especially yachting and the annual Cowes Week regatta. It offers a walkable town center with diverse shops, eateries, and cultural sights including Cowes Castle and a floating chain ferry connecting to East Cowes.

2 miles from Osborne

Osborne House is a former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, built as a summer home for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Visitors can explore the grand Italianate architecture, royal apartments, extensive gardens, and enjoy the unique historic setting including a private beach and the Durbar Room with Indian influences. The site offers a mix of indoor and outdoor experiences with historic interiors and landscaped grounds.

3 miles from Breamore House

Breamore House is an Elizabethan manor house in Hampshire offering visitors an immersive experience of fine paintings, tapestries, and period furniture, set within beautiful parkland. The house has wheelchair accessible routes and a café, providing a comfortable visit amidst historic surroundings.

Located in Fordingbridge

Fordingbridge is a historic market town in Hampshire by the River Avon, known for its medieval seven-arch bridge, riverside park, local museums, and vibrant town centre with shops and eateries.

Near Yarmouth Castle

Yarmouth Castle is a 16th-century artillery fort on the Isle of Wight featuring an innovative arrow-head bastion design. Visitors can explore its historic gun platform, original courtyard buildings, and the Master Gunner's House. The castle has a rich military history, including use in both World Wars, and is maintained by English Heritage as a tourist attraction.

3 miles from Figsbury Ring

Figsbury Ring is an ancient earthwork site in Wiltshire featuring Neolithic and Iron Age archaeological remains set within protected grassland on a chalk ridge, managed by the National Trust and open to the public as a significant outdoor historical landmark.

2 miles from Hawk Conservancy Trust

The Hawk Conservancy Trust is a bird park and conservation charity in Hampshire with over 130 birds of prey, woodland and meadow habitats, and a national bird hospital. It offers outdoor bird displays and conservational work.

Near The Mall Southampton

Marlands Shopping Centre is a large indoor shopping mall in Southampton offering a variety of retail stores, cafes, a food court, and family-friendly amenities including a soft play area and axe throwing venue. It features postmodern architecture and has undergone multiple renovations since its 1991 opening.

2 miles from Uppark

Uppark is a Grade I listed 17th-century historic house museum in West Sussex, open to the public as a National Trust property. It features extensive collections from the 18th century, has been carefully restored after a major fire in 1989, and holds historical significance including ties to writer H. G. Wells.

3 miles from Stansted Park: Scandal and Society

16 Oct (next Friday)

A talk by Stansted Park’s Collections Coordinator explores the people who owned the estate before the Earls of Bessborough arrived in 1924, and the historical events and stories associated with them. Tickets include a drink on arrival.

2 miles from Newtown National Nature Reserve and Old Town Hall

Newtown National Nature Reserve on the Isle of Wight offers a unique blend of ancient woodlands, wildflower meadows, and a picturesque harbour filled with diverse birdlife. Visitors can explore peaceful walking trails, enjoy guided historical and wellbeing walks, and take part in water activities like canoeing. The 17th-century Old Town Hall nearby adds a historical element to the natural setting. The site is dog-friendly, wheelchair accessible on certain paths, and has food available at the Visitor Point.

2 miles from The Pepperbox

The Pepperbox is an historic hexagonal folly tower built in 1606 on Pepperbox Hill, Wiltshire. It offers panoramic views across the surrounding countryside including Salisbury. The tower is a Grade II listed building and a notable early folly, owned and preserved by the National Trust.

Near Birdworld

Birdworld is the UK's largest bird park featuring over 180 bird species, including many endangered, with outdoor exhibits such as the themed Terry Pratchett Owl Parliament, free-flying parrot aviary, and penguin colonies. It offers a family-friendly outdoor wildlife experience in Hampshire.

2 miles from Harting Down

Harting Down is a large area of ancient chalk downland featuring scenic hilltop views, diverse wildlife, and historical remnants including an Iron Age hill fort and Napoleonic war telegraph station. It offers extensive outdoor walking trails through a pristine natural landscape managed by the National Trust.

3 miles from Stansted House: Celebrating the 1920’s

10 Oct (this Saturday)

Visitors can explore Stansted House as it was in the late 1920s, seeing archival items and learning about the Bessborough family and life among the servants. The day includes piano performances, drop-in Charleston workshops, a children’s trail, an exhibition about Stansted Theatre and talks.

3 miles from Chawton House

Chawton House Gardens in Hampshire offers historical gardens from the 18th to 20th centuries with seasonal displays, woodland walks, Jane Austen exhibits, and a café, providing a rich combination of outdoor and indoor experiences for visitors.

2 miles from Castlepoint Shopping Centre

Castlepoint is a large retail park in Bournemouth, Dorset, featuring around 40 shops and multiple dining options within a two-level indoor shopping environment, supported by a spacious car park.

Located in Petersfield

Petersfield is a historic market town in Hampshire, England, known for its heritage sites, weekly markets, and vibrant arts culture, situated within the South Downs National Park.

3 miles from Royal Garrison Church, Portsmouth

Royal Garrison Church in Portsmouth is a historic church built circa 1212 with a partially roofed chancel and notable 20th-century stained glass windows. Visitors can explore the outdoor site and some indoor areas during specific opening times from April to October with free entry on designated days.

Near St Giles House

St Giles House is a historic family home in Dorset with over 400 years of history, restored after a period of disrepair. Visitors can arrange group tours of the house, which features accessibility accommodations and hosts events throughout the year.

Located in East Cowes

East Cowes is a historic town on the Isle of Wight known for its royal connections, maritime heritage, and walking routes along the River Medina. It features landmarks such as Osborne House and Norris Castle, along with a lively town center and transport links via ferry and bus services.

Near Knowlton Circles

Knowlton Circles is an ancient archaeological site in Dorset featuring a complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age henge monuments including Church Henge which encloses the ruins of Knowlton Church, surrounded by numerous round barrows and earthworks. It offers an outdoor historical experience showcasing prehistoric and early Christian heritage, open to the public during reasonable daylight hours.

Near Bishop's Waltham Palace

Bishop's Waltham Palace is a ruined medieval bishop's palace in Hampshire, England, known for its historical importance and royal connections. The moated ruins are open to the public and host local events, offering visitors an outdoor historical experience.

2 miles from Knoll Gardens and Nursery

Knoll Gardens near Wimborne, Dorset is a renowned naturalistic garden featuring innovative planting styles like Dry Meadow, Rain Garden, and Prairie. It hosts diverse wildlife and showcases national plant collections, attracting visitors for its evolving horticultural displays.

3 miles from Stansted Park

Stansted Park is an Edwardian country house set within 1800 acres of landscaped parkland and forest, offering visitors house tours, gardens, a chapel, woodland walks, and various outdoor attractions including a maze and light railway. Facilities include accessible parking, a café, and buggy service, with family-friendly activities and seasonal guided tours.

Located in Christchurch

Christchurch is a historic town on the south coast of Dorset, England, featuring a medieval priory, castle ruins, a picturesque harbour, and vibrant cultural events, making it a popular and accessible tourist destination.

Near Bargate Centre

Southampton City Centre is the commercial and transport hub of Southampton, featuring major shopping centres including Westquay, cultural museums in the Old Town area, and transport links such as a coach station, railway station, and ferry services. It combines historic landmarks with modern retail and leisure facilities.

3 miles from Edmondsham House

Edmondsham House is a historic country house featuring Tudor and Georgian architecture, set within extensive gardens including a walled organic garden and unusual trees. Visitors can explore both the house interiors and outdoor gardens, with nearby historic landmarks such as a 12th-century church.

3 miles from Deans Court

Deans Court is an elegant historic Georgian house set in ancient and romantic gardens in Wimborne Minster, featuring heritage interiors, a monastic fishpond, and a café, offering guided tours and special events access primarily for Historic Houses members and paying visitors.

Located in Wimborne Minster

Wimborne Minster is a historic market town in Dorset, England, known for its Saxon church, cultural festivals, preserved architecture, and active community events.

3 miles from East Head

East Head is a natural coastline area in West Sussex featuring rare sand-dune habitats, a sandy beach, shingle, and salt-marsh. Visitors can enjoy scenic coastal walks, beach activities, wildlife spotting including seals, and dog-friendly access with some restrictions during bird nesting season.

3 miles from Garston Wood

Garston Wood is an ancient woodland nature reserve in Wiltshire, known for its rich wildlife including dormice and colorful wildflowers like bluebells. The site offers outdoor walking paths with natural surfaces and is open free to the public year-round, but has no visitor facilities or food available.

2 miles from Simon's Wood and Finchampstead Ridges

Simon's Wood and Finchampstead Ridges is a natural reserve in Berkshire featuring woodland, heathland, and far-reaching views. It offers walking trails through redwood sequoia trees and wet woodland habitats important for wildlife. The site is free to visit and popular for nature and wildlife watching.

Near Medieval Merchant's House

The Medieval Merchant's House in Southampton is a restored late-13th-century timber-framed building showcasing medieval domestic and commercial architecture. Visitors can explore its original layout including a shop front, vaulted cellar, and period furnishings, preserved as a historic house museum by English Heritage.

Located in New Milton

New Milton is a historic market town in Hampshire with a rich heritage, cultural venues, nearby coastal cliffs and walking paths, and accessible transport options including a railway station and bus services.

2 miles from St Helens Duver

St Helens Duver is a sandy spit of land on the Isle of Wight featuring beaches, rock pools, woodlands, and historical sites including a former royal golf course. It offers coastal walks with wildlife spotting opportunities and is dog-friendly with wheelchair accessible paths.

2 miles from Hurst Castle

Hurst Castle is a historic 16th-century artillery fort located on Hurst Spit in Hampshire, England, built by Henry VIII to protect the Solent. It features extensive 19th-century gun batteries, an active lighthouse, and served military roles through two World Wars. Now managed by English Heritage, the site offers visitors a glimpse into England's coastal defence history amid ongoing conservation efforts due to coastal erosion.

3 miles from Fort Cumberland (England)

Fort Cumberland is a historic pentagonal artillery fort in Southsea, Hampshire, protecting the entrance to Langstone Harbour and the Royal Navy Dockyard. Now managed by English Heritage, it offers pre-booked guided tours of its extensive masonry fortifications and houses a distillery and veterans charities within its casemates.

2 miles from Netley Abbey

Netley Abbey is a historic 13th-century Cistercian monastery ruin near Southampton, Hampshire. Visitors can explore the extensive ruins of the abbey church, cloister buildings, and abbot's house set within picturesque wooded parkland. The site is managed by English Heritage and is notable as one of the best preserved medieval monasteries of its kind in southern England.

2 miles from White Barrow

White Barrow is a large Neolithic long barrow on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, notable as the first ancient monument purchased by the National Trust and a protected archaeological site dating back to 3500-4000 BC.

3 miles from Farnham Castle

Farnham Castle is a historic 12th-century castle in Surrey that served as the residence of the Bishops of Winchester for over 800 years, featuring a preserved shell keep, curtain walls, historic gardens, and a visitors' exhibition detailing its 900-year history. It offers indoor tours of the keep and palace with outdoor exploration of its grounds and gardens.

Near Farleigh Wallop House

Farleigh Wallop House is a beautifully restored country estate in Hampshire offering luxurious stays with elegant interiors, a heated outdoor pool, tennis courts, games and cinema rooms, and extensive grounds for outdoor activities such as boating, horse riding and shooting. It is ideal for exclusive use hire for weekend getaways, corporate retreats, and celebrations.

2 miles from Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum

Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum is a Victorian villa in Bournemouth featuring historic art collections, galleries, and a Japanese treasures room, alongside a small garden and a cafe with sea views. The venue offers tours, live music, and is mostly wheelchair accessible with facilities for children.

Near The Vyne

The Vyne in Hampshire is a historic Tudor mansion with royal connections set within extensive gardens, meadows, and ancient woodlands. Visitors can explore opulent state rooms, enjoy family-friendly outdoor activities, and attend outdoor theatre and cinema events. On-site facilities include a tea-room and a gift shop, with accessibility features and dog-friendly areas.

Near Who's in Your Book?

7 Oct–8 Nov (another 30 days)

Families can follow an interactive trail through The Vyne’s gardens, searching for characters from Tom Fletcher’s Who’s In Your Book? series and completing playful challenges.

2 miles from Gunwharf Quays

Gunwharf Quays is a vibrant shopping centre in Portsmouth featuring a wide range of retail stores, dining options, and a cinema, set within a historic former military site including restored buildings and the landmark Spinnaker Tower.

2 miles from Pepperbox Hill

Pepperbox Hill is a natural outdoor site featuring an early 17th century brick folly and important chalk downland habitat supporting rare orchids, butterflies, and diverse flora. Visitors can explore the natural landscape and enjoy views from the historic folly.

Near Hinton Ampner

Hinton Ampner is a National Trust country house and garden estate in Hampshire, featuring a neo-Georgian mansion with rich interiors and extensive 20th-century gardens, alongside a historic village and church. Visitors can explore both the indoor historic house museum and the outdoor gardens and parkland.

Near Hinton Ampner: Unseen

5–18 Oct (another 9 days)

Hinton Ampner: Unseen is an exhibition revealing rarely displayed objects, hidden areas and stories from the historic house. Visitors can explore furniture, the China Store and the conservation work involved in caring for the collections.

3 miles from Langstone Harbour

Langstone Harbour is a nature reserve with tidal mudflats, saltmarsh, and lagoons supporting diverse waterbirds. It offers outdoor wildlife viewing along coastal paths with no visitor centre, on-site facilities, or entry fees.

3 miles from Farnham Castle

Farnham Castle is a historic site with 900 years of history featuring a Norman Keep, medieval great hall, and Tudor lodging range. Visitors can enjoy self-guided tours of the Castle Keep and exhibition room as well as guided tours of the Bishop’s Palace. The site combines indoor historical exhibits with outdoor grounds and offers free parking and some accessibility provisions. The Castle Keep will be closed for repairs in 2025.

Near King James's and Landport Gates

King James's and Landport Gates are historic gateways in Portsmouth, Hampshire, originally part of 14th-century town walls with significant roles in controlling access to the city. King James's Gate was built in 1687 and moved from its original position, while Landport Gate, built in 1760, remains in its original location, both representing key military and civic heritage sites.

3 miles from Furzey Gardens

Furzey Gardens is a 10-acre informal woodland garden with winding paths, featuring a historic plant collection, a recreated Chelsea Flower Show gold medal garden, and natural wildlife habitats. It offers facilities including refreshments, a children's play area, and parking, with free access for RHS Members on selected days.

3 miles from Medmerry

Medmerry is a coastal nature reserve near Chichester offering extensive trails, panoramic views, and excellent birdwatching including avocets and birds of prey. The reserve is free to enter, dog-friendly on public paths, and features multiple car parks. Toilets and refreshments are available at a nearby visitor centre.

Near Frensham Little Pond

Frensham Little Pond is a historic medieval fish pond and sanctuary set within internationally important heathland in Surrey, offering family-friendly trails, rare wildlife spotting, and an outdoor café with scenic views. It provides accessible paths and facilities, making it ideal for nature lovers and families alike.

3 miles from Stonehenge

Stonehenge is a world-famous prehistoric monument featuring the iconic Stone Circle and a museum exhibition showcasing 4,000 years of history. Visitors can explore the outdoor landscape and take part in guided tours inside the stone circle outside normal hours. The site offers a café, shop, and family-friendly facilities, making it a compelling cultural and educational day out.

3 miles from Compton Acres

Compton Acres is an extensive Art and Crafts-style garden in Poole featuring five themed gardens inspired by worldwide travels, including Italian, Japanese, and Water gardens with seasonal plantings and rare wildlife.

Located in Poole

Poole is a historic coastal town and seaport in Dorset, England, known for its large natural harbour, maritime heritage, sandy beaches, cultural attractions, and lively shopping and dining scene.

3 miles from The Summer House

The Summer House is a Georgian Gothic folly in Hampshire situated in a landscaped park by Capability Brown. Visitors can experience restored interiors, including a unique octagonal dining room and historic bathing room, as well as explore the surrounding gardens and nearby historic ruins on guided tours.