REASONS TO RETURN
Think you’ve seen everything your local English Heritage properties have to offer? Think again! Here are 10 ways to discover something new during a family day out this autumn.
Words: Sarah Newman
1. PUT YOUR CHILDREN IN THE PAST
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of being immersed in the past at the places where history really happened. You could try starting thousands of years ago at the reconstructed Neolithic houses at Stonehenge in Wiltshire or the Bronze Age roundhouse at Beeston Castle and Woodland Park in Cheshire, which provide a compelling window into life in prehistoric Britain.
In the visitor centre at 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield in East Sussex, there are interactive displays – and even the chance to find out if you’re strong enough to carry a Norman shield into battle.
Events are another great way to get kids engaged with the past. Special Halloween trails take place at sites across the country in late October and early November. Further ahead, our Half-Term History Makers activities in February give younger visitors the chance to explore sites that range from Kenilworth Castle to Stonehenge.
2. SPEAK TO A VOLUNTEER
Volunteers are always keen to share their passion for the past – and you might even find them in character. For example, on select days costumed volunteer storytellers can be found sharing the story of Charles II’s escape from Parliamentarian soldiers at Boscobel House in Shropshire, while storytellers are also on hand at the extraordinary 17th-century aristocratic retreat of Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire.
You can also join volunteer-led tours at Kenwood in London, where they’ll tell you all about the amazing art (which includes works by Rembrandt and Vermeer), or at Housesteads Roman Fort in Northumberland, where you’ll find out what life was like for soldiers on Hadrian’s Wall.
3. FIND A SECRET GARDEN
From intricate parterres and walled kitchen gardens to alpine rockeries and herbaceous borders, our gardens come in all shapes and sizes – and they’re well worth exploring at any time of year. When restored to their original design and planting there’s the added thrill of seeing (and smelling) a garden as it was intended.
At Brodsworth Hall and Gardens in South Yorkshire, a tunnel beneath the grotto leads to the Target Garden, originally used for archery practice before being requisitioned as a rifle range during the Second World War. At Eltham Palace and Gardens in London there’s a quirky mix of medieval and modern, with the dry moat now home to a series of ‘garden rooms’.
The Queen Mother’s Garden at Walmer Castle and Gardens in Kent features a pond surrounded by shady paths and flower-filled borders. You can also walk in the footsteps of royalty at Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire, where a 16th-century pleasure garden designed to impress Elizabeth I has been reconstructed in all its glory.
4. INVESTIGATE A COLLECTION
Once you’ve finished soaking up the atmosphere at your favourite site, don’t forget to head inside our museums and visitor centres to discover the stories of the objects former inhabitants used and cherished.
Many of our sites have new or refreshed exhibits to explore, including Wroxeter Roman City in Shropshire, where lots of objects are on display for the first time. Even more ancient objects can be found on display in the visitor centre at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, including axes, an antler pick and the
reconstructed face of a 5,000-year-old man.
On selected dates, you can also get a behind-the-scenes peek into our collection stores with guided tours at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire and Helmsley Castle in North Yorkshire.
5. EXPLORE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM
From high towers and castle keeps offering panoramic views to underground tunnels and dingy dungeons, we’ve got a number of castles you can explore, quite literally, from top to bottom. At Dover Castle in Kent, it’s possible to scale the heights of Henry II’s Great Tower, passing a re-creation of the medieval king’s chambers, before heading deep underground into the castle’s secret wartime tunnels.
At Portchester Castle in Hampshire you can explore its tall Norman keep before heading underground to see the lower chambers used to house prisoners during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. And at Ashby de la Zouch Castle in Leicestershire you can’t miss the impressive Hastings Tower, before heading into the kitchen via an underground passage.
6. REVISIT A GARDEN EVERY SEASON
It’s well worth revisiting our historic gardens throughout the year to see how they change with the seasons. Among the most spectacular are those at Audley End House in Essex. In the spring, you can enjoy stunning peach, apple and pear blossoms in the kitchen garden, while the pond garden and parterre should be alive with colour for visitors in the autumn.
The gardens at Brodsworth Hall in South Yorkshire, with its 15 acres of pleasure grounds, have been designed for year-round interest, from the exotic summer parterre to its Christmas rose, which comes into flower during the festive season.
Head to Osborne on the Isle of Wight in the warmer months to enjoy rich summer bedding before wandering down to Queen Victoria’s private beach, or go later in the year to revel in the trees’ autumnal hues. Charles Darwin’s much-loved garden at Down House in Kent also comes into its own in the autumn, thanks in part to the eye-catching coloured fungi that can be seen in the lawns.
7. GET INTERACTIVE
Taking part in hands-on activities helps history come alive for younger visitors, ensuring a fun day out for all ages. One of our interactive exhibits can be found at Boscobel House and The Royal Oak in Shropshire, where you can take an electronic candle-lit tour of the house before heading out on an interactive hide-and-seek themed trail.
At 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield in East Sussex, young visitors can explore the story of 1066 in an interactive exhibition before taking a trail to the battlefield. Elsewhere, one of our more unusual experiences can be found at Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight, where donkeys continue to work the 16th-century tread wheel to raise water from its well.
8. TAKE AN AUDIO TOUR
Audio tours are a fantastic way to surround yourself with the sounds and stories of our sites. Packed with expert commentary, they provide vivid insights into what life would have been like. Great examples include the new audio tour at Warkworth Castle in Northumberland, where you can discover how the powerful Dukes of Northumberland lived at this medieval fortress.
At Richborough Roman Fort and Amphitheatre in Kent, you’ll find yourself transported back to the beginnings of the Roman conquest of Britain. And at Clifford’s Tower, built by William the Conqueror in the heart of historic York, you can take a seat at one of the ‘listening benches’ to learn about its rich and turbulent past.
9. PLAY A FAMILY GAME
Look out for chances to stay and play on your next visit to a site. At Audley End House in Essex there are board games in the library, and nothing is out of bounds at the restored 1830s nursery wing. You can explore the indoor family play area, then let your children dress up as Victorian children.
Other examples include Down House in Kent, where you can play lawn games in Darwin’s former garden in the spring and summer, and Marble Hill in London, where you can have a go at battledore and shuttlecock, or nine-pin bowling in the alley.
For some unique sporting heritage, don’t miss the opportunity to explore the bowling green created for Charles I in the grounds of Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight while the king was imprisoned there.
10. EXPLORE A WILD SPACE
There’s no better way to capture children’s imaginations than by mixing history with adventure. One of the best places to do this can be found at the newly restored Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens in Northumberland, where you can explore its craggy Quarry Garden, with secret doors and high stone archways leading past Jurassic-looking ferns and exotic plants. The site is also home to a new family trail and fantastical children’s play area.
Legends abound at Tintagel Castle in Cornwall. The footbridge reconnecting the two halves of the ruined castle helps you experience it as its medieval inhabitants did, before exploring its links with the tales of King Arthur. Adventurous children will also love exploring the woods and the wilderness-themed play area at Witley Court and Gardens in Worcestershire.
