Member Top Fives
Image: family at Warkworth Castle

Member recommendations

Which sites are our younger Members' favourites?

Image: family at Audley End House and Gardens

Happy kids equals happy parents! We asked our Members which sites are their children’s favourites. You can see the top five below, although honourable mentions must also go to Pevensey Castle in East Sussex, Audley End House and Gardens in Essex, Richmond Castle in North Yorkshire, Stonehenge in Wiltshire and Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire.

Did your favourite make it onto the list?

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Image: children outside Dover Castle

1: Dover Castle, Kent

‘We’ve done Dover three times and still haven’t seen everything,’ is what one Member says about their visits to Dover Castle – and it also perhaps explains why it is so popular with visitors of all ages. Children can explore 2,000 years of history, from roaming around the Roman lighthouse to discovering the castle’s important role in the Second World War. 

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Image: children at 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield

2: 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield, East Sussex

One Members’ child loves 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbery and Battlefield as ‘she enjoys the walk and, in normal times, the play area!’ Although the play area may currently be closed, there’s still lots to see and do at the site of one of England’s most iconic historical moments. From exploring abbey ruins to finding sculptures of Norman and Saxon soldiers on the battlefield trail, this vast and varied site promises a great experience for the whole family. 

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Image: children at Osborne

3: Osborne, Isle of Wight

One Member’s children has loved ‘the walk to the beach’ and has ‘spent many afternoons [there]’ at Osborne – and we are sure plenty of others would agree that the palatial seaside home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert is the perfect place to spend some quality family time. Indeed, Victoria herself spent many happy hours here with her family and Osborne is just as lavish and exciting to visit today as it would have been when she resided here. 

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Image: children at Goodrich Castle

4: Goodrich Castle, Herefordshire

Whether descending into the dungeons or climbing the tower to take in stunning views of the Wye Valley, children have plenty of space to enjoy at Goodrich Castle. Take part in the family trail or simply stroll around this medieval fortress as you imagine what life would have been like for those within and without the imposing castle walls. 

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Image: children running up stairs at Warkworth Castle

5: Warkworth Castle and Hermitage, Northumberland

Once the favourite home of the famous Percy family, Warkworth Castle is one of the biggest, strongest and most impressive medieval fortresses in northern England. It is a ‘real castle where [children] meet with knights and barber surgeons’, according to one of the Members who voted for this site. While there may not be so many characters to talk to on-site at the moment, a visit to Warkworth Castle still promises an adventure-filled day out for all ages. 

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