Discovering the City of Dickens and Shakespeare with a London Walks Tour
Our guide was loud and theatrical, and had no problem making himself heard by the crowd of people clustered hopefully around him. “It had to happen sometime,” he boomed. “A North American telling you about those two icons of English literature, Dickens and...
Discovering Roman London
London’s long history is one of its many attractions for visitors. Yet less is known of the city’s Roman past than of the Middle Ages or the colourful Tudor period. This is largely due to the fact that most of Roman London has been obliterated or obscured by later...
Kew Gardens: London’s “Lesser Known” UNESCO World Heritage Site
London has four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but one – the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew – is less visited than the others. Each of the others – the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, and the Greenwich Museums – attracted more than 2.5m...
A Continuous Tradition: The Roman Spa and Hot Springs of Bath
Over the years I have developed a mild obsession with Roman remains, seeking them out across Europe and elsewhere. But even better than ruins are those Roman sites that are still in use today, giving a sense of direct connection to the past. I’ve written before about...
Reliving Medieval History at Mount Grace Priory, Yorkshire
At first sight, Mount Grace Priory looks more like a Jacobean house than a medieval monastery. You approach a grand façade with a formal stepped garden complete with pond and sculpted bushes. But walk through the house and you will find the most complete Carthusian...
Save Money When You Visit Historic Sites, With English Heritage Membership
One of the pleasures of visiting (or living in) England is the wealth of historic sites, spanning the ages from prehistory to the 20th century. Many of these properties are maintained by English Heritage, and you can save a lot of money by taking out an English...
Ancient Burial Sites on the Isle of Man
I recently wrote about the Celtic and Norse heritage of the Isle of Man. But I was surprised to discover that the island also has lots of prehistoric sites, including one of the largest neolithic sites in the British Isles. And, in keeping with the mysterious history...
Manx Crosses, Runes and Oghams: Discovering the Early History of the Isle of Man
I went to the Isle of Man in search of Viking rune stones. I’d seen runes in Sweden last year, and wanted to explore them further. But it wasn’t long before I realised that the story was much more complicated than I thought. The Manx runes were part of a much bigger...
Exploring the History of Pembroke Castle, Wales
I visited lots of medieval castles on my recent trip to Wales. However, the one that made the biggest impression on me was Pembroke Castle. Privately owned and imaginatively managed, Pembroke Castle has an enviable location, with a long history stretching right back...
The Walled Towns and Fortifications of North Wales
The Norman castles and fortifications of North Wales are one of the area’s major tourist attractions. And rightly so: the buildings are majestic and offer spectacular views of the Welsh countryside. But why were all these fortifications necessary in the first place?...
