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<title>Visit Heritage</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk</link>
<description>Visit Heritage Blog</description>
<language>en-GB</language>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Apr 2025 23:36:41 GMT</pubDate>
<lastBuildDate>Thu, 27 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT</lastBuildDate>
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<title>Exploring the Grandeur of Gosford House: A Rare Open Day Experience</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/04/exploring-the-grandeur-of-gosford-house-a-rare-open-day-experience-b426</link>
<description>Gosford House will host its Spring Open Days from Thursday, April 17th, to Monday, April 21st, 2025. During this period, visitors can partake in guided tours that unveil the rich history and architectural splendour of the estate.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Gosford House will host its Spring Open Days from Thursday, April 17th, to Monday, April 21st, 2025. During this period, visitors can partake in guided tours that unveil the rich history and architectural splendour of the estate.</p>
<p>Tucked away on the picturesque coastline of East Lothian, Gosford House is one of Scotland’s finest neoclassical mansions, an architectural masterpiece that exudes history, elegance, and grandeur. Normally reserved for private events, Gosford House opens its doors to the public for a limited time this April, offering a rare chance to step inside a world of aristocratic splendour.</p>
<p><strong>A Glimpse into History</strong></p>
<p>Designed by the renowned Scottish architect Robert Adam in the late 18th century, Gosford House has served as the ancestral seat of the Earls of Wemyss and March for generations. The estate’s impressive facade, framed by sprawling parklands and tranquil lakes, sets the stage for an unforgettable journey through time.</p>
<p>As visitors approach, they are met with the striking exterior of the mansion, its stately columns and intricate stonework reflecting the classical influences of Adam’s design. The anticipation builds as you step inside, where the true magic of Gosford House awaits.</p>
<p><strong>Inside the Mansion</strong></p>
<p>The interiors of Gosford House are nothing short of breathtaking. The moment you enter, the grand Marble Hall greets you with soaring ceilings, towering Corinthian columns, and an exquisite domed roof that allows soft light to filter through, casting an ethereal glow over the room. Every detail speaks of craftsmanship and luxury, from the intricately carved fireplaces to the gilded stucco work adorning the walls.</p>
<p>Visitors will have the chance to explore the South Wing, which features beautifully preserved rooms that once hosted aristocrats, statesmen, and royalty. Lavishly furnished drawing rooms, stately dining areas, and an impressive library filled with antique volumes give a glimpse into the refined lifestyle of the house’s past occupants. The house also boasts a spectacular collection of fine art, with paintings and sculptures that add to its rich historical tapestry.</p>
<p><strong>The Enchanting Grounds</strong></p>
<p>Beyond the mansion’s doors, the estate’s grounds unfold in a stunning display of natural beauty. Sweeping lawns, ornamental gardens, and centuries-old woodlands provide the perfect setting for a leisurely stroll. Visitors can wander along serene pathways, past glistening ponds and hidden follies, immersing themselves in the peaceful ambience that surrounds Gosford House.</p>
<p>Spring is an especially enchanting time to visit, as the estate bursts into life with vibrant blooms and the gentle rustling of leaves in the crisp coastal breeze. Whether admiring the meticulously landscaped gardens or discovering quiet corners of the parklands, there’s a sense of timeless elegance that lingers in the air.</p>
<p><strong>A Rare Opportunity</strong></p>
<p>Gosford House’s open day is an unmissable experience for history enthusiasts, architecture lovers, and anyone looking to immerse themselves in Scotland’s rich heritage. The combination of opulent interiors, fascinating history, and breathtaking surroundings makes for an unforgettable visit.</p>
<p>This April, take the opportunity to step beyond the gates of Gosford House and discover a hidden gem of East Lothian—a place where history and beauty converge in spectacular fashion.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/04/exploring-the-grandeur-of-gosford-house-a-rare-open-day-experience-b426#comments426</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Celebrate Yorkshire Dales Dark Skies Festival with Broughton Hall</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/02/celebrate-yorkshire-dales-dark-skies-festival-with-broughton-hall-b416</link>
<description>From 14 th – 19 th February, Broughton Hall becomes a celestial wonderland with amazing stargazing events, astronomy talks, solar meditation and nature walks to help connect you to the magic of the cosmos and enjoy the incredible night skies over the Yorkshire Dales.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>From 14<sup>th</sup> – 19<sup>th</sup> February, Broughton Hall becomes a celestial wonderland with amazing stargazing events, astronomy talks, solar meditation and nature walks to help connect you to the magic of the cosmos and enjoy the incredible night skies over the Yorkshire Dales.</p>
<p>The Yorkshire Dales is an international Dark Sky Reserve, so designated because of the lack of light pollution, making it easy to enjoy the night sky without having to use a telescope. From the Dales, you will be able to see planets, meteors and even the Northern Lights. The reserve covers the upper ends of Swaledale, Rawthey Valley, Garsdale, Littondale and Wharfedale, giving you plenty of places to enjoy the night sky.</p>
<p>Why not take part this year by booking a stay at Broughton Hall? It’s the perfect place for the opening celebrations. Guests can stay in a Broughton Sanctuary Holiday Home to fully immerse themselves in the festival atmosphere and enjoy the benefits of the night sky. It’s a great option for families looking for a unique half-term break. There are a host of events happening daily as part of the festival, including daily children’s activities and family-friendly events, including Solar System Wonders with Chris Higgins.</p>
<p>As well as the Dark Skies Festival, there are other half term activities to enjoy while at Broughton Hall. Parents can relax, while the kids can enjoy outdoor adventures with the Wild Explorers Kids’ Holiday Club and Teenage Camps, running throughout the week.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/02/celebrate-yorkshire-dales-dark-skies-festival-with-broughton-hall-b416#comments416</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 03 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Celebrating 250 years of Jane Austen</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/01/celebrating-250-years-of-jane-austen-b412</link>
<description>2025 marks 250 years since the birth of one of Britain’s most beloved writers, Jane Austen. Her stories have touched the lives of generations and live on even today, with many heritage properties providing the backdrop as her stories are adapted for new audiences.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>2025 marks 250 years since the birth of one of Britain’s most beloved writers, Jane Austen. Her stories have touched the lives of generations and live on even today, with many heritage properties providing the backdrop as her stories are adapted for new audiences.</p>
<p>This year, the places that Jane lived and set her novels are gearing up to mark her birthday, so here is your opportunity to learn more about the lady herself and visit some of the places that inspired her works.</p>
<p>First though, let’s look at who Jane Austen was.</p>
<p>Jane was born on 16<sup>th</sup> December 1775, the seventh of eight children born to the Reverend George Austen and Cassandra Leigh. The Austens were an old and wealthy merchant family, however, by the time George Austen had been born, there was little money left and after he and his sisters were orphaned, he relied heavily on wealthier family members. He met his future wife, Cassandra Leigh, while studying at St John’s College, Oxford. She came from a prominent family, her father was the rector at All Souls College and her eldest brother had inherited a fortune from a great aunt.</p>
<p>The pair were married in <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/our-regions/south-west">Bath</a> at St Swithin’s Church and had a modest income, supplemented by their families.</p>
<p>After becoming ordained, George and Cassandra were given the Deane Rectory where they lived and had their first three children, James, George and Edward. They then relocated to Steventon in <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/our-regions/south-east">Hampshire</a>, where the rest of their children were born and George worked as Rector and a teacher, with several young boys boarding with the family to help make ends meet. While living at Steventon, the Austens discovered that their second son, George, was unwell, suffering from seizures, he was sent to live with the Leigh family, staying with an uncle who had a similar condition.</p>
<p>There were eight Austen children in total: James, George, Edward, Henry, Cassandra, Jane and Francis (known as Frank).</p>
<p>The family were known to be highly literate and creative, as well as being heavily influenced by the church. Jane began writing at around the age of 11 and her brother James was also known to be a poet. James and another brother, Henry both went into the church, while Francis and Charles joined the Navy, both rising high in the ranks. All of the children were well educated, including the girls, Cassandra and Jane.</p>
<p>The girls were initially both sent off to school in Oxford, Jane was just six years old. Their education then took them to Southampton, but both returned home after contracting typhus – Jane became so ill that she almost died. Following this, they were homeschooled, until being sent to the Abbey School in Reading. However, the school fees were too expensive, so the girls completed their education at home under the guidance of their father and brothers. Rev George was said to have been encouraging of his girls, supplying them with books and paper for writing and drawing. Jane was known to produce stories and plays which she performed for the family. Her teenage writings survive and are split between the <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/places-to-stay/london">British Library in London</a> and the Bodelian Library in <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/our-regions/south-east/oxfordshire">Oxford</a>.</p>
<p>In 1801, when Jane was 25, her father retired and the family, now consisting of Jane, her sister Cassandra and their parents, moved to 4 Sydney Place in Bath. Though Jane was upset to leave her family home, she was known to have an active social life while in Bath, attending balls and concerts and holidaying in Devon and Dorset. While she was in Bath, she is only known to have written one piece of work, an abandoned novel, though she did set two of her books in the city. Her father died unexpectedly, leaving the family in financial difficulties. The Austen boys pledged to support their mother and sister financially, and the three of them left Bath, first for Worthing in Sussex and then Southampton, where they lived with Frank, one of the brothers and his wife, keeping her company while he was away at sea.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/2(29).jpg"><em>Image: Visitors to the Jane Austen Festival which takes place in Bath every year. Credit: Visit Bath on Instagram</em></p>
<p>Another of Jane’s brothers, Edward, was adopted by a wealthy, childless relative, inheriting their estates at Chawton in Hampshire and another in Kent. He gifted a house on his Chawton estate to Jane, Cassandra and their mother and the three moved in with a friend. It was here that Jane did the majority of her writing. She revised earlier manuscripts, most of which were written while still living at Steventon. While here, Jane had the freedom to write. Together with her brother Henry, she began to negotiate with publishers and in 1810, Sense and Sensibility was published anonymously. It wasn’t the first time she had sold a manuscript, in 1803, she sold a novel to a publisher in Bath for the sum of £10, but it was never published.</p>
<p>Pride and Prejudice followed in 1813 and once that was out, Jane began a new novel, Mansfield Park and then Emma, which was published in 1815 by the most fashionable publisher of the time. Following her success, Henry helped her buy back her first sold manuscript which went on to become Northanger Abbey, unfortunately, this wasn’t published in her lifetime.</p>
<p>Jane had begun to feel unwell in around 1816. She ignored this and continued writing – by the middle of that year, she started to deteriorate, eventually being unable to walk, lacking energy and being confined to bed rest. In 1817, she began her final novel, only managing to complete the first 12 chapters, it was in this year that she and her sister moved to Winchester, to be closer to her doctor. By this time, she was experiencing agonising pain and died on 18<sup>th</sup> July 1817 at just 41. Her brother Henry used his contacts in the church to arrange for her to be buried at Winchester Cathedral. Six months after her death, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were published together. Henry oversaw the process and provided a preface to the novels, naming his sister for the first time as the author of all her published works.</p>
<h2>Jane Austen’s novels</h2>
<p>Jane Austen is known for six full length novels, a partially finished novel and a novella. She wrote several short stories and plays as a teen, which were gifted to her nieces and nephews and some of these writings still exist and are split between the British Library in London and other libraries around the world.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/1(33).jpg"><br>
<em>Image: The title page of Emma, credit: Canva </em></p>
<p><strong>Sense & Sensibility</strong><br>
Originally called Elinor and Marianne, it was started while Jane lived in Steventon and then revised when she moved to Chawton. With Henry as her informal literary agent, Jane secured a publisher and it was published on commission, meaning that the financial risk was to Jane, rather than the publisher. It was published anonymously, simply stating that it was by A Lady. The first print run completely sold out in 2 years, making Jane a profit.</p>
<p><strong>Pride & Prejudice</strong><br>
Perhaps her most famous novel, originally called First Impressions, it was written while living at Steventon following a visit to her brother Edward’s inherited home in Kent. It was revised and renamed while living in Chawton. After the success of her first book, the publisher chose to purchase the copyright, it was again published anonymously as By the same author as Sense & Sensibility. It sold out quickly, but as Jane sold the copyright, she didn’t receive any profits.</p>
<p><strong>Mansfield Park</strong><br>
This was completely written while living at Chawton and was the first of Jane’s novels to have a political theme, touching on slavery and religion. Jane and Henry arranged for this one to be published on commission and again it was published anonymously as By the author of Sense & Sensibility and Pride & Prejudice. The first print run sold out in 6 months.</p>
<p><strong>Emma</strong><br>
The last novel published in Jane’s lifetime, Emma is the first of her protagonists who does not need to marry for money, but there are still themes of class and the lack of possibilities for women, as well as having a political stance, including mentioning the issues in Ireland at the time and health. It was published on 23<sup>rd</sup> December 1815 and was credited to the Author of Pride & Prejudice etc and included a dedication to the Prince Regent, however public reaction was mixed.</p>
<p><strong>Northanger Abbey</strong><br>
The first of two novels published posthumously – it came out 6 months after her death. It follows the daughter of a clergyman who leaves her village to go to Bath, it satirises the popular Gothic novels of the time and was initially drafted while in Steventon and was called Susan. It was originally sold for publication in 1803 but never published, Henry brought the manuscript back for the same cost it was sold for and Jane revised it. It was published alongside Persuasion.</p>
<p><strong>Persuasion</strong><br>
Published in 1817 alongside Northanger Abbey, it features the most mature of Jane’s protagonists. It was the last novel to be completed before her death and was originally called The Elliots, however, when Henry arranged for publication, it was renamed Persuasion. The family kept the copyright.</p>
<p><strong>Sanditon, The Watsons and Lady Susan</strong><br>
Sanditon is an unfinished novel that Jane started in 1817. It was originally called The Brothers and she only completed the first 12 chapters before having to stop because of her ill health. It was published in 1925 as Fragment of a Novel by Jane Austen.</p>
<p>The Watsons is the only work she is known to have written while in Bath. It was likely started in 1803 and the fragment was published in her nephew’s book A Memoir of Jane Austen in 1871. The original manuscript is now split between the Morgan Library and Museum in New York and the Bodelain in Oxford.</p>
<p>Lady Susan was one of her earliest works, likely written in 1794 but it was never submitted for publication in Jane’s lifetime. It was published as a novella in 1871.</p>
<p>Even though Jane Austen is famous for writing romances, she was not known to have many relationships. When she was 20 she was introduced to Tom Lefory, who was training to be a barrister, the pair spent some time together over that summer and Jane wrote of him often to her sister. As neither the Austens of the Leforys had money, it wasn’t deemed a good match and his family intervened, the pair never saw each other again.</p>
<p>Perhaps no other suitors matched up to Tom, but Jane did receive a marriage proposal in 1802 from Harris Brigg-Wither. He was the younger brother of a friend and was heir to considerable estates. Jane initially accepted but withdrew the following day, no journal entries or letters survive detailing how she felt about the situation or why the match didn’t work out.</p>
<p>Now you know all there is to know about Jane, here are some of the places you should visit in 2025 to mark her 250<sup>th</sup> birthday.</p>
<h4>Hampshire</h4>
<p>Steventon in Hampshire was Jane’s birthplace.</p>
<p>Chawton in Hampshire is where you’ll find Jane Austen’s House, a museum that has been set up in her final home.</p>
<p>Winchester – Winchester Cathedral is her final resting place.</p>
<p>The majority of her novels were written while living in Hampshire.</p>
<h4>Somerset</h4>
<p>
<p>The city of Bath – Jane Austen lived here for a time, the family moved to 4 Sydney Place in the city and you’ll also find the Jane Austen Centre, a museum dedicated to her.</p>
<p>In September, you can join the Jane Austen Festival, this year taking place between 12<sup>th</sup> – 21<sup>st</sup> September.</p>
<p>You’ll also find St Swithin’s Church in the city, Jane’s parents were married here and her father is also buried here.</p>
<p>Montacute House – Managed by the National Trust, the house was used as in the 1995 adaptation of Sense & Sensibility.</p>
<p>Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were both based in Bath.</p>
<h4>Wiltshire</h4>
<p>Lacock Village – Managed by the National Trust, Lacock Village was used in two different adaptations of Austen’s work.</p>
<h4>Surrey</h4>
<p>Box Hill – one of the most pivotal scenes in Emma is set at Box Hill in Surrey.</p>
<p>Emma is primarily set in Surrey.</p>
<h4>Derbyshire</h4>
<p>Parts of Pride and Prejudice were set in the Peak District and Chatsworth House was name dropped in the novel while Elizabeth was on her way to Pemberley.</p>
<p>It also featured as Pemberley in the 2005 adaptation.</p>
<h4>Warwickshire</h4>
<p>Stoneleigh Abbey – the family home of the Leigh family, Jane’s mother’s family. Jane was known to stay here for a time and modelled Northanger Abbey and Sotherton Court from Mansfield Park on the house.</p>
<h4>Basingstoke</h4>
<p>The Vyne – another property now managed by the National Trust, Jane and her sister Cassandra were known to attend dances here.</p>
<h4>London</h4>
<p>Westminster Abbey – there is a tablet dedicated to Jane Austen at Poet’s Corner.</p>
<p>Places in Mayfair and Bloomsbury also feature in several novels.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/01/celebrating-250-years-of-jane-austen-b412#comments412</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Get into the festive spirit at Syon Park</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/10/get-into-the-festive-spirit-at-syon-park-b408</link>
<description>Grab your festive treats and stock up on the Christmas cheer at Syon Park this November with the Two Day Festive Market.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Grab your festive treats and stock up on the Christmas cheer at Syon Park this November with the Two Day Festive Market.</p>
<p>Curated by Dapper and Suave and taking place in Syon Park’s Great Conservatory, you’ll find 49 small businesses offering a range of high quality items, perfect for stocking fillers, gifts, decorations and food for the festive season.</p>
<p>The Two Day Festive Market is running on 22<sup>nd</sup> November, from 3pm – 8pm and 23<sup>rd</sup> November, from 10 am – 4pm.</p>
<p>Find out more <a href="https://syonpark.co.uk/events/festive-market/">here.</a></p>
<p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/10/get-into-the-festive-spirit-at-syon-park-b408#comments408</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 31 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Heritage events to enjoy this half term</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/10/heritage-events-to-enjoy-this-half-term-b404</link>
<description>Want to indulge in some heritage this half term? Spooky season, with its ghost stories is the best time to unearth Britain’s heritage – here are our suggestions for a fun day out for the whole family this half term.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Want to indulge in some heritage this half term? Spooky season, with its ghost stories is the best time to unearth Britain’s heritage – here are our suggestions for a fun day out for the whole family this half term.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/knebworth-house-p4568901">Knebworth House’s Halloween Adventure</a><br>
Knebworth House, Hertfordshire SG3 6PY</h3>
<p>Get your costumes ready and your tickets to Knebworth House’s Halloween Adventure! With a host of games and activities, plus tasty seasonal treats, there’s fun for the whole family throughout the gardens.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/american-museum-and-gardens-p4316061">American Museum’s American Halloween</a><br>
American Museum, Bath, Somerset BA2 7BD</h3>
<p>Enjoy a classic American Halloween with exciting indoor and outdoor trails and fun activities throughout half term. If you visit on Halloween itself, you can take part in trick or treating and costume parades around the gardens.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/halloween-half-term-at-carisbrooke-castle-p4361191">Halloween Half Term at Carisbrooke Castle</a><br>
Carisbrooke Castle, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 1XY</h3>
<p>Managed by English Heritage, Carisbrooke Castle has a host of family friendly things to do this half term and if you book online, you’ll even get a discount off your visit!</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/halloween-at-blenheim-palace-p5603331">Halloween at Blenheim Palace</a><br>
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire OX20 1UL</h3>
<p>A much anticipated Halloween trail with even more surprises than before comes to Blenheim Palace, you might see a headless horseman or two!</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/wizard-week-isle-of-wight-steam-railway-p3569441">Wizard Week @ Isle of Wight Steam Railway</a><br>
Isle of Wight Steam Railway, PO33 4DS</h3>
<h3></h3>
<p>Grab your wands and brooms and hitch a ride on Isle of Wight Steam Railway for wizard week! Meet the witches of Havenstreet and keep an eye out for the Birds of Prey from Haven Falconry.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/october-half-term-at-brunels-ss-great-britain-p5643521">October Half Term at Brunel’s SS Great Britain</a><br>
Great Western Dockyard, Gas Ferry Road, Bristol BS1 6TY</h3>
<p>Board the SS Great Britain for the spookiest Halloween yet, throughout half term, you can follow a turnip trail and indulge in some Victorian ghost stories.</p>
<p>Want more ideas for this half term? <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on">Click here</a></p>
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<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/10/heritage-events-to-enjoy-this-half-term-b404#comments404</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Heritage Open Days in Bath & North East Somerset</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/09/heritage-open-days-in-bath-and-north-east-somerset-b402</link>
<description>Venues across Bath and North East Somerset will open their doors this month for Heritage Open Days (6-15 September). Now in its 30 th year, the nationwide celebration of history and culture is a chance to see inside hidden places and try out new experiences, all for free.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Venues across Bath and North East Somerset will open their doors this month for Heritage Open Days (6-15 September). Now in its 30<sup>th</sup> year, the nationwide celebration of history and culture is a chance to see inside hidden places and try out new experiences, all for free.</p>
<p>Bath and North East Somerset has a packed programme of events to look forward to: you can see inside churches, mills, cemeteries and more; enjoy exclusive talks and guided tours; and take part in family friendly activities and trails.</p>
<p>Councillor Paul Roper, Cabinet Member for Economic & Cultural Sustainable Development, said: "Heritage Open Days offer a unique opportunity to explore the rich history and cultural heritage that make Bath and North East Somerset so special. This year’s programme is brimming with hidden gems and events that will captivate residents and visitors alike, and I encourage everyone to take advantage of this chance to experience our local history firsthand – all for free."</p>
<p>Highlights include:</p>
<p><strong>Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre</strong><br>
Find out what it was like to live in Roman Bath with fun activities, crafts and crazy rituals<strong>. </strong>Friday 6 and Tuesday 10 September, 6-8pm</p>
<p><strong>Roman Baths Local History Store – Lansdown</strong><br>
Explore weird and wonderful objects on a store tour, from Victorian spa equipment to Georgian furniture. Wednesday 11 September, tours at 10am, 12 noon and 2pm</p>
<p><strong>Bath Record Office</strong><br>
See inside the store rooms and discover how the Record Office looks after its unique collections. Monday 9 September, 10am-2pm</p>
<p><strong>Victoria Art Gallery</strong><br>
Take a store tour and explore the marvellous collections housed in the art stores. Tuesday 10, Thursday 12 and Saturday 14 September, 12 noon</p>
<p><strong>Gardens at the</strong> <strong>American Museum & Gardens</strong><br>
Enjoy free admission to the gardens on Sunday 15 September, 10am-5pm</p>
<p><strong>Museum of Bath at Work</strong><br>
Join local historian Ann Cullis to hear fascinating tales about the museum, which was originally built as a ‘real tennis’ court in 1777. Friday 6 September, 11am and 2.30pm</p>
<p><strong>Albert Mill</strong><br>
Visit the historic mill in Keynsham, which dates from 1700 and is now a private residence. Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September</p>
<p><strong>Keynsham Abbey</strong><br>
See the remains of medieval Keynsham Abbey, and find out about its history with a guided talk and a ‘Monk’s Trail’ for children. Saturdays 7 and 14 September, 2-5pm</p>
<p><strong>Eyre Chantry Chapel</strong><br>
Explore Eyre Chantry Chapel, with its stunning stained glass windows and Minton tiled floor. Thursday 12 September, 11am-4pm</p>
<p><strong>Prior Park</strong><br>
Visit the National Trust’s Prior Park for free on Saturdays 7 and 14 September, discover the recent renovation, and learn about the archaeology of the garden. 10am-4pm, last entry 3pm</p>
<p><strong>Church of Our Lady and St Alphege</strong><br>
Take a guided tour and discover this outstanding 1920s example of the work of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott – who also designed Battersea Power Station, the Chamber of the House of Commons, Bankside Power Station (now Tate Modern), and Britain’s famous red telephone boxes! Friday 6, Thursday 12 and Saturday 14 September, 2.30pm</p>
<p>There are many more places to visit across Bath & North East Somerset during the 10-day celebration. For full listings, please see <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://tracking.vuelio.co.uk/tracking/click?d%3D1nZrbC50-JyFaZYXdYA9ke4mC6yn-SL51Y1TCucSFg3NyLrNWr1Xib-7UQyqBVvoLFpyDh4P51-QO66I0ToTBVM2WoPo31s8xTR5x9nJ3LvulzUTJnO42aNrevRZBteoCitol0n4HoRCWNPQTNxN38A1&source=gmail&ust=1725535369636000&usg=AOvVaw2VZfn4FIOeDYq_D5L7Z-nP" href="https://tracking.vuelio.co.uk/tracking/click?d=1nZrbC50-JyFaZYXdYA9ke4mC6yn-SL51Y1TCucSFg3NyLrNWr1Xib-7UQyqBVvoLFpyDh4P51-QO66I0ToTBVM2WoPo31s8xTR5x9nJ3LvulzUTJnO42aNrevRZBteoCitol0n4HoRCWNPQTNxN38A1" target="_blank">www.heritageopendays.org.uk</a> or <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://tracking.vuelio.co.uk/tracking/click?d%3DQuA67duLSp9dWgIrQ3YW6nR_Q2V-eNAYH6hr_eRr69bClYnuMOO0mqzdaKHIMS2L50arBprh-1gTKhb_FwFCnmByvInudRsOQcjSh1fA0AuIOcjKoZER9mVBrYTBJ9We4pe17PRk4If4D-hOOCxcmdkWIzbiuYvzsQbGy53rm-CoInJCoqPu5E736G4bF1ad8QhQdAt7m7NUrHHYpmD2LZldUnqNvLjSb1ftNxq1nbToFBJ50rSY65FAKLriMD3yoA2&source=gmail&ust=1725535369636000&usg=AOvVaw3e3jP0pg17hl8rYDu0Xdqc" href="https://tracking.vuelio.co.uk/tracking/click?d=QuA67duLSp9dWgIrQ3YW6nR_Q2V-eNAYH6hr_eRr69bClYnuMOO0mqzdaKHIMS2L50arBprh-1gTKhb_FwFCnmByvInudRsOQcjSh1fA0AuIOcjKoZER9mVBrYTBJ9We4pe17PRk4If4D-hOOCxcmdkWIzbiuYvzsQbGy53rm-CoInJCoqPu5E736G4bF1ad8QhQdAt7m7NUrHHYpmD2LZldUnqNvLjSb1ftNxq1nbToFBJ50rSY65FAKLriMD3yoA2" target="_blank">download the Heritage Open Days leaflet</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Advance booking is essential for some venues – please check details on the website or in the leaflet to avoid disappointment.</strong></p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/09/heritage-open-days-in-bath-and-north-east-somerset-b402#comments402</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 04 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>The National Trust to celebrate history and culture during the 2024 Heritage Open Days Festival</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/09/the-national-trust-to-celebrate-history-and-culture-during-the-2024-heritage-open-days-festival-b401</link>
<description>Heritage Open Days Fesitval returns from 6th - 15th September 2024. Across the South West, a number of National Trust places will take part, with Heritage Open Days provifing everyone with free access to experiences and events across England at participating venues.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Heritage Open Days Fesitval returns from 6th - 15th September 2024. Across the South West, a number of National Trust places will take part, with Heritage Open Days provifing everyone with free access to experiences and events across England at participating venues. </p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/2(26).jpg"><br>
<em>Image: Chris Lacey, National Trust. </em></p>
<p>England’s largest festival of history and culture, Heritage Open Days, is back from 6 -15 September. Presented by the National Trust, supported by players of <a href="https://www.postcodelottery.co.uk/" target="_blank">People’s Postcode Lottery</a> and run by thousands of local organisations and volunteers, Heritage Open Days (HODs) gives everyone the opportunity to enjoy free access to experiences and events across England. </p>
<p>The festival brings people together to celebrate their heritage, community and history. Each year places across the country, including many National Trusts sites, throw open their doors to give people the chance to explore, see hidden places and try new experiences for free. </p>
<p>The theme of the festival this year is ‘Routes, Networks and Connections’ and places cared for by the National Trust are sharing stories of travel, transport and celebrating the ways that people connect. </p>
<p>Liam Montgomery, Heritage Open Days Marketing & Projects Manager at the National Trust says:<i> </i>“The scale and diversity of Heritage Open Days is just incredible – every year thousands of passionate people help visitors to make doorstep discoveries and connect with history and heritage in every part of England. This year though, it will be extra special as we celebrate three decades worth of stories and all the brilliant people and places that have made it, and continue to make it, all possible!” </p>
<p>Discover a day out with a difference. Here are some of the National Trust Heritage Open Day events happening in the area: <br>
<br>
<b>D-Day and Antony walking talk and vintage book fair - Antony, Cornwall</b> <br>
<b>Tues 10, Wed 11, Thurs 12 September, 1pm – 2pm </b> </p>
<p>Join a walking tour and talk of some of the Second World War sites and stories at Antony and Torpoint in Cornwall. Discover how the house was requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence for the WRENs stationed at nearby HMS <i>Raleigh</i>, as well as hear some of their stories and memories of Antony. Don’t forget to head over to the vintage book marquee to browse the selection of donated vintage books and grab a classic at a bargain price. </p>
<p>Free event. Booking essential for the walking talk: <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/antony" target="_blank">www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/antony</a> <b> </b></p>
<p><b>Avebury Manor Garden and the Alexander Keiller Museum, Wiltshire</b> <br>
<b>Fri 6 and Sat 7 September, 10am - 5pm</b> </p>
<p>As well as enjoying the beautiful Avebury Manor Garden, visitors will have a chance to see almost 100 striking pieces of art as part of the popular annual sculpture exhibition. Free entry to the Alexander Keiller Museum is included for those interested in the fascinating archaeology and history of Avebury World Heritage Site. </p>
<p>Free event. Booking not required: <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wiltshire/avebury" target="_blank">www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wiltshire/avebury</a> <b> </b></p>
<p><b>British Sign Language Tour - Buckland Abbey, Devon</b> <br>
<b>Sat 14 September, 11.30am - 1pm</b> </p>
<p>Led by one of our experienced tour guide volunteers and a BSL interpreter, the tour will cover the Abbey's monastic life through to its most famous resident, Sir Francis Drake. </p>
<p>Free event. Booking essential for the walking talk: <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/buckland-abbey" target="_blank">www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/buckland-abbey</a> </p>
<p><b>Architectural Tour of Cotehele, Cornwall</b> <br>
<b>Mon 9 and Thurs 12 September, 10am – 12.30pm and 2pm – 4pm</b> </p>
<p>As part of Heritage Open Days, join the Cotehele volunteers for an in-depth focus on the architectural development of Cotehele House. </p>
<p>Free event. Booking essential at <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/cotehele" target="_blank">www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/cotehele</a> </p>
<p><b>Meet the specialist craft team at Montacute House, Somerset</b> <br>
<b>Wed 11 September 2024, 10:30am - 4pm</b> </p>
<p>The Specialist Craft team at Montacute are opening their workshop as part of the Heritage Open Days. Discover how this skilled group of artisans keep so many of the National Trust's unique historic buildings in good shape including Garden structures, doors, gates and so much more. </p>
<p>Free event. Booking not required: <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/somerset/montacute-house" target="_blank">www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/somerset/montacute-house</a> </p>
<p><b>Behind closed doors tours at Stourhead, Wiltshire</b> <br>
<b>Daily Sat 6 – Sun 15 September at 11:00am, 12:45pm, and 2.15pm </b> </p>
<p>Visit areas of Stourhead House usually closed to visitors including the attic and basement storerooms, the formal showrooms are not usually included. The tour involves climbing up and down many staircases – please contact the property directly if you have any access concerns. </p>
<p>Free event. Booking essential at: <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wiltshire/stourhead" target="_blank">www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wiltshire/stourhead</a> <b> </b></p>
<p><b>Studland Bay in WW2, Dorset</b> <br>
<b>Sun 15 September, 10:30am - 3:30pm</b> </p>
<p>Discover how Studland Bay was used for military exercises during the Second World War and learn about ‘Exercise Smash’ – a full-scale dress rehearsal for the Allied invasion of Europe and its crucial role in the success of the D-day landings. There will be exhibits and children's activities at Fort Henry: follow a trail with a quiz sheet, taking in other WW2 remnants between Knoll and South Beach. </p>
<p>Free event. Booking not required: <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/studland-bay" target="_blank">www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/studland-bay</a> </p>
<p><b>Lizard Wireless Station Open Day, Lizard, Cornwall</b> <br>
<b>Sun 8 September 11am - 3pm</b> </p>
<p>Celebrate Marconi and the dawn of wireless communication at The Lizard Wireless Station. We're offering free tours, special radio demonstrations, family activities and refreshments. </p>
<p>Free event. Booking not required: <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/lizard-point" target="_blank">www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/lizard-point</a> </p>
<p><b>Sensory exploration of Trengwainton Garden, Cornwall</b> <br>
<b>Sun 8 – Sun 15 September (closed Fri & Sat) 10am – 5pm</b> </p>
<p>Immerse yourself in Trengwainton’s exotic garden through touch, audio, and visual prompts. Unleash your creativity with art easels or listen to the Head Gardener’s autumn insights at two audio stations. Experience ‘forest bathing’ or relax in the Quiet Space on the Terrace with a sea view. </p>
<p>Free event. Booking not required: <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/trengwainton-garden" target="_blank">www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/trengwainton-garden</a> <b> </b></p>
<h3><b>More National Trust places opening their doors for free during Heritage Open Days in the southwest include:</b> </h3>
<p><br>
<b>Cornwall</b> <br>
Antony, Tuesday 10 - Thursday 12 September <br>
Cotehele, Saturday 7 to Friday 13 September <br>
Michell’s Engine House, East Pool Mine, Fri 6 – Sun 15 September <br>
Levant Mine and Beam Engine, Sunday 8 – Sun 15 September (closed Fri & Sat) <br>
Godolphin, Fri 6 – Sun 15 September <br>
Trerice, Saturday 14 September <b> </b></p>
<p><b>Devon</b> <br>
Arlington Court and Carriage Museum, Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 September <br>
Buckland Abbey, Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 September <br>
Killerton, Friday 6 September and Saturday 7 September <br>
Clyston Mill, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, 6-15 September <br>
Columbjohn Chapel, open daily, 6-15 September <br>
Knightshayes, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September <br>
Lydford Gorge, Friday 13 and Saturday 14 September <b> </b></p>
<p><b>Dorset</b> <br>
Hardy Monument, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September <br>
Hardy’s House, Max Gate, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September <br>
Portland House, Friday 13, Saturday 14, Sunday 15 September <br>
Kingston Lacy, Thursday 12 – Saturday 14 September <br>
White Mill, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September <b> </b></p>
<p><b>Gloucestershire</b> <br>
Hidcote, Friday 6 and Saturday 7 September <br>
Newark Park, 14 September <br>
Dyrham Park, Saturday 7 September </p>
<p><b>Somerset, Bath and Bristol</b> <br>
Barrington Court, Wednesday 11 – Friday 13 September <br>
Lytes Cary Manor, Monday 9 – Friday 13 September <br>
Montacute House, Monday 9 – Friday 13 September <br>
Prior Park Landscape Garden, Saturday 7 and Saturday 14 September <br>
Tintinhull Garden, Friday 6 – Sunday 15 September <b> </b></p>
<p><b>Wiltshire</b> <br>
Avebury Manor Garden, Friday 6 and Saturday 7 September <br>
Mompesson House, Sunday 8 – Tuesday 10 September </p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/09/the-national-trust-to-celebrate-history-and-culture-during-the-2024-heritage-open-days-festival-b401#comments401</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 03 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Explore Britain’s heritage with Heritage Open Days</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/08/explore-britains-heritage-with-heritage-open-days-b398</link>
<description>This year marks the 30 th anniversary of Heritage Open Days, England’s biggest heritage festival, spanning across nine days and giving the public access to usually closed spaces and free entry to a host of others. This year’s event takes place between 6 th and 15 th September.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img alt="Family at a heritage property with HOD flag" src="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/2(24).jpg"><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/">Image: Credit - Chris Lacey, via Heritage Open Days</a></p>
<p>This year marks the 30<sup>th</sup> anniversary of Heritage Open Days, England’s biggest heritage festival, spanning across nine days and giving the public access to usually closed spaces and free entry to a host of others. This year’s event takes place between 6<sup>th</sup> and 15<sup>th</sup> September.</p>
<p>This year’s event has a theme of Routes, Network and Connections, with hundreds of activities covering those very things.</p>
<p>Speaking about this year’s event, Liam Montgomery, the Marketing and Projects Officer for Heritage Open Days, said: “The scale and diversity of Heritage Open Days is just incredible, every year thousands of passionate people help visitors to make doorstep discoveries and connect with history and heritage in every part of England. This year though, it will be extra special as we celebrate three decades worth of stories and all the brilliant people and places that have made it, and continue to make it, all possible!”</p>
<p>Heritage Open Days are brought to you by the National Trust, supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and run by thousands of local organisations and volunteers. Covering everything from historic houses to factories, museums to music halls, formal gardens to graveyards, across the country, there will be a host of events and new experiences to enjoy.</p>
<p>Over the three decades since Heritage Open Days began, it has grown in scope and scale. What began as a weekend dedicated to revealing buildings not normally open to the general public has exploded into a ten-day festival, celebrating a myriad of different aspects of heritage and culture. With more than 100,000 events and over 39 million visits across 30 years, growing from just 700 events in its first year to over 5000 last year.</p>
<p>You can find a host of events at heritage attractions across England here. https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/08/explore-britains-heritage-with-heritage-open-days-b398#comments398</comments>
<pubDate>Sat, 31 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Summer activities at Heritage properties</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/07/summer-activities-at-heritage-properties-b392</link>
<description>Want to spend the summer exploring British heritage? Here are some of the events and activities you can enjoy over the next few months at the UK’s leading heritage properties</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Want to spend the summer exploring British heritage? Here are some of the events and activities you can enjoy over the next few months at the UK’s leading heritage properties</p>
<h2>Northern England</h2>
<p>Enjoy a spot of Shakespeare with an alfresco performance of the <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/shakespeare-in-the-garden-p5205631">Tempest at Leighton Hall </a>in Lancaster. Taking place within the hall’s garden, the play will be performed by an all male cast, in keeping with Shakespeare’s original casting decisions and will also feature original music. <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/shakespeare-in-the-garden-p5205631">Find out more here.</a></p>
<p>In August, you can relive<a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/discover/royal-history/house-of-york/richard-iii-the-final-yorkist-king"> Richard III’s</a> final days by heading to Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre for this year’s Bosworth Medieval Festival. This hugely popular two day event often attracts thousands of people every year, so make sure to get your tickets early! The programme includes a chance to take part in your own version of the battle, as well as talking to the reenactors to learn more about the battle itself and the <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/discover/britain-at-war/the-wars-of-the-roses">War of the Roses</a>. Find out more <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/bosworth-medieval-festival-2024-p5383561">here.</a></p>
<p>If you are interested in the War of the Roses and history generally don’t miss out on a chance to see the Terrible Tudors live on stage at Stockport Plaza. <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/horrible-histories-rotten-royals-p5478521">Find out more here.</a></p>
<p>Or you could learn more about the Victoria era with family crafts at Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse in Cheshire. Find out more <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/family-crafts-at-weaver-hall-museum-and-workhouse-victorian-parlour-p5451291">here</a></p>
<h2>Southern England</h2>
<h2></h2>
<p>There are several activities taking place throughout the summer at Greenway, Agatha Christie’s holiday home in Devon.</p>
<p>The house is now managed by the National Trust who are kicking off the summer in July with their Festival of Archaeology. Christie might have been known as the Queen of Crime, but she was also interested in history and the past and went on several archaeological digs with her second husband, Max Mallowan. During the Festival of Archaeology, there is a chance to see some of the items found on their own digs, as well as learning more about archaeology in general. <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/festival-of-archaeology-at-greenway-p5447321">Find out more here.</a></p>
<p>Throughout the summer holidays, there is also the Summer of Play at Greenway, featuring Cirque du Summer. All summer of play activities are free once entry costs are paid and are suitable for all ages. <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/summer-of-play-at-greenway-p5448031">Find out more here. </a></p>
<p>Elsewhere in Devon, you can also get involved with the Summer of Play at Coleton Fishacre, another National Trust property, located in the Dartmouth area. <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/summer-of-play-at-coleton-fishacre-p5447291">Find out more here.</a></p>
<p>While you’re in Devon, head over to Tiverton Canal where you can enjoy their 50<sup>th</sup> anniversary celebrations. With one of the only remaining horse drawn barges in the UK, plus a host of heritage canal walks and the UK’s only floating beer garden, there’s plenty to do here. <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/tiverton-canal-open-day-50th-anniversay-p5219881">Find out more here</a></p>
<p>For a chance to enjoy nature and the great outdoors, head to Iford Manor in Wiltshire for their annual Nature Day in partnership with Butterfly Conservation. This free event will allow you the chance to explore two of the manor’s meadows where you can take in the butterflies and wild orchids and catch up with representatives from other conservation groups. Do be aware that you will need to purchase separate tickets to visit Iford Manor’s gardens. <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/annual-nature-and-butterfly-day-at-iford-manor-p5471371">Find out more here.</a></p>
<p>At Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight, the whole family can get involved in Pirates at Carisbrooke Castle! See some of history’s best known pirates duel, talk about their lives and crimes and even learn the ropes and become a pirate yourself! <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/pirates-at-carisbrooke-castle-p4692411">Find out more here.</a></p>
<p>Or how about joining <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/discover/royal-history/house-of-tudor/henry-viii-the-king-with-6-wives">Henry VIII</a> on tour? He’ll be stopping off at Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire in August. It’s a great way to learn more about what goes on on Royal Progress and to meet the man himself. <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/henry-viii-on-tour-at-berkeley-castle-p4717971">Find out more here.</a></p>
<p>You can find more information about events and activities taking place across the summer <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on">here.</a> </p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/07/summer-activities-at-heritage-properties-b392#comments392</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Little known facts about WWII</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/05/little-known-facts-about-wwii-b384</link>
<description>As 8 th May marks VE (or Victory in Europe) Day which marked the formal end of WWII following the unconditional surrender of the Nazis, it seemed appropriate to share some of the lesser known facts from our most talked about war.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As 8<sup>th</sup> May marks VE (or Victory in Europe) Day which marked the formal end of WWII following the unconditional surrender of the Nazis, it seemed appropriate to share some of the lesser known facts from our most talked about war.</p>
<p>Though 8<sup>th</sup> May marks VE Day and is the official end of the war in Europe in the Eastern Front, did you know that wasn’t the end of the war? America and Japan continued to fight in the Pacific and the last known shots fired in Europe took place on 11<sup>th</sup> May, a few days after the official surrender.</p>
<p><strong>How many of these things did you know?</strong></p>
<p>Did you know…<br>
It wasn’t just humans serving in the military? A Polish regiment also included a brown bear that they had befriended after being evacuated from the Soviet Union. They named him Wojtek and made him a private, he ended up travelling with them to Italy with the regiment and became a bit of a celeb among the troops.</p>
<p>It wasn’t just the Polish who had animals in their regiments. The Soviet army had anti-tank dogs that they would send to run under German tanks and leave bombs which would then detonate. Sadly, this wasn’t all that efficient, so they started using bombs that detonated on impact, which meant the dogs did not emerge from the other side of the tank.</p>
<p>The US also had a plan involving animals, they planned to use “bat” bombs on Japan. Basically, they wanted to release hundreds of bats attached to timed devices, the bats would fly off and roost and would then explode. It was an idea to help them attack buildings that bombers wouldn’t be able to get to.</p>
<p>Did you know…<br>
We were after the animals too. At one point the British Government came up with Operation Vegetarian, a mission which planned to drop linseed cakes laced with anthrax onto farms in an effort to kill off Germany’s sheep, pigs and cattle. Thankfully, Operation Vegetarian never got off the ground.</p>
<p>Another of our schemes was slightly more successful. We developed the Rat Bomb, basically, we would put dead rats full of explosives in the Nazi coal bunkers. The hope was that the rats would be found and thrown into a furnace which would then trigger a massive explosion. The Nazis discovered the plan however and then wasted months searching their coal supplies for bomb filled rats. So mildly successful if the plan was to irritate the enemy.</p>
<p>Did you know…The last surrender didn’t happen until the 1970s.</p>
<p>Yep, Teruo Nakamura, was enlisted into the Japanese military and his unit ended up having to flee into an Indonesian jungle. He was separated from the rest of the unit and survived on his own before he was finally discovered in 1974. Being cut off from the world for so long, he didn’t realise the war was over and so officially surrendered in 1974.</p>
<p>Did you know… Being a commander was very stressful.</p>
<p>Well this isn’t much of a stretch, but you probably didn’t expect one of Hitler’s top men to find his post so stressfully that he ran off to a spa and tried to negotiate a peace treaty. That actually did happen though, Heinrich Himmler was a founding member of Hitler’s Nazi parry, he was head of the SS and was eventually put in charge of a group that was assigned to protect Berlin, should the allies invade.</p>
<p>Himmler wasn’t really cut out for such an import job though, he required daily naps and massages and being in charge of a unit made this a bit difficult. When the Soviet army invaded Berlin, he abandoned his post and ran off to a spa, while there he attempted to negotiate a treaty with the invading army.</p>
<p>Did you know…The allies and the Nazis weren’t always on the opposite sides.</p>
<p>Yep, contrary to everything we know about WWII, there was a battle where the American GIs joined forces with the German army to defend some prisoners of war. It happened during the Battle of Castle Itter, which was under attack by the Waffen-SS. The castle was a Prisoner of War camp that hosted several prominent inmates, including two former French prime ministers, tennis players and the sister of General Charles de Gaulle.</p>
<p>Did you know…Mirrors were almost the death of us.</p>
<p>The Nazis were known for their inventions during the war but one of them was a little ahead of its time. They tried to create a sun gun, basically, a giant mirror that they wanted to launch into space which they then would use much like a magnifying glass is to attack ants. The idea was that they would then direct the sun’s rays to reduce the enemy to ash. Luckily for us, the technology to do so wasn’t available at the time.</p>
<p>Did you know…The US had a ghost army.</p>
<p>Not ghosts as you might think, but basically, there was a US army unit with the sole job of misleading the Nazis about the location and size of the allied forces, hence the name, Ghost Army. They carried out several operations including creating fake radio transmissions and even putting inflatable tanks into a field to confuse Nazi spies and air units.</p>
<p> Did you know…The British army trolled German civilians. Operation Cornflakes was a mission where mailbags full of fake letters addressed to real people were dropped near bombed mail trains. The mail was picked up and delivered to the recipients by the German postal service. Each letter was full of sad news that was meant to lower morale.</p>
<p>How many of these little known facts did you already know about WWII?</p>
<p>Find out more about Britain at war <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/discover/britain-at-war">here.</a></p>
<p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/05/little-known-facts-about-wwii-b384#comments384</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>4 great heritage walks</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/05/4-great-heritage-walks-b383</link>
<description>With spring here (hopefully that means better weather!) and with the next edition of the Hudson’s Guide full of the latest Tarr on the Road routes to enjoy coming soon, we thought we would share some of the UK’s best loved heritage walks.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>With spring here (hopefully that means better weather!) and with the next edition of the Hudson’s Guide full of the latest Tarr on the Road routes to enjoy coming soon, we thought we would share some of the UK’s best loved heritage walks.</p>
<p><strong>The Ridgeway</strong><br>
(Wiltshire-Buckinghamshire)</p>
<p>We can’t not start with Britain’s oldest road! The Ridgeway forms part of a prehistoric track which once stretched from the Dorset coast to the Norfolk coast. It’s been used for over 5000 years, with ramblers and casual walkers like us picking up where soldiers, travellers, shepherds and more have been walking for generations.</p>
<p>It is relatively easy to walk, starting at the beginning of the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Avebury in Wiltshire and taking you through to the Chiltern Hills. Along the way, you’ll get to see several Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Age sites, including the stone circles at Avebury. You’ll also get a chance to visit the Uffington White Horse.</p>
<p><strong>Offa’s Dyke Path</strong><br>
(Chepstow-Prestatyn)</p>
<p>This one is a bit more challenging but as one of Britain’s most legendary walking routes, we can’t leave it off the list. This one is a whopping 177 miles and starts near Chepstow before making its way over to the coast of North Wales. The route will take you across the border between England and Wales around 20 times, so you really do get to experience the best of both worlds!</p>
<p>Unlike The Ridgeway, which is Britain’s oldest road, this one is thought to have dated back to the 8<sup>th</sup> century, when King Offa ordered the building of a dyke to mark the western edge of his kingdom with Wales. In some places, this can still be seen, with the bank reaching 25 feet high! Highlights along the route include Chepstow Castle, which was the first fortress of its kind to be built in Wales, Tintern abbey and Powis Castle. </p>
<p><strong>Hadrian’s Wall</strong><br>
(Newcastle – Solway Coast)</p>
<p>We’ve all heard of Hadrian’s Wall, built by the Roman Emperor way back when. Parts of the wall remain standing today (we could probably learn a few things from the Romans!) and by walking this route, you’ll get to explore a UNESCO World Heritage Site and see several Roman forts.</p>
<p>Hadrian’s Wall is the largest ancient monument in Northern Europe and the walk stretches around 84 miles, allowing you to walk coast to coast – as well as being incredibly picturesque, it is a fascinating route, especially as you get to mix countryside rambling with city meandering.</p>
<p><strong>St Oswald’s Way</strong><br>
(Northumbria)</p>
<p>While we’re in the vicinity of Hadrian’s Wall, let’s talk about St Oswald’s Way. This route follows some of the same terrain as Hadrian’s Wall and allows you to visit some of the places that are associated with St Oswald, an Anglo-Saxon King who once ruled what is now modern day Northumbria. He is said to have popularised Christianity in the region and the route will take you to some incredibly pretty places, including Bamburgh Castle, Dunstanburgh Castle and Warkworth Castle. You’ll also get to see a battlefield!</p>
<p>The start of this route is in Lindisfarne, which is considered one of England’s holiest places. It stretches around 97 miles and takes in a diverse landscape, including towns, villages, beaches, moors and of course, parts of Hadrian’s Wall.</p>
<p>Interested in exploring more of Britain’s heritage via its many walking routes? You can find previous suggestions from Tarr on the Road from last year’s Hudson’s here. The latest Hudson’s Guide will be available to purchase from here in the next few weeks and will feature a new set of walks from David Tarr.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/05/4-great-heritage-walks-b383#comments383</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Enjoy some historical fiction this year</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/04/enjoy-some-historical-fiction-this-year-b380</link>
<description>Bibliophiles will already be aware that 23 rd April is not only St George’s Day but is also Shakespeare’s birthday (and death day!). With this in mind, we thought we would take a look at some of the historical fiction coming to shelves near you this year – how many of these will be making an appearance on your TBRs?</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Bibliophiles will already be aware that 23<sup>rd</sup> April is not only St George’s Day but is also Shakespeare’s birthday (and death day!). With this in mind, we thought we would take a look at some of the historical fiction coming to shelves near you this year – how many of these will be making an appearance on your TBRs?</p>
<h3>All Our Yesterdays – Joel H Morris | out now, pub 12<sup>th</sup> March<br>
</h3>
<p>We had to start our list with this one as we mentioned the Bard and this is about Lady Macbeth. This debut novel is set ten years before the events of Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth and follows the fate and ambition of Lady Macbeth.</p>
<p><strong>Blurb:</strong> Scotland, 11th Century. Born into a noble household and granddaughter of a forgotten Scottish king, a young girl carries the guilt of her mother’s death and the weight of an unknowable prophecy. When she is married at fifteen to the Mormaer of Moray, she experiences the violence of a sadistic husband and a kingdom constantly at war. To survive with her young son in a superstitious realm, she must rely on her own cunning and wit, especially when her husband’s downfall inadvertently sets them free.<br>
<br>
Suspicious of the dark devices that may have led to his father’s death, her son watches as his mother falls in love with the enigmatic thane Macbeth. Now a woman of stature, Lady Macbeth confronts a world of masculine power and secures the protection of her family. But the coronation of King Duncan and the political manoeuvring of her cousin Macduff set her on a tragic course, one where her own success might mean embracing the very curse that haunts her and risking the child she loves.</p>
<div>
<h3>The Tower – Flora Carr | out now, pub 5<sup>th</sup> March</h3>
</div>
<p>This debut novel is set in 1567, when a pregnant Mary Queen of Scots was held hostage at Lochleven Castle while her young son, James has been taken into the custody of the very men that have imprisoned her.</p>
<p><strong>Blurb: </strong>Scotland, 1567. A pregnant Mary, Queen of Scots is dragged out of her palace by rebel lords and imprisoned in the isolated Lochleven Castle, an ancient fortress surrounded by a vast lake. Her infant son and heir, James, has been captured by her enemies. <br>
<br>
Accompanying Mary are two inconspicuous serving observant, ambitious Jane and romantic, quick-tempered Cuckoo, who endeavour to keep their mercurial mistress company while sharing the space of a claustrophobic room over the course of their eleven-month forced stay. Their hosts want them dead. They'll settle for Mary's abdication.<br>
<br>
After Mary reluctantly surrenders her throne, her closest friend, the reserved, devoted Lady Seton, is permitted to join the captive women. Against the odds, as they hatch a perilous getaway plan, the four women form a bond that transcends class and religion, and for Jane and Seton, becomes something even deeper. At the centre of it all is Mary--calculating, charming, brave, and unbowed. Flora Carr's thrilling, feverish debut is a celebration of resilience, a meditation on the meaning of power, and a testament to the unshakeable strength of female friendship, starring one of history's most charismatic leaders.</p>
<h2>The Passionate Tudor – Alison Weir | Pub, 7<sup>th</sup> May</h2>
<p>Another Queen Mary, the aforementioned Queen of Scot’s cousin, Mary I aka Bloody Mary takes centre stage in this book from Alison Weir. Her latest historical fiction promises to give Mary Tudor the attention she deserves.</p>
<p><strong>Blurb: </strong>Born from young King Henry’s first marriage, his elder daughter, Princess Mary, is raised to be queen once it becomes clear that her mother, Katherine of Aragon, will bear no more surviving children. However, Henry’s restless eye has a devastating influence on the young princess’s future when he declares her a bastard and his marriage to her mother unlawful. In hopes of a male heir, he marries Anne Boleyn and banishes Katherine and Mary from the royal court. But when Anne too fails to produce a son, she is beheaded and Mary is allowed to return to court as the default heir. At age twenty, she hopes in vain for her own marriage and children, but who will marry her, bastard that she is?</p>
<div>
<p>Yet Mary eventually triumphs and becomes queen, after first putting down a seventeen-year-old usurper, Lady Jane Grey, and ordering her beheading. Any hopes that as the first female queen to rule Britain Mary will show more compassion are dashed when she embarks on a ruthless campaign to force Catholicism on the English by burning hundreds of Protestants at the stake. But while her brutality will forever earn her the name Bloody Mary, at heart she is an insecure and vulnerable woman, her character forged by the unhappiness of her early years.</p>
</div>
<h2>The Titanic Survivors Book Club – Timothy Schaffert | 2<sup>nd</sup> April 2024</h2>
<p>Yorick, a librarian who should have been on the Titanic, never boarded but finds his name on the lists of those lost at sea. He uses the opportunity to start again by heading to Paris and opening a book shop, but he soon finds himself being pulled into a world of other people who should have boarded but didn’t, joining a secret society of Titanic survivors.</p>
<p><strong>Blurb:</strong> A remarkable tale about the life-changing power of books, following the Titanic librarian whose survival upends the course of his life.<br>
For weeks after the sinking of the Titanic, Yorick spots his own name among the list of those lost at sea. As an apprentice librarian for the White Star Line, his job was to curate the ship’s second-class library. But just as he was about to board to tend to his library throughout the passage, a superior takes his place, leaving Yorick stranded at the dock.<br>
<br>
The Titanic was not Yorick’s first brush with death, but as with every near-miss he manages to escape into the world of books. After he learns of the ship’s sinking, he takes this twist of fate as a sign to follow his lifelong dream of owning a bookshop in Paris. It’s at his shop that he receives an invitation to a secret society of survivors where he encounters other ticket-holders who didn’t board the ship. Haunted by their good fortune, they decide to transform their group into a book society, where they can grapple with their own anxieties through the guise of discussing contentious works such as The Awakening or The Picture of Dorian Gray.<br>
<br>
Of the ragtag group of survivors, Yorick finds himself particularly drawn to the wealthy candy heiress Zinnia and the mysterious and alluring Haze. Yorick feels like an outsider looking in, falling hopelessly for Haze as Haze courts Zinnia; a tangled triangle of love and friendship forms between them. Yet with the Great War looming, their close-knit group is shattered, only brought back together once the death of a fellow book club member leaves them wondering what fate has in store for each of them.<br>
<br>
Elegant and elegiac, The Titanic Survivors' Book Club is a dazzling ode to love, chance, and the transformative power of books to bring people together.</p>
<h2>Unsinkable – Jenni L Walsh | out now, pub 9<sup>th</sup> January<br>
</h2>
<p>Another story featuring a Titanic survivor, Unsinkable follows the life of Violet Jessop, who really did survive the Titanic, and Daphne, who represents women working as agents during the war. </p>
<p><strong>Blurb: </strong>Violet Jessop is Miss Unsinkable.<br>
After her mother becomes too ill to work, the responsibility to provide for the family falls to Violet as the oldest of nine. When the world enters the Great War, she serves as a nurse, helping men who could very well be her brothers. Working as a stewardess and wartime nurse, Violet not only survives a shipwreck but also two sinkings, one on the infamous Titanic. No one can understand why she would return to sea, but something keeps drawing Violet back to the tumultuous waters, where she struggles to put the tragedies of her past behind her and pursue a life and love all her own.<br>
Daphne has survived calamity of her own.<br>
Daphne Chaundanson grows up as an unwanted child after her mother died in a tragedy. She throws herself into education, collecting languages like candy in a desperate attempt to finally earn her father's approval. When the Special Operations Executive invites her to be an agent in France in World War II, her childhood of anonymity and her love of languages make her the perfect fit. She sees it as an opportunity to help the country she loves and live up to her father's expectations. But the dangers of war challenge Daphne in ways she never could have expected, and the secrets from her own past must be faced for her to truly have a future beyond the conflict--if she can survive it.<br>
Inspired by true stories of Violet Jessop and the thirty-nine women of the Special Operations Executive. Two unsinkable women. Two stories of survival, family, and finding one's own happiness. One connection that reshapes both their lives forever.</p>
<h2>James – Percival Everett | out now, pub 19<sup>th</sup> March</h2>
<p>If you were a fan of Huckleberry Finn as a child, you’ll want to add this one to your lists. It is a reimagining of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn but from the point of view of Jim, an enslaved man.</p>
<p><strong>Blurb:</strong> When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father, recently returned to town. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and too-often-unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.<br>
<br>
While many narrative set pieces of <em>The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</em> remain in place (floods and storms, stumbling across both unexpected death and unexpected treasure in the myriad stopping points along the river’s banks, encountering the scam artists posing as the Duke and Dauphin…), Jim’s agency, intelligence and compassion are shown in a radically new light.<br>
<br>
Brimming with electrifying humour and lacerating observations, <em>James</em> is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first century American literature.</p>
<h2>The Warm Hands of Ghosts – Katherine Arden | out now, pub 13<sup>th</sup> February</h2>
<p>From the author of the Winter Night Trilogy, a fantastical story of Russian history and folklore comes this, a historical fiction with fantasy woven in about WWI.</p>
<p><strong>Blurb:</strong> January 1918. Laura Iven was a revered field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax, Canada, Laura receives word of Freddie’s death in combat, along with his personal effects—but something doesn’t make sense. Determined to uncover the truth, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital, where she soon hears whispers about haunted trenches and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could Freddie have escaped the battlefield, only to fall prey to something—or someone—else?<br>
<br>
November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German by the name of Hans Winter. Against all odds, the two form an alliance and succeed in clawing their way out. Unable to bear the thought of returning to the killing fields, especially on opposite sides, they take refuge with a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear.<br>
<br>
As shells rain down on Flanders and ghosts move among those yet living, Laura’s and Freddie’s deepest traumas are reawakened. Now they must decide whether their world is worth salvaging—or better left behind entirely.</p>
<h2>Long Island – Colm Tóibín | published 7<sup>th</sup> May</h2>
<p>The sequel to the popular Brooklyn featuring Eilis Lacey, a young Irish girl sent to America to give her the opportunities her mother and sister never had. We now pick up with Eilis years later, now living in Long Island with her husband Tony and their two daughters.</p>
<p><strong>Blurb: </strong>Eilis Lacey is Irish, married to Tony Fiorello, a plumber and one of four Italian American brothers, all of whom live in neighbouring houses on a cul-de-sac in Lindenhurst, Long Island, with their wives and children and Tony’s parents, a huge extended family that lives and works, eats and plays together. It is the spring of 1976 and Eilis, now in her forties with two teenage children, has no one to rely on in this still-new country. Though her ties to Ireland remain stronger than those that hold her to her new land and home, she has not returned in decades.<br>
<br>
One day, when Tony is at his job and Eilis is in her home office doing her accounting, an Irishman comes to the door asking for her by name. He tells her that his wife is pregnant with Tony’s child and that when the baby is born, he will not raise it but instead deposit it on Eilis’s doorstep. It is what Eilis does—and what she refuses to do—in response to this stunning news that makes Tóibín’s novel so riveting.</p>
<h2>The Underground Library – Jennifer Ryan | out now, published 12<sup>th</sup> March</h2>
<p>This is the story of three women during WWII in London who are all connected through their work at the Bethnal Green Library.</p>
<p><strong>Blurb:</strong> When new deputy librarian, Juliet Lansdown, finds that Bethnal Green Library isn't the bustling hub she's expecting, she becomes determined to breathe life back into it. But can she show the men in charge that a woman is up to the task of running it, especially when a confrontation with her past threatens to derail her?<br>
<br>
Katie Upwood is thrilled to be working at the library, although she's only there until she heads off to university in the fall. But after the death of her beau on the front line and amid tumultuous family strife, she finds herself harboring a life-changing secret with no one to turn to for help.<br>
<br>
Sofie Baumann, a young Jewish refugee, came to London on a domestic service visa only to find herself working as a maid for a man who treats her abominably. She escapes to the library every chance she can, finding friendship in the literary community and aid in finding her sister, who is still trying to flee occupied Europe.<br>
<br>
When a slew of bombs destroy the library, Juliet relocates the stacks to the local Underground station where the city's residents shelter nightly, determined to lend out stories that will keep spirits up. But tragedy after tragedy threatens to unmoor the women and sever the ties of their community. Will Juliet, Kate, and Sofie be able to overcome their own troubles to save the library? Or will the beating heart of their neighbourhood be lost forever?</p>
<p>Looking for a book featuring the definitive guide of UK heritage? Keep an eye on our socials and the website – the 2024 Hudson’s Guide is coming soon!</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/04/enjoy-some-historical-fiction-this-year-b380#comments380</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 15 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Dog friendly heritage attractions</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/04/dog-friendly-heritage-attractions-b257</link>
<description>Are you caught up with the adventures of the Hudsons and their dog Dinky? If you’ve been keeping up with what they’re doing this year in their quest to visit as many heritage attractions as possible, you might have noticed that their dog Dinky has been coming along on several of their days out.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Are you caught up with the adventures of the Hudsons and their dog Dinky? If you’ve been keeping up with what they’re doing this year in their quest to visit as many heritage attractions as possible, you might have noticed that their dog Dinky has been coming along on several of their days out. If you too are a dog owner, you’ll know that finding places where they are also welcome can be stressful so we’ve put together some of our favourite dog friendly heritage attractions, so you and your furry friends can enjoy a day out together.</p>
<h2>Dog friendly heritage attractions in England</h2>
<p>For those of you exploring England’s heritage, there are several dog friendly places you can visit. Places that are managed by the National Trust are generally dog friendly, though make sure to check with the individual properties for their policies and of course, lots of UNESCO World Heritage sites, like the city of Bath are public spaces where you are welcome to bring your dog.</p>
<p>In Macclesfield is Adlington Hall which happily welcomes dogs on a lead around the gardens which consist of a Lime walk which was planted in 1688 and a Regency rockery, both of which are fascinating places to walk around, whatever the season. Dogs aren’t permitted inside the home, which has been the family home of the Leghs since the 1300s, but with 60 acres to explore, you’ll have plenty to discover without heading into the house itself.</p>
<p>Further north in Leeds, you’ll find Lotherton, a country estate with a Wildlife World Zoo on site. As an Edwardian estate, there is plenty of heritage to be found here, including expansive grounds and gardens with lots of lovely walking spots. Dogs are welcome in all the outdoor areas at Lotherton, except the zoo and the playground areas, they are also welcome to go off lead in the parkland, woodland and boundary trail – as long as they are well behaved. Dogs are so welcome in fact that you’ll find water bowls all over the estate, this love of dogs stems back to former owner Lady Gascoigne who was a devoted dog owner and rehomed many strays during her life. She even took them with her when travelling abroad and often ended up bringing several more back with her!</p>
<p>On the Welsh border in Shopshire there is Ludlow Castle, one of the most prominent royal castles in history. Initially a Norman Fortress and extended over the centuries to become a royal palace, Ludlow Castle was home to Prince Arthur and Catherine of Aragon before his death and her subsequent marriage to King Henry VIII. Dogs are welcome in the castle and the café courtyard as long as they are kept on a lead and you’ll find that dogs are well looked after here.</p>
<p>In Cornwall at Boconnoc House, dogs are welcome in the downstairs of the house and throughout the estate. Those of you who are planning to stay there will also be interested to know that all the properties are dog friendly with an additional charge.</p>
<p>If country houses aren’t really your scene, visit Amberley Museum near Arundel in West Sussex. The museum is dog friendly and welcome dogs in all exhibition buildings, as well as the café and the bus, you just need to make sure your dogs are kept on a short lead. The museum is perfect for anyone wanting to find out more about Sussex’s industrial and rural heritage, there are over 40 different exhibits to discover, so there’s plenty to enjoy.</p>
<h2>Dog friendly heritage attractions in Scotland</h2>
<p>If you’re in Scotland, one of the top places to visit has to be the home of Sir Walter Scott. Abbotsford is one of Scotland’s most fascinating places and can be found in the Scottish Borders. Though we’re sure your dogs aren’t familiar with Scott or his writings, dogs are welcome to explore the walks in the formal gardens and woodlands, as long as they are kept on leads.</p>
<p>Want to know more about dog friendly heritage properties around the UK? <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/dog-friendly">Click here for more information.</a></p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/04/dog-friendly-heritage-attractions-b257#comments257</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 03 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Hardwick Wintertide: a lantern-lit Christmas</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2023/11/hardwick-wintertide-a-lantern-lit-christmas-b368</link>
<description>Unwrap something magical this holiday season at Hardwick Wintertide as you journey through the 400 year old hall by lantern light.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Unwrap something magical this holiday season at Hardwick Wintertide as you journey through the 400 year old hall by lantern light. </p>
<p>Watch Hardwick transform into a lantern wonderland, championing the best of handmade decorations led by a local performance designer. <br>
Expect displays of Elizabethan traditions combined with a contemporary festive feel. Our designer, Pedro Sanchez Cervera, taps into what makes the 16th century winter season special by ensuring elements of light, shadows and silhouettes are weaved throughout the installations. </p>
<p>Elle Maxwell-Wood, Hardwick Hall's Programming and Partnership Officer, said: "We are so pleased to offer a full festive experience at Hardwick Hall this year. There is something for everyone and the added touch of journeying through the hall by lantern kight will make this year truly enchanting. Don't forget to follow the Lord of Misrule as he adds a mischievous spin on the festive installations adding foolishness and folly along the way."</p>
<p>Will you be visiting the Lantern House this Winter? Hardwick Wintertide runs from the 17th November 2023 - 7th January 2024. <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/peak-district-derbyshire/hardwick/christmas-at-hardwick">Find out more here.</a> </p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2023/11/hardwick-wintertide-a-lantern-lit-christmas-b368#comments368</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 28 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Great historical fictions to snuggle up with this winter</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2023/11/great-historical-fictions-to-snuggle-up-with-this-winter-b361</link>
<description>With the weather getting colder, there’s nothing nicer than snuggling up with a book or two and a mug of hot chocolate. If you’re looking for some recommendations, here are a selection of great historical fictions to read this winter.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>With the weather getting colder, there’s nothing nicer than snuggling up with a book or two and a mug of hot chocolate. If you’re looking for some recommendations, here are a selection of great historical fictions to read this winter.</p>
<h2>The Book Thief – Markus Zusak</h2>
<p><br>
<strong>Suitable for: </strong>ages 12 and up<br>
<strong>Set: </strong>Germany, 1939<br>
<strong>Blurb:</strong> <em>It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier and will be busier still.<br>
By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.<br>
But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.<br>
In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.</em></p>
<p>Set in Germany during WWII, we follow Leisel’s story as narrated by Death as she navigates a world full of danger, not just for those she loves but also the books that she covets. It's a great option for anyone who wants a war story with a difference. </p>
<hr>
<h2>The Nightingale - Kristen Hannah </h2>
<p><strong>Suitable for:</strong> 18 years + <br>
<strong>Set: </strong>France, 1930s-1940s<br>
<strong>Blurb:</strong><em> In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says good-bye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne’s home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.<br>
Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gaëtan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can…completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.</em></p>
<p>Another book set during WWII, this time in France, we follow sisters who join the French resistance. It’s a wonderful story of love and bravery in the face of adversity, and it's a good option for anyone who wants something hard hitting but without focussing too much on the fighting. </p>
<hr>
<h2>The View from Castle Rock - Alice Munro </h2>
<p><strong>Suitable for:</strong> 18+ <br>
<strong>Set:</strong> various<br>
<strong>Blurb:</strong> <em>In stories that are more personal than any that she’s written before, Alice Munro pieces her family’s history into gloriously imagined fiction. A young boy is taken to Edinburgh’s Castle Rock, where his father assures him that on a clear day he can see America, and he catches a glimpse of his father’s dream. In stories that follow, as the dream becomes a reality, two sisters-in-law experience very different kinds of passion on the long voyage to the New World; a baby is lost and magically reappears on a journey from an Illinois homestead to the Canadian border.<br>
Other stories take place in more familiar Munro territory, the towns and countryside around Lake Huron, where the past shows through the present like the traces of a glacier on the landscape and strong emotions stir just beneath the surface of ordinary comings and goings. First love flowers under the apple tree, while a stronger emotion presents itself in the barn. A girl hired as summer help, and uneasy about her “place” in the fancy resort world she’s come to, is transformed by her employer’s perceptive parting gift. A father whose early expectations of success at fox farming have been dashed finds strange comfort in a routine night job at an iron foundry. A clever girl escapes to college and marriage.</em></p>
<p>In this short story collection, Alice Munro fictionalises her family history, giving a wonderful insight into Scottish history that we aren’t normally privy to.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Dear Mrs Bird - A J Pearce</h2>
<p><strong>Suitable for:</strong> 18+<br>
<strong>Set:</strong> London, 1940s<br>
<strong>Blurb:</strong> <em>London 1940, bombs are falling. Emmy Lake is Doing Her Bit for the war effort, volunteering as a telephone operator with the Auxiliary Fire Services. When Emmy sees an advertisement for a job at the London Evening Chronicle, her dreams of becoming a Lady War Correspondent seem suddenly achievable. But the job turns out to be typist to the fierce and renowned advice columnist, Henrietta Bird. Emmy is disappointed, but gamely bucks up and buckles down.<br>
Mrs Bird is very clear: Any letters containing Unpleasantness—must go straight in the bin. But when Emmy reads poignant letters from women who are lonely, may have Gone Too Far with the wrong men and found themselves in trouble, or who can’t bear to let their children be evacuated, she is unable to resist responding. As the German planes make their nightly raids, and London picks up the smoldering pieces each morning, Emmy secretly begins to write letters back to the women of all ages who have spilled out their troubles.<br>
Prepare to fall head over heels with Emmy and her best friend, Bunty, who are spirited and gutsy, even in the face of events that bring a terrible blow. As the bombs continue to fall, the irrepressible Emmy keeps writing, and readers are transformed by AJ Pearce’s hilarious, heartwarming, and enormously moving tale of friendship, the kindness of strangers, and ordinary people in extraordinary times.</em></p>
<p>The first in a trilogy centring around Emmy Lake and her friends during the Blitz in London. Unlike other stories from the time, this one is more light hearted without shying too far away from the everyday horrors.</p>
<hr>
<h2>The Underground Railroad - Colson Whitehead</h2>
<p><strong>Suitable for:</strong> 16+ <br>
<strong>Set:</strong> Georgia, America, 19th century <br>
<strong>Blurb: </strong><em>Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. Life is hell for all the slaves, but especially bad for Cora; an outcast even among her fellow Africans, she is coming into womanhood--where even greater pain awaits. When Caesar, a recent arrival from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they decide to take a terrifying risk and escape. Matters do not go as planned--Cora kills a young white boy who tries to capture her. Though they manage to find a station and head north, they are being hunted.<br>
In Whitehead's ingenious conception, the Underground Railroad is no mere metaphor--engineers and conductors operate a secret network of tracks and tunnels beneath the Southern soil. Cora and Caesar's first stop is South Carolina, in a city that initially seems like a haven. But the city's placid surface masks an insidious scheme designed for its black denizens. And even worse: Ridgeway, the relentless slave catcher, is close on their heels. Forced to flee again, Cora embarks on a harrowing flight, state by state, seeking true freedom.<br>
Like the protagonist of Gulliver's Travels, Cora encounters different worlds at each stage of her journey--hers is an odyssey through time as well as space. As Whitehead brilliantly re-creates the unique terrors for black people in the pre-Civil War era, his narrative seamlessly weaves the saga of America from the brutal importation of Africans to the unfulfilled promises of the present day. The Underground Railroad is at once a kinetic adventure tale of one woman's ferocious will to escape the horrors of bondage and a shattering, powerful meditation on the history we all share.</em></p>
<p>Set before the American civil war when questions around owning slaves began to enter the wider consciousness, this is harrowing at times, so be aware.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel </h2>
<p><strong>Suitable for:</strong> 18+ <br>
<strong>Set:</strong> England, 1520<br>
<strong>Blurb:</strong> <em>England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn. The pope and most of Europe opposes him. Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell: a wholly original man, a charmer and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people, and implacable in his ambition. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?</em></p>
<p>The first in a series about Thomas Cromwell and his work under Henry VIII, this won the Man Booker Prize and will certainly keep you company as the darker evenings creep in.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Alias Grace - Margaret Atwood </h2>
<p><strong>Suitable for:</strong> 18+<br>
<strong>Set: </strong>America, 1834<br>
<strong>Blurb:</strong> <em>It's 1843, and Grace Marks has been convicted for her involvement in the vicious murders of her employer and his housekeeper and mistress. Some believe Grace is innocent; others think her evil or insane. Now serving a life sentence, Grace claims to have no memory of the murders.<br>
An up-and-coming expert in the burgeoning field of mental illness is engaged by a group of reformers and spiritualists who seek a pardon for Grace. He listens to her story while bringing her closer and closer to the day she cannot remember. What will he find in attempting to unlock her memories?</em><br>
<br>
Another prize winning novel, Alias Grace will keep you on your toes as you try to uncover the truth alongside the backdrop of how women and the mentally ill were treated in the criminal justice system of the 1800s.</p>
<hr>
<h2>The Paris Wife - Paula McLain</h2>
<p><strong>Suitable for:</strong> 16+<br>
<strong>Set:</strong> Chicago and France, 1920/1930<br>
<strong>Blurb:</strong> <em>Chicago, 1920: Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness—until she meets Ernest Hemingway and her life changes forever. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group—the fabled “Lost Generation”—that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.<br>
Though deeply in love, the Hemingways are ill prepared for the hard-drinking and fast-living life of Jazz Age Paris, which hardly values traditional notions of family and monogamy. Surrounded by beautiful women and competing egos, Ernest struggles to find the voice that will earn him a place in history, pouring all the richness and intensity of his life with Hadley and their circle of friends into the novel that will become The Sun Also Rises. Hadley, meanwhile, strives to hold on to her sense of self as the demands of life with Ernest grow costly and her roles as wife, friend, and muse become more challenging. Despite their extraordinary bond, they eventually find themselves facing the ultimate crisis of their marriage—a deception that will lead to the unraveling of everything they’ve fought so hard for.<br>
A heartbreaking portrayal of love and torn loyalty, The Paris Wife is all the more poignant because we know that, in the end, Hemingway wrote that he would rather have died than fallen in love with anyone but Hadley.</em></p>
<p>What could be better than a book about writers? This novel set in Paris follows the lives of American writers Ernest Hemingway and F Scott Fitzgerald as Europe begins to ready itself for war.</p>
<hr>
<h2>The White Princess - Philippa Gregory</h2>
<p><strong>Suitable for:</strong> 18+<br>
<strong>Set: </strong>England, 15th century<br>
<strong>Blurb:</strong> <em>When Henry Tudor picks up the crown of England from the mud of Bosworth field, he knows he must marry the princess of the enemy house—Elizabeth of York—to unify a country divided by war for nearly two decades.<br>
But his bride is still in love with his slain enemy, Richard III—and her mother and half of England dream of a missing heir, sent into the unknown by the White Queen. While the new monarchy can win power, it cannot win hearts in an England that plots for the triumphant return of the House of York.<br>
Henry’s greatest fear is that somewhere a prince is waiting to invade and reclaim the throne. When a young man who would be king leads his army and invades England, Elizabeth has to choose between the new husband she is coming to love and the boy who claims to be her beloved lost brother: the rose of York come home at last.</em></p>
<p>We can’t pull together a list of historical fiction novels without mentioning Philippa Gregory. Though all her Tudor and Plantagenet novels are a great way to immerse yourselves in the intrigue of the royal court. This one is particularly fun as it examines the beginnings of Henry VII’s reign.</p>
<hr>
<h2>The Duke and I (Bridgerton #1) - Julia Quinn</h2>
<p><strong>Suitable for:</strong> 18+<br>
<strong>Set: </strong>Regency London<br>
<strong>Blurb: </strong><em>In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable… but not too amiable.<br>
Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen.<br>
Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and society—just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects and her reputation soar.<br>
The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule...</em></p>
<p>Made popular by the Netflix series, the Bridgerton stories follow each of the Bridgerton siblings as they navigate the dating scene in Regency London.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Fingersmith - Sarah Waters</h2>
<p><strong>Suitable for:</strong> 18+<br>
<strong>Set:</strong> Victorian England <br>
<strong>Blurb:</strong> <em>Sue Trinder is an orphan, left as an infant in the care of Mrs. Sucksby, a "baby farmer," who raised her with unusual tenderness, as if Sue were her own. Mrs. Sucksby’s household, with its fussy babies calmed with doses of gin, also hosts a transient family of petty thieves—fingersmiths—for whom this house in the heart of a mean London slum is home.<br>
One day, the most beloved thief of all arrives—Gentleman, an elegant con man, who carries with him an enticing proposition for Sue: If she wins a position as the maid to Maud Lilly, a naïve gentlewoman, and aids Gentleman in her seduction, then they will all share in Maud’s vast inheritance. Once the inheritance is secured, Maud will be disposed of—passed off as mad, and made to live out the rest of her days in a lunatic asylum.<br>
With dreams of paying back the kindness of her adopted family, Sue agrees to the plan. Once in, however, Sue begins to pity her helpless mark and care for Maud Lilly in unexpected ways...But no one and nothing is as it seems in this Dickensian novel of thrills and reversals.</em></p>
<p>Set in the Victorian underworld, Fingersmith is full of twists and turns – many of which, you won’t see coming!</p>
<h2></h2>
<hr>
<h2>Just One Damned Thing After Another (Chronicles of St Mary #1) - Jodi Taylor </h2>
<p><strong>Suitable for:</strong> 14+<br>
<strong>Set:</strong> Various<br>
<strong>Blurb:</strong> <em>"History is just one damned thing after another."<br>
Behind the seemingly innocuous façade of St Mary's, a different kind of historical research is taking place. They don't do 'time-travel' - they 'investigate major historical events in contemporary time'. Maintaining the appearance of harmless eccentrics is not always within their power - especially given their propensity for causing loud explosions when things get too quiet.<br>
Meet the disaster-magnets of St Mary's Institute of Historical Research as they ricochet around History. Their aim is to observe and document - to try and find the answers to many of History's unanswered questions...and not to die in the process. But one wrong move and History will fight back - to the death. And, as they soon discover - it's not just History they're fighting.<br>
Follow the catastrophe curve from 11th-century London to World War I, and from the Cretaceous Period to the destruction of the Great Library at Alexandria. For wherever Historians go, chaos is sure to follow in their wake....</em></p>
<p>This one is a little different because time travel, but basically this series following the historians of St Mary’s Institute of Historical Research is a great way to explore lots of different historical periods with hilarity and charm.</p>
<hr>
<p>A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting - Sophie Irwin</p>
<p>Suitable for: 14+<br>
Set: Regency England<br>
Blurb: <em>Kitty Talbot needs a fortune. Or rather, she needs a husband who has a fortune. Left with her father’s massive debts, she has only twelve weeks to save her family from ruin.<br>
Kitty has never been one to back down from a challenge, so she leaves home and heads toward the most dangerous battleground in all of England: the London season.<br>
Kitty may be neither accomplished nor especially genteel—but she is utterly single-minded; imbued with cunning and ingenuity, she knows that risk is just part of the game.<br>
The only thing she doesn’t anticipate is Lord Radcliffe. The worldly Radcliffe sees Kitty for the mercenary fortune-hunter that she really is and is determined to scotch her plans at all costs, until their parrying takes a completely different turn...<br>
This is a frothy pleasure, full of brilliant repartee and enticing wit—one that readers will find an irresistible delight.</em></p>
<p>If you love a Regency romance, this one is a must. With fun, scheming and a good dose of romance – get this one on your autumn reading list. It's a good option if you want something less smutty than Bridgerton. </p>
<p>Want more suggestions?<br>
Join in the discussion on Facebook and Twitter.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2023/11/great-historical-fictions-to-snuggle-up-with-this-winter-b361#comments361</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Join these Visit Heritage members this September for England’s biggest history festival</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2023/09/join-these-visit-heritage-members-this-september-for-englands-biggest-history-festival-b348</link>
<description>England’s biggest festival of history and heritage is back this September from 8 th – 17 th September, with the theme of Creativity Unwrapped.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>England’s biggest festival of history and heritage is back this September from 8<sup>th</sup> – 17<sup>th</sup> September, with the theme of Creativity Unwrapped.</p>
<p>Every September Heritage Open Days give you the chance to enjoy thousands of free events and experiences at Heritage attractions across the UK, bringing people together to celebrate their heritage, community and history. From historic houses to former factories, grave yards and more, all of which are free to enter and many, are only open to the public during the length of the festival.</p>
<p>Several of our members at Visit Heritage are joining hundreds of other attractions to open their doors as part of the festival this year, including the following.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/bosworth-battlefield-heritage-centre-and-country-park-p4061281"><strong>Bosworth Battlefield</strong></a><br>
Leicestershire CV13 0AD</p>
<p>Running all day on 9<sup>th</sup> September and with no booking required, the event will include a host of exhibitions giving you a better insight into the battle.<br>
<a href="http://ttps://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/bosworth-battlefield-heritage-centre-open-day">Find out more here</a></p>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/leighton-hall-p679991"><b>Leighton Hall</b></a><br>
Lancashire LA5 9ST</p>
<p>Enjoy timed tours of the house a bird of prey display and free access to the gardens and woodland on 13<sup>th</sup> September at regular intervals throughout the day. Booking is required, so please book your space by the 13<sup>th</sup> September.<br>
<a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/leighton-hall1">Find out more here. </a></p>
<hr>
<p><br>
<a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/knole-national-trust-p3891591"><strong>Knole</strong></a><br>
Kent, TB15 0RP</p>
<p>National Trust property Knole sits within Kent’s last medieval deer park and has a host of things going on for visitors on 13<sup>th</sup> September as part of the festival. Entry is even free to non members.<br>
<a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/knole">Find out more here. </a></p>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/gainsboroughs-house-p673941"><strong>Gainsborough’s House</strong></a><br>
Suffolk, CO10 2EU<br>
As the childhood home of one of Britain’s most important artists, it won’t be a surprise that it is a hub for heritage and culture, It is a Grade I listed building and there are events taking place over 15<sup>th</sup>-17<sup>th</sup> September, with no booking required.<br>
<a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/gainsboroughs-house2">Find out more here. </a></p>
<hr>
<p>
<p><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/american-museum-and-gardens-p4316061"><strong>American Museum and Gardens</strong></a><br>
Bath, BA2 7BD</p>
<p>The award winning Grade II listed gardens and collection of American art is a great way to learn more about the Founding Father’s and our entwined histories. Join in on 16th September, with no booking required.<br>
<a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/americanmuseumandgardens">Find out more here. </a></p>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/kelmscott-manor-p4295311"><strong>Kelmscott Manor</strong></a><br>
Gloucestershite, GLZ 3HJ</p>
<p>This year will be Kelmscott Manor’s first Heritage Open Day! You’ll find a host of free creative activities all day on 9<sup>th</sup> September. There is a limited number of tickets available, so booking is preferred, so do make sure to book your space before travelling.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/kelmscott-manor">Find out more here<strong>. </strong></a></p>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/nymans-p678931"><strong>Nymans</strong></a><br>
West Sussex, RH17 6EB</p>
<p>Another National Trust property that is taking part, non-members can enjoy free entry on 8<sup>th</sup> and 9<sup>th</sup> September. The house, which is in partial ruins, features exhibitions exploring Maud Messel, plus a beautiful garden.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/nymans">Find out more here</a></p>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/kelmarsh-hall-and-gardens-p4867201"><strong>Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens</strong></a><br>
Northampton, NN6 9LY</p>
<p>With a one off special exhibition as part of the Heritage Open Days Festival, you can enjoy a number of hidden treasures that have never been on display before.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/kelmarsh-hall-archive-exhibition">Find out more here</a></p>
<hr>
<p><br>
<a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/canterbury-cathedral-p3512481"><strong>Canterbury Cathedral</strong></a><br>
Kent, CT1 2EH</p>
<p>On 8<sup>th</sup> and 16<sup>th</sup> September, you can follow a guided tour of the external architecture of Canterbury Cathedral. The tour will give you the chance to learn more about the gargoyles that can be seen along the way, the Cathedral Crypt and the Magna Carta.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/canterbury-cathedral-historic-precints-tour">Find out more here</a></p>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/hardwick-hall-and-stainsby-mill-p4547071"><strong>Hardwick Hall and Stainsby Mill</strong></a><br>
Derbyshire, S44 5QJ</p>
<p>The National Trust’s Hardwick Hall and Stainsby Mill will be open with free entry on 9<sup>th</sup> and 10<sup>th</sup> September with pop up expert talks, giving you an insight into Bess of Hardwick and the Elizabethan era.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/hardwick-hall-stainsby-mill">Find out more here</a></p>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/ightham-mote-national-trust-p4464731"><strong>Ightham Mote</strong></a><br>
Kent, TN150NT</p>
<p>On 13<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">th </span>September, join the team at Ightham Mote for a free evening tour, giving you a unique insight into England’s most complete moted house.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/ightham-mote">Find out more here</a></p>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/lamport-hall-and-gardens-p683071"><strong>Lamport Hall and Gardens</strong></a><br>
Northamptonshire, NN6 9HD</p>
<p>Taking part in Heritage Open Days for the first time, Lamport Hall are opening on 9<sup>th</sup> September with special tours, art exhibitions and other activities. Booking is required, <a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/lamport-hall-conservation-unlocked">find out more here.</a></p>
<hr>
<p>Learn more about Heritgage Open Days<a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/"> here</a>. </p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2023/09/join-these-visit-heritage-members-this-september-for-englands-biggest-history-festival-b348#comments348</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 06 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Experience heritage for free this September</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2023/08/experience-heritage-for-free-this-september-b346</link>
<description>The country’s largest festival of history and culture returns this September with a packed programme of free events with the theme of Creativity Unwrapped. Brought to you by the National Trust, support by the People’s Postcode Lottery and run by thousands of organisations and volunteers, Heritage Open Days bring people together to celebrate history, heritage and community.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The country’s largest festival of history and culture returns this September with a packed programme of free events with the theme of Creativity Unwrapped. Brought to you by the National Trust, support by the People’s Postcode Lottery and run by thousands of organisations and volunteers, Heritage Open Days bring people together to celebrate history, heritage and community.</p>
<p>From historic houses to factories, museums to music halls, formal gardens to graveyards, places, spaces and communities across the country will again host free events this autumn. Hundreds of events will adopt this year’s theme, Creativity Unwrapped, sharing England’s colourful history of creativity. The festival will celebrate the experts and enthusiastic amateurs whose passions and skills and something special to your Septembers.</p>
<p>Liam Montgomery, Heritage Open Days Marketing and Projects Manager, says: “Whether it’s art, music, writing or another outlet, creativity moves us and shapes our history and culture. We’re excited to put the spotlight on the people and places who give England’s heritage the X-factor and inspire festival goers to engage with thousands of years of creativity.”</p>
<p>Some of the attractions taking part for the first time this year include Lampert Hall in Northampton and London’s Bus Museum. Many of the sites in the UK that usually charge, will be opening their doors for free and places that aren’t open to the public will also be taking part. Highlights for 2023 include the National Holocaust Centre and Museum in Nottinghamshire.</p>
<p>Founded in 1994, Heritage Open Days has captured imaginations for almost 30 years. Last year, more than 2150 organisers and 43500 volunteers ran nearly 5000 events across the country, attracting one million visits. Visit heritageopendays.org.uk to plan your heritage adventures today and enjoy a free festival of discovery.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2023/08/experience-heritage-for-free-this-september-b346#comments346</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 28 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Houghton Lodge Gardens, Hampshire, steps back in time with 'Bridgerton Bliss: A Regency Afternoon' - to mark its 230th anniversary year</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2023/07/houghton-lodge-gardens-hampshire-steps-back-in-time-with-bridgerton-bliss-a-regency-afternoon-to-mark-its-230th-anniversary-year-b343</link>
<description>This year Houghton Lodge Gardens is celebrating its 230 th anniversary with special events. Bridgerton Bliss: A Regency Afternoon of Tea, Tunes and Twirls will be held on 6 August from 12.30pm to 5pm and is a great opportunity to travel back in time and experience the magic of Regency England. With dancing, promenading, music and afternoon tea or picnics this will be a unique event for the region, celebrating the anniversary and the Regency heritage of the historic house and grounds.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This year Houghton Lodge Gardens is celebrating its 230<sup>th</sup> anniversary with special events. Bridgerton Bliss: A Regency Afternoon of Tea, Tunes and Twirls will be held on 6 August from 12.30pm to 5pm and is a great opportunity to travel back in time and experience the magic of Regency England. With dancing, promenading, music and afternoon tea or picnics this will be a unique event for the region, celebrating the anniversary and the Regency heritage of the historic house and grounds.</p>
<p>The Hampshire Regency Dancers will provide authentic music and dancing during the afternoon, giving visitors an opportunity to watch, learn and take part. The Bossard Quartet will be performing Bridgerton-style Regency live music beside the beautiful River Test and Bloom Bloom, who run the café in the Orangery will be serving delicious afternoon teas (with or without Prosecco) and providing cream teas in a box or picnic boxes to pre-order. There will be a Regency Trail around the gardens linking to plants that have Regency origins and historical games such as lawn bowls will be happening over the course of the afternoon. The historic activity of ‘promenading', much loved by Jane Austen and her contemporaries, will be taking place in the walled garden and lawns. Guests are encouraged to come in Regency costume but it's not obligatory!</p>
<p>Says Sophie Busk, owner and resident of Houghton Lodge; ‘this event seemed the perfect occasion to show off our wonderful house and gardens during our 230<sup>th</sup> anniversary and to celebrate their Regency heritage. There will be lots of events during the afternoon for all the family to take part in and a chance to enjoy delicious food. We hope it will attract new visitors who have not previously been here and who will now want to return again and again'.</p>
<p>Houghton Lodge is one of the finest and earliest surviving examples of a Cottage Ornée - a genre of ‘picturesque' Gothic architecture that flourished for about 25 years from 1790. Today the house is Grade II* listed. There are both formal and informal gardens, a traditional kitchen garden enclosed within chalk cob walls, an orchid house, new Oriental Garden, topiary dragon, peacock garden and extensive lawns. At the end of the eighteenth century there was a gradual move away from the formal layout and plantings of English parks and gardens to the desire for ‘natural' landscapes. An increased sensitivity to the world of nature, and the importance of the picturesque and romantic movements led to the development of the Natural Style. The gardens at Houghton Lodge are a charming example of an eighteenth-century informal garden designed in this ‘Natural Style.'</p>
<p>For ticket prices, booking and other details visit the website at <a href="https://houghtonlodge.co.uk/step-into-the-past-with-bridgerton-bliss-a-regency-afternoon-of-tea-tunes-and-twirls-at-houghton-lodge-gardens/" target="_blank"><u>Step into the Past with Bridgerton Bliss: A Regency Afternoon of tea, tunes and twirls at Houghton Lodge Gardens | Houghton Lodge and Gardens</u></a><u>/</u> All tickets need to be booked in advance.</p>
<p>Another event to mark the season and to celebrate both the 230<sup>th</sup> anniversary and the many wonderful heritage apples and pears in the garden will be an Apple Day during the Autumn. Visitors will be treated to a range of exciting apple-related entertainment and will be able to explore over 32 varieties of apple trees, as well as pear, plum, fig and kiwi trees in the kitchen garden.</p>
<p>For visitors wanting to take a short break <strong>accommodation at Houghton Lodge</strong> - the Apple Rooms - provide luxury self-catering accommodation in a bespoke collection of 6 individually designed boutique en-suite studio rooms. Guests can enjoy complimentary entry to the gardens during their stay, 10% off refreshments in the tearoom and can use the walled garden in the evenings after the gates close to the public. Early risers can also enjoy a morning riverside walk!</p>
<p>For more information visit <a href="http://www.houghtonlodge.co.uk/" target="_blank"><u>www.houghtonlodge.co.uk</u></a> </p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2023/07/houghton-lodge-gardens-hampshire-steps-back-in-time-with-bridgerton-bliss-a-regency-afternoon-to-mark-its-230th-anniversary-year-b343#comments343</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 21 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Celebrate cream tea day this June with correct cream tea etiquette</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2023/06/celebrate-cream-tea-day-this-june-with-correct-cream-tea-etiquette-b330</link>
<description>Did you know that National Cream Tea Day takes place on Friday 30 th June? If you’re looking for an excuse to enjoy a traditional British cream tea and impress your friends all at the same time, take a look at the official etiquette for enjoying a cream tea below.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Did you know that National Cream Tea Day takes place on Friday 30<sup>th</sup> June? If you’re looking for an excuse to enjoy a traditional British cream tea and impress your friends all at the same time, take a look at the official etiquette for enjoying a cream tea below.</p>
<p>National Cream Tea Day is organised by Rodda’s Cornish Clotted Cream and Wilkin and Sons Tiptree. Every year, the two companies donate over 50,000 portions of jam and cream to charitable events raising money on the day, which in turn goes towards good causes.</p>
<p>If you’re planning to indulge in this heritage treat, here is the correct way to do so.</p>
<p>Use loose leaf tea rather than a tea bag</p>
<p>Brew your tea in a teapot, with a second pot of hot water on hand in case you’ve overbrewed</p>
<p>Allow the tea to brew for at least three minutes before pouring</p>
<p>When pouring, add the tea before the milk and then add the sugar, if you take it.</p>
<p>Spoons go on saucers, once you’ve stirred, your spoon should go back on the saucer</p>
<p>There is no need to hold out your pinky finger, it isn’t good etiquette whatever you’re drinking!</p>
<p>The perfect scone should break apart with a simple twist, so don’t pull at it or hack at it with a knife.</p>
<p>Spoon cream and jam onto your plate and then spread them onto your scone</p>
<p>Depending on where you’re from, it doesn’t matter whether you go jam or cream first. If you’re in Devon though, make sure it is cream first and in Cornwall, jam first.</p>
<p>Now you’re prepared, we hope you have a lovely cream tea day!</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2023/06/celebrate-cream-tea-day-this-june-with-correct-cream-tea-etiquette-b330#comments330</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<title>Celebrate #MagnaCartaDay with Salisbury Cathedral on 15th June</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2023/06/celebrate-magnacartaday-with-salisbury-cathedral-on-15th-june-b333</link>
<description>Home to the best preserved copy of only four surviving Magna Carta documents, which was created in 1215, Salisbury Cathedral will be celebrating 808 years since the Charter was sealed on its anniversary on 15 th June.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Home to the best preserved copy of only four surviving Magna Carta documents, which was created in 1215, Salisbury Cathedral will be celebrating 808 years since the Charter was sealed on its anniversary on 15<sup>th</sup> June.</p>
<p>Limiting the powers of the English monarch, the Magna Carta describes the ideas of freedom, justice and equality under the law that are still relevant and continue to inspire law makers today. It remains one of the most famous documents in the world and visitors have been heading to Salisbury to view it for generations.</p>
<p>As part of #MagnaCartaDay, Salisbury Cathrdral will be celebrating the anniversary of the charter coming into law with a series of Facebook Live events starting at 9am with the Cathedral’s art curator and again at 4.30pm, with the cathedral’s archivist. In addition to the live events, a summer exhibition with the theme of To Be Free: Art and Liberty is also being held, with a 13-metre-long embroidery of the Magna Carta’s Wikipedia page as the centrepiece. The embroidery was created on 15<sup>th</sup> June 2015 by artist Cornelia Parker and features the works of several notable people, including Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker, Baroness Lawrence and a variety of MPs, civil rights campaigners, lawyers, artists and others.</p>
<p>How will you be helping Salisbury Cathedral celebrate the 808<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the Magna Carta? Join in the fun on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using #MagnaCartaDay to share your stories and visits.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2023/06/celebrate-magnacartaday-with-salisbury-cathedral-on-15th-june-b333#comments333</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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