jolidays.co.uk
Somerset
Somerset is a historic and scenic county in South West England, known for its heritage cities, natural landscapes, and cultural festivals like Glastonbury.
Ewenny Priory
Ewenni Priory is a historic Norman Romanesque religious settlement featuring robust defensive walls and gates, still serving as a local parish church. Visitors can explore both indoor church areas and outdoor fortifications with accessible paths.
castle stately-home historic-town museum garden
Ogmore Castle
Ogmore Castle is a Grade I listed Norman castle ruin in Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, featuring the oldest Norman keep in the region, historic earthworks, and a scenic riverside location by the Ewenny and Ogmore rivers. The site offers free public access to explore its substantial remains and nearby stepping stones across the river.
Old Beaupre Castle
Old Beaupre Castle is a Grade I listed ruined medieval fortified manor house in Llanfair, Wales, featuring a notable Renaissance porch and three courts, set within historic landscaped gardens. Visitors can explore the outdoor ruins and grounds free of charge all year round.
St Lythans burial chamber
St Lythans Chambered Tomb is a free-to-visit Neolithic burial site near Cardiff featuring a massive exposed stone capstone and links to Arthurian legend. Visitors explore the outdoor historic site open year-round during daylight hours.
Fiddleford Manor
Fiddleford Manor is a medieval manor house in Dorset dating back to around 1370, featuring original interiors and restored by English Heritage, open to public visits throughout the year.
stately-home historic-town museum
Temple Church
Temple Church in Bristol is a historic ruined church originally built by the Knights Templar in the 12th century, later rebuilt and heavily damaged during World War II. The site features a leaning tower and outlines of the original circular church, and is now preserved as an open ruin managed by English Heritage, offering a unique outdoor historical experience.
Stoney Littleton Long Barrow
Stoney Littleton Long Barrow is a well-preserved Neolithic chambered tomb near Wellow in Somerset, featuring multiple burial chambers inside a long stone mound, notable for its alignment with the midwinter sunrise and managed by English Heritage for public access.
Dunster Butter Cross
The Butter Cross in Dunster is a historic 15th-century market cross, a Grade II* listed building and scheduled ancient monument, managed by English Heritage and the National Trust, offering visitors a glimpse into medieval market traditions in Somerset.
historic-town country-park castle
Gallox Bridge
Gallox Bridge is a 15th century narrow stone packhorse bridge in Dunster, Somerset, crossing the River Avill. It is a Grade I listed building and scheduled monument, managed by English Heritage, and notable for its historic architecture and rural setting near Dunster Castle.
castle historic-town nature-reserve country-park viewpoint garden
Meare Fish House
The Abbot's Fish House is a 14th century Grade I listed Gothic building in Meare, Somerset, notable as the only surviving monastic fishery building in England. It was used for storing and preparing fish and as a residence for the chief fisherman of Glastonbury Abbey. Now cared for by English Heritage, it offers visitors a unique glimpse into medieval monastic industry and architecture.
Nunney Castle
Nunney Castle is a medieval moated castle ruin in Somerset, England, notable for its 14th-century tower-keep and unique architectural style influenced by French designs. It was damaged in the English Civil War and is now managed by English Heritage as a historic tourist attraction.
Sir Bevil Grenville's Monument
Sir Bevil Grenville's Monument is an 18th-century historic monument located on Lansdown Hill near Bath, commemorating the Royalist commander Sir Bevil Grenville, who was mortally wounded in the 1643 Battle of Lansdowne during the English Civil War. The outdoor monument stands 25 feet tall, featuring inscriptions and heraldic symbols, and is a protected Grade II* listed and scheduled ancient monument.
historic-town viewpoint hill-walk
Stanton Drew stone circles
Stanton Drew stone circles are one of Britain's largest Neolithic henge monuments featuring multiple stone circles, historic geophysical surveys, and ancient features including The Cove. It is an outdoor archaeological site rich in history, local myths, and accessible freely to the public near Somerset village.
prehistoric historic-town nature-reserve garden
Sherborne Castle
Sherborne Castle is a historic 16th-century Tudor mansion set within 1200 acres of Capability Brown-designed gardens in Dorset, with ruins of a 12th-century castle on the grounds. Visitors can explore both the partly open mansion and extensive outdoor gardens, with special events throughout the year.
castle historic-town nature-reserve stately-home garden
Fyne Court
Fyne Court is a National Trust nature reserve and visitor centre in Somerset, featuring historic estate grounds with woodland, ponds, meadows, and remnants of a 19th-century country house. Visitors can explore outdoor natural habitats as well as indoor visitor facilities including a café and shop.
garden country-park woodland museum nature-reserve historic-town
King John's Hunting Lodge
King John's Hunting Lodge is a timber-framed historic wool-merchant's house in Axbridge, Somerset, now operated as a local museum by the National Trust. The museum showcases exhibits on local history, geology, and archaeology from the Neolithic period to World War II within a restored medieval building.
stately-home museum historic-town
Watersmeet
Watersmeet House is a National Trust property in Devon featuring a historic fishing lodge with a tea room and shop, nestled at a river gorge confluence and serving as a gateway to extensive woodland and riverside walks. The site includes a notable area of ancient oak woodland designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
stately-home garden woodland nature-reserve country-park hill-walk riverside-walk
Cheddar Gorge
Cheddar Gorge is a striking limestone canyon in Somerset featuring impressive cliffs, prehistoric caves open to the public, diverse wildlife, and various outdoor activities including climbing and scenic walks. The site offers visitor facilities such as a centre and restaurant, blending natural wonder with accessible tourism.
nature-reserve hill-walk viewpoint country-park woodland garden historic-town
Cadbury Camp
Cadbury Camp is an Iron Age hill fort located in Somerset, England, featuring ancient earthworks and ditches on a natural ridge. It is historically significant and managed by the National Trust with ongoing conservation efforts to preserve its natural and archaeological features.
hill-walk nature-reserve country-park woodland historic-town
Wellington Monument
The Wellington Monument is a 175-foot tall triangular obelisk located on the Blackdown Hills near Wellington, Somerset. It commemorates the Duke of Wellington's victory at the Battle of Waterloo and offers an outdoor historic landmark experience with an internal viewing platform. Owned and maintained by the National Trust, the monument was restored and reopened in 2021.
historic-town hill-walk viewpoint country-park nature-reserve
Sand Point
Sand Point and Middle Hope in Somerset are known for their geological formations, rare flora, and archaeological features, including ancient barrows and a possible castle mound. The area is owned by the National Trust and offers extensive walking opportunities with scenic views of the Bristol Channel and surrounding regions.
nature-reserve hill-walk historic-town country-park beach riverside-walk woodland
St Quintins Castle
St Quintins Castle is a ruined medieval castle in Llanblethian, Wales, featuring substantial stone gatehouse remains and defensive walls, situated on a steep spur overlooking the River Thaw. It is an outdoor historic site managed by Cadw, open to the public for free exploration of its significant medieval fortifications and ruins.
Brean Down
Brean Down is a limestone promontory in Somerset, England, extending into the Bristol Channel and offering rich natural, historical, and archaeological interests including fossils, ancient temple remains, and a Victorian fort. It is a notable wildlife habitat and a National Trust property open to the public.
nature-reserve historic-town castle prehistoric
Burrow Mump
Burrow Mump is a historic hill in Somerset featuring the ruins of a 15th-century church atop a Norman motte, offering visitors panoramic views and a significant war memorial managed by the National Trust.
Glastonbury Tor
Glastonbury Tor is a prominent hill in Somerset, England, topped by the roofless tower of St Michael's Church. It features mysterious terraced slopes and is steeped in history, mythology, and spirituality, including links to King Arthur and the island of Avalon. The site is managed by the National Trust and is a notable landmark visible for miles around.
hill-walk historic-town nature-reserve country-park
Leigh Woods National Nature Reserve
Leigh Woods is a 2 km² national nature reserve near Bristol, featuring ancient woodland, rare plant species, and historic sites like the Stokeleigh Camp hillfort. It offers outdoor activities including walking, rock climbing, and mountain biking in a protected natural environment.
nature-reserve woodland hill-walk country-park
Solsbury Hill
Little Solsbury Hill is an Iron Age hillfort located in Somerset, offering panoramic views over Bath and the Avon River. The site features archaeological remains including stone ramparts and medieval field systems, situated within the scenic Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and managed by the National Trust.
castle nature-reserve hill-walk country-park
Walton and Ivythorn Hills
Walton and Ivythorn Hills are a National Trust managed biological site of special scientific interest in Somerset featuring limestone hills, calcareous grasslands, historic buildings, and walking trails including the Polden Way.
nature-reserve hill-walk viewpoint country-park woodland historic-town
Clarks Village
Clarks Village is a popular outlet shopping village in Street, Somerset, offering a variety of high street and designer shops, eateries, and family-friendly events within a historic factory site.
shopping-centre outlet-village
Yarn Market, Dunster
The Yarn Market in Dunster, Somerset, is a historic Grade I listed octagonal building from the early 17th century, originally built to support the local wool and cloth trade, featuring a unique central pier with timber roofing and marked by Civil War history.
castle historic-town market garden
Brean Down Fort
Brean Down Fort is a 19th-century military fortification located on a headland in Somerset, England, known for its historical coastal defense role, Bronze Age archaeological finds, and WWII experimental weapons testing. It is owned by the National Trust and open to the public.
castle historic-town nature-reserve