Lesser-Known Sights

[Larry H]

Don't overlook some of the lesser-known National Trust (NT) or English Heritage (EH) sites, particularly if you have the luxury of a longer visit to the UK. Along with visits to major attractions, we're enjoying some less-imposing ones open only at limited times during warmer months:


Stoneacre (NT, near Maidstone, Kent), a relatively small (as NT properties go) 15th century half-timbered farm-owner's house with great hall, open only on Saturdays and bank holiday Mondays. The wife of the caretaking couple serves tea and a choice of wonderful homemade cakes baked on her AGA stove at her kitchen table.


LodgePark (NT, near Burford in the Cotswolds), a 17th century grandstand built by John “Crump” Dutton to entertain his friends in deer coursing (gambling on which greyhound will be fastest chasing a stag on a walled course ending near the grandstand) and other types of gaming and partying. Open only Fri.-Sun.


Chysauster Ancient Village (EH, between Penzance and St. Ives in Cornwall), consisting of the stone walls of 9 circular Iron Age houses nearly 2000 years old. The houses had an open courtyard with smaller roofed rooms within the walls for living and for sheltering farm animals, a design unique to Cornwall. Requires a half-mile uphill walk to the site. Open daily April-October..


What lesser-known NT and EH sites would others recommend?

 

[Pauline]

We visited Chysauster Ancient Village last July on our Cornwall trip. It was very interesting. We have been to Sherbourne Lodge to walk on the grounds but have not seen Lodge Park. We have not seen Stoneacre - but it looks lovely.

Thanks for posting these Larry. I think most of the National Trust and English Heritage sites are worth visiting, but will try to think of some of my favorite lesser known ones.

 

[Lindy]

Thank you Larry for bringing these two sites to our attention. We will be travelling to both the West Country and the Cotswolds this coming Sept/Oct.
In our travels we've often found the less touted sites (with no trinkets) are by far the most memorable. You know those unexpected "AH" moments when turning an unanticipated corner.

Will look forward to your favourites too, Pauline

 

[Anne]

I'm afraid I have no idea if these are lesser- or well-known EH sights but...we thoroughly enjoyed our visits to Framlingham and Orford Castles in Suffolk a few years ago. They weren't crowded, which makes me think they may not be all that well known.

Or maybe Suffolk itself is a lesser-known area? We didn't encounter hordes of people anywhere really, and we were there in the summer time. I myself was quite enchanted with the area, as a visitor from Canada. My dad lives near Southwold, so we spent most of our two week visit exploring close to home, except for an overnight excursion to see Bath and Stonehenge - definitely not lesser-known sights! haha But we did book the early morning full access visit to Stonehenge, which I highly recommend.

 

[Pauline]

But we did book the early morning full access visit to Stonehenge, which I highly recommend.

I didn't know about this!

 

[Anne]

It's fantastic! EH offers Stone Circle Access visits some days before/after normal visiting hours, and you get to go right in among the stones and see them up close and personal. (Application forms are on the EH website.) On our visit, I unexpectedly found myself completely alone in the middle of the circle for a few minutes, after everyone else started wandering back to the parking lot. An unimaginably powerful experience.

PS - my dad didn't know about this option either, and he's lived in England for ~45 years and has been an EH member for many of those years!

 

[Pauline]

Thanks for the link. I am going to do this. Steve visited Stonehenge in the 70s and everyone could wander into the circle!

 

[Larry H]

I too remember walking inside Stonehenge's circle in 1969. Stonehenge now gets a million visitors a year, and was crowded today (a Saturday during half-term vacations.)

The booked-in-advance out-of-hours visits inside the circle are tempting but pricey (21 GBP for non-members vs. 13.90 GBP for the regular adult admission and 12.60 GBP for seniors; and 16.70 GBP for members of EH and NT (and its American affiliate Royal Oak) who otherwise get in for free.

Note: anyone can walk freely among the stones at Avebury after paying the 5 GBP parking fee (EH and NT members park free). Avebury may not be as iconic, but it dwarfs Stonehenge. Both are on my must-see list.

 

[Pauline]

I love Avebury and the nearby Silbury Hill!