A
brief guide to some lesser known historical, cultural and natural sites in the U.K.
Simply an overview or series of suggestions for less well known places to visit across Great Britain (mainly England). At some point in the last twenty years I have visited all but one of these sites. The list is arranged according to region and then alphabetically.
Unless stated, the images displayed are not my own and are believed to be in the public domain for non profit purposes.
Please note that any images (in this guide section only) that are not my own do not link to larger versions. Only my own images link to large scale versions if so indicated.
| South East | South West | The Midlands |
| The North | Wales & Scotland | |
| South East Region |
10 -15 min walk south from Victoria Station. The main feature of interest (personally) is that of the significant and unusual Thames-side landmark of the Japanese Buddhist peace pagoda. This is an ornate tower like structure with niches containing large scale gilded images of the Buddha and scenes from his life.
Free.
photo: Gordon Joly
The remains of a once extensive roman villa, hidden away on a quite hilltop in the South Downs National Park. Fields surround the site, with nearby woodland and pleasant hills. The remains are mainly that of the elaborate mosaic floors, protected since the 19th century by stone and thatch buildings.
Charge.
The church of a former Benedictine monastery. This was preserved after the dissolution by the local parish who abandoned their part of the church in favour of the more spacious and elaborate monastic church. The ruins of the parochial nave can still be seen at the west front of the surviving building. Inside, there are impressive columned arcades dividing the aisles, with lancet windows, vaulted ceilings and some original medieval altars. The most noticeable feature is the elaborately carved chantry chapel situated in the south aisle arcade itself. Some ruins of other buildings can be viewed outside.
Free.
The little known ruins of the Cluniac priory. Some substantial though fairly unadorned remains of the domestic buildings. The apparently once vast church has been utterly demolished and even the site of this has been obliterated by a railway. A tomb within the nave of Chichester Cathedral originally came from within this church.
Free.
The foundations of a small roman temple dedicated to the god Mithras. The remains have been reassembled in an open area adjacent to office buildings, near to the Bank of England. Objects from the excavation can be viewed in the Museum of London.
Free.
The home of Rimbaud & Verlaine -
No8 Royal College Street, (Plender St) Camden Town
The sometime residence of the two famous French poets during their life in London in 1873. This was their second (and surviving residence) before they returned separately to the continent later in the same year.
Free. Exterior only.
A small but spectacular museum. An eccentric display of classical antiquities, medieval art and Hogarth paintings amongst others, in an unusual Georgian house.
The main sculpture gallery still appears the same today as it was in this 19th century illustration.
Free.
The chancel and transepts of the medieval priory church saved for parish use. Contains the impressive effigy tomb of its founder; Rahere. The restored chapel at the east end was for several centuries separated and used for commercial purposes; Benjamin Franklin served there as a printer for a year. The church is often used for television and film productions.
Free.
A Georgian folly created from the actual ruins of a roman temple of Leptis Magna in Libya. They were originally intended for the portico of the then new British Museum building.
Free.
A medieval ‘planned’ town, that never achieved the ambitions of it’s founders. Not really a town, most of its housing plots are now fields. The ruinous town walls with gatehouses can still be seen. Many of the existing homes contain medieval cellars surviving from the establishment period. The ruins of a friary chapel can be viewed as well as the remnant of the parish church. This was intended to be a large cruciform building though only the chancel was completed with the remainder either not built or surviving as ruins. There are some impressive effigy tombs of knights within.
Free.
| South East | South West | The Midlands |
| The North | Wales & Scotland |