Destination Wessex

In 900 acres of Capability Brown designed parkland, it is regarded as one of the finest examples of Elizabethan architecture in Britain. Sir John Thynne built the house in 1568. Queen Elizabeth 1 visited in 1574.

Opening Times: 17-25 Feb & 31 Mar-4 Nov. House 10am-5pm. Safari Pk 10am-4pm

Entrance fee: £10 house and grounds. £20 for all attractions.
Daytime Tel: 01985 844400
Email: enquiries@longleat.co.uk
Website: www.longleat.co.uk

Magnificent Elizabethan house set in grounds landscaped and laid out by Capability Brown in the 1760s and later by Humphrey Repton. Internationally renowned picture collection housed in beautiful 18thC interiors.

Opening Times: 20 Mar-30 Sept: 2-5.30pm except Mon & Fri. 1 Oct-19 Mar: w'ends only 2-4.30pm

Season: Closed December.
Entrance fee: House and gardens £6.50, gardens only £2.50, Groups £5
Daytime Tel: 01249 701610
Email: leonora.martin@corsham-court.co.uk
Website: www.corsham-court.com

Landscaped by Capability Brown in the 1760Æs with a 13 acre lake and specimen trees including an Oriental Plane with a circumference of 200 yards.

Opening Times: Sat & Sun only Oct-Mar. Mar-Sep. 11.00 to 17.30 ex Mondays

Entrance fee: £5.00 Groups £4.50
Daytime Tel: 01249 701610
Email: leonora.martin@corsham-court.co.uk
Website: www.corsham-court.co.uk

The 5 acre garden close to the 12thC Abbey contains the largest private collection of roses in Britain, as well as a vinery, fruit trees and herbs.

Opening Times: 21 March-21 October. Daily 11am - 5.30 pm. Only guide dogs.

Entrance fee: Adults £5.50. Family £13. Concessions.
Daytime Tel: 01666 822212
Email: info@abbeyhousegardens.co.uk
Website: www.abbeyhousegardens.co.uk

An 1820 mansion surrounded by stunning grounds, planted with American trees and shrubs. Its rooms trace the American way of life up to the mid 1800s.

Opening Times: 18 March to 29 October. Tue - Sun. 12noon - 5pm. Last entry 4pm.

Entrance fee: Adult £6.50
Daytime Tel: 01225 823019
Email: info@americanmuseum.org
Website: www.americanmuseum.org

The original church was built by King Osric in 676, serving a convent of nuns till the Benedictines took over. King Edgar of Wessex was crowned here.

Opening Times: All year. generally 9.00am to 6.00pm

Entrance fee: Suggested donation £2.50
Daytime Tel: 01225 422462
Email: officea@bathabbey.org
Website: www.bathabbey.org

For further detail go to: Attractions/World Heritage Sites/Bath (1957) - and to Attractions/Countryside/B ath Area

King John granted the Bishop of Wells land for a residence and a deer park. Parts of the Palace date from that time.

Opening Times: Open all year.

Entrance fee: £4
Daytime Tel: 01749 678691
Website: www.bishopspalacewells.co.uk

About 1140, Robert Hardinge founded the Abbey of St. Augustine. The Norman Chapter House and Abbey gatehouse still remain.

Opening Times: 8am - 6pm. 7.30am - 8PM on Sundays.

Season: All year.
Entrance fee: Voluntary donation
Daytime Tel: 01179 264979
Email: administrator@bristol-cathedral.co.uk
Website: www.bristol-cathedral.co.uk

The house was built in 1320 by St. John de Clevedon. It incorporates a massive 13th century tower and great hall.

Opening Times: Wed, Thurs & Sun 4 Apr-30 Sep. Timed tickets in midsummer

Entrance fee: £5.00
Daytime Tel: 01275 872257
Email: clevedoncourt@nationaltrust.org.uk
Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wessex

The abbey church consists at of transepts, choir, and fifteen side chapels only. It is 230 feet long, and 70 feet high internally

Opening Times: All year. Dawn to dusk

Entrance fee: Free. Donations welcomed.
Daytime Tel: 01761 235161
Website: www.downsideabbey.co.uk

Dyrham House was built in 1691-1702 by William Blathwayt, William III's Secretary of War. It is set in 274 acres of gardens and parkland.

Opening Times: 25 Mar-31 Oct: daily 12am-5pm except Wed & Thurs.

Entrance fee: £8.30, house, park and garden
Daytime Tel: 01179 372501
Email: dyrhampark@nationaltrust.org.uk
Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wessex

The manor of Hungerford passed to the Hungerford family in 1370 who fortified it. Enough is left to give a fine example of a medieval manorial castle.

Opening Times: 1 April-30 Sept., daily 10.00-17.00 or 18.00. 1 Oct.-31 March, 11.00-16.00

Season: All year
Entrance fee: £2.80, £2.10, £1.40
Daytime Tel: 01225 754026
Email: customers@english-heritage.org.uk
Website: www.english-heritage.org.uk/farleighhungerford

One of the oldest religious institutions in England, steeped in history and legend.

Entrance fee: £3.50
Daytime Tel: 01458 832267
Email: francis.thyer@glastonburyabbey.com
Website: www.glastonburyabbey.com

A Georgian town house and garden. It was the home of the astronomer, William Herschel who discovered the planet, Uranus in 1781. Audio tour.

Opening Times: 10 Feb-30 Nov: daily except Wed. 2-5pm. W'ends: 11am-5pm.

Entrance fee: £3.50

The Jane Austen Centre is a new permanent exhibition telling of Jane's Bath experience - the effect that living there had on her and on her writing

Opening Times: Summer and all Saturdays 10am - 5.30pm. Winter 11am - 4.30pm.

Entrance fee: Adult £5.95. Concessions.
Daytime Tel: 01225 443000
Email: curator@janeausten.co.uk
Website: www.janeausten.co.uk

Built in 1767, this was the first house in John Wood's great example of Palladian architecture.

Opening Times: Ex Mondays 10 Feb-22 Oct: 10.30am-5pm. to 28 Nov: closes 4pm

Entrance fee: £4.00
Daytime Tel: 01225 428126
Email: admin@bptrust.demon.co.uk
Website: www.bath-preservationtrust.org.uk

This is a 14th century moated castle that is dinstinctly French in styled.

Opening Times: Unrestricted access at all times.

Season: Unrestricted
Entrance fee: .Free
Email: customers@english-heritage.org.uk
Website: www.english-heritage.org.uk/nunney

An example of the English style of garden at its best.

Opening Times: Daily except Weds., 25 Mar.-15 Oct., 11.00-17.30. Out of season by Appt. only

Entrance fee: £5. Groups £4.50
Daytime Tel: 01225 782340
Email: graham.heard@nationaltrust.org.uk
Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wessex

The best preserved roman religious spa from the ancient world. The Temple dates to the later 1stC AD. The Great Bath is the centrepiece of the spa.

Opening Times: Jul/Aug 9am-9pm. Mar-Jun & Sep-Oct 9am-5pm. Nov-Feb 9.30am-4.30pm.

Entrance fee: Adult £10.25 (Jul-Aug £11.25). Family & concession tickets.
Daytime Tel: 01225 477785
Email: romanbaths_bookings@bathnes.gov.uk
Website: www.romanbaths.co.uk

Enjoy Britain’s only natural thermal waters as the Celts and Romans did 2000 years ago. It is a day spa with a range of treatments for mind and body.

Opening Times: Open all year. 9.00am to 9.00pm

Daytime Tel: 01225 331234
Email: info@thermaebathspa.com
Website: www.thermaebathspa.com

Inspired and remodelled by John Norton for a successful merchant, William Gibbs in 1864.

Opening Times: Restoration work continues. Guided visits only Sun, Mon & Tues.

Entrance fee: £10.50 for house, garden and chapel
Daytime Tel: 0879 4584500
Email: tyntesfield@nationaltrust.org.uk
Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wessex

It is a jewel in the crown of English cathedrals. Its great West Front, dating from 1240, has the largest gallery of medieval sculpture in the world.

Opening Times: 7.30am - 7pm Easter to 31 October. 6.15pm in winter.

Entrance fee: Suggested donation £4.50
Daytime Tel: 01749 674483
Email: visits@wellscathedral.uk.net
Website: www.wellscathedral.org.uk

A 15th century stone manor house, altered in the 17th century, with late Gothic and Jacobean windows and fine plasterwork.

Opening Times: 4 April-29 Sept.. Tues, Wed & Sun. 2 - 5pm.

Entrance fee: £4.40
Daytime Tel: 01225 863224
Email: westwoodmanor@nationaltrust.org.uk
Website: www.nationaltrust.or.uk/wessex

Rooms: 44

Modern hotel half way between Bath and Wells, with restaurant and car parking.

Daytime Tel: 01761 417711
Email: enquiries@centurionhotel.co,uk
Website: www.centurionhotel.com

A charming Grade II listed 2 acre garden is set high up on the slopes of the Mendip Hills.

Opening Times: Good Friday-31 Oct. Tues., Wed. and Sun. , 14.00-17.00

Entrance fee: £3.00. Groups by arrangement
Daytime Tel: 01749 672168

Intimate 18th century landscape garden created by Ralph Allen advised by Alexander Pope.

Opening Times: Daily except Tue. 1 Feb.-29 Nov., 11.00-17.30. Daily except Mon., Tue., 3 Dec.-31 Jan., 11.00-dusk

Entrance fee: £4.00
Daytime Tel: 01225 833422
Email: Priorpark@nationaltrust.org.uk
Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wessex

The Grade 1, award winning Italianate garden is famous for its tranquil beauty.

Opening Times: April-Oct., Suns. 14.00-17.00. May-Sept., daily except Mon., Fri., 14.00-17.00

Entrance fee: £4.00
Email: ifordmanor@which.net
Website: www.ifordmanor.co.uk