No one is above the law…read more Have you heard that phrase lately? It reminded me of my recent visit to Runnymede, where this principal was first established with the signing here of the Magna Carta. If, like me, you slept through World History class you may be forced to ask "what's the Magna Carta?" even though you know you knew the answer sometime in your past. One visit here and you'll never again need to be reminded. The Magna Carta is one of history's most important documents, executed in Runnymede (in the 1200s), for the purpose of establishing that everyone is subject to the law and no man is above it. It also established one's right to justice and a fair trial. Timely, eh? Though this particular yelp listing is for the Magna Carta Memorial (established on site by the American Bar Association) it's really the whole of the Magna Carta site that you'll experience here and this particular memorial is the least interesting of the four main components. There's also a JFK Memorial, a mid-field art installation, and an Air Forces Memorial (which I didn't see). The JFK Memorial is compelling for a single reason: The acre of land it sits on is US land. What? The Queen granted this land to the US in memory of JFK following his assassination. So, you can stand on this charming piece of US soil in the middle of the UK. Watch the "Dear Mrs. Kennedy" (season 2) episode of Netflix' "The Crown" for background info on the relationship between the Queen and the Kenendys. More compelling for me was an outdoor art installation of 12 sculpted chairs, each depicting some struggle for rights that's gone on since the signing of the Magna Carta. I was moved to see Harvey Milk's fight for LGBTQ+ rights depicted as one of the featured struggles. If you find yourself in Eton or Windsor a visit to Runnymede's Magna Carta Memorial site is worth your time as it gets you thinking about things we often don't, but should. No one is above the law.

Well this wonderful memorial might be part of the American Constitution, but it was ours first!…read more Some people, even the P.M. recently stated that it should be part of our own ethos. Other people think we have lost sight of the original principles, and only parts of the meaning have either been hijacked or watered down to every petty conveniences. Take your pick ?

The Tree Cathedral is another hidden gem of Milton Keynes. I walked in the area back in March when…read morethe trees were all bare but even then it looked insanely cool. I've looked up photos of the tree cathedral in full bloom and it's just beautiful. Constructed in 1986 to look like Norwich Cathedral, I'm sure it's a great spot for small ceremonies. It's divided into various sections all meticulously planned which you can read about on the plaque right in front of the cathedral. It has a nice stone path down the center for easy navigation. Upon reading a bit more on the Tree Cathedral when I got home - you can now scatter ashes there. Peaceful and creepy at the same time. The Tree Cathedral can be found opposite of Willen Lake.

Knebworth house, gardens and park is a brilliant family day out. The grounds are huge, the gardens…read moreare interesting, and the house is beautiful. You can park the car by the house and gardens, and also at the bottom of the park. For the kids, there is a huge adventure playground (best to do this on the way out as it's right at the bottom of the park, miles from the house and gardens), which has a good range of play equipment for pretty much any age range. In the summer they have a free bouncy castle too. The gardens are seperated into different areas, and it is all very well signposted so you won't get lost. The dinosaur garden is really good, and the kitchen garden smells heavenly in the right seasons. There is a fun maze too. The house itself is really beautiful, and you can pay extra to have tours. I could go on forever explaining everything here, but I won't. Rest assured it is well worth the entrance fee. The cafe is really expensive so take a picnic!

Greys Court is a Tudor country house and gardens in the southern Chiltern Hills at Rotherfield…read moreGreys, near Henley-on-Thames in the county of Oxfordshire, England. Now owned by the National Trust, and is open to the public. The mainly Tudor-style house has a courtyard and gardens. The walled gardens contain old-fashioned roses and wisteria, an ornamental vegetable garden, maze (laid to grass with brick paths, dedicated by Archbishop Robert Runcie on 12 October 1981) and ice house. Some of this property is undergoing restoration at the moment. The wisteria garden is over 100 years old and amazing to walk through. Take time to explore this beautiful property and the grounds. It is today a working farm and there are beautiful patches of wild flowers and blue bells to walk through during spring. There is a tea house here that serves food and drinks. This is spectacular English countryside well worth exploring.

Gorgeously kept and overflowing with charm - Grey's Court is well worth a visit on a beautiful…read moresummery English day. Parking is easy and on certain days you may find yourself surrounded by grazing sheep - further adding to the Elizabethan style of the manor. Strolling through a well lit house packed with old memorabilia and antique furniture, it's easy to lose yourself. The gardens are stunning, and throughout the grounds there are lovely surprises and beautiful reminders of a time that once was. Trust.

Built to defend an important port on the River Adur, Bramber Castle was constructed as a motte and…read morebailey castle around 1073 by William De Braose, who fought alongside William the Conqueror at the battle of Hastings in 1066. Apart from a period of confiscation during the reign of King John, it remained in the ownership of the De Braose family until themale line died out in 1324. Thereafter, it passed via the Mowbray and Howard families into the estate of the Dukes of Norfolk, who held it until it until 1926. It was given to the National Trust in 1946. Very little survives of the original castle, thanks to a gradual decline over the years, damage during the Civil War in 1642 and looting of the stones as a quarry for building by the locals. The most prominent feature is the tall and unsteady-looking fragment of the Gatehouse tower, still standing to almost its full original height. In the centre of the grounds is the impressive original motte, its earthen mound rising some 30ft (10m). A short distance away is a section of the curtain wall which survives up to 10ft (3m) in places. Around the perimeter are also the remains of the castle's impressive moat. (NB be careful with small children, as there are some sheer drops in places). Although the ruins are rather fragmentary, the grounds are beautifully kept by the National Trust, and make a wonderful place for a picnic, as well as affording excellent views of the surrounding countryside.

This place is a bit of a let down. There seems to be no effort to make it obvious where/what parts…read moreof the ruins were. They have a lame sign at the entrance but little else. It just seems like an enclosed play field.

Actually quite good for a fiver, much bigger than you think. Just glad I wasn't around 300 years…read moreago, or a women, or innocent (quite a fun back story of the caves). Also worth a walk up to the mausoleum above. Ps- lots of places to hide and jump out and scare family/friends :)

My children were very scared by the caves and their heinous contents, though they did enjoy a nice…read moresausage roll afterwards. Despite many attempts, my friend was unable to park her car because of the slope, so please don't bring a car if you're a terrible driver or if you're female. Otherwise, a lovely day out, apart from the lingering nightmares.

I had the most amazing experience at Farnham Castle, it is certainly in my top 5 highlights of…read morebetween the 5 trips I've made to England. I was staying in Farnham for a friend's wedding (not at the castle, though you can book it for your special day). I was on my way up the hill when it started raining - the only time it rained during the day in my 15-day journey! I saw online the venue was open to tour until 4pm and it was approximately 2:30pm by the time I made it up the hill. I went to where the sign said tours begin and there were many ladies huddled inside. They were very sad to inform me the tours were done for the day and they were headed home. Completely understandable, I said I could come back another day..... Apparently I could not return another day. The castle is only open on Wednesdays for visitors during very specific hours. And not every Wednesday. I think the look of disappointment prompted one lady, Mavis, to offer to do a "quick" little tour. Mavis isn't your ordinary tour guide - she grew up on the property and is a wealth of knowledge. My super intimate (and not "quick" tour) was full of first-hand knoweledge, her descriptions were so articulate and captivating - I felt like I was transported back in time and reliving her youth alongside her while exploring the different parts of this historic site during the warm summer rain. I feel the photo I attached to this review is exactly the same as what she saw many decades before I was born. As the tower is under necessary repairs, we were unable to venture inside. Mavis is, hands down, the best tour guide of all time. Between her knowledge, love of history, animals, and the natural world, she is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. Beautiful inside and out, I could have chatted with her for hours! I told her she should host a tv show, especially considering she has travel across the world. I feel incredibly blessed to have had this experience and highly recommend the tour - just make sure you are there on a Wednesday when they are open ;)

As far as English Heritage castles go, Farnham castle is relatively small, (although this should be…read moreexpected as it is actually only a keep and not really a castle). However what is there is extremely well presented with lots of visual and aural aids. You enter the site through a small corridor which has visual time board displays of the history of the keep and under a picture of the castle a button to start a sound recording detailing the Keeps history throughout the ages. Unfortunately this was another one of the many English fortifications that suffered at the hands of Cromwell at the end of the civil war, which resulted in the removal of all of its towers and main defensive positions. As a result it looks nothing like it would have done in its glory days, however the visaul aids provide a great insight into how the castle would have looked. First built in 1138 by Henri de Blois, grandson of William the Conqueror, Bishop of Winchester, the castle was to become the home of the Bishops of Winchester for over 800 years. The original building was demolished by Henry II in 1155 after the Anarchy and then rebuilt in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. The castle was slighted again after the Civil War in 1648. Since then more buildings have been constructed in the castle's grounds, the most impressive being those built by Bishop George Morley in the 17th century. The castle is free to enter with free parking and although there is no shop or anywhere to purchase refreshments, they have at least seen to providing a very clean WC.

Wenn Ihr in der Gegend seid: das Schloss ist sehenswert,…read morewenn Ihr die Jagd liebt, aber auch, wenn die Schätze der Herrschaften Euer Interesse wecken könnten. Aber der Garten und insbesondere, der angefügte Landschaftspark mit seinem riesigen, alten Baumbestand, wird Euer Staunen erwecken. Solche Bäume sind selten geworden in Europa. Aus dem Touristen-Flyer: Woburn Abbey has been home to the Dukes of Bedford for over 300 years and is still home to the 15th Duke and his family today. When the 6th Duke inherited Woburn, Humphry Repton, the famous landscape gardener, was commissioned to produce designs to improve the gardens and park. Follow the Garden Trail information boards to find out more about the Abbey Gardens and the redevelopment over the past five years to recreated and replant Reptons original features and themed garden areas.