Media of these locations can be found on our social media pages.
📍Bayham Old Abbey, Clay Hill Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 8LJ.
Founded in the 13th century now England’s finest monastic ruins. Surviving features include pillars with distinctive fluted decorations and enormous windows. 14th century gatehouse and 18th century Gothic Dower House sits alongside the renowned ruins. On site parking and disabled access. http://english-heritage.org.uk
📍Stonehenge, Salisbury SP4 7DE. Prehistoric megalithic structure on Salisbury plain said to be built in stages between 3000 and 1520BCE. A structure, made of Sarsen and Bluestone, connected to transitions from Neolithic and the bronze age periods. Free entry for Summer and Winter solstices. Ticketed tours all other times, plan your trip: http://english-heritage.org.uk
📍Avebury World Heritage Site, Avebury, Marlborough SN8 1RF.
Rural Neolithic henge monuments containing three stone circles, considered some of the most important prehistoric monuments in the British Isle and contains the largest megalithic stone circle in the world.
The site holds multiple ancient points to explore. I managed to visit these:
📍West Kennet Long Barrow, West Kennett, Marlborough SN8 1QH. A chambered long barrow, one of the largest Neolithic graves in Britain.
📍Silbury Hill, one of the largest artificial chalk mounds in Europe and serves a reminder of the monumental efforts of prehistoric people and culture.
📍St James’s Church, 1 Church Walk, Avebury, Marlborough SN8 1RG. Standing 100 meters from the stone circles is this ancient Anglo-Saxon church. It was a departure point for pilgrims on their way to the port of Bristol for embarkation for Compostela, Rome and Jerusalem and been a place of worship for over 1500 years.
📍 Ankerwycke Ancient Yew Tree, Wraysbury, Staines TW19 5AD. This ancient male Yew with a 8 meter girth, said to be where Henry VIII had his first liaison with Anne Boleyn, estimated to be around 2500 years old. Free parking.
📍St Mary’s Priory, Staines TW19 5AF. Sharing the site with the ancient Yew and established around 1160 for Nuns of the baenedictine Order. The site was deserted in 1536 and gracefully decaying ever since.
📍Thurnham Castle ruins, Castle Hill, Maidstone ME14 3LE.
11th century medieval castle ruins within 📍White Horse Wood Country Park. Appears to have been used for fortification purposes since Roman times as a watch tower later developed by the Saxons.
📍Coldrum Long Barrow, ME19 5EG. Free parking a short walk from the barrow. The least damaged of the Medway Megalith estimated to be 6000 year old. Walk route on Kent Walks page.
📍Kits Coty, Aylesford, ME20 7EZ. Neolithic ruins believed to be from 4000 BCE resting in an open village field.
📍Countless Stones, a short walk from Kits Coty lays the remains of another chambered long barrow.
📍Bryn Celli Ddu, Isle of Anglesey, LL61 6EQ
One of Anglesey’s most famous prehistoric monument, a Neolithic passage tomb aligned with the summer solstice sunrise.
📍Dyffryn Burial Chamber, Bro Arthur, LL44 2EW.
New stone age Neolithic pair of tombs. Portal dolmen-type chambers built in two distinct stages overlooking Cardigan Bay.
📍The Lost Village of Dode, Luddesdown Kent, DA13 0FX
Little Norman building claiming to look as it did 900 years ago. The village was destroyed in 1349 as a result of the black death, last used as a place of worship in 1367.
📍Cheddar Gorge Cave, BS40 7XU
Site of show caves within the limestone Cheddar Gorge formed 225 million years ago. The caves were produced by activity of the largest underground river system and contain impressive displays of Stalagmites and Stalactites.
📍Cors Y Gedol, Ardudwy LL44 2RJ.
Bronze age, Neolithic chamber tomb set off the slopes of Moelfre beside a trackway.
📍Ystum Cegid Isaf. LL51 9PJ
Neolithic chambered tomb with four upright standing stones supporting a huge capstone. Once part of a much larger complex structure with 13 upright stones and 3 capstones in 1700
📍Cymer Abbey, Dolgellau LL40 2HE.
Abbey ruins dating back to 1198, founded by a medieval prince with a self sufficient community of monks. By 1388 only five monks remained and Henry V111 abolished small abbeys in 1536 closing Cymer Abbey. Peaceful places to visit with onsite parking. You reach the site by driving through a small camping site. Open daily and free to visit.
📍St Radigund Abbey, Dover CT13 7DL.
Extensive ruins of medieval to post medieval abbey founded in 1192, dissolved in 1536. The standing building and extensive earthworks makes this a scheduled ancient monument. Not open to the public but good views from public path.
