The Romans founded Chester in the C1st AD. The city was the fortress of the 20th Legion. There are extensive Roman walls of local red sandstone. Outside the walls are the remains of the largest Roman amphitheatre in Britain. Storyhouse Today’s theatre lovers can also enjoy an indoor experience at Chester’s Storyhouse. The recently opened […]
St Albans has fascinating history from the Iron Age onward. In Roman times, the town was one of the largest towns in Roman Britain until Budicca destroyed it. Notable former residents of the town include Samuel Ryder (1858-1936). They named the Ryder Cup after him. He ran his gardening business from St Albans, selling his […]
Until the mid C19th Southwick was a farming and fishing village. There were a few cottages and a tithe barn on the west of The Green. A notable Roman Villa sat to the east of Southwick Street (a Scheduled Ancient Monument), and finds are on show in the Manor Cottage Heritage Centre. Manor Cottage dates […]
The golden city of Bath has been welcoming visitors for over 2,000 years. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city is home to some of the most impressive buildings in the world. These include the Royal Crescent, the Circus and Pulteney Bridge. The Royal Crescent is C18th; designed by John Wood the younger, it is […]
The centre of the City of Derby is an eclectic blend of old and new. The mix includes the Cathedral, Georgian buildings in Friargate and cobbled streets, next to C20th urban townscape. The once splendid Friar Gate Bridge dates from 1878. Local iron foundry Andrew Handyman & Co. designed the bridge for the Great Northern […]
Rochester is a very old city, within the walls of a Roman town where Watling Street crosses the river Medway. Later Anglo Saxons built Rochester Bridge which has ten timber spans across the Medway; a great achievement. Named landowners were responsible for the upkeep of piers or spans. Rochester Castle The first castle dates from […]
Thaxted church, described as the cathedral of Essex, is very grand. It is a ‘cathedral style’ church with a narrow crossing between the nave and the chancel. The medieval stone spire, unique and tallest in the county, is now 181 feet high, and so dominates the countryside. For more information visit The church has 3 […]
The history of Scarborough in Yorkshire goes back at least as far as the iron age, with the remains of a hill fort to show it. In Roman times the vantage point up on the cliffs was a signal post. A tower in a courtyard, it was the look-out post against raiding Angles, Saxons and […]
Castleford in West Yorkshire, a C20th coal-mining town, rests above earlier settlements on land which is rich with archaeology. Late C20th building work in the town centre opened the way for digs which reveal the details of earlier times. Today, Wakefield Council has an interesting guide to the archaelogy and some finds are on display […]
History of Bradford on Avon On the edge of the Cotswolds and a stones throw from Bath, Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire makes the perfect base for visitors to the area. It’s an architectural treasure chest with buildings from centuries past. Many buildings are made from local Bath stone. Visitors can discover dwellings from tiny […]
