Architecture, Cardiff

At its heart Tyntesfield is a Victorian country house and estate, which serves as a backdrop to the remarkable story of four generations of the Gibbs family. Their tale charts the accumulation of wealth from the guano trade, transformation of a Georgian house to a Victorian Gothic masterpiece and the collection of over 50,000 objects. https://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/tyntesfield-p132323

The Clifton Suspension Bridge’s spectacular setting on the cliffs of the Avon Gorge has made it the defining symbol of Bristol, drawing thousands of visitors a year just to stroll across for views of the ancient Avon Gorge, elegant Clifton and the magnificent city beyond. https://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/clifton-suspension-bridge-p24661

Cabot Tower, set in the gorgeous parkland of Brandon Hill near Park Street in the West End, is a 105ft tower built in 1897 to commemorate John Cabot's famous voyage from Bristol and the continent of North America four hundred years earlier. Brandon Hill is the oldest park in Bristol, where you can enjoy great views over the city and Harbourside area. Located just off Park Street in the West End, Brandon Hill features a children's play area, beautiful paths and a nature conservation area, and of course the icon of Bristol's skyline, Cabot Tower. Designed by the Bristol architect William Venn Gough and paid for by public subscription, the tower is built from red sandstone covered with cream Bath stone. Located in the centre of the park. It's free to climb up the steep, twisting steps of the tower, which is open daily. https://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/cabot-tower-and-brandon-hill-p24401

Pero's Bridge is a pedestrian footbridge that spans Bristol's floating harbour, and was named in honour of Pero Jones, who came to live in Bristol as the slave of John Pinney. https://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/peros-bridge-p269523

Arnolfini is a centre for contemporary arts based on Bristol’s harbourside in the heart of the city. Founded in 1961, the organisation is dedicated to producing and presenting visual arts, performance, dance, film, music and events, underpinned by a commitment to a dynamic civic role in the city. https://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/arnolfini-p23871

Built in 1766, Bristol Old Vic is the oldest continuously working theatre in the English speaking world, and remains a place of joy, discovery and adventure to this day. A multi-million-pound two-phase redevelopment project first provided state of the art rehearsal rooms, a dramatically extended forestage and precision engineered sightlines, giving audiences an even more intimate theatrical experience. The second phase is now complete: the new fully-accessible front of house boasts a bar and kitchen, open sun-up to curtain-down, alongside a new interactive heritage offering and a brand new Studio Theatre. The theatre’s mission is to create pioneering twenty-first century theatre in partnership with the people of their energetic city; inspired by the history and magical design of the most beautiful playhouse in the country. They are publicly funded by Arts Council England and Bristol City Council, using that investment to support experiment and innovation, to allow access to their programme for people who would not otherwise encounter it or be able to afford it and to keep their extraordinary heritage alive and animated. https://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/bristol-old-vic-theatre-p24321

The Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea is the focal point for exhibitions, studies and events on Dylan Thomas. The Centre is home to a permanent exhibition, ‘Love the Words’, which opened on 27 October 2014, Dylan’s 100th birthday. The interactive displays tell the story of the work, life and cultural context of one of the twentieth century’s most significant writers, and the exhibition includes a learning space, activities for children, and a temporary exhibition area. The Dylan Thomas Centre also runs a learning, outreach, and events programme. Guided tours of the exhibition at the Dylan Thomas Centre can be arranged for groups of all ages. https://www.visitwales.com/product/518079

At the National Waterfront Museum take in the sights and sounds of more than 300 years of Welsh industry and innovation. Using cutting-edge interactive technology, the Museum puts you in charge of the experience putting the past right at your fingertips. Located on the quayside of Swansea Marina - originally the South Dock of 1859 - the Museum stands in the former commercial heart of one of Wales's foremost industrial towns. Copper sheets made in Swansea once sheathed the hulls of the Royal Navy - to this day the term copper-bottomed implies quality and reliability! 15 themed galleries each tell a different aspect of this crucial period in Welsh history using a mix of touch screen technology and real objects, enabling visitors to be in charge of tracing their own experience of the fascinating - and still evolving - story of industrial Wales. https://www.visitwales.com/product/968712

Since 1897 to the present day, Swansea's Grand Theatre has been providing the public with a broad range of cultural, artistic and general entertainment events. The Grand Theatre was designed by the architect William Hope of Newcastle in 1897. It was built by D. Jenkins and was opened by Madam Adelina Patti - an Opera Diva of her day - under the original proprietors Morell and Mouillot. The Swansea Corporation leased the building in May 1969 and bought it outright in 1979. The Theatre was then refurbished and updated during the period 1983 - 1987 at a cost of £6.5m. A further £1m was spent for the Arts Wing to open its doors for the first time in 1999. Over the last twenty years, the fabric of 'The Grand' has been improved and enhanced considerably, thanks to the support of the former Swansea Corporation, Swansea City Council and more recently the City and County of Swansea. However, none of the theatre's unique identity has suffered as a result of this improvement and today's Grand is as full of charm and atmosphere as was the case when the theatre first opened its doors all those years ago. https://www.visitwales.com/product/945259

A family home and a great estate. Glorious landscape garden surrounded by parkland with fine 18th-century house Would you give away your family home for your political beliefs? Sir Richard Acland did just that with his Killerton Estate when he gave it to the National Trust in 1944. Today, you'll find a friendly Georgian house set in 2,600 hectares (6,400 acres) of working farmland, woods, parkland, cottages and orchards. There's plenty of calm space in the glorious garden, beautiful year-round with rhododendrons, magnolias, champion trees and formal lawns. You can explore winding paths, climb an extinct volcano, discover an Iron Age hill fort and take in distant views towards Dartmoor. Off the beaten track, you can discover three of Killerton's hidden gems. Nestled by the River Clyst sits Clyston Mill, a working watermill. In the heart of Broadclyst you'll find Marker's, a medieval house steeped in history, and just a stone's throw away from Killerton House is a 1950's post office with a charming cottage garden. https://www.visitexeter.com/things-to-do/national-trust-killerton-house-and-gardens-p131423

St Martin’s props up the black-and-white building of Mol’s Coffee House on a corner of Exeter’s historic Cathedral Close. It is one of the oldest buildings in the city, consecrated a year before the Norman Conquest, and was once one of six churches clustered in the cathedral’s shadow. It is the most important and complete church in the centre of Exeter, having escaped both Victorian refurnishing and the Second World War bombing which severely damaged many other Exeter churches. The first church on this site was consecrated on 6 July 1065 by Bishop Leofric, the same bishop who founded the cathedral in Exeter. Its tiny parish –- smaller than the size of a football pitch –- served the workers and traders who crowded into the three- and four-storey houses in the surrounding streets. The roughcast exterior of red volcanic stone with bright, white Beer stone windows makes it look a little bit like a fancy gingerbread house. Inside, it is simple and full of light. Look out for the communion rails with their closely set balusters designed, according to a 17th-century order from the Archbishop of Canterbury, to keep parishioner's’ dogs from reaching the altar! https://www.visitexeter.com/things-to-do/st-martins-church-p1437773

Exeter Cathedral is a testament to the creativity, skill and devotion of those who built it. Dating back 900 years, it is one of England's most beautiful medieval cathedrals and one of the finest examples of decorated Gothic architecture in this country. https://www.visitexeter.com/things-to-do/exeter-cathedral-p130543

St Nicholas Priory is Exeter’s oldest building. Founded by William the Conqueror in 1087, the priory with its extensive grounds was dissolved and partly destroyed during the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII. Turned into a rich merchant’s townhouse, the priory was linked to the woollen cloth trade and the busy life of commerce in the city. Turned into homes and later tenements, the city council rescued the building and made it accessible to the public as a living history museum. In the West Wing, visitors can now experience the Undercroft and Tudor Parlour, the medieval kitchen, the Great Hall and Tudor bed-chamber, and special exhibitions by Devon and Exeter Medical Society, who also have their home at the priory. The tranquil meeting room in the North Wing was rescued from near-dereliction in the 1990s by the trust, and now allows a close look at the fine 15th-century arch-braced timber roof. https://www.visitexeter.com/things-to-do/st-nicholas-priory-p2424573

Entertaining guided tours inside the Castle take you through secret doors and even across a haunted landing! Outside there are acres to explore and discoveries to be made. Children can earn themselves a Powderham medal on our nature trail, get stuck in to arts and crafts in the Nature Nook and even plant a seed to take home in our Potting Shed. https://www.visitexeter.com/things-to-do/powderham-castle-p2290733

Devon Sculpture Park is the UK's leading smaller-scale rewilding project and environmental art centre, just a few miles south of Exeter City. Capability Brown gardens & main exhibition open Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am - 4 pm. https://www.visitexeter.com/things-to-do/devon-sculpture-park-p2720143

Executed for arson. Transported for asking for fair pay. Given six months hard labour for stealing clothes. 200 years of justice, injustice, crime and punishment are brought to life at Dorchester’s Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum. The new immersive museum enables visitors of all ages to explore the history of law and order, as well as past and present efforts to achieve justice for all people. Walk in the footsteps of everyday people who were tried and sentenced in the court. Use the interactive multi-media guides to find out what happened to them. Discover the depths of the cold, dark cells, and stand in the dock of the historic courtroom, where famous novelist and poet Thomas Hardy was a magistrate. Dress up in wigs, gowns and hats to play the part and uncover the remarkable stories of those who passed through the building. Learn what it means when we say “crime,” what we want when we demand punishment for those crimes and how we can all make the present-day world https://www.bournemouth.co.uk/things-to-do/shire-hall-historic-courthouse-museum-p2468793

Perhaps the most spectacular Castle in the area is Picton. The original castle was probably built during the 12th century and over the years has been extended and altered into the building we see today, a half fortified manor house and half fully developed medieval castle. Besides the actual castle visitors can visit the gallery along with the extensive gardens and restaurant. http://www.haverfordwest.org/picton.html

Discover the beautiful Oxfordshire Cotswolds and enjoy a morning or afternoon visiting the historic grounds at Cogges. Cogges is a Scheduled Ancient Monument with over 1000 years of history, with Grade II* Listed 13th-century manor house and 17th-century farm buildings. Discover the fascinating story of past owners ranging from Norman knights, English Kings, Oxford University college founders to tenant farmers and wool merchants, with links to Witney’s historic wool and blanket trade. Today Cogges is a popular visitor attraction for all the family. Explore over 15 acres of the manor house and grounds, walled garden, picnic orchard, moated islands and river Windrush walk. Children love to feed the farm animals and go wild in the adventure play and nature island, or try on hats, vintage clothes or hand made costumes in the dressing up parlour. There is also a sandpit, soft play and games from swing ball to lawn croquet. https://www.experienceoxfordshire.org/venue/cogges-manor-farm/

Brownsea Island is a wildlife sanctuary that’s easy to reach but feels like another world from the moment you step ashore. There is wildlife to spot and woodland to explore; outdoor activities to try and beaches to picnic on; birds to watch and trails to wander. Sample the scouting life at the Outdoor Centre; spend a night under the stars on our Eco Adventure Camping experience, or learn about intriguing tales of survival and adventure at the Trading Post. Wildlife spotters can follow waymarked routes through a wealth of different habitats from the sheltered lagoon and sweeping shorelines, to woodlands and heathland. As you wander, keep an eye out for the famous red squirrel. https://www.bournemouth.co.uk/things-to-do/brownsea-island-national-trust-p2360813

The museum of the county town is located in the Governors House, within the walls of Haverfordwest Castle. It contains an informative local history exhibition as well as a collection of paintings in the museum gallery and an exhibition of artefacts discovered at Haverfordwest Priory. http://www.pcnpa.org.uk/apps/discover/detail.asp?LocID=222&Lang=1

The Pavilion Theatre and Ballroom is Bournemouth's venue for year round entertainment. Built in the 1920s, this vintage theatre retains its original and elegant styling. Bournemouth's regular home for West End stage shows, Opera, Ballet, Pantomime, Comedy and concerts as well as for corporate presentations and dinner dances, product launches and small conferences. https://www.bournemouth.co.uk/things-to-do/pavilion-theatre-p155113

Home to the 12th Duke of Marlborough and his family and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, Blenheim Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site boasting a long and diverse history. A masterpiece of Baroque architecture landscaped Parkland and stunning Formal Gardens, Blenheim Palace provides an awe-inspiring experience for visitors. Explore over 2000 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown Parkland and 90 acres of award-winning Formal Gardens. Ride the miniature train to The Pleasure Gardens, a dedicated family area that offers a giant hedge maze, butterfly house and adventure playground. A year-round calendar of tours, exhibitions, experiences and events reveal the sheer splendour of Britain’s Greatest Palace. https://www.experienceoxfordshire.org/venue/blenheim-palace/

Come and explore the 1,000-year history of Oxford Castle and Prison. Step back in time with our costumed guided tours and see fascinating stories come to life. Hear the great tales of Empress Matilda or the fate of Mary Blandy, one of the prisons’ most famous criminals. Step inside our padded jail cell and meet the notorious ‘Black Panther’, a vicious prisoner held here in the 1970s. Find gorgeous views atop of St. George’s Tower and then descend into the atmospheric crypt of St Georges Chapel. Here you can touch the stones were Oxford University was rumoured to begin and stand in the birthplace of King Arthur. Explore the austere confines of the prisons’ D-Wing and debtors tower, here you can wander the cells and learn about our youngest inmates. After your guided tour, you can climb the mound, the remains of a motte and bailey castle. Explore the attraction at your own leisure and dress up like a prisoner in our exhibition space. Sit down with a nice cup of coffee in our café, spread out your map and plan where to go next in Oxford. In the summer, we have Knight School, a medieval-inspired workshop which trains children into becoming little warriors. Our Shakespeare Festival is an Oxford summer staple whilst Ghost Fest is sure to give you a scare over Halloween. https://www.experienceoxfordshire.org/venue/oxford-castle-and-prison/

Oxford Playhouse is a theatre for everyone. Oxford Playhouse and its Burton Taylor Studio present and produce a wide range of live performances. The programme includes the best of British and international drama, family shows, contemporary dance and music, student and amateur shows, comedy, lectures and poetry. The Playhouse produces and tours its own shows, hosts Artists in Residence and presents Playhouse Plays Out, an ongoing series of off-site events which happen at locations across the county. The theatre’s Learning team works with over 15,000 people each year through post-show discussions, workshops, work experience, holiday schemes, a youth theatre and a young people’s theatre company. https://www.experienceoxfordshire.org/venue/oxford-playhouse/

Christ Church is located in the heart of the city centre and is one of the colleges belonging to the University of Oxford. It is also home to the legendary Christ Church Cathedral, which was built in the 12th century. Today, Christ Church is a visitor favourite, well-known for its impressive architecture, entertaining evening choirs and the War Memorial Garden. Christ Church is also a popular film location with famous examples such as Harry Potter. Christ Church has been a site of religious worship since the seventh century. The present cathedral was built in the twelfth century and contains the shrine and tomb of St Frideswide, Oxford’s patron saint. https://www.experienceoxfordshire.org/venue/christ-church-college/

Award-winning corner of the West Midlands is now one of the finest and largest open-air museums in the United Kingdom. After very humble beginnings, a bright idea and 40 years of inspiration, this is twenty six acres worth exploring. Amazing as it may seem, we have created a ‘place’ – a real and lively place, where once there was nothing and nobody. With a village and charismatic residents to chat with. Hear the stories of the people who lived and worked in the Black Country from our friendly Historic Characters. They'll explain what it was really like to be alive at the height of the Industrial Revolution. Visit a fairground - fancy a bit of old-fashioned fun? Why not visit our fairground with original rides dating back to 1910? Have a go on the Brooklyn Cakewalk, test your skills on the 'hook a duck' or hit the right spot with a throw on the the coconut shy. Have a ride on a vintage bus. Museum maintains a selection of vintage vehicles for you to ride throughout the year. Why not hop on the longest trolleybus route in the country? Play some old school street games. Head on down to the cobbled street and try your hand at some classic street games including the 'hoop and stick' and the 'cup and ball' . And also Explore over 40 period shops, houses and industrial areas. Since 1978 we've been recreating buildings from around the Black Country, sometimes moving them here brick-by-brick. Grab and a map and get exploring! https://www.bclm.co.uk/

Oxford University is the oldest University in the English speaking world and to date one of the best and most prestigious in the world. Countless famous figures and great minds have studied here, and any visitors are – no doubt – walking in the footsteps of many of them, seeing the same views that they had. “Where is the famous Oxford University?” is a question many visitors ask. the answer is: everywhere! The University is made up of 38 independent colleges, and their quads and buildings can be found all over the city. Many colleges open their doors to visitors at least a few hours every day. Many of them are free to visit, some charge a small fee. Opening hours can change without prior notice, and up to date times can be seen on the porter’s lodge of each college. In the colleges, visitors can usually explore the college quad and gardens, as well as the chapel. Some colleges also open their dining hall to visitors, such as Wadham College and Christ Church, whose grand hall was the setting for Hogwarts’ Great Hall in the Harry Potter films. https://www.experienceoxfordshire.org/things-to-do/oxford-university/

A Museum displaying the University's natural history specimens including some remarkable Paleontological Collections. The museum is also the home to the last seen Dodo bird in existence. Today, all that remains from rot are its beak and its feet. The Museum was also the sight of the 1860s evolution debate between Thomas Henry Huxley and Bishop Samuel Wilberforce, which famously critiqued the publication of Charles Darwin's 'On the Origin of Species'. http://www.oxfordcityguide.com/frmInfoDetail.aspx?aId=227

The bridge is often referred to as the Bridge of Sighs because of its supposed similarity to the famous Bridge of Sighs in Venice. However, Hertford Bridge was never intended to be a replica of the Venetian bridge, and instead it bears a closer resemblance to the Rialto Bridge in the same city. http://www.oxfordcityguide.com/oxford-tourist-information/top-attractions-in-oxford

St Chad's Church, Shrewsbury occupies a prominent position in the county town of Shropshire. The current church building was built in 1792, and with its distinctive round shape and high tower, it is a well-known landmark in the town. It faces The Quarry area of parkland, which slopes down to the River Severn. The church is a Grade I listed building. The motto of the church is "open doors, open hearts, and open minds". This indicates the aspiration of the church to be a welcoming church, involved in the community, and on a collective journey seeking after God. https://originalshrewsbury.co.uk/visit/st-chads-church

Re-opened at the old Music Hall in April 2014, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery tells the stories that make Shropshire unique through its’ amazing galleries: Roman Gallery, Shropshire Gallery, Medieval, Tudor and Stuart Galleries and the Special Exhibition Gallery. Come and explore millions of years of history through over one thousand remarkable objects in the extraordinary set of building that house Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery. From key Shropshire finds like the Roman tombstones and headstones and the Shropshire Mammoth to a fine geology and Tudor collection, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery intimately depicts local history using all senses. Since opening, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery has established itself as the perfect family museum and holds events and activities throughout the week that are ideal for children. Children and their families can take part in great activities like Mini-Mammoths to following the trail of Maximo Mouse through the museum – there’s always something in this family Museum for children to have fun and learn. https://originalshrewsbury.co.uk/visit/shrewsbury-museum-art-gallery

St Alkmund’s is the only remaining open Anglican Church in the historic heart of Shrewsbury. St. Alkmund’s Church was founded in the 10th century, possibly by Aethefleda, daughter of King Alfred. She claimed descent from Alkmund, a Northumbrian prince murdered circ AD 800 near Derby. https://originalshrewsbury.co.uk/visit/st-alkmunds-church

The castle stands at the top of a hill and was built as a defensive fortification for Shrewsbury, which was otherwise protected by the River Severn. Founded by Roger de Montgomery in 1074, the castle has undergone many transformations, the last one being by Thomas Telford who 'modernised' the building in the 18th century. Climb the walls of the castle for amazing views and some people watching from high above the town. The grounds are free to visit and perfect for picnics too. The Castle houses the spectacular collections of the Shropshire Regimental Museum Trust including pictures, uniforms, medals, weapons and other equipment from the 18th Century to the present day. One of the prize exhibits is the baton of the German Admiral Doenitz, captured by soldiers of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry at the very end of World War II. Doenitz had been nominated as Hitler's successor. There are also stories about the British burning down the White House in 1814. The displays include a brief history of the castle through the centuries. https://originalshrewsbury.co.uk/visit/shrewsbury-castle-soldiers-shropshire-museum