Click on the headings below to access the official websites of the main attractions at the locations concerned:
Bath is an unspoilt Georgian city which played host to much of British society during the 18th century. The best way of seeing it is on foot, and GUIDE FARADAY can show you all the most important sights, such as the elegant residential developments around the Royal Crescent and the Circus. Elsewhere, mellow stone buildings such as the 16th century Bath Abbey, the Pump Room, the Assembly Rooms (admission charge), and Pulteney Bridge all add to the charm. And as if that were not enough, the famous Roman Baths (admission charge) that gave the city its name are an unmissable sight.
In 1704, John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough, won the battle of Blenheim against the French army of King Louis XIV. As a reward, Queen Anne gave him the money with which to build a magnificent stately home. Sir John Vanbrugh was the architect chosen by the Duke, and the Palace was built between 1705 to 1722. The park surrounding it is spectacular too: the foremost gardener of the day, Capability Brown, supplied the landscape by building a dam across the stream and creating an ornamental lake. The guided tour of the Palace takes about an hour. Admission charge.
One of the Duke's descendents was Britain's war-time Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, who was born in, and subsequently proposed to his wife Clementine in the grounds of the Palace. Sir Winston himself is buried in nearby Bladon churchyard.
Cambridge University is one of the oldest and most famous in the world, having been founded in the 13th century. The University buildings are dotted all around the picturesque city of Cambridge itself.
Highlights of a GUIDE FARADAY walking tour of Cambridge are the colleges of Queens' and Trinity, the latter founded by King Henry VIII, and the 16th century King's College Chapel, one of the masterpieces of the English Perpendicular architectural style. Admission charges apply in the colleges.
Also not to be missed are the famous Backs, the beautiful stretch of the River Cam, lined with colleges, along which students and visitors alike try their hand at punting - propelling a long flat-bottomed boat with the aid of a long pole.
Canterbury was founded by the Romans. It became the capital of the Saxon King Ethelbert, who in AD 597, after being baptised by Augustine, the Pope's envoy, became the first Christian King in England. Augustine himself then became the first Archbishop of Canterbury. The current one, George Carey, is the 103rd.
After suffering numerous sackings, demolitions, fires, and desecration, the beautiful present-day cathedral dates from several periods: roughly speaking, the Crypt is Norman, the Choir is Early English, and the Nave is Perpendicular. In 1170 it witnessed the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket, ostensibly on the orders of King Henry II, and his grave in the cathedral subsequently became a destination for pilgrims. One of the most famous books in the English language, the Canterbury Tales, was written about one such group of pilgrims. Admission charge.
Outside the cathedral, it is also a delight to explore the city of Canterbury itself, with its many ancient buildings and narrow streets.
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds Hills cover an area which stretches from Oxford in the east to Cheltenham in the west, and from Bath in the south to Stratford-upon-Avon in the north. They are famed not so much for spectacular scenery - although they are extremely pretty - but for the little towns and villages which may be found down every by-road. All built with the local honey-coloured stone, they contain some of the most beautiful scenes in rural England, with ancient churches, historic country houses, landscape gardens, and dozens of pubs and tea-rooms to satisfy those inevitable pangs of hunger. GUIDE FARADAY can show you not only the stars of the show, like Burford, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Broadway, but also the undiscovered little hamlets where tourists are few and far between.
Greenwich, a few miles down the River Thames from the centre of London, contains a wealth of historic interest. There is the original 17th century Royal Observatory high on its hill, with a magnificent view over the River Thames. The Greenwich Meridian passes right through it. Below is the Royal Naval Hospital for old sailors. Both buildings were built by Sir Christopher Wren. In between is the Queen's House, built in the classical style by Inigo Jones. Nearby in dry-dock is the famous 19th century tea clipper, the Cutty Sark. And for those interested in Britain's sefaring traditions, there is the National Maritime Museum, with a whole room dedicated to the life and exploits of Admiral Lord Nelson. Admission charges.
The famous Tudor Palace by the River Thames was originally built for Cardinal Wolsey. It was confiscated from him and further enlarged by King Henry VIII. There, Catherine Howard, his fifth wife, was accused of adultery, later to be condemned to death. Her ghost is said to stalk the corridors still. One hundred and fifty years later, King William III commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to make major alterations, but he died before they were completed; accordingly, today the Palace contains an interesting mixture of Tudor and Classical building styles. There are also the original Tudor kitchens, priceless paintings from the Royal Art Collection, and beautiful gardens - and a maze - to admire. Admission charge.
This is a picturesque medieval castle, noteworthy for its history and its romantic setting in the middle of a lake. Most of its contents, although old, do not originate in the castle, but have been acquired elsewhere. Building commenced in 1119: and in 1278, it passed into the hands of King Edward I and his Queen, Eleanor of Castile. Eventually, after passing through a number of hands, the castle was bought in 1924 by a wealthy socialite called Lady Baillie, who commenced a long overdue restoration programme. She entertained lavishly and frequently, and when she died, the castle became the property of a trust established to keep it open to the public in perpetuity. Admission charge.
The world-famous university should be on everyone's itinerary. It has been a seat of learning since the 13th century. There is no campus as such, but all the university buildings are dotted around the compact city of Oxford itself. Many of the colleges where the students live are open to the public, although entrance times are erratic, and some of them charge for admission.
A walking tour of Oxford with GUIDE FARADAY will give the visitor an impression of University life today. The most important sights are clustered around the High Street, Broad Street and St Giles, and include Christ Church Meadows, the 15th century Divinity School, and its 17th century neighbours, the Bodleian Library and the Sheldonian Theatre. A visit to at least one of the colleges can usually be arranged.
Salisbury Cathedral is the only medieval one in England to have been built predominantly in one style, namely Early English Gothic. It was essentially completed between 1220 and 1258, although the tower and spire were added between 1297 and 1320. The spire is the tallest in England at 404 feet high.
Not to be missed in the Chapter House of the Cathedral is the the Magna Carta. It is one of only 4 remaining copies. Signed by King John at Runnymead in 1215, it was the first document to spell out rights that we now take for granted, such as the right of an accused to a fair trial, and as such they have been incorporated into the written constitutions of various countries which have them (Britain not being one of them!).
The surrounding city of Salisbury was founded in 1220 when Bishop Richard Poore decided to move it from nearby Sarum where it had been since the Normans founded it. They had taken over an old hill fort for their city, but problems over the water supply made it unviable. The deserted ruins of Old Sarum can still be visited. The new city thrived, its wealth being based on the wool trade, but the Industrial Revolution passed it by, so that today it remains as a superb example of an old city, with much of its heritage intact.
Stonehenge
The original purpose of this world-famous stone circle, a World Heritage Site, remains a matter of debate, but it cannot be denied that it was an incredible feat of engineering. It was built in phases between 3000 BC and 1600 BC. Admission charge.
This attractive town features the birthplace of England's most famous playwright, William Shakespeare. He was born there in 1564. His mother was Mary Arden, whose cottage was in nearby Wilmcote. William was the 3rd of 8 children and the eldest boy, and the house in which he was born is the principal destination of most of the tourists who descend on the town. In 1582 he married Anne Hathaway, who was 8 years older than him, and pregnant. Her childhood home is on the edge of the town. The couple produced 3 children in all: the eldest girl, Susanna, married the local doctor, John Hall, and their house, Hall's Croft, still exists. Eventually, Shakespeare moved to London, rapidly becoming rich and famous as both actor and playwright. In total, he wrote 36 plays. In 1613, he retired, left London for Stratford again, and died in 1616. He was buried in the Holy Trinity Church.
All the houses highlighted may be visited. GUIDE FARADAY can take you straight to them. Admission charges.
Warwick Castle is England's most complete medieval castle still more or less in its original state, complete with 14th century Great Hall and some appalling dungeons and a torture chamber. Admission charge.
King Alfred the Great was the greatest of the Anglo-Saxon kings, and Winchester was the capital of his realm of Wessex. There has been a cathedral there since AD 670. The magnificent present-day cathedral dates from several periods: roughly speaking, the Transepts and Crypt are Norman, the Choir is Early English, and the Nave is Perpendicular.
Nearby, across the picturesque city, the Great Hall is the only surviving part of the Norman castle, which was originally built by William the Conqueror. In 1207 King Henry III was born there, and the Hall dates from his reign, as does the 18 foot one ton oak Round Table, commemorating the legendary King Arthur. All of the castle apart from the Hall was demolished by Oliver Cromwell in the Civil War of the 17th century.
By the River Thames upstream from Hampton Court, Windsor Castle has been continuously occupied by the Royal Family from the time of William the Conqueror to the present day. The magnificent State Rooms, mostly dating from the reigns of King Charles II and King George IV, are open to the public. Nearby is the exquisite 16th century St George's Chapel, burial place of King Henry VIII and most of the monarchs from King George III onwards, and the venue for the latest royal wedding, that of Prince Edward, the Queen's youngest son, to Sophie Rhys-Jones. Admission charge.
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