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Berkshire
Cambridgeshire Peterborough Cathedral .JPG?267) Peterborough Cathedral was built on the site of a monastic settlement in 655, by King Peada, Anglo-Saxon king of Mercia, and was one of the first Christian centres in central England. Destroyed by the Vikings in the 9th century it and its church was rebuilt and developed over the years. Suffering damage during the revolt of Hereward the Wake in the 11th century the church was to be destroyed by fire in 1116. In 1536 it was to become the burial place of Catherine of Aragon, the wife of Henry VIII, and it was Henry who made it a Cathedral in 1541, possibly due to Catherine being buried there. Also buried there at one time, was Mary Queen of Scots before her body was transferred to Westminster Abbey. READ MORE
Ely  Ely Cathedral  The history of Ely Cathedral can be traced back to AD 672 when St Etheldreda restored an old church and built a monastery on the site. Destroyed by the Mercians in the 7th century it was restored in the mid to late 10th century when it was re-founded as a Benedictine community. Work began on the current cathedral in 1083 and it was designated a cathedral in 1109. The cathedral is most famous for its octagonal tower which was built to replace the Norman central tower which collapsed in 1322. READ MOREOliver Cromwell’s Hous  Built in the 13th century, the house in Ely known as Oliver Cromwell’s House, was where he and his family lived between 1636 to 1647. In 1990 it opened as a tourist attraction and visitors can take an audio tour around the house visiting the rooms and learning about the house itself, the Cromwell family, and the times in which they lived. READ MORELincolnshire Lincoln 
Lincoln Castle
St Mary's Guildhall, Lincoln is a domestic complex, which is believed to have been constructed as a town house for Henry II’s crown-wearing ceremonies of Christmas READ MORE
St Peter at Gowts Church
Set in parkland and a number of gardens, the estate contains an orangery and, although not part of Belton House, the grounds contain the Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul which dates back to Norman times and is the burial place of many of the previous owners of the estate. READ MORE
Angel & Royal Hotel
The Angel and Royal Hotel located in Grantham, Lincolnshire is officially the oldest Inn in England. Starting as a hostel, it was built and run by the Knights Templar and has served as such since 1203. It has accommodated a number of Royals including King John and Charles I. Today it is owned by Trust House Forte and is a Grade I Listed Building. READ MORE
Norfolk
Felbrigg Hall
Northamptonshire Rushton Hall  Acquired by William Tresham in 1438, Rushton Hall remained in the Tresham family for nearly 200 years. During that time it was developed to incorporate a number of architectural styles. Rushton Hall survived Francis Tresham’s involvement in the Gunpowder Plot!! His involvement in the Plot resulted in his death in the Tower of London in 1605. The Hall then passed to his son Lewis Tresham who sold it to Sir William Cockayne in 1619. The estate later came back to the Treshams through the marriage of the then owner, the 2nd Viscount Cullan to Elizabeth Tresham, although it subsequently had to be sold as a result of the couple’s extravagant life style. READ MORE
Northumberland  Bamburgh Castle  Bamburgh Castle originated as an Anglo-Saxon citadel, although it is believed to have been the location of a Celtic Brittonic fort. The Norman invasion of 1066 and subsequent domination of the land resulted in the Bamburgh Castle site being used as a base and the subsequent construction of a new castle which formed the basis for the present one. Having been in private ownership since 1610 it is open to the public who can visit a number of the State Rooms. READ MORENottinghamshire  Built originally around 1070 as a Norman Motte and Bailey earthwork fortress to replace a Saxon fortified manor which had existed on the site in Nottinghamshire since the 10th century. The castle developed around 1133 – 35 when Henry I granted Bishop Alexander of Lincoln - who was the Lord of the Manor of Newark - permission to build a castle this developed into a stone construction towards the end of the 12th century. READ MOREWarwickshire Warwick
Warwick Castle  Warwick Castle has existed since 1068 when William the Conqueror established a motte-and-bailey fort on the site. The motte-and-bailey was replaced with a stone keep castle, with the buildings constructed against the curtain wall in the 12th century. Undergoing significant enhancement from the 14th century the castle has played an important part in English history. Today Warwick Castle is considered to be one of Britain's top historic houses and monuments. READ MORE
Kenilworth Castle
 Dating from the 12th century Kenilworth Castle has played a significant part in English history. Owned and used by many English monarchs as a fortress palace and has played its part in rebellions resulting in its siege. It was used by Royalist forces during the English Civil War, resulting in being partly dismantled following the Parliamentary victory. With the restoration of the monarchy it was used as part of a farm. Today the castle is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Monument and although a ruin it attracts many visitors. READ MORE
Stonehenge  Located 13 km from Salisbury in Wiltshire, Stonehenge is one of the most famous prehistoric monuments in the world. The first major construction at Stonehenge was a circular ditch, with an inner and outer bank built about 3000 BCE. With its two entrances, the ditch enclosed an area about 100 metres in diameter. Today the banks are visible as low grass earthworks, but a great part of the external bank has been ploughed up. The ditch on the eastern side was excavated in the 1920’s making it deeper than the western side. READ MORE
York Minster  There has been a religious building on the site of York Minster since 627 with the first stone structure being constructed in 637. Having been destroyed by fire and rebuilt over the years it is now the second largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe and contains the largest Gothic nave in England. It was on its site, during Roman times in 306 AD, that Constantine was proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire and a statue commemorates that event just outside of the Minster. READ MORESaint Mary’s Abbey  The ruins of Saint Mary’s Abbey lie to the west of York Minster in the gardens of York Museum. Incorporating the church of St Olaf, built in 1055, Saint Mary’s Abbey came into being when William II visited York in 1088 and gave the monks land. The abbey was to become one of the most powerful Benedictine monasteries in England until the dissolution of the monasteries and its closure in 1539. READ MORE |
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Windsor Castle is the world’s oldest and largest occupied castle dating back to the 11th century and William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I (1100 – 1135) it has been used by the English Monarch and has undergone substantial enlargements and improvements from Henry II (1154 – 1189) up to the present Queen Elizabeth II who uses it as a private residence during her weekends and also for ceremonial and State occasions. 
Lincoln Cathedral, The Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln, is one of England’s finest Gothic cathedrals. Located in the historic city of Lincoln, it was commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1072 and was constructed on the site of an Anglo Saxon church. The building was completed in 1092 under the supervision of Bishop Regimus. In 1142 it was destroyed by fire but was rebuilt and expanded by Bishop Alexander (known as ‘the Magnificent’). 
Located in the city of Lincoln, which by Norman times, rated third in prosperity and importance of the cities in England. Something that was due to its location and proximity of roads and rivers. Following the defeat of the English by William Duke of Normandy (William the Conqueror) at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William encountered resistance to his rule particularly in the North of the country and wished to consolidate his position; one such way of doing this was to construct a number of castles. In 1068 he commenced the construction of Lincoln Castle on the site of the former Roman fort at the top of the hill. 
Constructed in the 11th century the Bishop of Lincoln’s Medieval Palace was once one of the most impressive buildings in the country. It entertained Henry VIII and James I and many of the elite of English society. Severely damaged during the Civil War, it was subsequently abandoned and fell into disrepair before undergoing restoration in 1876 and then again in 2021. 
Gainsborough Old Hall is one of the best-preserved medieval manor houses in England. Dating from around 1460’s the Hall has an impressive Great Hall; original medieval kitchen with large fireplaces; East and West ranges containing a number of rooms and a corridor which is reputably haunted. 
Located on the outskirts of Grantham, Lincolnshire, the Grade I listed building of Belton House is one of the finest examples of Carolean (Restoration) Architecture, which became popular following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. 
Blickling Hall is located in the village of Blickling, north of Aylsham, Norfolk and dates back to the 11th century when it was the manor house of Harold Godwinson who, on the death of King Edward the Confessor, become the King of England. Following Harold’s death at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and the succession of William I, the house was given by William to his chaplain. By 1091 it had become the Bishops’ country palace. 
Felbrigg Hall is located at Felbrigg near Norwich, Norfolk and at one time was one of the largest estates in Norfolk. The heart of the estate was built up before the Norman Conquest by the Bigod family who settled following the Danish invasions of the 9th century. The Domesday Book survey in 1086 recorded the village as a possession of the Bigod family, although it is believed to have been owned at one time by Gyrth Godwinson, the brother of King Harold the English King who was defeated at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. 
All Photographs were taken by and are copyright of Ron Gatepain
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