We love dogs as much as you do, so there's no reason to leave your pup at home. English Heritage have got lots of options for dog-friendly days out at castles, abbeys and historic gardens. Scroll down to discover the historic places where you can take your pet on an adventure that will really get their tails wagging.
Berry Pomerey Castle
Tucked away in a deep wooded valley, Berry Pomeroy Castle is the perfect romantic ruin. It was originally built in the 15th-century by the Pomeroy family, then later expanded by the Seymours, who planned to set a great Elizabethan mansion within the castle’s medieval walls.
Lord Seymour probably began his mansion when summoned to Queen Elizabeth I’s court. It was intended to become the most spectacular house in Devon, with the magnificent north wing and its now-vanished long gallery among the biggest ever built in England. But the overambitious project was left unfinished.
After lying abandoned for a hundred years, the picturesque Berry Pomeroy Castle became a magnet for artists and sightseers in the late 18th-century. Visitors came to marvel at the ruins and speculate about their supposedly sinister history. Its romantic atmosphere fostered tales of hauntings and ghostly apparitions, and some of these stories are retold today through the audio tour.
Chysausater Ancient Village
This Romano-British settlement was originally occupied almost 2,000 years ago and is one of the finest examples of such in the country.
The village was made up of stone-walled homesteads known as 'courtyard houses', found only on the Land's End peninsula and the Isles of Scilly. The houses line a 'village street', and each had an open central courtyard surrounded by a number of thatched rooms.
The people of Chysauster were farmers and archaeological investigations have revealed that cereal crops were grown in the fields surrounding the village. It is also highly likely that pigs and goats were kept by the settlers and the site is believed to have been occupied for around 200 years. The reason for their departure is not known but could have possibly have been due to a decrease in the population or the availability of fuel.
Today visitors can walk around the village settlement to gain a sense of what the houses would have looked like and how the settlement was laid out. There are also the remains of an enigmatic 'fogou' underground passage - the purpose for this could have been as a ritual building, a hiding place or a cold store - what do you think it was used for?
Set on a hillside, the site has stunning views across the countryside and out to the sea and is home to a fantastic range of flora, fauna and wildlife as well as some visiting birds enjoying the warm climate of the far west of Cornwall.
Cleeve Abbey
In Washford lies one of the undiscovered jewels of Somerset, providing an interesting day out for families and budding historians alike. The Cistercian abbey of Cleeve is a haven of peace and tranquillity, said to contain the finest cloister buildings in England.
Visitors today can catch a glimpse of monastic life 800 years ago; although the abbey church was destroyed by Henry VIII during the dissolution in 1536, the cloister buildings including the gatehouse, 15th century refectory with its glorious angel roof and 13th century heraldic tiles have survived remarkably intact. The great dormitory is one of the best examples in the country, and an exhibition and virtual tour tells the story of the abbey and daily life for the holy men that once inhabited it.
Hailes Abbey
Founded in 1246 by the Earl of Cornwall, Hailes Abbey is set amid delightful Cotswold countryside. Once the centre of monastic life, the tranquil ruins are now the perfect place to relax and enjoy a picnic in a unique historic setting. Visit the new museum to discover the treasures of Hailes, uncovering stories of the monks who lived and worshipped at the abbey for nearly three centuries.
Hurlers Stone Circles
Three fine late Neolithic or early Bronze Age stone circles arranged in a line, a grouping unique in England.
Hurlers Stone Circles are probably the best examples of ceremonial circles in the south west. According to legend, they are the remains of men petrified for playing hurling on a Sunday.
Nunney Castle
A picturesque moated medieval castle, Nunney Castle in Somerset dates from the 1370s. Its builder was Sir John de la Mare, a local knight who was beginning to enjoy royal favour. Much modernised in the late 16th century, the castle was besieged and damaged by the Parliamentarians in 1645, during the English Civil War.
Though ruined, Nunney's dramatic great tower is very well preserved. Its four round corner towers and connecting walls are tightly encircled by the castle moat.
Tintagel Castle
Tintagel Castle is the site of a Dark Age settlement and one of the most spectacular coastal landscapes to be found in England, steeped with Arthurian legend. In the 12th century, Tintagel was named by Geoffrey of Monmouth as the place where King Arthur was conceived, kindling the fire for 900 years of mystery.
From this initial proclamation to the poetry of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, the allure of this mystical isle has continued to captivate. Tintagel Castle remains a unique fusion of Dark Age history and ancient legend, and a feast for the imagination.
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