From Barnard Castle to Tintagel – the 62 English Heritage sites to visit this weekend

This week, English Heritage reopened more than 60 of its historic sites to the public.

All of the locations which opened on Monday March 29 have outdoor grounds, as it is not yet permitted for people to visit indoor attractions.

A second tranche of heritage sights, along with the charity’s holiday cottages, will reopen on April 12, followed by indoor areas from May 17. From June 21, English Heritage will launch its entire summer events programme.

Kate Mavor, English Heritage’s Chief Executive, said: “We can’t wait to open up our sites again and to welcome people back. It’s been a long, long winter and our sites – with their wide open spaces, beautiful buildings, fun events and fascinating stories – will be the tonic we all need.”

Everyone – both members and non-members – must book in advance for a specific date and time slot via the English Heritage website. Tickets are now available to book for all dates between March 29 and May 16.

This comes as the UK loosens lockdown restrictions. People can now meet outdoors in groups of six, or two households, in private gardens, parks and beaches.

Here, we take a look at three of the finest English Heritage spots you can visit now, according to Telegraph Travel’s experts, along with the full list of 62 sights.

Barnard Castle

It made headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2020 (when a certain political aide made an unsolicited trip during Lockdown 1.0). Helen Pickles explains why it is, indeed, worth the journey.

“Although not far from the southern edges of County Durham’s coalfield and former pit villages, Barnard Castle feels a softer, greener world away.

“The medieval castle, taking its name from the 12th-century founder, possesses a grand history, having been home to (and besieged by) kings of Scotland before falling into the hands of the Duke of Gloucester – later King Richard III – during the Wars of the Roses.

“Now ruined, it still retains a spectacular vista over the Tees Gorge and is in the custody of English Heritage. The charity recommends trying to spot Richard’s boar emblem carved above a window in the inner ward or visit the sensory garden of scented plants and tactile objects.”

Tintagel Castle

Penny Walker delves into the history of Cornwall’s ruined castle: “The remains of the castle as we know it were built by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, in the early 13th century. But it fell into disrepair and by 1337, the castle was decaying. By 1600, it was all but deserted and coastal erosion slowly wreaked havoc on the setting.

“In the 19th century, Tintagel returned to prominence after a renewed interest in medieval history and Alfred Lord Tennyson penned his Idylls of the King. Visitors began to flock to this northern corner of Cornwall and Tintagel expanded to cater for them.

“In the 21st century, Tintagel is important not only for its role in the stories of Arthur, but in Cornish history. Just last year, an archaeological dig revealed that the site was once at the centre of a huge trading network and arguably helped shaped Britain as we know it.”

In 2019, Tintagel opened a bridge which spans the 190-foot gorge that separates the two halves of the castle, to replicate the path that ancient Britons would have taken.

Eltham Palace and Gardens

Oliver Smith writes: “Hand a map of the capital to your typical Londoner, and I’d wager they’d be unable to locate Eltham, sandwiched between leafy Greenwich and nondescript Sidcup, with any confidence.

“Turn the clock back 500 years, however, and this forgotten corner of the city was renowned as a magnet for the most powerful men in the country – not to mention the home of Henry Tudor, the rambunctious boy that would become England’s most famous king.

“From the early 14th century until the start of the 17th, Eltham could boast one of the largest and most frequented royal residences in the country, a vast moated palace of more than 2,000 rooms that rivalled Hampton Court for size and opulence, but would eventually fall into ruin.

“However, Eltham Palace was handed a second life in 1933 by two of the most eccentric millionaires in Britain. Stephen and Virginia Courtauld saved the relics of the medieval building by incorporating them into their new residence: an ultra-modern Art Deco party house as wondrous as that which came before it (albeit in a very different way).”

The following English Heritage sites also opened to the public on March 29. You can find more information on English Heritage here.

Yorkshire and the Humber

• Aldborough Roman Site

• Helmsley Castle

• Kirkham Priory

• Middleham Castle

• Mount Grace Priory, House and Gardens

• Pickering Castle

• Richmond Castle

• Rievaulx Abbey

• Scarborough Castle

• Thornton Abbey and Gatehouse

• Whitby Abbey

• Conisbrough Castle

• Brodsworth Hall and Gardens

• Roche Abbey

North East

• Barnard Castle

• Dustanburgh Castle

• Lindisfarne Priory

• Warkworth Castle and Hermitage

North West

• Beeston Castle

• Brougham Castle

• Furness Abbey

• Lanercost Priory

South West

• Berry Pomeroy Castle

• Okehampton Castle

• Totnes Castle

• Sherborne Old Castle

• Cleeve Abbey

• Farleigh Hungerford Castle

• Muchelney Abbey

• Old Sarum

• Old Wardour Castle

• Pendinnis Castle

• Restormel Castle

• St Mawes Castle

• Tintagel

Midlands

• Bolsover Castle

• Peveril Castle

• Hailes Abbey

• Goodrich Castle

• Ashby de la Zouch Castle

• Kirby Hall

• Wenlock Priory

• Wroxeter Roman City

• Witley Court and Gardens

East

• Castle Acre

• Framlingham Castle

Hadrian’s Wall

• Birdoswald Roman Fort

• Chester's Roman Fort

• Corbridge Roman Town

• Housestead's Roman Fort

North and Midlands

• Brodsworth Hall and Gardens

• Kenilworth Castle

• Tynemouth Priory and Castle

London and South

• Audley End House and Gardens

• Eltham Palace

• Kenwood

• Marble Hill House

• Osborne

• Walmer Castle and Gardens

• Wrest Park